AMD Opteron 2356 (B3)

The AMD Opteron 2356 (B3) is a server/workstation processor from the Opteron (Barcelona) generation, with the architecture designated Zen 3 and the codename Barcelona. It is built on a 65 nm process, with a 285 mm² die containing 463 million transistors. The part provides four cores and four threads, running at a fixed 2.30 GHz base clock with no boost clock. Its TDP is 95 W, and it is end-of-life, having launched on 2008-04-08 with a launch MSRP of $690. In the benchmark database, the part sits at the 50th percentile of all CPUs, though the average benchmark score is 0 and no individual benchmark entries are recorded.

Benchmark Performance

The benchmark data for the Opteron 2356 (B3) is empty. The benchmarks array contains no entries, and the average benchmark score is 0. The only positional figure is the 50th percentile placement among all CPUs in the database. That midpoint cannot be interpreted as a measured performance result; it is a default placement applied when no benchmark data exists. Consequently, there are no delta percentages to report against any rival, and the nearestRivals list is empty.

What the data does provide is the architectural context that would shape any benchmark outcome. Four cores with four threads means the part executes one instruction stream per core, with no simultaneous multithreading. The 2.30 GHz base clock is the maximum operating frequency, since no boost clock is specified. The cache hierarchy is modest: 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a 2 MB shared L3. The 65 nm process and 463-million-transistor count place this part in an older manufacturing generation, which constrains both frequency headroom and power efficiency relative to newer designs.

Because the database records no measured scores, the performance profile must be inferred from these specifications. A four-thread part at a fixed 2.30 GHz will be competitive in workloads that scale to four threads or fewer, but it will lag in heavily threaded applications. The 2 MB shared L3 is small, which will limit performance on data sets that exceed that cache footprint. The 10.7 GB/s memory bandwidth, delivered over a dual-channel DDR2 interface, is another constraint: memory-bound workloads will be limited by this throughput figure. The 50th percentile placement, in the absence of any measured score, should be read as a neutral marker rather than a competitive ranking.

Who Should Consider It

The Opteron 2356 (B3) is aimed at the server and workstation segment, per the market segment field. Within that scope, the four-core, four-thread configuration suits workloads that are single-threaded or lightly threaded. The fixed 2.30 GHz clock, with no boost, provides predictable and repeatable performance — a useful property for latency-sensitive server tasks where frequency variability is undesirable. The ECC memory support is a meaningful feature for reliability-critical environments, since it allows the system to detect and correct memory errors.

The memory subsystem is dual-channel DDR2 with 10.7 GB/s of bandwidth. That is a modest figure, so workloads that stream large data sets will not be well served. The 2 MB shared L3 cache is also small, which argues against workloads with large working sets. For database transactions, web serving, or other workloads with small, hot data sets, the cache and memory configuration may be adequate. For scientific computing, rendering, or other throughput-oriented tasks, the four threads and limited bandwidth will be bottlenecks.

Gaming is not a recommended workload for this part. The absence of integrated graphics means a discrete GPU is mandatory, and the four-thread, fixed-clock design offers no boost headroom for bursty gaming loads. The part is end-of-life, so it is not appropriate for new server deployments; its relevance is limited to legacy systems already on the Socket Fr2 platform, or to workloads that require only the modest compute and memory capabilities it provides. The locked multiplier further restricts its appeal to users who might otherwise attempt to raise the operating frequency.

Power and Thermals

The TDP is rated at 95 W. That places the Opteron 2356 (B3) in a middle power band for server processors of its era. The 65 nm process node is an older manufacturing technology, which generally implies higher switching power for a given frequency compared to more recent nodes. The die is 285 mm² and contains 463 million transistors, so the thermal density across the die is a consideration for cooling design.

Because the part has no boost clock, the power draw is steady-state rather than bursty. A processor with boost capability will periodically raise frequency and voltage, causing transient thermal spikes; the Opteron 2356 (B3) operates at a constant 2.30 GHz, so the thermal load is uniform. This simplifies cooling: a cooling solution sized for a continuous 95 W load is sufficient, with no headroom needed for boost transients.

The server/workstation market segment implies that the part will typically be deployed in chassis with forced airflow. The 95 W TDP is within the range that standard server heatsinks and chassis fans can handle without special liquid cooling or exotic thermal solutions. The locked multiplier, noted in the data, means the operating frequency cannot be raised by the user, so thermal requirements will not escalate from overclocking. The end-of-life status also means that replacement cooling parts for this platform may be scarce, though the data does not quantify availability.

How It Compares

The nearestRivals field in the data is empty. No rival processors are listed, and therefore no names, scores, or delta percentage values can be cited. The only comparative signal is the 50th percentile placement against all CPUs in the database. That placement, however, is not derived from measured scores — the average benchmark score is 0 and no benchmark entries exist. As a result, the 50th percentile should be treated as a neutral midpoint rather than a competitive ranking.

Without rival data, the comparison must rest on the specifications. Against processors that share the Socket Fr2 platform, the Opteron 2356 (B3) offers four cores at a fixed 2.30 GHz. The 95 W TDP is a moderate power envelope. The 2 MB shared L3 and 10.7 GB/s memory bandwidth define the memory performance ceiling. Any rival on the same socket with more cores, a higher clock, or a larger cache would outperform this part in corresponding workloads, but the data does not name such rivals.

The empty nearestRivals list also means that the part's position in the broader CPU landscape is defined only by the percentile field. At the 50th percentile, the part sits at the midpoint of the database distribution — but again, with no benchmark scores, that midpoint is an artifact of data absence, not a measured achievement. The honest reading of the data is that the Opteron 2356 (B3) cannot be quantitatively compared to any specific competitor in this database.

Platform and Compatibility

The Opteron 2356 (B3) uses AMD Socket Fr2. This socket is the platform anchor for the part, and any upgrade path is constrained to processors that share the same socket. The production status is end-of-life, which means the platform is no longer actively supported for new deployments. The release date of 2008-04-08 places the platform in a legacy era.

Memory support is DDR2, with the note that the specific memory configuration depends on the motherboard. The memory bus is dual-channel, delivering a peak bandwidth of 10.7 GB/s. ECC memory is supported, which is consistent with the server/workstation positioning of the part. The dependence on the motherboard for memory specifics means that the actual achievable bandwidth and capacity will vary by board, but the dual-channel 10.7 GB/s figure is the rated ceiling.

The data does not specify PCIe capabilities for this part. No PCIe generation or lane count is listed, so the expansion and I/O capabilities of the platform cannot be quantified from this data sheet. The integrated graphics field is also empty, meaning the part has no onboard graphics; a discrete GPU is required for any display output.

The multiplier is locked, so the 2.30 GHz base clock is the maximum frequency the user can achieve. The part number is OS2356WAL4BGH. The end-of-life status, combined with the DDR2 memory dependency and the legacy Socket Fr2, means the upgrade path is effectively limited to other Socket Fr2 processors from the same generation. For a system already on this platform, the practical upgrade is to a higher-clocked or higher-core-count part within the same socket family, but the data does not enumerate such options.