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).

 

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 1611
  • 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 1611
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: 1340 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 1340 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
1340
PassMark - CPU mark
CPU 1
CPU 2
2224
1611
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 1340
PassMark - CPU mark 2224 1611
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