Intel Core 2 Quad Q9500 vs Intel Core i3-550

Comparative analysis of Intel Core 2 Quad Q9500 and Intel Core i3-550 processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Compatibility, Security & Reliability, Advanced Technologies, Virtualization, Memory, Graphics, Graphics interfaces, Peripherals. Benchmark processor performance analysis: PassMark - Single thread mark, PassMark - CPU mark, Geekbench 4 - Single Core, Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core, 3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score, CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s).

Intel Core 2 Quad Q9500

Intel Core i3-550

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core 2 Quad Q9500

2 more cores, run more applications at once: 4 vs 2
Around 38% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 2224 vs 1609
Around 15% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 1225 vs 1061
Around 44% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s): 0.762 vs 0.529
Around 1% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s): 0.158 vs 0.156

Specifications (specs)
Number of cores	4 vs 2
Benchmarks
PassMark - CPU mark	2224 vs 1609
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1225 vs 1061
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	0.762 vs 0.529
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.158 vs 0.156

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i3-550

Around 2% higher maximum core temperature: 72.6°C vs 71.4°C
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 32 nm vs 45 nm
Around 30% lower typical power consumption: 73 Watt vs 95 Watt
Around 10% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1339 vs 1215
Around 21% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 478 vs 395
Around 11% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s): 31.203 vs 28.113

Specifications (specs)
Maximum core temperature	72.6°C vs 71.4°C
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm vs 45 nm
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	73 Watt vs 95 Watt
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1339 vs 1215
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	478 vs 395
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	31.203 vs 28.113

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Core 2 Quad Q9500
CPU 2: Intel Core i3-550

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1215

1339

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

2224

1609

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

395

478

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

1225

1061

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

0.762

0.529

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

28.113

31.203

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

0.158

0.156

Name	Intel Core 2 Quad Q9500	Intel Core i3-550
PassMark - Single thread mark	1215	1339
PassMark - CPU mark	2224	1609
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	395	478
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1225	1061
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	0
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	0.762	0.529
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	28.113	31.203
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.158	0.156
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)		0.842
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)		2.358

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Core 2 Quad Q9500	Intel Core i3-550
Essentials
Architecture codename	Yorkfield	Clarkdale
Place in performance rating	2930	2923
Processor Number	Q9500	i3-550
Series	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors
Status	Discontinued	Discontinued
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Launch date		May 2010
Launch price (MSRP)		$101
Price now		$179.95
Value for money (0-100)		4.63
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	2.83 GHz	3.20 GHz
Bus Speed	1333 MHz FSB	2.5 GT/s DMI
Die size	164 mm2	81 mm2
Manufacturing process technology	45 nm	32 nm
Maximum core temperature	71.4°C	72.6°C
Number of cores	4	2
Transistor count	456 million	382 million
VID voltage range	0.8500V-1.3625V	0.6500V-1.4000V
L1 cache		64 KB (per core)
L2 cache		256 KB (per core)
L3 cache		4096 KB (shared)
Maximum frequency		3.2 GHz
Number of threads		4
Compatibility
Low Halogen Options Available
Package Size	37.5mm x 37.5mm	37.5mm x 37.5mm
Sockets supported	LGA775	FCLGA1156
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	95 Watt	73 Watt
Max number of CPUs in a configuration		1
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Advanced Technologies
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Idle States
Intel 64
Intel® Demand Based Switching
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Thermal Monitoring
Flexible Display interface (FDI)
Instruction set extensions		Intel® SSE4.2
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility
Physical Address Extensions (PAE)		36-bit
Virtualization
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)
Memory
Max memory channels		2
Maximum memory bandwidth		21 GB/s
Maximum memory size		16.38 GB
Supported memory types		DDR3 1066/1333
Graphics
Graphics base frequency		733 MHz
Intel® Clear Video HD technology
Intel® Flexible Display Interface (Intel® FDI)
Processor graphics		Intel HD Graphics
Graphics interfaces
Number of displays supported		2
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes		16
PCI Express revision		2.0
PCIe configurations		1x16, 2x8