AMD Opteron 3280 vs Intel Core i7-980

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

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CPU lineage

AMD Opteron 3280 or AMD Opteron 3280 – which processor offers superior performance? In this comparison, we examine disparities and assess which of these two CPUs outperforms the other. We delve into technical specifications and benchmark outcomes.
The AMD Opteron 3280 features 8 processor cores and has the capability to manage 8 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q1/2012 and belongs to the 1 generation of the AMD Opteron series.
To use the AMD Opteron 3280, you'll need a motherboard with a AM3+ socket.
The Intel Core i7-980 features 6 processor cores and has the capability to manage 12 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q2/2011 and belongs to the 1 generation of the Intel Core i7 series.
To use the Intel Core i7-980, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 1366 socket.
AMD Opteron 3000 Group Intel Core i7 900
AMD Opteron Family Intel Core i7
Desktop / Server Segment Desktop / Server
1 Generation 1
AMD Opteron 3280 Name Intel Core i7-980
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The AMD Opteron 3280 has 8 CPU cores and can calculate 8 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the AMD Opteron 3280 is 2.4 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 3.5 GHz.
The number of CPU cores greatly affects the speed of the processor and is an important performance indicator.
The Intel Core i7-980 has 6 CPU cores and can calculate 12 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i7-980 is 3.33 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 3.6 GHz.
No Overclocking No
No Hyperthreading Yes
8x Cores 6x
normal Core architecture normal
3.5 GHz Turbo Frequency (1 core) 3.6 GHz
8 Threads 12
2.7 GHz Turbo Frequency (all cores) None
2.4 GHz Frequency 3.33 GHz
8 CPU Cores 6
 
 

Internal Graphics

The AMD Opteron 3280 does not have integrated graphics.
The Intel Core i7-980 does not have integrated graphics.
-- Direct X --
-- Generation --
-- GPU (Turbo) --
-- Release date --
-- Technology --
GPU name
-- Execution units --
-- GPU frequency --
-- Max. displays --
0 bytes Max. GPU Memory 0 bytes
-- Shaders --
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

-- AI hardware --
-- AI specifications --
 
 

Hardware codec support

A photo or video codec that is accelerated in hardware can greatly accelerate the working speed of a processor and extend the battery life of notebooks or smartphones when playing videos.
-- VP9 --
-- VP8 --
-- h265 / HEVC (10 bit) --
-- h264 --
-- AV1 --
-- AVC --
-- h265 / HEVC (8 bit) --
-- JPEG --
-- VC-1 --
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 24.0 GB distributed across 3 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
pci PCIe pci
2 Memory channels 3
Yes AES-NI No
Yes ECC No
0 bytes Max. Memory 24.0 GB
-- Bandwidth 25.6 GB/s
DDR3-1866 Memory type DDR3-1066
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 65 W watts.
TDP indicates the cooling solution needed to effectively manage the processor's heat. It generally provides an approximate indication of the actual power consumption of the CPU itself.
The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 130 W watts.
65 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 130 W
-- Tjunction max --
 
 

Technical details

The AMD Opteron 3280 is manufactured using a 32 nm process.
A smaller manufacturing process indicates a more contemporary and energy-efficient CPU.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 8.0 MB cache.
A substantial cache can significantly enhance the processor's performance, particularly in scenarios like gaming.
The Intel Core i7-980 is manufactured using a 32 nm process.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 12.0 MB cache.
-- Chip design Monolithic
229 $ Release price 594 $
SSE4a, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX ISA extensions SSE4.1, SSE4.2
x86-64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
Q1/2012 Release date Q2/2011
AMD-V Virtualization VT-x, VT-x EPT
-- Part Number --
Zurich (Bulldozer) Architecture Gulftown
32 nm Technology 32 nm
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
8.0 MB L3-Cache 12.0 MB
0 bytes L2-Cache 1.5 MB
AM3+ Socket LGA 1366
Windows 10, Linux Operating systems Windows 10, Linux