Intel Core i3-550

Intel Core i3-550
Benchmarks & Specs

Last updated:
The Intel Core i3-550 was a very relevant processor at the time of its release. It was based on the Clarkdale architecture and utilized the then-advanced 32-nanometer manufacturing process. One of its greatest strengths was the integrated graphics unit, known as Intel HD Graphics (Westmere). This often made an additional graphics chip unnecessary for many users.

This allowed you to work directly with the system and save costs. For everyday office work or surfing the Internet, the performance offered was absolutely sufficient. Another advantage was the generously sized 4 MB Level 3 cache. This ensured a noticeably improved responsiveness of the entire system.

Frequently used data was thus quickly available, which increased user-friendliness. Support for PCIe 2.0 was also available and offered good connectivity options. Even after all these years, the Intel Core i3-550 still reliably handles basic tasks. Its solid construction and durability are remarkable.

The maximum memory bandwidth of 17 GB/s supported it. We were surprised at the time how well it performed in everyday use.
  • Integrated Intel HD Graphics (Westmere)
  • 4 MB Level 3 Cache
  • Solid performance for everyday tasks
  • Reliability and durability

Performance Overview
Average performance across multiple benchmarks

Single-core performance
Rank 825 / 867
In segment Desktop
Multi-core performance
Rank 784 / 821
In segment Desktop
Geekbench 6 Single-Core

Geekbench 6 Single-Core
Single-core performance

Intel Core i7-880
4C / 8T · 3.73 GHz
510
Intel Xeon E5-2620 v2
6C / 12T · 2.60 GHz
510
Intel Core i3-550
2C / 4T · 3.20 GHz
505
Intel Xeon E5-2640 v2
8C / 16T · 2.50 GHz
504
Intel Pentium G3240T
2C / 2T · 2.70 GHz
502
Geekbench 6 Multi-Core

Geekbench 6 Multi-Core
Multi-core performance

Intel Core i3-3220T
2C / 4T · 2.80 GHz
1,024
Intel Pentium G3240
2C / 2T · 3.10 GHz
1,004
Intel Core i3-550
2C / 4T · 3.20 GHz
992
Intel Celeron G4900T
2C / 2T · 2.80 GHz
982
Intel Pentium G3450T
2C / 2T · 2.90 GHz
978
Geekbench 5, 64bit Single-Core

Geekbench 5, 64bit Single-Core
Single-core performance

AMD FX-6120
AMD FX-6120 102 %
6C / 6T · 4.10 GHz
497
AMD Athlon II X4 760K
4C / 4T · 4.10 GHz
491
Intel Core i3-550
2C / 4T · 3.20 GHz
489
Intel Xeon Bronze 3106
8C / 8T · 1.70 GHz
486
Intel Core2 Duo E8600
2C / 2T · 3.33 GHz
486
Geekbench 5, 64bit Multi-Core

Geekbench 5, 64bit Multi-Core
Multi-core performance

Intel Pentium G3440T
2C / 2T · 2.80 GHz
1,194
AMD Phenom II X4 820
4C / 4T · 2.80 GHz
1,177
Intel Core i3-550
2C / 4T · 3.20 GHz
1,170
Intel Core 2 Quad Q9400
4C / 4T · 2.66 GHz
1,163
AMD Athlon II X4 615e
4C / 4T · 2.50 GHz
1,161
iGPU - FP32 Performance (Single-precision GFLOPS)

iGPU - FP32 Performance (Single-precision GFLOPS)

Intel Core i3-530
Intel HD Graphics (Westmere)
35
Intel Core i3-540
Intel HD Graphics (Westmere)
35
Intel Core i3-550
Intel HD Graphics (Westmere)
35
Raspberry Pi 4 B (Broadcom BCM2711)
Broadcom VideoCore VI
32
Intel Atom N2600
Intel GMA 3600
26
CPU-Z Benchmark 17 Multi-Core

CPU-Z Benchmark 17 Multi-Core
Multi-core performance

Intel Core i5-650
2C / 4T · 3.20 GHz
735
AMD Phenom II X6 1035T
6C / 6T · 2.60 GHz
723
Intel Core i3-550
2C / 4T · 3.20 GHz
717
AMD A8-5600K
4C / 4T · 3.60 GHz
711
Intel Core i3-540
2C / 4T · 3.06 GHz
685

More benchmarks

At a glance

PropertyValue
FamilyIntel Core i3 (205)
CPU groupIntel Core i3 500 (4)
ArchitectureClarkdale
Technology32 nm
SegmentDesktop
SocketLGA 1156
Generation1
Predecessor
Successor

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

PropertyValue
CPU Cores / Threads2 / 4
Hyperthreading / SMT
Core architecturenormal
Cores: 2x
Frequency: 3.20 GHz
Turbo Frequency (1 Core):
Turbo Frequency (2 Cores):
L2-Cache0.50 MB
L3-Cache4.00 MB
OverclockingNo

Integrated graphics (iGPU)

PropertyValue
GPU nameIntel HD Graphics (Westmere)
GPU frequency0.50 - 0.73 GHz
CUs / Shader12 / 24
Raytracing
Max. displays2
Max. GPU Memory2 GB
Technology32 nm
Release dateQ1/2010

Memory & PCIe

Memory typeMemory bandwidth
DDR3-1066
DDR3-1333
17.1 GB/s
21.3 GB/s
PropertyValue
Max. Memory16 GB
Memory channels2
ECC
PCIe2.0 x 16
PCIe Bandwidth8.0 GB/s

Thermal Management

PropertyValue
TDP73 W
TDP (PL2)
TDP up
TDP down
T. junction max.

Technical details

PropertyValue
Chip designMonolithic
AES-NI
Operating systemsWindows 10, Linux
Instruction setx86-64 (64 bit)
ISA extensionsSSE4.1, SSE4.2
Release dateQ2/2010
Release price117 $
DocumentsTechnical data sheet
Intel Core i3-550
Intel Core i3-550
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