AMD OS4238WLU6KGU 6-Core Opteron 4238 Server Processor

Overview

The AMD OS4238WLU6KGU is a six-core Opteron 4238 server processor clocked at 3.40GHz, built on AMD's 32nm process for Socket C32 (OLGA-1207) platforms. This is a component-level part for buyers replacing or populating a CPU socket on an existing C32 motherboard or server chassis — not a full system. With a 95W thermal design power and a 6MB L2 / 8MB L3 cache hierarchy, the OS4238WLU6KGU targets single- and dual-socket server builds where six physical cores and a moderate power envelope matter more than raw core count. If you're sourcing a replacement part for a legacy AMD Opteron 4000-series deployment, or configuring a budget-conscious server build on Socket C32, this is the part number to match against your motherboard's supported CPU list before ordering.

Key Features

• 6-Core Design: Six physical cores at 3.40GHz give the OS4238WLU6KGU enough parallelism for multi-threaded server workloads — database queries, virtualization hosts, or application serving — without the higher power draw of AMD's 8- and 12-core Opteron 4000-series siblings.
• 3.40GHz Clock Speed: This is toward the top of the Opteron 4238's operating range, which matters directly for single-threaded and latency-sensitive tasks where core count alone doesn't help — think small-transaction database work or legacy applications that don't thread well.
• 8MB L3 Cache: A large shared L3 cache reduces main-memory round trips under multi-core contention, which keeps performance more consistent when all six cores are active simultaneously on a busy server.
• 6MB L2 Cache: Backing the L3, the L2 pool cuts latency on frequently reused data per core — relevant for virtualized hosts running several VMs that each hammer different working sets.
• 288KB L1 Cache: The first-level cache tier handles the hottest, smallest data footprint, shaving cycles off the most frequent memory accesses before anything has to reach L2 or L3.
• 95W TDP: A 95W thermal ceiling keeps this processor inside the cooling and power budget of standard 1U/2U server chassis without requiring the beefier heatsinks or airflow that AMD's higher-wattage Opteron 4000-series parts demand.
• 32nm Process Technology: The 32nm die shrink (versus earlier 45nm Opteron generations) is what allows six cores and 8MB of L3 to fit inside a 95W envelope — the efficiency gain is what makes this core count practical at this power level.
• Socket C32 (OLGA-1207): This processor only fits Socket C32 motherboards — confirm your board's supported CPU list before ordering, since AMD server sockets are not cross-compatible with Socket G34 or newer platforms.

Integration & Compatibility

The OS4238WLU6KGU installs exclusively into Socket C32 (OLGA-1207) server motherboards — this is the same socket used across AMD's Opteron 4100/4200-series lineup, so boards validated for other Opteron 4000-series parts are the likely compatibility path. Confirm BIOS/firmware support for the specific 4238 stepping with your motherboard vendor before deployment, since server boards often gate CPU support lists tightly. Pair it with cooling rated for a 95W TDP load and verify your chassis airflow matches AMD's thermal guidance for the C32 socket. For broader infrastructure planning around a build using this processor, review a power distribution and UPS planning guide to size upstream power correctly, and check server components and accessories for compatible heatsinks and motherboards when building out the full platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What socket does the AMD OS4238WLU6KGU use?

A: The OS4238WLU6KGU uses Socket C32 (OLGA-1207). It is not compatible with Socket G34, AM3, or any non-C32 server platform.

Q: What is the TDP of the OS4238WLU6KGU?

A: The OS4238WLU6KGU has a 95W thermal design power rating.

Q: How many cores does the OS4238WLU6KGU have?

A: It is a six-core (hexa-core) processor.

Q: What is the clock speed of the OS4238WLU6KGU?

A: 3.40GHz.

Q: How much cache does the OS4238WLU6KGU have?

A: 288KB L1, 6MB L2, and 8MB L3 cache.

Q: Is the OS4238WLU6KGU new or refurbished?

A: Sourcing on this part is factory-new, channel-direct — no grey-market or parallel-import units.

Jerry Tildsen

The AMD OS4238WLU6KGU crosses my desk mostly as a replacement-part order — someone's got a Socket C32 server down and needs a matching Opteron 4238 to get it back in production. At 3.40GHz across six cores with a 95W TDP, it sits in a useful middle ground for older AMD server platforms: enough clock speed to not bottleneck single-threaded tasks, enough cores for basic virtualization or multi-process workloads.

Technical Highlights:

• 8MB L3 / 6MB L2 cache: that's a substantial cache pool for a 6-core part — it keeps performance from falling off a cliff when all six cores are pulling from memory at once, which is the scenario that actually stresses a server CPU in production.
• 95W TDP on 32nm: the process shrink from earlier Opteron generations is what lets AMD fit six cores and 8MB L3 into this power budget — you're not fighting the cooling upgrades that higher-wattage Opteron 4000-series parts require.
• 3.40GHz clock: toward the high end of the 4238's range, which matters if your workload has any single-threaded bottleneck — a lot of legacy database and application code still does.

Deployment Considerations:

• Socket C32 (OLGA-1207) is the hard constraint here — verify your motherboard's CPU support list before ordering, since this won't physically fit a G34 or later AMD server socket.
• This is a bare processor, not a kit — confirm your existing heatsink/cooling solution is rated for a 95W load before reusing it from a lower-wattage Opteron.

Good fit for keeping an existing Socket C32 AMD Opteron server fleet running — a hardware refresh replacement or a spare-parts stock item for IT teams maintaining legacy dual-socket 4200-series deployments rather than a new-build recommendation.