Xeon W3550 vs Opteron 4386
Xeon W3550
Opteron 4386
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 W3550 is positioned at rank 837 and the Opteron 4386 is on rank 945, so the Xeon W3550 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon W3550
Performance Per Dollar Opteron 4386
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon W3550 | Opteron 4386 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($30) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($459) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Bloomfield (2008−2010) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Seoul (2012) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon W3550 | Opteron 4386 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+1420%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($30) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($459) |
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 W3550 and Opteron 4386
Xeon W3550
The Xeon W3550 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 9 August 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Bloomfield (2008−2010) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.06 GHz, with boost up to 3.33 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,251 points. Launch price was $235.
Opteron 4386
The Opteron 4386 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Seoul (2012) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 8192 kB (total). L2 cache: 8192 kB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: C32. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,273 points. Launch price was $800.
Processing Power
The Xeon W3550 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Opteron 4386 offers 8 cores / 8 threads — the Opteron 4386 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.33 GHz on the Xeon W3550 versus 3.8 GHz on the Opteron 4386 — a 13.2% clock advantage for the Opteron 4386 (base: 3.06 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Xeon W3550 uses the Bloomfield (2008−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Opteron 4386 uses Seoul (2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon W3550 scores 3,251 against the Opteron 4386's 3,273 — a 0.7% lead for the Opteron 4386. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Xeon W3550 vs 8192 kB (total) on the Opteron 4386.
| Feature | Xeon W3550 | Opteron 4386 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 8 / 8+100% |
| Boost Clock | 3.33 GHz | 3.8 GHz+14% |
| Base Clock | 3.06 GHz | 3.1 GHz+1% |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB (total) | 8192 kB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 8192 kB+3100% |
| Process | 45 nm | 32 nm-29% |
| Architecture | Bloomfield (2008−2010) | Seoul (2012) |
| PassMark | 3,251 | 3,273 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon W3550 uses the LGA1366 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Opteron 4386 uses C32 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon W3550 | Opteron 4386 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1366 | C32 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1866 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 128 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 42 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Xeon W3550) / AMD-V (Opteron 4386). Primary use case: Opteron 4386 targets Server.
| Feature | Xeon W3550 | Opteron 4386 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | AMD-V |
| Target Use | — | Server |
Value Analysis
The Xeon W3550 launched at $294 MSRP, while the Opteron 4386 debuted at $459. At current prices ($30 vs $459), the Xeon W3550 is $429 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon W3550 delivers 108.4 pts/$ vs 7.1 pts/$ for the Opteron 4386 — making the Xeon W3550 the 175.3% better value option.
| Feature | Xeon W3550 | Opteron 4386 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $294-36% | $459 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $30-93% | $459 |
| Performance per Dollar | 108.4+1427% | 7.1 |
| Release Date | 2009 | 2012 |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
You May Also Compare
Similar CPU comparisons based on Xeon W3550 and Opteron 4386
