Xeon E3-1290 v2
VS
Opteron 6282 SE

Xeon E3-1290 v2 vs Opteron 6282 SE

Intel

Xeon E3-1290 v2

4 Cores8 Thrd87 WWMax: 4.1 GHz2012
VS
AMD

Opteron 6282 SE

16 Cores16 Thrd140 WWMax: 3.3 GHz2011

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 E3-1290 v2 is positioned at rank 453 and the Opteron 6282 SE is on rank 52, so the Opteron 6282 SE 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 Xeon E3-1290 v2

#1
Xeon Platinum 8454H
MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A
6541%
#6
Xeon Gold 6240R
MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A
1235%
#10
Xeon 6337P
MSRP: $60|Avg: $5
1097%
#15
EPYC 9174F
MSRP: $194|Avg: $30
848%
#290
Xeon Gold 5420+
MSRP: $1848|Avg: $1848
99%
#292
Xeon w7-2575X
MSRP: $1689|Avg: $1860
99%
#294
Xeon Gold 6444Y
MSRP: $3622|Avg: N/A
98%
#295
Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX
MSRP: $2649|Avg: $2782
98%
#296
Xeon Platinum 8380
MSRP: $2010|Avg: $965
98%
#297
EPYC 7453
MSRP: $1570|Avg: $1253
97%
#453
Xeon E3-1290 v2
MSRP: $885|Avg: $125
100%
#454
Xeon E5-2420 v2
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $112
100%
#455
Xeon E3-1268L v5
MSRP: $377|Avg: $93
100%
#456
Xeon E3-1285 v6
MSRP: $450|Avg: N/A
100%
#460
Xeon E5-1428L V2
MSRP: $494|Avg: $83
98%
#461
Xeon E5-1428L
MSRP: $480|Avg: N/A
98%
#462
Xeon E5-2620 v2
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $54
98%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Opteron 6282 SE

#1
Xeon Platinum 8454H
MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A
1302%
#6
Xeon Gold 6240R
MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A
246%
#10
Xeon 6337P
MSRP: $60|Avg: $5
218%
#15
EPYC 9174F
MSRP: $194|Avg: $30
169%
#50
Xeon Gold 6238R
MSRP: $2612|Avg: N/A
91%
#52
Opteron 6282 SE
MSRP: $1019|Avg: $770
100%
#53
Opteron 6276
MSRP: $788|Avg: $397
99%
#55
Opteron 6344
MSRP: $415|Avg: $49
95%
#60
Opteron 6274
MSRP: $639|Avg: $80
88%
#61
Opteron 6238
MSRP: $455|Avg: $118
88%
#63
Opteron 6376
MSRP: $703|Avg: N/A
87%
#64
Opteron 6328
MSRP: $575|Avg: $42
83%
#65
Opteron 6272
MSRP: $523|Avg: $50
82%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Use Case Distinction: This is a comparison between a Professional Workstation processor ($125) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon E3-1290 v2 is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.
InsightXeon E3-1290 v2Opteron 6282 SE
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
More affordable ($125)
⚠️ Higher cost ($770)
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Interlagos (2011−2012) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Opteron 6282 SE ($770), however, is optimized for mixed workloads and gaming. For most users, it offers superior single-thread performance and responsiveness at a fraction of the cost ($645 less, 516% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.
InsightXeon E3-1290 v2Opteron 6282 SE
Cost Efficiency
Better overall value (+513%)
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
More affordable ($125)
⚠️ Higher cost ($770)

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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon E3-1290 v2 and Opteron 6282 SE

Intel

Xeon E3-1290 v2

The Xeon E3-1290 v2 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 May 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 87 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 6,354 points. Launch price was $885.

AMD

Opteron 6282 SE

The Opteron 6282 SE 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 2.6 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): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 6,385 points. Launch price was $1,090.

Processing Power

The Xeon E3-1290 v2 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Opteron 6282 SE offers 16 cores / 16 threads — the Opteron 6282 SE has 12 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.1 GHz on the Xeon E3-1290 v2 versus 3.3 GHz on the Opteron 6282 SE — a 21.6% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1290 v2 (base: 3.7 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Xeon E3-1290 v2 uses the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Opteron 6282 SE uses Interlagos (2011−2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E3-1290 v2 scores 6,354 against the Opteron 6282 SE's 6,385 — a 0.5% lead for the Opteron 6282 SE. Both processors carry 8 MB (total) of L3 cache.

FeatureXeon E3-1290 v2Opteron 6282 SE
Cores / Threads
4 / 8
16 / 16+300%
Boost Clock
4.1 GHz+24%
3.3 GHz
Base Clock
3.7 GHz+42%
2.6 GHz
L3 Cache
8 MB (total)
8 MB (total)
L2 Cache
256 kB (per core)
2 MB (per module)+700%
Process
22 nm-31%
32 nm
Architecture
Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
Interlagos (2011−2012)
PassMark
6,354
6,385
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon E3-1290 v2 uses the LGA1155 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Opteron 6282 SE uses G34 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureXeon E3-1290 v2Opteron 6282 SE
Socket
LGA1155
G34
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0+50%
PCIe 2.0
💰

Value Analysis

The Xeon E3-1290 v2 launched at $885 MSRP, while the Opteron 6282 SE debuted at $1019. At current prices ($125 vs $770), the Xeon E3-1290 v2 is $645 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon E3-1290 v2 delivers 50.8 pts/$ vs 8.3 pts/$ for the Opteron 6282 SE — making the Xeon E3-1290 v2 the 143.9% better value option.

FeatureXeon E3-1290 v2Opteron 6282 SE
MSRP
$885-13%
$1019
Avg Price (30d)
$125-84%
$770
Performance per Dollar
50.8+512%
8.3
Release Date
2012
2011