Opteron 252 vs Athlon 64 3700+
Opteron 252
Athlon 64 3700+
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 252 is positioned at rank 680 and the Athlon 64 3700+ is on rank 1099, so the Opteron 252 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Opteron 252
Performance Per Dollar Athlon 64 3700+
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Opteron 252 | Athlon 64 3700+ |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($20) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Troy (2005) / 90 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (San Diego (2001−2005) / 130 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Opteron 252 | Athlon 64 3700+ |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($20) |
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 252 and Athlon 64 3700+
Opteron 252
The Opteron 252 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Fevereiro 2005 (20 years ago). It is based on the Troy (2005) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 90 nm process technology. Socket: 940. Thermal design power (TDP): 92 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 655 points. Launch price was $63.
Athlon 64 3700+
The Athlon 64 3700+ 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: 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: 939. Thermal design power (TDP): 89 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 622 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
Both the Opteron 252 and Athlon 64 3700+ share an identical 1-core/1-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Opteron 252 versus 2.4 GHz on the Athlon 64 3700+ — a 8% clock advantage for the Opteron 252. The Opteron 252 uses the Troy (2005) architecture (90 nm), while the Athlon 64 3700+ uses San Diego (2001−2005) (130 nm). In PassMark, the Opteron 252 scores 655 against the Athlon 64 3700+'s 622 — a 5.2% lead for the Opteron 252. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Opteron 252 | Athlon 64 3700+ |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 |
| Boost Clock | 2.6 GHz+8% | 2.4 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB | 1 MB |
| Process | 90 nm-31% | 130 nm |
| Architecture | Troy (2005) | San Diego (2001−2005) |
| PassMark | 655+5% | 622 |
Memory & Platform
The Opteron 252 uses the 940 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon 64 3700+ uses 939 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Opteron 252 | Athlon 64 3700+ |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | 940 | 939 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0+82% | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR-400 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 4 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 0 |
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