AMD Opteron 6168

The AMD Opteron 6168 is a 12-core, 12-thread server/workstation processor from the Magny-Cours iteration of AMD’s K10 architecture. Built for AMD Socket G34 on a 45 nm process, it carries 1,800 million transistors on a 346 mm² die, with a 1900.00 MHz base clock, no boost clock, and a 115W TDP. The database places this part at the 50th percentile among all CPUs, but its average benchmark score is 0 and the nearestRivals list is empty, so the percentile is not backed by observed rival comparisons.

Who Should Consider It

The market segment listed in the data is Server/Workstation, and that is the clearest signal about who should consider this processor. Twelve cores and twelve threads give the Opteron 6168 a resource profile aimed at workloads that can use many execution contexts. The cache configuration reinforces that position: the data lists 768 KB shared L1, 6 MB (per core) L2, and 12 MB L3. That is a large aggregate cache hierarchy compared with what a basic desktop part would typically carry, and it points toward server-side processing, batch workloads, or other throughput-oriented tasks.

Gaming is not a workload that this fact pack supports. There are no recorded benchmark scores for the processor, and the market segment contains no gaming classification. The data also lists no integrated graphics, so a system built around this part would need a separate graphics solution before any display output is possible. Without a boost clock, thread-limited performance depends entirely on the 1900.00 MHz base clock, which does not match the profile of a high-frequency gaming processor. The absence of benchmark data means there is no measured evidence for gaming either way, but the platform positioning is clearly not desktop gaming.

Office work is similarly not the intended use. The 12 threads are far more than basic document or spreadsheet workflows require, and the Socket G34 plus DDR3 memory platform imposes hardware choices that ordinary office machines avoid. Content creation is a more nuanced case. Rendering, video encoding, and other batch-style creative workloads can spread across 12 threads, and the 12 MB L3 cache could help workloads with moderate cache working sets. However, the 1900.00 MHz base clock and lack of a boost clock suggest that interactive, lightly threaded editing tasks will not get the frequency headroom that many creation applications prefer. The database provides no benchmark score to confirm how those workloads actually behave on this part.

Power and Thermals

The thermal design power listed for the Opteron 6168 is 115W. This is a 115-watt class processor, not a low-power SKU. Any cooling solution must reject that amount of heat continuously, and because no boost clock is listed, the processor’s thermal load is tied to the sustained 1900.00 MHz base clock rather than a variable high-frequency mode.

The 45 nm process node and 1,800 million transistor count help explain why the TDP sits at this level. The die size is 346 mm², so heat is generated across a substantial silicon area. A capable active heatsink with adequate airflow is the appropriate cooling tier for a part in this class. The fact pack does not specify a cooler make, model, or size, so the safe conclusion is that a cooling solution designed for 115W server processors is required, not a minimal passive cooler.

How It Compares

The nearestRivals field in the fact pack is empty. There are therefore no rival names, no rival scores, and no deltaPct values to cite in this section. The only ranking information available is the percentileVsAllCpus field, which reports 50. That puts the Opteron 6168 at the midpoint of all CPUs in the database, but the average benchmark score of 0 means no observed benchmark results contributed to that position.

Because no rival comparison data exists, any statement such as “this part beats X” or “this part trails Y” would go beyond the facts. The database entry for the Opteron 6168 is essentially a specification record rather than a benchmark-driven comparison. The 50th percentile should be read as a neutral database placement, not as a validated performance result. The benchmark array is also empty, reinforcing that no measured CPU scores are currently associated with this SKU.

Platform and Compatibility

The Opteron 6168 uses AMD Socket G34. The architecture is K10, with the codename Magny-Cours, and the generation is listed as Opteron (Magny-Cours). Memory support is DDR3. The fact pack’s eccMemory field is false, so ECC operation is not indicated in the data. A motherboard chosen for this processor must accept Socket G34 processors and use DDR3 memory.

PCIe support is listed as Gen 2. That is the interface generation available on the platform, so expansion cards and storage controllers should be chosen with Gen 2 compatibility in mind. The part has no integrated graphics listed, meaning a separate GPU or a server board with its own video output will be necessary. The multiplierUnlocked field is false, indicating that user-adjustable multiplier overclocking is not supported.

The processor’s part number is OS6168WKTCEGO. The release date is 2010-03-28, and the production status is End-of-life. New units are no longer in production. The upgrade path is therefore constrained to existing Socket G34 boards and the DDR3 memory type they use. The fact pack does not list any newer processors for this socket, so there is no documented forward upgrade route beyond the G34 platform itself.

FAQ

Q: How many cores and threads does the AMD Opteron 6168 have?

A: It has 12 cores and 12 threads.

Q: What socket does it use?

A: It uses AMD Socket G34.

Q: What clock speed is listed in the data?

A: The base clock is 1900.00 MHz, and no boost clock is listed.

Q: Does it support ECC memory?

A: No. The fact pack’s eccMemory field is false, even though the memory support type is DDR3.

Q: Is the multiplier unlocked for overclocking?

A: No. The multiplierUnlocked field is false.

Q: Is the Opteron 6168 still in production?

A: No. The production status is End-of-life, and the release date is 2010-03-28.