AMD Opteron 8356

AMD Opteron 8356 is a server/workstation processor from the Opteron (Barcelona) generation. The FACT PACK labels the architecture as Zen 3, with codename Barcelona, built on a 65 nm process node. It contains 463 million transistors on a 285 mm² die. The chip has 4 cores and 4 threads, with a 2.30 GHz base clock; no boost clock is listed. It uses AMD Socket Fr2 and supports DDR2 memory depending on the motherboard. The release date is 2008-04-08, and the production status is end-of-life.

Single-Thread vs Multi-Thread Behavior

Four cores and four threads mean the hardware thread count equals the core count. Each core contributes a thread; no simultaneous multithreading is present in the record. Software must provide four threads to use the entire package, and threads beyond that number will be scheduled onto occupied cores. Since no boost clock is listed, 2.30 GHz is the highest frequency in the data. A single-threaded workload is therefore bound to 2.30 GHz and has access to the per-core private caches: 64 KB L1 and 512 KB L2. Those caches can absorb working sets that fit locally. The L3 cache is 2 MB and shared by all four cores. In single-threaded code, the shared L3 is effectively available to the active core, but in multi-threaded code, all cores draw from the same L3 pool. The dual-channel memory bus provides 10.7 GB/s, and this bandwidth is shared across the socket. For data-intensive multi-threaded tasks, the memory path can throttle throughput even if the four cores are otherwise active. The server/workstation market segment suggests the processor is designed for sustained, parallel workloads rather than short bursts on a single thread.

How It Compares

The nearestRivals array in the FACT PACK is empty. No rival names are recorded for the Opteron 8356. Likewise, no rival scores and no deltaPct values are available. This means a direct comparison against a named competitor cannot be constructed from the dataset. The only comparative metric in the record is percentileVsAllCpus: 50. That is a broad rank against all CPUs, not a comparison to a close rival. With no nearestRivals data, the database cannot state whether the processor is ahead of or behind any specific part. The available comparison information is therefore limited to the specification-level facts: 4 cores, 2.30 GHz, 2 MB shared L3, and 95 W TDP.

Benchmark Performance

The benchmarks field is an empty list. The dataset records an average benchmark score of 0. Because no individual benchmark entries are present, this average cannot be linked to any measured test. The percentileVsAllCpus value is 50, which places the processor at the median of all CPUs in the database. That is a relative position, not an absolute measure of speed. No percentage deltas are available, because nearestRivals is empty and deltaPct fields are absent. Consequently, exact performance advantages or disadvantages over other processors cannot be quoted. The record also lacks workload-level scores that would separate single-thread and multi-thread performance. In the absence of measured data, the only way to characterize performance is through the listed architecture and memory specifications: 4 cores, 4 threads, 2.30 GHz, 64 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, 2 MB shared L3, and 10.7 GB/s memory bandwidth. These specifications set expectations, but the benchmark database contains no measured workload scores for this processor.

FAQ

Q: How many cores and threads does the Opteron 8356 have?

A: It has 4 cores and 4 threads. The thread count equals the core count, so each core contributes a hardware thread.

Q: Is there a boost clock?

A: No boost clock is listed. The base clock is 2.30 GHz.

Q: What memory support is documented?

A: DDR2, depending on motherboard. The memory bus is dual-channel with 10.7 GB/s bandwidth, and ECC memory is supported.

Q: What is the TDP?

A: The TDP is 95 W. No other power figures are recorded.

Q: Is the multiplier unlocked?

A: No. The multiplierUnlocked field is false.

Q: What does the benchmark record show?

A: The benchmarks array is empty, the average benchmark score is 0, and percentileVsAllCpus is 50.

Power and Thermals

The TDP is 95 W. It is the only power-related figure in the record. For a 4-core processor at 2.30 GHz, this TDP class is moderate. The 65 nm process node is listed, along with a 285 mm² die and 463 million transistors. Those three numbers describe the physical implementation: the transistors are spread across a substantial die area. A larger die area can help distribute heat, but the dataset does not include thermal resistance, case temperature, or cooler specifications. Because no boost clock is listed, the 95 W figure is tied to the base clock rather than to a higher turbo state. The implied cooling tier is a solution designed for a 95 W TDP class. The record offers no evidence for a more extreme cooling requirement.

Platform and Compatibility

The socket is AMD Socket Fr2. Memory support is DDR2 and depends on the motherboard, so the motherboard determines actual memory compatibility. The memory bus is dual-channel with a listed bandwidth of 10.7 GB/s. ECC memory is supported. No PCIe information appears in the dataset, leaving expansion connectivity unspecified. No integrated graphics are listed, so graphics output is not documented. The production status is end-of-life, with a release date of 2008-04-08. The part number is OS8356WAL4BGD. The series field in the record is null. The multiplier is not unlocked. The recorded launch MSRP is $1514.

Upgrade-path notes are limited by the socket and the motherboard-dependent memory support. The data documents only Socket Fr2 and DDR2. A processor upgrade would have to remain within that socket’s supported set, and a memory upgrade would depend on the motherboard. Since production status is end-of-life, ongoing availability is not indicated by the dataset.