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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Opteron 6282 SE

2011

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.5% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 16 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (6,385 vs 6,407).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 6.3 vs 58.8 PassMark/$ ($1,019 MSRP vs $109 MSRP).
❌115.4% higher power demand at 140W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 3 1200.

Ryzen 3 1200

2017

Why buy it

✅+0.3% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $910 less on MSRP ($109 MSRP vs $1,019 MSRP).
✅Delivers 838.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 58.8 vs 6.3 PassMark/$ ($109 MSRP vs $1,019 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 140W, a 75W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Opteron 6282 SE across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Opteron 6282 SE, which brings 16 cores / 16 threads.

Opteron 6282 SE

2011

Ryzen 3 1200

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.5% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 16 threads.

Why buy it

✅+0.3% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $910 less on MSRP ($109 MSRP vs $1,019 MSRP).
✅Delivers 838.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 58.8 vs 6.3 PassMark/$ ($109 MSRP vs $1,019 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 140W, a 75W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (6,385 vs 6,407).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 6.3 vs 58.8 PassMark/$ ($1,019 MSRP vs $109 MSRP).
❌115.4% higher power demand at 140W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 3 1200.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Opteron 6282 SE across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Opteron 6282 SE, which brings 16 cores / 16 threads.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 3 1200 better than Opteron 6282 SE?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Opteron 6282 SE makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 3 1200 is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 3 1200 is the better fit. You are getting 0.3% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Ryzen 3 1200 is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 3 1200 is $910 cheaper on MSRP at $109 MSRP versus $1,019 MSRP, and it gives you 0.3% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Opteron 6282 SE is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 6.5% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 838.1% better value on MSRP (58.8 vs 6.3 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen 3 1200 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2017 vs 2011) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 16/16. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Games Benchmarks

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.

Opteron 6282 SE Benchmark Check

Ryzen 3 1200 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Opteron 6282 SE	Ryzen 3 1200
1080p
low	160 FPS	160 FPS
medium	139 FPS	146 FPS
high	111 FPS	116 FPS
ultra	91 FPS	94 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	141 FPS
medium	114 FPS	118 FPS
high	89 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	73 FPS	72 FPS
4K
low	63 FPS	67 FPS
medium	56 FPS	60 FPS
high	44 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	35 FPS	36 FPS

Open Opteron 6282 SE Open Ryzen 3 1200

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Opteron 6282 SE	Ryzen 3 1200
1080p
low	160 FPS	160 FPS
medium	160 FPS	145 FPS
high	160 FPS	136 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	106 FPS
1440p
low	160 FPS	145 FPS
medium	160 FPS	125 FPS
high	156 FPS	116 FPS
ultra	127 FPS	93 FPS
4K
low	151 FPS	113 FPS
medium	140 FPS	100 FPS
high	121 FPS	78 FPS
ultra	94 FPS	58 FPS

Open Opteron 6282 SE Open Ryzen 3 1200

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Opteron 6282 SE	Ryzen 3 1200
1080p
low	160 FPS	160 FPS
medium	160 FPS	160 FPS
high	160 FPS	160 FPS
ultra	160 FPS	160 FPS
1440p
low	160 FPS	160 FPS
medium	160 FPS	160 FPS
high	160 FPS	160 FPS
ultra	160 FPS	160 FPS
4K
low	160 FPS	160 FPS
medium	160 FPS	160 FPS
high	160 FPS	139 FPS
ultra	160 FPS	109 FPS

Open Opteron 6282 SE Open Ryzen 3 1200

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Opteron 6282 SE	Ryzen 3 1200
1080p
low	160 FPS	160 FPS
medium	160 FPS	160 FPS
high	160 FPS	160 FPS
ultra	160 FPS	160 FPS
1440p
low	160 FPS	160 FPS
medium	160 FPS	160 FPS
high	160 FPS	160 FPS
ultra	160 FPS	160 FPS
4K
low	160 FPS	160 FPS
medium	160 FPS	160 FPS
high	160 FPS	160 FPS
ultra	160 FPS	160 FPS

Open Opteron 6282 SE Open Ryzen 3 1200

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Opteron 6282 SE and Ryzen 3 1200

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.

Ryzen 3 1200

The Ryzen 3 1200 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 27 July 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Summit Ridge (Zen) (2017) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 6,407 points. Launch price was $109.

⚡

Processing Power

The Opteron 6282 SE packs 16 cores / 16 threads, while the Ryzen 3 1200 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Opteron 6282 SE has 12 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.3 GHz on the Opteron 6282 SE versus 3.4 GHz on the Ryzen 3 1200 — a 3% clock advantage for the Ryzen 3 1200 (base: 2.6 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Opteron 6282 SE uses the Interlagos (2011−2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Ryzen 3 1200 uses Summit Ridge (Zen) (2017) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Opteron 6282 SE scores 6,385 against the Ryzen 3 1200's 6,407 — a 0.3% lead for the Ryzen 3 1200. Both processors carry 8 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Opteron 6282 SE	Ryzen 3 1200
Cores / Threads	16 / 16+300%	4 / 4
Boost Clock	3.3 GHz	3.4 GHz+3%
Base Clock	2.6 GHz	3.1 GHz+19%
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2 MB (per module)+300%	512K (per core)
Process	32 nm	14 nm-56%
Architecture	Interlagos (2011−2012)	Summit Ridge (Zen) (2017)
PassMark	6,385	6,407
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	3,013
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,000
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	3,000

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Opteron 6282 SE uses the G34 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Ryzen 3 1200 uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Opteron 6282 SE	Ryzen 3 1200
Socket	G34	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity	—	64 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Opteron 6282 SE) / AMD-V (Ryzen 3 1200). Primary use case: Ryzen 3 1200 targets Budget.

Feature	Opteron 6282 SE	Ryzen 3 1200
Integrated GPU	—	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Budget

💰

Value Analysis

The Opteron 6282 SE launched at $1019 MSRP, while the Ryzen 3 1200 debuted at $109. On MSRP ($1019 vs $109), the Ryzen 3 1200 is $910 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Opteron 6282 SE delivers 6.3 pts/$ vs 58.8 pts/$ for the Ryzen 3 1200 — making the Ryzen 3 1200 the 161.5% better value option.