AMD Opteron vs. Intel Xeon: Database Performance Shootout

AnandTech Forums Database Test Results

The results are split up into two categories: 2-way and 4-way setups. Remember that the 3.2GHz Potomac based Xeon is only available in 2-way configurations and is thus absent from the 4-way graphs. The labels are as follows: CPU Name Clock Speed/FSB Speed/Cache Size (e.g. Xeon 3.0GHz/400/4MB = Xeon 3.0GHz, 400MHz FSB, 4MB L3 cache). Keep in mind that all Xeons have a 512KB on-die L2 cache, and all Opterons have a 1MB on-die L2 cache (but no L3 cache).

Despite the fact that we're dealing with a pretty hefty database, the Xeon does not benefit from a massive 4MB L3 cache here. For most transactional database applications, the search queries that will be running are small enough to fit inside caches much smaller than 4MB since they are very specific queries to well indexed databases. More general queries however would increase the need for a larger cache.

What we do see is that the Potomac's 533MHz FSB and higher clock speed come in handy and bring the Xeon to within striking distance of the Opteron, but at 2.2GHz the Opteron holds onto a 5% lead.

Once we look at 4-way configurations, the Opteron maintains an 11% performance lead over the fastest Xeon MP.

When looking at write performance, the Opteron once again maintains a small lead in the 2-way performance category.

...but add another 2 processors to all of the systems and the Opteron flexes its muscle once again. It's clear that AMD put together a very scalable design with Opteron and it's paying off.