Opteron 6278 vs Xeon Silver 4215

Opteron 6278 vs Xeon Silver 4215 Performance Spectrum

Opteron 6278

16 / 16

13,733

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7945WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Xeon Silver 4215

8 / 16

13,728

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 6278 vs Xeon Silver 4215 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 6278 vs Xeon Silver 4215: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Opteron 6278

2012

Why buy it

✅+0% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon Silver 4215 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 11 MB).
❌35.3% higher power demand at 115W vs 85W.

Xeon Silver 4215

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+37.5% larger total L3 cache (11 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Draws 85W instead of 115W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (13,728 vs 13,733).

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Silver 4215 better than Opteron 6278?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Xeon Silver 4215 is ahead with a 10.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Opteron 6278 pulls ahead with 0% better PassMark. Xeon Silver 4215 also has the bigger cache pool with 37.5% larger total L3 cache (11 MB vs 8 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Opteron 6278 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 16 threads.

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

Xeon Silver 4215 still makes the most sense overall. Xeon Silver 4215 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 10.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

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

Xeon Silver 4215 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2012) and 37.5% larger total L3 cache (11 MB vs 8 MB). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Opteron 6278 vs Xeon Silver 4215 Technical Specifications

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

Opteron 6278

The Opteron 6278 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 May 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Interlagos (2011−2012) architecture. It features 16 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 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: 13,733 points. Launch price was $988.

Xeon Silver 4215

The Xeon Silver 4215 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 11 MB. L2 cache: 8 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 85 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 13,728 points. Launch price was $794.

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Processing Power

The Opteron 6278 packs 16 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon Silver 4215 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Opteron 6278 has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.3 GHz on the Opteron 6278 versus 3.5 GHz on the Xeon Silver 4215 — a 5.9% clock advantage for the Xeon Silver 4215 (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Opteron 6278 uses the Interlagos (2011−2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Xeon Silver 4215 uses Cascade Lake (2019−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Opteron 6278 scores 13,733 against the Xeon Silver 4215's 13,728 — a 0% lead for the Opteron 6278. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Opteron 6278 vs 11 MB on the Xeon Silver 4215.

Feature	Opteron 6278	Xeon Silver 4215
Cores / Threads	16 / 16+100%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	3.3 GHz	3.5 GHz+6%
Base Clock	2.4 GHz	2.5 GHz+4%
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)	11 MB+38%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per module)	8 MB+300%
Process	32 nm	14 nm-56%
Architecture	Interlagos (2011−2012)	Cascade Lake (2019−2020)
PassMark	13,733	13,728

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Memory & Platform

The Opteron 6278 uses the G34 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon Silver 4215 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.