Intel Core i5-3550 vs AMD Athlon II X4 641

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i5-3550 and AMD Athlon II X4 641 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 X4 641

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i5-3550

CPU is newer: launch date 2 month(s) later
Around 32% higher clock speed: 3.70 GHz vs 2.8 GHz
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 22 nm vs 32 nm
Around 30% lower typical power consumption: 77 Watt vs 100 Watt
Around 67% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1986 vs 1189
2.1x better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 4794 vs 2313
2.1x better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 767 vs 369
2x better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 2526 vs 1247

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	23 April 2012 vs February 2012
Maximum frequency	3.70 GHz vs 2.8 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	22 nm vs 32 nm
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	77 Watt vs 100 Watt
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1986 vs 1189
PassMark - CPU mark	4794 vs 2313
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	767 vs 369
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	2526 vs 1247

Reasons to consider the AMD Athlon II X4 641

Around 4% higher maximum core temperature: 70.10°C vs 67.4°C
2x more L1 cache, more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
4x more L2 cache, more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later

Maximum core temperature	70.10°C vs 67.4°C
L1 cache	512 KB vs 64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	4 MB vs 1 MB

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Core i5-3550
CPU 2: AMD Athlon II X4 641

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1986

1189

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

4794

2313

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

767

369

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

2526

1247

Name	Intel Core i5-3550	AMD Athlon II X4 641
PassMark - Single thread mark	1986	1189
PassMark - CPU mark	4794	2313
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	767	369
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	2526	1247
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 X4 641
Essentials
Architecture codename	Ivy Bridge	Llano
Launch date	23 April 2012	February 2012
Launch price (MSRP)	$205
Place in performance rating	2506	2493
Price now	$329.95	$91.50
Processor Number	i5-3550
Series	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors	AMD Athlon II X4
Status	Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)	6.19	10.77
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Family		AMD Athlon Processors
OPN PIB		AD641XWNGXBOX
OPN Tray		AD641XWNZ43GX
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.30 GHz	2.8 GHz
Bus Speed	5 GT/s DMI
Die size	160 mm	228 mm
L1 cache	64 KB (per core)	512 KB
L2 cache	1 MB	4 MB
L3 cache	6 MB
Manufacturing process technology	22 nm	32 nm
Maximum case temperature (TCase)	67 °C
Maximum core temperature	67.4°C	70.10°C
Maximum frequency	3.70 GHz	2.8 GHz
Number of cores	4	4
Number of threads	4	4
Transistor count	1400 million	1178 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	FM1 uPGA
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	77 Watt	100 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)
AMD Virtualization (AMD-V™)