AMD Opteron 6380 vs Intel Core i7-3770K Comparison

The AMD Opteron 6380 and the Intel Core i7-3770K are two end-of-life processors from 2012 that land in surprisingly similar territory in the benchmark database. Both sit at the 40th percentile against all CPUs in the database, and their average benchmark scores differ by only a small margin, with the Opteron averaging 1643 and the Core i7 averaging 1688. What makes the comparison interesting is how differently they arrive at nearly identical results: one is a 16-core server part built on a 32 nm process, and the other is a 4-core desktop chip built on Intel's 22 nm tri-gate process. The recorded head-to-head data shows the Opteron winning every shared test, but the gaps are consistently narrow, roughly 2.5 percent in every case.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains six shared Cinebench results between the two chips, and the AMD Opteron 6380 wins all six.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Opteron scores 572 against 558 for the Core i7-3770K, a 2.5 percent advantage. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the Opteron scores 80 against 78, a 2.6 percent advantage. The same pattern repeats at every version of Cinebench in the database. Cinebench R20 multi-core: 2386 for the Opteron against 2327 for the Core i7, a 2.5 percent gap. Cinebench R20 single-core: 336 against 328, 2.4 percent apart. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 5683 against 5542, again 2.5 percent. Cinebench R23 single-core: 802 against 782, 2.6 percent.

The consistency of those margins is the most notable finding in the data. The Opteron does not dominate in multi-threaded workloads the way its 16 cores against 4 cores might suggest. A 2.5 percent multi-core advantage from four times the core count indicates that each individual Opteron core is far less productive than each Ivy Bridge core, and the database also shows the Opteron ahead in single-core tests by nearly the same margin, which runs counter to what the core-count disparity would predict. The Opteron's single-core scores of 80, 336, and 802 across R15, R20, and R23 are only marginally ahead of the Core i7's 78, 328, and 782.

The Core i7-3770K has one benchmark set the Opteron does not: Geekbench. There it scores 3027 multi-core and 860 single-core, and no comparable Opteron Geekbench entry exists in the database, so no direct comparison can be drawn from that test. On average benchmark score, the Core i7 actually comes out slightly ahead, 1688 versus 1643, because the Geekbench results lift its average. Each chip also has a distinct set of statistical neighbors. The Opteron's nearest rivals by average score are the Intel Core i7-5700HQ (average score 1645), the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 2200G (1640), the Intel Core i5-5675R (1648), and the Intel Core i7-4810MQ (1651). The Core i7-3770K's nearest rivals are the Intel Core i7-5850HQ (1688, an exact match), the AMD Ryzen 7 3750H (1690), the Intel Core i7-980 (1693), and the Intel Core i5-4690K (1682).

Architecture Differences

The two processors could hardly be more different architecturally. The Opteron 6380 belongs to the Opteron 6000 series and uses AMD's Piledriver architecture under the codename Abu Dhabi. It is built on a 32 nm process at GlobalFoundries, packs 2,400 million transistors across two dies of 315 mm² each, and fits the AMD Socket G34. The Core i7-3770K is an Ivy Bridge design from Intel, manufactured on Intel's own 22 nm process with 1,400 million transistors on a single 160 mm² die, using Intel Socket 1155.

The core and thread configurations diverge sharply. The Opteron has 16 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 3.40 GHz. The Core i7 has 4 cores and 8 threads, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 3.90 GHz. The Opteron's clock range sits a full gigahertz lower at base and half a gigahertz lower at boost, which explains much of why 16 Piledriver cores only edge out 4 Ivy Bridge cores in the multi-threaded tests.

Cache organization also differs. The Opteron carries 768 KB of L1 cache, 2 MB of L2 per module, and 8 MB of L3 per die. The Core i7 has 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and a shared 8 MB of L3. Both support DDR3 memory, but the Opteron uses a quad-channel bus delivering 59.7 GB/s of bandwidth, more than double the Core i7's dual-channel 25.6 GB/s. The Opteron also supports ECC memory, a server requirement, while the Core i7 does not.

Platform features split further along the server-versus-desktop line. The Opteron offers PCI Express Gen 2 and no integrated graphics. The Core i7 offers PCI Express Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU and includes Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics. Power characteristics favor the desktop chip: the Core i7 has a 77 W TDP against 115 W for the Opteron. The Core i7 also has an unlocked multiplier, while the Opteron's is locked. Both were released in 2012, the Opteron on November 5 and the Core i7 on April 29, and both are now end-of-life. The Opteron launched at an MSRP of $1088 and the Core i7 at $313.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster in the recorded benchmarks?

A: The AMD Opteron 6380 wins all six shared Cinebench tests, with advantages between 2.4 and 2.6 percent in each. However, the Core i7-3770K holds the higher average benchmark score in the database, 1688 versus 1643, because its Geekbench results are included in its average while no Opteron Geekbench data exists.

Q: Does the Opteron's 16 cores give it a big multi-core lead?

A: No. The data shows only a 2.5 percent multi-core advantage across all three Cinebench generations, despite the Opteron having 16 cores and 16 threads against the Core i7's 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: Which chip is faster in single-threaded work?

A: The Opteron leads narrowly in the shared tests, scoring 80 versus 78 in R15, 336 versus 328 in R20, and 802 versus 782 in R23 single-core. In Geekbench single-core, the Core i7 scores 860, but there is no Opteron result for comparison.

Q: Which platform has better memory support?

A: The Opteron. It uses a quad-channel DDR3 bus with 59.7 GB/s of bandwidth and supports ECC memory. The Core i7 uses dual-channel DDR3 at 25.6 GB/s without ECC support.

Q: Can either CPU be overclocked?

A: Only the Core i7-3770K, which has an unlocked multiplier. The Opteron 6380's multiplier is locked.

Q: Which CPU consumes less power?

A: The Core i7-3770K, with a 77 W TDP against the Opteron 6380's 115 W TDP.

Specification Differences

The chips differ on nearly every specification. Cores: 16 for the Opteron versus 4 for the Core i7. Threads: 16 versus 8. Base clock: 2.50 GHz versus 3.50 GHz. Boost clock: 3.40 GHz versus 3.90 GHz. TDP: 115 W versus 77 W. Socket: AMD Socket G34 versus Intel Socket 1155.

The process node differs, 32 nm at GlobalFoundries versus 22 nm at Intel, as do transistor counts (2,400 million versus 1,400 million) and die layouts (two 315 mm² dies versus one 160 mm² die). Cache structure differs as described above: the Opteron distributes L2 and L3 per module and per die, while the Core i7 uses per-core L1 and L2 with a shared 8 MB L3.

Memory and platform capabilities diverge: quad-channel versus dual-channel DDR3, 59.7 GB/s versus 25.6 GB/s bandwidth, ECC present versus absent, and PCIe Gen 2 versus Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes. The Core i7 includes Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics; the Opteron has none. Market segment separates them as well, Server/Workstation for the Opteron and Desktop for the Core i7. The multiplier is locked on the Opteron and unlocked on the Core i7.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear split by intent. Buyers needing a platform with memory reliability features, ECC support, and very high memory bandwidth should choose the Opteron 6380. It also wins every shared benchmark, albeit narrowly, and its 16 physical cores suit workloads that scale with core count even when per-core throughput is modest.

Buyers building a desktop system should choose the Core i7-3770K. It carries the higher average benchmark score in the database (1688 versus 1643), draws less power at 77 W versus 115 W, includes integrated graphics so no discrete GPU is required, offers newer PCIe Gen 3 connectivity, and has an unlocked multiplier. Its 860 Geekbench single-core score is the strongest single-threaded figure recorded between the two. The two chips sit at the same 40th percentile against the full database, so neither offers a decisive overall performance edge; the decision comes down to platform characteristics rather than speed.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Opteron 6380 wins in every shared rendering benchmark: Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, in both multi-core and single-core modes, by margins of 2.4 to 2.6 percent. It wins in memory-intensive workloads, where its 59.7 GB/s quad-channel bandwidth more than doubles the Core i7's 25.6 GB/s. It wins in reliability-critical environments through ECC support, and in heavily threaded server and workstation tasks where its 16 cores and 16 threads can be fully occupied.

The Intel Core i7-3770K wins on average benchmark score in the database, 1688 versus 1643, aided by its Geekbench results of 3027 multi-core and 860 single-core. It wins in power-sensitive desktop builds with its lower 77 W TDP, in systems that benefit from integrated graphics, in expansions needing PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes, and for enthusiasts, since its unlocked multiplier allows tuning that the locked Opteron cannot match. It also holds the higher clock speeds at both base (3.50 GHz) and boost (3.90 GHz), which favors applications that depend on fast individual threads.