Xeon E3-1280 v5 vs Opteron 6386 SE
Xeon E3-1280 v5
Opteron 6386 SE
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 Xeon E3-1280 v5 is positioned at rank 354 and the Opteron 6386 SE is on rank 33, so the Opteron 6386 SE offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3-1280 v5
Performance Per Dollar Opteron 6386 SE
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E3-1280 v5 | Opteron 6386 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($880) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Skylake-S (2015) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Abu Dhabi (2012) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E3-1280 v5 | Opteron 6386 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($880) |
Performance Check
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 Xeon E3-1280 v5 and Opteron 6386 SE
Xeon E3-1280 v5
The Xeon E3-1280 v5 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake-S (2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 8,254 points. Launch price was $612.
Opteron 6386 SE
The Opteron 6386 SE is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 5 November 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Abu Dhabi (2012) architecture. It features 16 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 16 MB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: G34. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 8,291 points. Launch price was $2,408.
Processing Power
The Xeon E3-1280 v5 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Opteron 6386 SE offers 16 cores / 16 threads — the Opteron 6386 SE has 12 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Xeon E3-1280 v5 versus 3.5 GHz on the Opteron 6386 SE — a 13.3% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1280 v5 (base: 3.7 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Xeon E3-1280 v5 uses the Skylake-S (2015) architecture (14 nm), while the Opteron 6386 SE uses Abu Dhabi (2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E3-1280 v5 scores 8,254 against the Opteron 6386 SE's 8,291 — a 0.4% lead for the Opteron 6386 SE. Both processors carry 8 MB (total) of L3 cache.
| Feature | Xeon E3-1280 v5 | Opteron 6386 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 16 / 16+300% |
| Boost Clock | 4 GHz+14% | 3.5 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.7 GHz+32% | 2.8 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB (total) | 8 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 16 MB+6300% |
| Process | 14 nm-56% | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Skylake-S (2015) | Abu Dhabi (2012) |
| PassMark | 8,254 | 8,291 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E3-1280 v5 uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Opteron 6386 SE uses G34 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E3-1280 v5 | Opteron 6386 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1151 | G34 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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