Intel Core i5-3550 vs AMD Athlon II X2 255

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i5-3550 and AMD Athlon II X2 255 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 II X2 255

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i5-3550

CPU is newer: launch date 2 year(s) 3 month(s) later
2 more cores, run more applications at once: 4 vs 2
2 more threads: 4 vs 2
Around 19% higher clock speed: 3.70 GHz vs 3.1 GHz
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 22 nm vs 45 nm
Around 62% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1996 vs 1234
4.1x better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 4810 vs 1175
2.2x better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 767 vs 353
3.8x better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 2526 vs 660

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	23 April 2012 vs January 2010
Number of cores	4 vs 2
Number of threads	4 vs 2
Maximum frequency	3.70 GHz vs 3.1 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	22 nm vs 45 nm
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1996 vs 1234
PassMark - CPU mark	4810 vs 1175
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	767 vs 353
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	2526 vs 660

Reasons to consider the AMD Athlon II X2 255

Around 7% higher maximum core temperature: 72°C vs 67.4°C
2x more L2 cache, more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
Around 71% lower typical power consumption: 45 Watt vs 77 Watt

Maximum core temperature	72°C vs 67.4°C
L2 cache	2 MB vs 1 MB
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	45 Watt vs 77 Watt

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Core i5-3550
CPU 2: AMD Athlon II X2 255

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1996

1234

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

4810

1175

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

767

353

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

2526

660

Name	Intel Core i5-3550	AMD Athlon II X2 255
PassMark - Single thread mark	1996	1234
PassMark - CPU mark	4810	1175
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	767	353
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	2526	660
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 II X2 255
Essentials
Architecture codename	Ivy Bridge	Regor
Launch date	23 April 2012	January 2010
Launch price (MSRP)	$205	$60
Place in performance rating	2548	2554
Price now	$329.95	$65.22
Processor Number	i5-3550
Series	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors	AMD Athlon II X2
Status	Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)	6.19	8.34
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Family		AMD Athlon Processors
OPN PIB		AD255EHDGMBOX
OPN Tray		AD255EHDK23GM
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.30 GHz	3.1 GHz
Bus Speed	5 GT/s DMI
Die size	160 mm	117 mm
L1 cache	64 KB (per core)	256 KB
L2 cache	1 MB	2 MB
L3 cache	6 MB
Manufacturing process technology	22 nm	45 nm
Maximum case temperature (TCase)	67 °C
Maximum core temperature	67.4°C	72°C
Maximum frequency	3.70 GHz	3.1 GHz
Number of cores	4	2
Number of threads	4	2
Transistor count	1400 million	410 million
Unlocked
Memory
Max memory channels	2
Maximum memory bandwidth	25.6 GB/s
Maximum memory size	32 GB
Supported memory types	DDR3 1333/1600	DDR3
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	AM3
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	77 Watt	45 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)