
Athlon 64 3500+ vs Opteron 248

Athlon 64 3500+

Opteron 248
Performance Spectrum - CPU
About PassMark
PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Athlon 64 3500+ is positioned at rank 1102 and the Opteron 248 is on rank 726, so the Opteron 248 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon 64 3500+
Performance Per Dollar Opteron 248
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon 64 3500+ | Opteron 248 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | Balanced gaming performance | Balanced gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (San Diego (2001−2005) / 130 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (SledgeHammer (2003−2005) / 130 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon 64 3500+ | Opteron 248 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.
Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Athlon 64 3500+ and Opteron 248

Athlon 64 3500+
The Athlon 64 3500+ is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Janeiro 2001 (24 years ago). It is based on the San Diego (2001−2005) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 2.2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: 939. Thermal design power (TDP): 89 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 570 points. Launch price was $59.

Opteron 248
The Opteron 248 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Novembro 2003 (22 years ago). It is based on the SledgeHammer (2003−2005) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 2.2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: 940. Thermal design power (TDP): 89 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 585 points. Launch price was $12.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon 64 3500+ and Opteron 248 share an identical 1-core/1-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Athlon 64 3500+ versus 2.2 GHz on the Opteron 248 — identical boost frequencies. The Athlon 64 3500+ uses the San Diego (2001−2005) architecture (130 nm), while the Opteron 248 uses SledgeHammer (2003−2005) (130 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 64 3500+ scores 570 against the Opteron 248's 585 — a 2.6% lead for the Opteron 248. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Athlon 64 3500+ | Opteron 248 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 |
| Boost Clock | 2.2 GHz | 2.2 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB | 1 MB+100% |
| Process | 130 nm | 130 nm |
| Architecture | San Diego (2001−2005) | SledgeHammer (2003−2005) |
| PassMark | 570 | 585+3% |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon 64 3500+ uses the 939 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Opteron 248 uses 940 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Athlon 64 3500+ | Opteron 248 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | 939 | 940 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR-400 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 4 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | — |
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