Core i7-8557U vs Opteron 6281
Core i7-8557U
Opteron 6281
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 Core i7-8557U is positioned at rank 802 and the Opteron 6281 is on rank 44, so the Opteron 6281 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-8557U
Performance Per Dollar Opteron 6281
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-8557U | Opteron 6281 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($419) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Interlagos (2011−2012) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-8557U | Opteron 6281 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($419) |
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 Core i7-8557U and Opteron 6281
Core i7-8557U
The Core i7-8557U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 7,309 points. Launch price was $149.
Opteron 6281
The Opteron 6281 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 May 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Interlagos (2011−2012) architecture. It features 16 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 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): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 7,279 points. Launch price was $988.
Processing Power
The Core i7-8557U packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Opteron 6281 offers 16 cores / 16 threads — the Opteron 6281 has 12 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Core i7-8557U versus 3.2 GHz on the Opteron 6281 — a 33.8% clock advantage for the Core i7-8557U (base: 1.7 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Core i7-8557U uses the Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Opteron 6281 uses Interlagos (2011−2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-8557U scores 7,309 against the Opteron 6281's 7,279 — a 0.4% lead for the Core i7-8557U. L3 cache: 8 MB on the Core i7-8557U vs 8 MB (total) on the Opteron 6281.
| Feature | Core i7-8557U | Opteron 6281 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 16 / 16+300% |
| Boost Clock | 4.5 GHz+41% | 3.2 GHz |
| Base Clock | 1.7 GHz | 2.5 GHz+47% |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB | 8 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB | 2 MB (per module)+100% |
| Process | 14 nm-56% | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) | Interlagos (2011−2012) |
| PassMark | 7,309 | 7,279 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i7-8557U uses the FCBGA1528 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Opteron 6281 uses G34 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i7-8557U | Opteron 6281 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1528 | G34 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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