Intel Core i3-550 vs Intel Core 2 Duo E4400

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i3-550 and Intel Core 2 Duo E4400 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

Intel Core 2 Duo E4400

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i3-550

CPU is newer: launch date 2 year(s) 10 month(s) later
Around 60% higher clock speed: 3.2 GHz vs 2 GHz
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 32 nm vs 65 nm
2x more L1 cache, more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
Around 71% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1341 vs 783
2.2x better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 1613 vs 718
Around 87% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 478 vs 255
2.4x better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 1061 vs 440

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	May 2010 vs July 2007
Maximum frequency	3.2 GHz vs 2 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm vs 65 nm
L1 cache	64 KB (per core) vs 64 KB
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1341 vs 783
PassMark - CPU mark	1613 vs 718
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	478 vs 255
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1061 vs 440

Reasons to consider the Intel Core 2 Duo E4400

4x more L2 cache, more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
Around 12% lower typical power consumption: 65 Watt vs 73 Watt

L2 cache	2048 KB vs 256 KB (per core)
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	65 Watt vs 73 Watt

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Core i3-550
CPU 2: Intel Core 2 Duo E4400

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1341

783

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1613

718

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

478

255

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

1061

440

Name	Intel Core i3-550	Intel Core 2 Duo E4400
PassMark - Single thread mark	1341	783
PassMark - CPU mark	1613	718
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	478	255
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1061	440
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	Intel Core 2 Duo E4400
Essentials
Architecture codename	Clarkdale	Conroe
Launch date	May 2010	July 2007
Launch price (MSRP)	$101
Place in performance rating	2927	2939
Price now	$179.95	$49.99
Processor Number	i3-550	E4400
Series	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors
Status	Discontinued	Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)	4.63	6.81
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.20 GHz	2.00 GHz
Bus Speed	2.5 GT/s DMI	800 MHz FSB
Die size	81 mm2	111 mm2
L1 cache	64 KB (per core)	64 KB
L2 cache	256 KB (per core)	2048 KB
L3 cache	4096 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm	65 nm
Maximum core temperature	72.6°C	L2=61.4°C, M0=73.3°C
Maximum frequency	3.2 GHz	2 GHz
Number of cores	2	2
Number of threads	4
Transistor count	382 million	167 million
VID voltage range	0.6500V-1.4000V	0.8500V-1.5V
Memory
Max memory channels	2
Maximum memory bandwidth	21 GB/s
Maximum memory size	16.38 GB
Supported memory types	DDR3 1066/1333	DDR1, DDR2, DDR3
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	37.5mm x 37.5mm
Sockets supported	FCLGA1156	LGA775
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	73 Watt	65 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
FSB parity
Virtualization
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)