Opteron 6238 vs Xeon E3-1205 v6

Opteron 6238 vs Xeon E3-1205 v6 Performance Spectrum

Opteron 6238

12 / 12

5,625

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

Xeon E3-1205 v6

4 / 8

5,682

+1.0%

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 6238 vs Xeon E3-1205 v6 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 6238 vs Xeon E3-1205 v6: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Opteron 6238

2011

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +24.6% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (5,625 vs 5,682).
❌Launch MSRP is still $455 MSRP, while Xeon E3-1205 v6 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌76.9% higher power demand at 115W vs 65W.

Xeon E3-1205 v6

2017

Why buy it

✅+1% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 65W instead of 115W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Opteron 6238 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E3-1205 v6 better than Opteron 6238?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Opteron 6238 is ahead with a 24.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E3-1205 v6 pulls ahead with 1% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E3-1205 v6 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Xeon E3-1205 v6 is still the faster CPU overall, but Opteron 6238 is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Xeon E3-1205 v6 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $455 MSRP, and it still gives you 1% better PassMark. The compromise is that Opteron 6238 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 24.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Opteron 6238 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (12.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper.

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

Xeon E3-1205 v6 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2017 vs 2011) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 12/12. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Opteron 6238 vs Xeon E3-1205 v6 Technical Specifications

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

Opteron 6238

The Opteron 6238 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 14 November 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Interlagos (2011−2012) architecture. It features 12 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 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): 115 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,625 points. Launch price was $455.

Xeon E3-1205 v6

The Xeon E3-1205 v6 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 28 March 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400, DDR3L-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 5,682 points. Launch price was $193.

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Processing Power

The Opteron 6238 packs 12 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon E3-1205 v6 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Opteron 6238 has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Opteron 6238 versus 3 GHz on the Xeon E3-1205 v6 — a 6.5% clock advantage for the Opteron 6238 (base: 2.6 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Opteron 6238 uses the Interlagos (2011−2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Xeon E3-1205 v6 uses Kaby Lake (2016−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Opteron 6238 scores 5,625 against the Xeon E3-1205 v6's 5,682 — a 1% lead for the Xeon E3-1205 v6. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Opteron 6238 vs 8 MB on the Xeon E3-1205 v6.

Feature	Opteron 6238	Xeon E3-1205 v6
Cores / Threads	12 / 12+200%	4 / 4
Boost Clock	3.2 GHz+7%	3 GHz
Base Clock	2.6 GHz	3 GHz+15%
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)	8 MB
L2 Cache	2 MB (per module)+100%	1 MB
Process	32 nm	14 nm-56%
Architecture	Interlagos (2011−2012)	Kaby Lake (2016−2019)
PassMark	5,625	5,682+1%

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Memory & Platform

The Opteron 6238 uses the G34 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon E3-1205 v6 uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.