Opteron 3250 HE vs Pentium G3258

Opteron 3250 HE vs Pentium G3258 Performance Spectrum

Opteron 3250 HE

4 / 4

2,061

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium G3258

2 / 2

2,063

+0.1%

Celeron E3300

Core Duo T2300

Pentium Dual Core T2370

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.

Opteron 3250 HE vs Pentium G3258 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Opteron 3250 HE vs Pentium G3258: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Opteron 3250 HE

2012

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (4 MB vs 3 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 4 cores / 4 threads.
✅Draws 45W instead of 54W, a 9W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,061 vs 2,063).
❌No integrated graphics, while Pentium G3258 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Pentium G3258

2014

Why buy it

✅+0.1% higher PassMark.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics, while Opteron 3250 HE needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (3 MB vs 4 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Opteron 3250 HE, which brings 4 cores / 4 threads.
❌Launch MSRP is still $75 MSRP, while Opteron 3250 HE mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌20% higher power demand at 54W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium G3258 better than Opteron 3250 HE?

Not really, because they are built for different jobs. Opteron 3250 HE makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Pentium G3258 is the more practical desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and everyday use.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium G3258 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.1% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Pentium G3258 is the better buy right now. Pentium G3258 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $75 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.1% better PassMark. The compromise is that Opteron 3250 HE is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 0.7% average FPS lead across 36 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (27.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Pentium G3258 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2014 vs 2012) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Opteron 3250 HE vs Pentium G3258 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Opteron 3250 HE

The Opteron 3250 HE is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 20 March 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Zurich (2012) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: AM3+. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,061 points. Launch price was $99.

Pentium G3258

The Pentium G3258 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 June 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 53 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,063 points. Launch price was $77.

⚡

Processing Power

The Opteron 3250 HE packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Pentium G3258 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Opteron 3250 HE has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Opteron 3250 HE versus 3.2 GHz on the Pentium G3258 — a 9% clock advantage for the Opteron 3250 HE (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Opteron 3250 HE uses the Zurich (2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Pentium G3258 uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Opteron 3250 HE scores 2,061 against the Pentium G3258's 2,063 — a 0.1% lead for the Pentium G3258. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Opteron 3250 HE vs 3 MB (total) on the Pentium G3258.

Feature	Opteron 3250 HE	Pentium G3258
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 2
Boost Clock	3.5 GHz+9%	3.2 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.2 GHz+28%
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)+33%	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	4 MB+1500%	256 kB (per core)
Process	32 nm	22 nm-31%
Architecture	Zurich (2012)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	2,061	2,063

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Opteron 3250 HE uses the AM3+ socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium G3258 uses LGA1150 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Opteron 3250 HE	Pentium G3258
Socket	AM3+	LGA1150
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR3-1333
Max RAM Capacity	—	32 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Opteron 3250 HE) / VT-x (Pentium G3258). The Pentium G3258 includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics), while the Opteron 3250 HE requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium G3258 targets Desktop.