Intel Core i3-550 processor: features, comparison with competitors and reviews

The mid-level processor with good technical characteristics and acceptable speed for the LGA1156 computing platform is the Core i3-550. This chip will be considered in this material. Its parameters and test results will also be presented in various synthetic and game programs.

Purpose of this processor. For the assembly of which personal computers is it intended?

In Intel's processor hierarchy, the Intel Core i3-550 CPU belongs to mid-range solutions. Below it, both in performance and in cost, budget Celeron and Pentium are located. These semiconductor solutions have lower clock speeds, a reduced amount of fast memory integrated into the CPU chip, and only two logical code processing modules. Well, a big performance and performance can boast processors families i5 and i7. Both in the first and in the second case there are 4 blocks of code execution on the silicon chip. Intermediate link between budget chips and high-performance processors are i3 solutions. They have 2 physical cores (this makes them related to budget CPUs) and 4 logic blocks (like for more productive products). The i3-550 processor can be successfully used in the following cases:

• In a medium-level gaming computer.
• In the graphic station.
• Multimedia PC.
• Workstation.
• Office system unit.

In the first two cases, the computer system must necessarily be equipped with a discrete video card. In other cases, you can do without an integrated graphics adapter.

What types of CPUs are included and what do they include?

The main delivery option for this processor is VOC. In it, the manufacturer included the following:

• A cardboard box with detailed specifications of the processor solution.
• Protective plastic box with a processor.
• User guide.
• Sticker-logo of the CPU family.
• Branded cooler and thermal grease.
• Warranty card.

Also, it was extremely rare to find a "truncated" version of the complete set in the price lists. In this case, the list of supplies lacked cooler and thermal grease. According to the idea of the manufacturer, this configuration was of the greatest interest for large computer builders who could buy a large amount of cooling systems at wholesale prices and thereby reduce the cost of the assembled system units.

Motherboards, processor socket and chipsets

Core i3-550 was intended for installation in the processor socket LGA1156. It came in the stead of LGA775 in 2009, and then, a year later, in 2011 it was replaced by LGA1155. Motherboards for the given computing platform in the majority included the integrated videocards. Only here, unlike most of their predecessors, these built-in video accelerators were transferred by the manufacturer to a silicon CPU chip. A total of 4 sets of system logic were released by Intel for LGA1156: P55, H55, Q57 and H57.

Internal features of the processor device

The considered processor solution belongs to the first generation of chips based on the Core architecture. Their code name is Clarkdale. Later they were replaced by more productive CPUs of the 2nd generation on the same architecture. Physically, in this processor, 2 processing cores were implemented, which processed the program code. But due to the technology of NT at the level of system software, such chips already looked like a full-fledged quad-core chip.

The organization of the memory subsystem integrated into the CPU. Its volume

Almost nothing different from modern processors, the organization of cache memory in Intel Core i3-550. The characteristics of this decision point to its three-level organization. The first level consisted of 2 clusters of 64 KB each. Its total volume included 128 KB. In turn, each of the clusters was divided into 2 parts of 32 KB. One of them stored only data, and the second - only the instructions of the program code. The second level of the cache also consisted of two clusters, but already 256 KB. At this level, there was no longer a hard division of memory into data storage and storage of instructions. The third level of fast memory had a capacity of 4 MB. It was common for all the computing resources of the chip.

Operational device controller. Its characteristics

The memory controller along with the north bridge of the system logic set was moved to a single case with the Core i3-550. The characteristics of it indicated that it could work in a two-channel mode and supported RAM modules only of the DDR3 standard. The recommended frequency of the modules is 1066 or 1333 MHz, but in practice these CPUs also worked successfully and with higher speed bars with a frequency of up to 2133 MHz. The maximum amount of RAM in this case was 16 GB.

Clock Significance

Another important difference between the i3 line from i5 was that the latter supported the dynamic regulation of the clock frequency of the TurboBust chip. As a result, the clock speed of any representative of the i3 model line was fixed and did not depend on the degree of complexity of the task being solved. For the Intel Core i3-550 3 - 20 GHz. Separately, it should be noted that in the nominal mode it was the most productive among its counterparts, but in the case of overclocking, the younger models showed a greater performance gain.

Thermal package. Temperature nuances. Production technology

The thermal package of the processor device under consideration was declared by the manufacturer at the level of 73 W. If we compare this CPU with the current series, for example i3-7100, then we will get 51 W or 30 percent improved energy efficiency. But for 2009, this value of power consumption looked very decent. The maximum allowable temperature for this semiconductor crystal is 72 ° C. In reality, in nominal mode, this value did not exceed 62-63 ° C, and the processor had a significant margin of safety. It is extremely interesting from the layout position was implemented i3-550. Inside his body were immediately 2 semiconductor crystals. One of them consisted entirely of computational modules and was produced at a tolerance of 32 nm. The second included an integrated graphics adapter and the north bridge of the chipset. This silicon crystal was manufactured according to the standards of 45 nm process technology. These two components of the computer system were connected using a special bus.

Overclocking potential

Intel Core i3-550 boasted an impressive overclocking potential. Of course, against the background of the younger models of this family, the increase in its performance was not so large, but the result obtained was less dependent on the capabilities of the motherboard. The multiplier of the chip's clock frequency was fixed, and in this case it was only possible to increase the performance in terms of the system bus frequency on the motherboard. In the initial state, the multiplier was 24, the bus frequency was 133 MHz, and the CPU frequency was 3.2 GHz. As experience has shown, the value of the bus could be increased to 185 MHz. As a result, it was possible to obtain a CPU frequency of about 4.5 GHz. That is, in percentage terms, the performance gain was 29%.

Built-in video subsystem

The presence of an embedded entry-level subsystem could boast of the Core i3-550 under consideration. Her model is HD Graphics. This graphic semiconductor crystal was in the same housing with the cores of the CPU. Its frequency was 733 MHz and this value did not change during operation. The maximum number of supported screens was limited to two. For the implementation of the simplest tasks, the capabilities of such a video accelerator were quite enough, but for the full disclosure of the potential of the i3-550 it was necessary to complete the PC with a very, very productive video card.

Results in synthetic tests

It is not entirely correct to compare the i3-550 with modern processor solutions of the same series, for example, i3-7100. The technology of their production is fundamentally different: 32 nm versus 14 nm. Also clock speeds increased from 3.2 GHz to 3.9 GHz. But at the same time the cache size on the 3rd level decreased: instead of 4 MB it is now 3 MB. As a result, tests show almost 50% of the superiority of the new processor. It is more correct to compare i3-550 with analogues that competed with it in 2010. This list can include i5-650, i3-530, Core 2Duo models E8500 and Athlon II X4 models 620. The test results in PCMark 05 for these CPUs were as follows:

1. I5-650 gave out 8595 points.
2. I3-550 could boast an identical result of 8595 points.
3. The E8500 scored 7941 points.
4. Athlon II X4 620 - 7862 points.
5. I5-350 showed the lowest results due to the lowest clock frequency - 7770 points.

In another synthetic test package CrystalMark 0.9, the following results were obtained:

1. Athlon II X4 620 - 41623 points.
2. I5-650 -39359 points.
3. I3-550 - 32214 points.
4. I3-550 - 36270 points.
5. E8500 - 31251 points.

These two tests show the significant superiority of the solution in question over the younger models of this family and over the representatives of the previous architecture. You can also see that this CPU is quite worthy of looking and against the background of full 4 nuclear chips. The difference between them is not so big and, as experience shows, it can be reduced by overclocking.

Testing in games

Fairly enough results and in game applications the Intel Core i3-550 could boast, but for this it was necessary to equip such a computer system with a discrete video card. Most optimally in conjunction with this CPU was to use the GeForce model 9800 GX2 with 1 GB of RAM standard DDR3. The test results given below are valid for the resolution of 1280x1024 with the maximum image quality. Compare the same in gaming tests, this chip will be most justified with the same CPU as in the previous paragraph. In the game, Tom Clancy's could teach such a FPS:

1. I5-650 and i3-550 - 120 each.
2. Athlon II X4 620 - 119.
3. I3-530 - 117.
4. E8500 - 106.

The situation in Far Cry 2 changes a little. In this case it turns out such FPS:

1. I5-650 and i3-550 - on 85.
2. I3-530 - 81.
3. E8500 - 74.
4. Athlon II X4 620 - 73.

Comparison with direct competitors at the time of the release indicates that the processor in question could quite compete with even full-fledged 4-core chips. In some tests, he even significantly skirted them, as, for example, in Far Cry 2.

Feedback and results

The above technical specifications and test results show that for its time was a decent product Core i3-550 processor. On the same very emphasis and feedback from owners in 2011-2012. In some cases, it even outstripped the more expensive CPUs. But now Core i3-550 is outdated. And, both morally and physically. So the owners of such computing systems in the foreseeable future have a reason to think about upgrading, and this is already said by users in the current reviews of this CPU.