AMD Opteron 6380 vs Intel Core i5-4690K Comparison

The Verdict

The recorded data presents a clear and consistent picture: the AMD Opteron 6380 wins all six head-to-head benchmark comparisons against the Intel Core i5-4690K. Across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, in both single-core and multi-core tests, the Opteron 6380 holds a lead of roughly 15% in every instance. The database shows zero wins for the Core i5-4690K, and six wins for the Opteron 6380.

For a desktop user focused on a compact, overclockable platform with integrated graphics, the Core i5-4690K remains a distinctly different product. It offers an unlocked multiplier, a 3.50 GHz base clock with a 3.90 GHz boost, and Intel HD 4600 graphics. However, the benchmark results indicate that in pure compute throughput, the Opteron 6380 is ahead in every measured scenario. The data does not show a single test where the Intel part pulls ahead.

For server or workstation workloads that can use more cores and support ECC memory, the Opteron 6380 is the obvious choice from this dataset. Its 16 cores and 16 threads, combined with a quad-channel memory bus and a 59.7 GB/s memory bandwidth figure, align with high-throughput environments. The Core i5-4690K, with 4 cores and 4 threads, a dual-channel memory bus, and 25.6 GB/s bandwidth, cannot match the aggregate throughput profile of the Opteron in the measured benchmarks.

That said, the percentile ranking for both CPUs is identical at 40. Both sit at the same position relative to all other CPUs in the database. The average benchmark scores are close as well: the Core i5-4690K averages 1682, while the Opteron 6380 averages 1643. The Opteron wins every head-to-head test, yet its average sits slightly lower because the benchmark set includes Geekbench scores for the Intel part, which are not recorded for the Opteron. Those Geekbench results (multi-core 3789, single-core 1292) lift the Intel average. The Cinebench family of tests, however, consistently favor the AMD server chip.

The Core i5-4690K should be selected by desktop builders who want a small-socket, overclockable processor with integrated graphics and a modern PCIe Gen 3 interface. The Opteron 6380 should be selected by anyone running multi-threaded server or workstation tasks, especially where ECC memory is required. The benchmark data does not support any claim that the Core i5 is faster in the recorded tests; it wins nothing in the head-to-head set.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural lineages, different foundries, and different market segments. The Intel Core i5-4690K is built on the Haswell architecture, manufactured by Intel on a 22 nm process node. It integrates 1,400 million transistors on a 177 mm² die. The AMD Opteron 6380 uses the Piledriver architecture, codenamed Abu Dhabi, produced by GlobalFoundries on a 32 nm process. Its transistor count is 2,400 million, spread across two dies, each measuring 315 mm², for a combined die area of 630 mm².

Core and thread counts diverge sharply. The Intel part has 4 cores and 4 threads, meaning no Hyper-Threading is enabled in the recorded data. The AMD part has 16 cores and 16 threads, again with no SMT, but with four times the core count. Base clocks differ: the Core i5-4690K runs at 3.50 GHz and boosts to 3.90 GHz, while the Opteron 6380 runs at 2.50 GHz and boosts to 3.40 GHz. The Intel chip has a higher base and boost clock, yet it still loses every benchmark, which points to the core-count advantage of the Opteron.

Cache hierarchies are structured differently. The Core i5-4690K has 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 6 MB of shared L3. The Opteron 6380 has 768 KB total L1, 2 MB of L2 per module, and 8 MB of L3 per die. Given that the Opteron has two dies, the total L3 is effectively 16 MB across the package, though the database records it as 8 MB per die. The Intel cache layout is per-core for L1 and L2, with a single shared L3 pool.

Memory support also differs. Both use DDR3, but the Core i5-4690K has a dual-channel memory bus with a recorded bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s. The Opteron 6380 has a quad-channel memory bus with 59.7 GB/s bandwidth, more than double the Intel figure. ECC memory is supported by the Opteron but not by the Core i5. This is a critical distinction for server workloads where memory errors cannot be tolerated.

PCIe capabilities differ as well. The Core i5-4690K supports PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The Opteron 6380 supports PCIe Gen 2, with no lane count specified in the database. Integrated graphics are present only on the Intel part, as the HD 4600, while the Opteron has none. The Intel processor has an unlocked multiplier, making it a traditional overclocking part, whereas the Opteron's multiplier is locked.

The release dates are separated by about a year and a half. The Opteron 6380 launched in November 2012, while the Core i5-4690K launched in June 2014. Both are end-of-life production parts. The market segments reflect their intended use: the Core i5 is a desktop part, the Opteron is a server/workstation part. The launch MSRP for the Core i5-4690K was $243. The launch MSRP for the Opteron 6380 was $1088. Both parts are no longer in production.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the head-to-head benchmark data, the AMD Opteron 6380 wins in every recorded test. There is no test in the database where the Intel Core i5-4690K takes a victory. This means that for any workload captured by Cinebench R15, R20, or R23, the Opteron 6380 is the faster processor in the recorded measurements.

The Opteron's wins are consistent across both single-core and multi-core tests. In Cinebench R15, it scores 572 in multi-core versus 486 for the Intel part, a 15% lead. In single-core, it scores 80 versus 68, again a 15% lead. The same pattern holds in R20: 2386 versus 2027 in multi-core (15% lead), and 336 versus 286 in single-core (14.9% lead). In R23, the Opteron scores 5683 versus 4828 in multi-core (15% lead), and 802 versus 681 in single-core (15.1% lead).

This is a noteworthy result: the Opteron wins single-core tests despite having a lower base clock (2.50 GHz versus 3.50 GHz) and a lower boost clock (3.40 GHz versus 3.90 GHz). The single-core advantage of the Opteron is not explained by clock speed in the database; it simply is what the measurements show. The architecture and cache configuration of the Piledriver design apparently compensates for the lower clocks in these specific benchmark runs.

For the Intel Core i5-4690K, its strengths lie outside the measured benchmarks. It has integrated graphics, which the Opteron lacks entirely. It supports PCIe Gen 3, which is a newer standard than the Opteron's Gen 2. It has a smaller die (177 mm² versus 630 mm² combined) and a lower TDP of 88 watts versus 115 watts. The unlocked multiplier is a feature for overclocking, and the desktop socket (Intel Socket 1150) is a mainstream platform. Geekbench scores for the Core i5-4690K are recorded in the database: 3789 in multi-core and 1292 in single-core. No Geekbench data exists for the Opteron, so a direct comparison on that test is not possible.

The Opteron 6380 wins in scenarios that benefit from more cores, more memory channels, and ECC support. The Core i5-4690K wins in scenarios that require integrated graphics, a smaller physical footprint, or PCIe Gen 3 connectivity. In the pure compute benchmarks provided, however, the Opteron is ahead across the board.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The AMD Opteron 6380 scores 5683, while the Intel Core i5-4690K scores 4828. The Opteron leads by 15% in this test.

Q: Does the Intel Core i5-4690K win any benchmark in the head-to-head comparison?

A: No. The database records zero wins for the Core i5-4690K and six wins for the AMD Opteron 6380 across all six Cinebench tests.

Q: Does the Opteron 6380 support ECC memory?

A: Yes. The database lists ECC memory support as true for the Opteron 6380, while the Core i5-4690K does not support ECC.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference between the two processors?

A: The Opteron 6380 has a quad-channel memory bus with 59.7 GB/s bandwidth. The Core i5-4690K has a dual-channel bus with 25.6 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: Only the Intel Core i5-4690K has integrated graphics, specifically Intel HD 4600. The AMD Opteron 6380 has no integrated graphics.

Q: Are both processors end-of-life?

A: Yes. Both the Core i5-4690K and the Opteron 6380 are listed as end-of-life in the database.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head benchmark set contains six tests, all from the Cinebench family. The AMD Opteron 6380 wins all six. The deltas are remarkably consistent, hovering around 15% in every case.

Starting with Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Opteron 6380 scores 572, and the Core i5-4690K scores 486. The delta is -15%, meaning the Intel part trails by 15%. In R15 single-core, the Opteron scores 80, the Intel scores 68, and the delta is again -15%. This is the smallest absolute gap in points (12 points), but the same percentage lead.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the multi-core test shows the Opteron at 2386 and the Intel at 2027, a delta of -15%. The single-core test shows the Opteron at 336 and the Intel at 286, with a delta of -14.9%. The percentage lead is essentially unchanged from R15.

In Cinebench R23, the multi-core result is 5683 for the Opteron and 4828 for the Intel, a delta of -15%. The single-core result is 802 for the Opteron and 681 for the Intel, with a delta of -15.1%. Across all six tests, the Opteron's advantage never drops below 14.9% and never exceeds 15.1%. This consistency suggests a stable performance differential between the two architectures in the Cinebench workload.

The magnitude of the multi-core wins is substantial in absolute terms. In R23 multi-core, the Opteron leads by 855 points. In R20 multi-core, it leads by 359 points. In R15 multi-core, it leads by 86 points. These are not marginal differences; they represent a clear performance tier separation in the measured data.

The single-core wins are smaller in absolute points but proportionally identical. In R23 single-core, the lead is 121 points. In R20 single-core, it is 50 points. In R15 single-core, it is 12 points. The fact that the Opteron wins single-core at all is notable given its lower clocks, but the data is unambiguous.

For context, the nearest rivals in the database for the Core i5-4690K include the Intel Xeon D-1528 (average score 1677, delta 0.3%), the Intel Core i7-5850HQ (1688, delta -0.3%), the Intel Core i7-3770K (1688, delta -0.3%), and the AMD Ryzen 7 3750H (1690, delta -0.5%). The Core i5 sits essentially at parity with these parts, with an average of 1682.

The Opteron 6380's nearest rivals are the Intel Core i7-5700HQ (1645, delta -0.1%), the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 2200G (1640, delta 0.2%), the Intel Core i5-5675R (1648, delta -0.3%), and the Intel Core i7-4810MQ (1651, delta -0.5%). Its average of 1643 places it in the same performance band as those parts, despite its much higher core count.

The average benchmark score for the Core i5-4690K is 1682, which is higher than the Opteron's 1643. This is because the Core i5 has Geekbench scores included in its average, while the Opteron does not. The Geekbench multi-core score of 3789 for the Intel part is far above any of its Cinebench scores, pulling the average up. Without Geekbench data for the Opteron, the average comparison is not apples-to-apples, but the head-to-head Cinebench results are directly comparable and consistently favor the Opteron.

The percentile ranking for both processors is 40, meaning both sit at the 40th percentile relative to all CPUs in the database. Despite the Opteron winning all six head-to-head tests, both parts occupy the same percentile band in the overall distribution. This indicates that the overall database population includes many faster processors that overshadow both of these older, end-of-life parts.

In summary, the benchmark results show a 15% performance advantage for the AMD Opteron 6380 across all six Cinebench tests. The Intel Core i5-4690K has no benchmark wins in the head-to-head set. The Opteron is the faster compute part in every measured scenario, despite its lower clocks, older process node, and higher TDP. The Core i5 retains advantages in integrated graphics, PCIe generation, and desktop-oriented features, but not in any recorded compute benchmark.