CPU
GPU
Opteron 246
Athlon 64 3300+
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 Opteron 246 is positioned at rank 762 and the Athlon 64 3300+ is on rank 1097, so the Opteron 246 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Opteron 246
Performance Per Dollar Athlon 64 3300+
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Opteron 246 | Athlon 64 3300+ |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($200) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (SledgeHammer (2003−2005) / 130 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (NewCastle (2004) / 130 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Opteron 246 | Athlon 64 3300+ |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($200) |
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 Opteron 246 and Athlon 64 3300+
Opteron 246
The Opteron 246 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Agosto 2003 (22 years ago). It is based on the SledgeHammer (2003−2005) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 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: 538 points. Launch price was $109.
Athlon 64 3300+
The Athlon 64 3300+ is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the NewCastle (2004) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 256 kB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: 754. Thermal design power (TDP): 89 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 522 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
Both the Opteron 246 and Athlon 64 3300+ share an identical 1-core/1-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Opteron 246 versus 2.4 GHz on the Athlon 64 3300+ — a 18.2% clock advantage for the Athlon 64 3300+. The Opteron 246 uses the SledgeHammer (2003−2005) architecture (130 nm), while the Athlon 64 3300+ uses NewCastle (2004) (130 nm). In PassMark, the Opteron 246 scores 538 against the Athlon 64 3300+'s 522 — a 3% lead for the Opteron 246. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Opteron 246 | Athlon 64 3300+ |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 |
| Boost Clock | 2 GHz | 2.4 GHz+20% |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+300% | 256 kB |
| Process | 130 nm | 130 nm |
| Architecture | SledgeHammer (2003−2005) | NewCastle (2004) |
| PassMark | 538+3% | 522 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 150 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 150 |
Memory & Platform
The Opteron 246 uses the 940 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon 64 3300+ uses 754 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Opteron 246 | Athlon 64 3300+ |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | 940 | 754 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0+82% | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR1-400 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 3 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 1 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 0 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Opteron 246) / None (Athlon 64 3300+). Primary use case: Athlon 64 3300+ targets Retro Desktop.
| Feature | Opteron 246 | Athlon 64 3300+ |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| IGPU Model | — | None |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | None |
| Target Use | — | Retro Desktop |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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