AMD Opteron 6386 SE vs Intel Core i7-5775R Comparison

The AMD Opteron 6386 SE and the Intel Core i7-5775R occupy the same performance percentile (45th) in the database, yet they achieve it through radically different designs. The Opteron wins every head-to-head benchmark, but the margin is uniformly narrow, never exceeding 11.1%. The Core i7-5775R, despite having a quarter of the cores and half the threads, trails by only a small margin, making this a contest between brute parallelism and efficient per-core execution.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The AMD Opteron 6386 SE sweeps all six recorded comparisons, with a consistent advantage of approximately 10.8% in every multi-core test. In Cinebench R15 Multi-Core, the Opteron scores 710 against the i7-5775R’s 641, a 10.8% lead. That exact gap repeats in Cinebench R20 Multi-Core (2959 vs 2671) and Cinebench R23 Multi-Core (7047 vs 6360). This uniformity suggests the advantage is structural rather than workload-specific: the Opteron’s 16 cores simply scale across threaded rendering tasks, while the i7-5775R’s 4 cores and 8 threads hit a ceiling that no clock speed can fully overcome.

Single-core results tell a similar story, but the margins are slightly more pronounced. In Cinebench R15 Single-Core, the Opteron scores 100 versus 90, an 11.1% advantage—the largest delta in the entire comparison. Cinebench R20 Single-Core shows 417 versus 376 (10.9%), and Cinebench R23 Single-Core shows 994 versus 897 (10.8%). These numbers are notable because the i7-5775R has a higher base clock (3.30 GHz vs 2.80 GHz) and a higher boost clock (3.80 GHz vs 3.50 GHz), yet it still loses single-threaded tests. The data indicates that the Opteron’s older Piledriver architecture, despite its 32nm process, delivers stronger per-clock performance in these specific Cinebench workloads than Intel’s 14nm Broadwell part.

The i7-5775R does have one benchmark the Opteron lacks: Geekbench. It scores 3996 multi-core and 1218 single-core, but no comparative Opteron score exists in the pack, so these figures stand as isolated data points. The overall average benchmark scores are tightly clustered: the Opteron averages 2038, the i7-5775R averages 2031, a difference of only 0.3%. This near-parity in aggregate explains why both CPUs sit at the 45th percentile, despite their divergent architectures and core counts.

Architecture Differences

The Opteron 6386 SE is built on AMD’s Piledriver architecture with the codename Abu Dhabi, manufactured on a 32nm process at GlobalFoundries. It packs 16 cores and 16 threads across two dies, each measuring 315 mm², for a combined die size of 630 mm² and 2,400 million transistors. Its cache hierarchy is module-based: 768 KB of L1, 2 MB of L2 per module, and 8 MB of L3 per die. The i7-5775R, in contrast, uses Intel’s Broadwell architecture on a 14nm process, with a single 182 mm² die. It has 4 cores and 8 threads, with 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 6 MB of shared L3.

Memory configurations diverge sharply. The Opteron supports DDR3 over a quad-channel bus, delivering 51.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The i7-5775R also supports DDR3 but only over a dual-channel bus, capping bandwidth at 29.9 GB/s—roughly 42% lower. The Opteron also supports ECC memory, while the i7-5775R does not. PCIe capabilities differ as well: the Opteron uses Gen 2, whereas the i7-5775R uses Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes. The i7-5775R includes integrated Iris Pro Graphics 6200; the Opteron has no integrated graphics at all.

The production dates are separated by roughly 2.5 years, with the Opteron released on November 4, 2012, and the i7-5775R on May 14, 2015. Both are end-of-life products. The Opteron targets the server/workstation segment and uses AMD Socket G34, while the i7-5775R is a desktop part soldered to Intel BGA 1364. Neither chip has an unlocked multiplier.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous on raw performance: the AMD Opteron 6386 SE wins every benchmark in the head-to-head set. Any user whose workload is dominated by Cinebench-style multi-threaded rendering should choose the Opteron, as it leads by 10.8% in all multi-core tests. The same applies to single-threaded tasks, where the Opteron’s lead ranges from 10.8% to 11.1%. There is no benchmark category in which the i7-5775R comes out ahead.

However, the i7-5775R is not without justification. Its 65W TDP is less than half the Opteron’s 140W, and it integrates GPU functionality, making it a more complete package for a desktop system where discrete graphics are unnecessary. The i7-5775R also benefits from a newer 14nm process and a smaller 182 mm² die, but the benchmark scores do not reward that efficiency with a win. For pure compute, the Opteron is the clear winner. For a low-power desktop with integrated graphics, the i7-5775R is the only viable option, but it sacrifices roughly 11% performance in the tested workloads.

The Opteron’s server pedigree is evident in its ECC memory support, quad-channel bandwidth, and 16-core layout. The i7-5775R’s desktop focus is equally clear from its dual-channel memory, lack of ECC, and integrated GPU. Neither chip is a general-purpose champion; each serves a distinct segment, and the benchmark data favors the server part in every measured metric.

Specification Differences

| Field | AMD Opteron 6386 SE | Intel Core i7-5775R |

|---|---|---|

| Cores | 16 | 4 |

| Threads | 16 | 8 |

| Base Clock | 2.80 GHz | 3.30 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.50 GHz | 3.80 GHz |

| TDP | 140 W | 65 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket G34 | Intel BGA 1364 |

| Architecture | Piledriver | Broadwell |

| Process Node | 32 nm | 14 nm |

| Die Size | 2x 315 mm² | 182 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 768 KB | 64 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 2 MB (per module) | 256 KB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 8 MB (per die) | 6 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bus | Quad-channel | Dual-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | 51.2 GB/s | 29.9 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | Yes | No |

| PCIe | Gen 2 | Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | None | Iris Pro Graphics 6200 |

| Market Segment | Server/Workstation | Desktop |

| Launch MSRP | $1392 | $384 |

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The AMD Opteron 6386 SE has 16 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel Core i7-5775R has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: What is the performance gap in multi-core workloads?

A: The Opteron leads the i7-5775R by exactly 10.8% in Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multi-core tests.

Q: Does the i7-5775R win any single-core test?

A: No. The Opteron wins all three single-core tests, with leads of 11.1% in R15, 10.9% in R20, and 10.8% in R23.

Q: Which chip supports ECC memory?

A: The AMD Opteron 6386 SE supports ECC memory; the Intel Core i7-5775R does not.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The Opteron provides 51.2 GB/s over a quad-channel bus, while the i7-5775R provides 29.9 GB/s over a dual-channel bus.

Q: Do both processors have integrated graphics?

A: No. The i7-5775R includes Iris Pro Graphics 6200, while the Opteron has no integrated graphics.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Opteron 6386 SE wins every benchmark in this comparison, so its advantages are absolute within the tested set. It is the correct choice for multi-threaded rendering workloads, as evidenced by its 7047 score in Cinebench R23 Multi-Core versus the i7-5775R’s 6360. It also wins single-threaded tasks, with a 994 R23 single-core score against 897. The Opteron’s quad-channel memory bus and 51.2 GB/s bandwidth make it suitable for memory-intensive server tasks, and its ECC support is mandatory for error-sensitive data processing environments. The 16-core count provides headroom for heavily parallelized workloads that can use all available threads.

The Intel Core i7-5775R, despite losing all head-to-head tests, has specific strengths that the Opteron cannot match. Its 65W TDP makes it far more power-efficient, which is critical for compact desktop systems with limited cooling. The integrated Iris Pro Graphics 6200 eliminates the need for a discrete GPU, reducing system cost and complexity. Its 14nm process and smaller 182 mm² die indicate a more modern manufacturing approach. The i7-5775R also supports PCIe Gen 3, which is faster than the Opteron’s Gen 2, and its 3.80 GHz boost clock is higher than the Opteron’s 3.50 GHz. For desktop users who prioritize power consumption, integrated graphics, and a smaller physical footprint over raw compute performance, the i7-5775R is the logical pick—just accept the 10.8% deficit in every multi-core benchmark.