Atom C3958 vs Opteron 6212
Atom C3958
Opteron 6212
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 Atom C3958 is positioned at rank 902 and the Opteron 6212 is on rank 88, so the Opteron 6212 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Atom C3958
Performance Per Dollar Opteron 6212
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Atom C3958 | Opteron 6212 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($266) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Goldmont (2016−2017) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Interlagos (2011−2012) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Atom C3958 | Opteron 6212 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($266) |
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 Atom C3958 and Opteron 6212
Atom C3958
The Atom C3958 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 15 August 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Goldmont (2016−2017) architecture. It features 16 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 16 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1310. Thermal design power (TDP): 31 Watt. Memory support: DDR4: 2400. Passmark benchmark score: 3,929 points. Launch price was $449.
Opteron 6212
The Opteron 6212 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 14 November 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Interlagos (2011−2012) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per module). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: G34. Thermal design power (TDP): 115 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,973 points. Launch price was $266.
Processing Power
The Atom C3958 packs 16 cores / 16 threads, while the Opteron 6212 offers 8 cores / 8 threads — the Atom C3958 has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Atom C3958 versus 3.2 GHz on the Opteron 6212 — a 46.2% clock advantage for the Opteron 6212 (base: 2 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Atom C3958 uses the Goldmont (2016−2017) architecture (14 nm), while the Opteron 6212 uses Interlagos (2011−2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Atom C3958 scores 3,929 against the Opteron 6212's 3,973 — a 1.1% lead for the Opteron 6212. L3 cache: 16 MB on the Atom C3958 vs 8 MB (total) on the Opteron 6212.
| Feature | Atom C3958 | Opteron 6212 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 16 / 16+100% | 8 / 8 |
| Boost Clock | 2 GHz | 3.2 GHz+60% |
| Base Clock | 2 GHz | 2.6 GHz+30% |
| L3 Cache | 16 MB+100% | 8 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 16 MB+700% | 2 MB (per module) |
| Process | 14 nm-56% | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Goldmont (2016−2017) | Interlagos (2011−2012) |
| PassMark | 3,929 | 3,973+1% |
Memory & Platform
The Atom C3958 uses the FCBGA1310 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Opteron 6212 uses G34 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Atom C3958 | Opteron 6212 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1310 | G34 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2400 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 256 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ✅ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 12 | — |
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