Intel Core i5-3550 vs AMD Athlon 64 3500+

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i5-3550 and AMD Athlon 64 3500+ 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, 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), GFXBench 4.0 - T-Rex (Frames), GFXBench 4.0 - T-Rex (Fps).

Intel Core i5-3550

AMD Athlon 64 3500+

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i5-3550

CPU is newer: launch date 11 year(s) 3 month(s) later
3 more cores, run more applications at once: 4 vs 1
Around 68% higher clock speed: 3.70 GHz vs 2.2 GHz
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 22 nm vs 90 nm
2x more L1 cache, more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
2x more L2 cache, more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
3.2x better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1996 vs 620
8.9x better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 4810 vs 539
2.6x better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 2526 vs 954

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	23 April 2012 vs January 2001
Number of cores	4 vs 1
Maximum frequency	3.70 GHz vs 2.2 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	22 nm vs 90 nm
L1 cache	64 KB (per core) vs 128 KB
L2 cache	1 MB vs 512 KB
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1996 vs 620
PassMark - CPU mark	4810 vs 539
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	2526 vs 954

Reasons to consider the AMD Athlon 64 3500+

Around 15% lower typical power consumption: 67 Watt vs 77 Watt
Around 31% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 1008 vs 767

Specifications (specs)
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	67 Watt vs 77 Watt
Benchmarks
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	1008 vs 767

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Core i5-3550
CPU 2: AMD Athlon 64 3500+

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1996

620

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

4810

539

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

767

1008

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

2526

954

Name	Intel Core i5-3550	AMD Athlon 64 3500+
PassMark - Single thread mark	1996	620
PassMark - CPU mark	4810	539
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	767	1008
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	2526	954
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	2778
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	3.362
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	9.39
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.404
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	1.919
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	5.067
GFXBench 4.0 - T-Rex (Frames)	680
GFXBench 4.0 - T-Rex (Fps)	680

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Core i5-3550	AMD Athlon 64 3500+
Essentials
Architecture codename	Ivy Bridge	San Diego
Launch date	23 April 2012	January 2001
Launch price (MSRP)	$205	$59
Place in performance rating	2548	2537
Price now	$329.95	$108.95
Processor Number	i5-3550
Series	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors
Status	Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)	6.19	1.46
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.30 GHz
Bus Speed	5 GT/s DMI
Die size	160 mm	115 mm
L1 cache	64 KB (per core)	128 KB
L2 cache	1 MB	512 KB
L3 cache	6 MB
Manufacturing process technology	22 nm	90 nm
Maximum case temperature (TCase)	67 °C
Maximum core temperature	67.4°C
Maximum frequency	3.70 GHz	2.2 GHz
Number of cores	4	1
Number of threads	4
Transistor count	1400 million	105 million
Memory
Max memory channels	2
Maximum memory bandwidth	25.6 GB/s
Maximum memory size	32 GB
Supported memory types	DDR3 1333/1600
Graphics
Device ID	0x152
Graphics base frequency	650 MHz
Graphics max dynamic frequency	1.15 GHz
Graphics max frequency	1.15 GHz
Intel® Clear Video HD technology
Intel® Flexible Display Interface (Intel® FDI)
Intel® InTru™ 3D technology
Intel® Quick Sync Video
Processor graphics	Intel® HD Graphics 2500
Graphics interfaces
Number of displays supported	3
Wireless Display (WiDi) support
Compatibility
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	1	1
Package Size	37.5mm x 37.5mm
Sockets supported	FCLGA1155	939
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	77 Watt	67 Watt
Thermal Solution	2011D
Peripherals
PCI Express revision	3.0
PCIe configurations	up to 1x16, 2x8, 1x8 & 2x4
Security & Reliability
Anti-Theft technology
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Identity Protection technology
Intel® Secure Key technology
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Advanced Technologies
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Flexible Display interface (FDI)
Idle States
Instruction set extensions	Intel® SSE4.1, Intel® SSE4.2, Intel® AVX
Intel 64
Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX)
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® TSX-NI
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility
Thermal Monitoring
Virtualization
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)