Intel Core i3-550 vs AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i3-550 and AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Graphics, Graphics interfaces, Compatibility, Peripherals, Security & Reliability, Advanced Technologies, Virtualization. Benchmark processor performance analysis: PassMark - Single thread mark, PassMark - CPU mark, Geekbench 4 - Single Core, Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core, 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 i3-550

AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i3-550

CPU is newer: launch date 4 year(s) 0 month(s) later
Around 23% higher clock speed: 3.2 GHz vs 2.6 GHz
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 32 nm vs 90 nm
Around 22% lower typical power consumption: 73 Watt vs 89 Watt
Around 67% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1339 vs 802
Around 7% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 1609 vs 1507
2.1x better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 478 vs 225
2.5x better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 1061 vs 427

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	May 2010 vs May 2006
Maximum frequency	3.2 GHz vs 2.6 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm vs 90 nm
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	73 Watt vs 89 Watt
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1339 vs 802
PassMark - CPU mark	1609 vs 1507
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	478 vs 225
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1061 vs 427

Reasons to consider the AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+

2x more L1 cache, more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later

L1 cache	256 KB vs 64 KB (per core)

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Core i3-550
CPU 2: AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1339

802

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1609

1507

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

478

225

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

1061

427

Name	Intel Core i3-550	AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+
PassMark - Single thread mark	1339	802
PassMark - CPU mark	1609	1507
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	478	225
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1061	427
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	0.529
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	31.203
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	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 i3-550	AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+
Essentials
Architecture codename	Clarkdale	Windsor
Launch date	May 2010	May 2006
Launch price (MSRP)	$101
Place in performance rating	2923	2927
Price now	$179.95	$331.49
Processor Number	i3-550
Series	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors
Status	Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)	4.63	1.17
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.20 GHz
Bus Speed	2.5 GT/s DMI
Die size	81 mm2	220 mm
L1 cache	64 KB (per core)	256 KB
L2 cache	256 KB (per core)	512 KB
L3 cache	4096 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm	90 nm
Maximum core temperature	72.6°C
Maximum frequency	3.2 GHz	2.6 GHz
Number of cores	2	2
Number of threads	4
Transistor count	382 million	154 million
VID voltage range	0.6500V-1.4000V
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
Compatibility
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	1	1
Package Size	37.5mm x 37.5mm
Sockets supported	FCLGA1156	AM2
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	73 Watt	89 Watt
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes	16
PCI Express revision	2.0
PCIe configurations	1x16, 2x8
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Advanced Technologies
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Flexible Display interface (FDI)
Idle States
Instruction set extensions	Intel® SSE4.2
Intel 64
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Demand Based Switching
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility
Physical Address Extensions (PAE)	36-bit
Thermal Monitoring
Virtualization
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)