Xeon E5649 vs Opteron 6238
Xeon E5649
Opteron 6238
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 E5649 is positioned at rank 938 and the Opteron 6238 is on rank 61, so the Opteron 6238 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5649
Performance Per Dollar Opteron 6238
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5649 | Opteron 6238 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($774) | ✅ More affordable ($118) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Westmere-EP (2010−2011) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Interlagos (2011−2012) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5649 | Opteron 6238 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+552%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($774) | ✅ More affordable ($118) |
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 E5649 and Opteron 6238
Xeon E5649
The Xeon E5649 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 February 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Westmere-EP (2010−2011) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.53 GHz, with boost up to 2.93 GHz. L3 cache: 12288 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,659 points. Launch price was $45.
Opteron 6238
The Opteron 6238 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 12 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 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): 115 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,625 points. Launch price was $455.
Processing Power
The Xeon E5649 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Opteron 6238 offers 12 cores / 12 threads — the Opteron 6238 has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.93 GHz on the Xeon E5649 versus 3.2 GHz on the Opteron 6238 — a 8.8% clock advantage for the Opteron 6238 (base: 2.53 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Xeon E5649 uses the Westmere-EP (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Opteron 6238 uses Interlagos (2011−2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5649 scores 5,659 against the Opteron 6238's 5,625 — a 0.6% lead for the Xeon E5649. L3 cache: 12288 kB (total) on the Xeon E5649 vs 8 MB (total) on the Opteron 6238.
| Feature | Xeon E5649 | Opteron 6238 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 6 / 12 | 12 / 12+100% |
| Boost Clock | 2.93 GHz | 3.2 GHz+9% |
| Base Clock | 2.53 GHz | 2.6 GHz+3% |
| L3 Cache | 12288 kB (total)+50% | 8 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 2 MB (per module)+700% |
| Process | 32 nm | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Westmere-EP (2010−2011) | Interlagos (2011−2012) |
| PassMark | 5,659 | 5,625 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 415 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 2,109 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E5649 uses the LGA1366 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Opteron 6238 uses G34 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E5649 | Opteron 6238 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1366 | G34 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 5.0+150% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3 1333 MHz | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 288 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 3 | — |
| ECC Support | ✅ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: true (Xeon E5649) / not specified (Opteron 6238). Primary use case: Xeon E5649 targets Server.
| Feature | Xeon E5649 | Opteron 6238 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | true | — |
| Target Use | Server | — |
Value Analysis
The Xeon E5649 launched at $774 MSRP, while the Opteron 6238 debuted at $455.
| Feature | Xeon E5649 | Opteron 6238 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $774 | $455-41% |
| Avg Price (30d) | — | $118 |
| Release Date | 2011 | 2011 |
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