Opteron 6274 vs Xeon E3-1280

Opteron 6274 vs Xeon E3-1280 Performance Spectrum

Opteron 6274

16 / 16

5,643

+0.6%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

Xeon E3-1280

4 / 8

5,612

0.0%

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 6274 vs Xeon E3-1280 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 6274 vs Xeon E3-1280: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Opteron 6274

2011

Why buy it

✅+0.6% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $639 MSRP, while Xeon E3-1280 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌21.1% higher power demand at 115W vs 95W.

Xeon E3-1280

2011

Why buy it

✅Draws 95W instead of 115W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (5,612 vs 5,643).

Quick Answers

So, is Opteron 6274 better than Xeon E3-1280?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Xeon E3-1280 is ahead with a 0.8% average FPS lead across 16 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Opteron 6274 pulls ahead with 0.6% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Opteron 6274 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 16 threads.

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

Opteron 6274 is the better buy right now. Opteron 6274 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $639 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.6% better PassMark. The compromise is that Xeon E3-1280 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 0.8% average FPS lead across 16 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (8.8 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Opteron 6274 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 16 threads instead of 4/8. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Opteron 6274 vs Xeon E3-1280 Technical Specifications

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

Opteron 6274

The Opteron 6274 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 16 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 8.00391 MB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: G34. Thermal design power (TDP): 115 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,643 points. Launch price was $909.

Xeon E3-1280

The Xeon E3-1280 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 April 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,612 points. Launch price was $450.

⚡

Processing Power

The Opteron 6274 packs 16 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon E3-1280 offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Opteron 6274 has 12 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.1 GHz on the Opteron 6274 versus 3.9 GHz on the Xeon E3-1280 — a 22.9% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1280 (base: 2.2 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Opteron 6274 uses the Interlagos (2011−2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Xeon E3-1280 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Opteron 6274 scores 5,643 against the Xeon E3-1280's 5,612 — a 0.6% lead for the Opteron 6274. Both processors carry 8 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Opteron 6274	Xeon E3-1280
Cores / Threads	16 / 16+300%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.1 GHz	3.9 GHz+26%
Base Clock	2.2 GHz	3.5 GHz+59%
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	8.00391 MB (per core)+3102%	256 kB (per core)
Process	32 nm	32 nm
Architecture	Interlagos (2011−2012)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	5,643	5,612

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Opteron 6274 uses the G34 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon E3-1280 uses LGA1155 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.