Opteron 6281 vs Core i7-8557U

CPU

GPU

Opteron 6281

16 Cores16 Thrd130 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2012

Core i7-8557U

4 Cores8 Thrd1 WWMax: 4.5 GHz2019

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Opteron 6281

16 / 16

7,279

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

Core i7-8557U

4 / 8

7,309

+0.4%

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 6281 is positioned at rank 44 and the Core i7-8557U is on rank 802, so the Opteron 6281 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 6281

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

1142%

Xeon Gold 6240R

MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A

216%

#10

Xeon 6337P

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

192%

#15

EPYC 9174F

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

148%

#44

Opteron 6281

MSRP: $988|Avg: $419

100%

#49

Xeon E5-4607 v2

MSRP: $42|Avg: $77

91%

#50

Xeon Gold 6238R

MSRP: $2612|Avg: N/A

80%

#52

Opteron 6282 SE

MSRP: $1019|Avg: $770

88%

#53

Opteron 6276

MSRP: $788|Avg: $397

87%

#55

Opteron 6344

MSRP: $415|Avg: $49

83%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-8557U

#790

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1212%

#791

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1195%

#792

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1097%

#793

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1092%

#794

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1082%

#796

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1045%

#797

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1002%

#798

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1000%

#799

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

973%

#802

Core i7-8557U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#803

Core i7-1365UE

MSRP: $429|Avg: $429

100%

#805

3020e

MSRP: $100|Avg: $25

99%

#809

Athlon II M320

MSRP: $75|Avg: $15

99%

#810

Celeron B800

MSRP: $80|Avg: $5

99%

#811

Celeron B710

MSRP: $86|Avg: $10

99%

#813

Athlon II Neo K345

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Core i7-8557U (2019) utilizes 14 nm technology and DDR4, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Opteron 6281	Core i7-8557U
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($419)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Interlagos (2011−2012) / 32 nm)	✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Opteron 6281 (2012) relies on 32 nm technology and DDR3, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Opteron 6281	Core i7-8557U
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($419)	✅ More affordable ($0)

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.

Opteron 6281 Benchmark Check

Core i7-8557U Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Opteron 6281 and Core i7-8557U

Opteron 6281

The Opteron 6281 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 2.5 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): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 7,279 points. Launch price was $988.

Core i7-8557U

The Core i7-8557U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 7,309 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Opteron 6281 packs 16 cores / 16 threads, while the Core i7-8557U offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Opteron 6281 has 12 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Opteron 6281 versus 4.5 GHz on the Core i7-8557U — a 33.8% clock advantage for the Core i7-8557U (base: 2.5 GHz vs 1.7 GHz). The Opteron 6281 uses the Interlagos (2011−2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i7-8557U uses Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Opteron 6281 scores 7,279 against the Core i7-8557U's 7,309 — a 0.4% lead for the Core i7-8557U. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Opteron 6281 vs 8 MB on the Core i7-8557U.

Feature	Opteron 6281	Core i7-8557U
Cores / Threads	16 / 16+300%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.2 GHz	4.5 GHz+41%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+47%	1.7 GHz
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)	Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019)
PassMark	7,279	7,309

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Opteron 6281 uses the G34 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i7-8557U uses FCBGA1528 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.