Opteron 3260 HE
VS
Core i5-4260U

Opteron 3260 HE vs Core i5-4260U

AMD

Opteron 3260 HE

4 Cores4 Thrd45 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2012
VS
Intel

Core i5-4260U

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 2.7 GHz2014

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 3260 HE is positioned at rank 214 and the Core i5-4260U is on rank 296, so the Opteron 3260 HE offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Opteron 3260 HE

#1
Xeon Platinum 8454H
MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A
3641%
#6
Xeon Gold 6240R
MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A
687%
#10
Xeon 6337P
MSRP: $60|Avg: $5
611%
#15
EPYC 9174F
MSRP: $194|Avg: $30
472%
#187
Xeon Gold 5520+
MSRP: $1083|Avg: $764
99%
#188
EPYC 8124P
MSRP: $639|Avg: $639
99%
#196
Xeon 6515P
MSRP: $740|Avg: $886
96%
#214
Opteron 3260 HE
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-4260U

#86
Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 370
MSRP: $500|Avg: $500
99%
#284
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
444%
#285
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
438%
#286
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
402%
#287
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
400%
#288
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
396%
#290
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
383%
#291
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
367%
#292
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
367%
#293
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
357%
#296
Core i5-4260U
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Opteron 3260 HE leads in gaming performance. However, the Core i5-4260U is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 1.2% greater multi-core processing power.
InsightOpteron 3260 HECore i5-4260U
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Zurich (2012) / 32 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

InsightOpteron 3260 HECore i5-4260U
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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 3260 HE and Core i5-4260U

AMD

Opteron 3260 HE

The Opteron 3260 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 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 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: 2,283 points. Launch price was $125.

Intel

Core i5-4260U

The Core i5-4260U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 April 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,311 points. Launch price was $325.

Processing Power

The Opteron 3260 HE packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i5-4260U offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Opteron 3260 HE has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Opteron 3260 HE versus 2.7 GHz on the Core i5-4260U — a 31.3% clock advantage for the Opteron 3260 HE (base: 2.7 GHz vs 1.4 GHz). The Opteron 3260 HE uses the Zurich (2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i5-4260U uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Opteron 3260 HE scores 2,283 against the Core i5-4260U's 2,311 — a 1.2% lead for the Core i5-4260U. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Opteron 3260 HE vs 3 MB on the Core i5-4260U.

FeatureOpteron 3260 HECore i5-4260U
Cores / Threads
4 / 4+100%
2 / 4
Boost Clock
3.7 GHz+37%
2.7 GHz
Base Clock
2.7 GHz+93%
1.4 GHz
L3 Cache
4 MB (total)+33%
3 MB
L2 Cache
4 MB+700%
512 kB
Process
32 nm
22 nm-31%
Architecture
Zurich (2012)
Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark
2,283
2,311+1%
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Opteron 3260 HE uses the AM3+ socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i5-4260U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureOpteron 3260 HECore i5-4260U
Socket
AM3+
FCBGA1168
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 3.0+50%