CPU Comparison
Intel Core i5-3470T vs Intel Core i5-3550S
A side-by-side comparison of specs, performance and value. The Intel Core i5-3470T is a low-power dual-core desktop processor from the Ivy Bridge family, featuring Hyper-Threading and a 35W TDP designed for compact and thermally constrained desktop systems.
The Bottom Line
Overview & Launch
Specifications Compared
Performance Compared
Productivity
Handles basic office applications and web browsing but struggles with heavy multitasking or large datasets.
The 3.7 GHz turbo provides marginally better performance than the i5-3470S, but the difference is barely noticeable in real-world use.
Gaming
The HD 2500 integrated graphics and dual-core design make it completely unsuitable for modern gaming.
The slightly higher clocks provide a marginal improvement over the i5-3470S but the same fundamental limitations apply — four threads without HT bottleneck modern gaming.
Virtualization
Dual-core with limited cache severely restricts virtualization capabilities.
Same four-core, four-thread design limits virtualization capability as other S-series i5 processors.
Efficiency
The 35W TDP was impressive for 2012, though modern low-power chips deliver far more performance per watt.
The 65W TDP with slightly higher clocks is well-optimized for the 22nm process, though modern chips deliver far more performance per watt.
Specialized Performance
AI / ML
- No dedicated AI hardware
- Dual-core design insufficient for AI inference
- Not applicable for this era of processor
- No AI acceleration hardware
- Not applicable for this processor generation
- Insufficient compute for AI workloads
Content Creation
Gaming
- HD 2500 graphics with only 6 Execution Units
- No capability for modern titles even at 720p low
- Dual-core bottleneck limits even paired discrete GPUs
- Outdated video decoding for modern codecs
- 3.7 GHz turbo is the highest among 65W Ivy Bridge i5 models
- Still limited by four threads without Hyper-Threading
- HD 2500 graphics insufficient for gaming
- Modern titles will be CPU-bottlenecked even with a discrete GPU
Industry Impact
Best CPU by Use Case
Target Audience
Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros
- Very low 35W TDP for quiet or compact desktop builds
- Hyper-Threading provides 4 threads from 2 cores
- 3.6 GHz turbo boost offers good single-thread burst performance
- PCIe 3.0 support for full-bandwidth GPU connectivity
- LGA 1155 platform offers wide compatibility with budget motherboards
Cons
- Only 2 physical cores severely limit multi-threaded performance
- HD 2500 integrated graphics are very weak
- 3MB L3 cache is half of standard quad-core i5 models
- No Windows 11 support
- End-of-life platform with no upgrade path beyond Ivy Bridge
- DDR3 memory is obsolete
Pros
- Highest turbo (3.7 GHz) among 65W Ivy Bridge i5 models
- 100 MHz higher base and turbo than i5-3470S
- 65W TDP for cooler operation
- Full 6MB L3 cache
- PCIe 3.0 support
Cons
- Only marginally faster than i5-3470S
- No Hyper-Threading limits multi-threaded performance
- HD 2500 integrated graphics are weak
- End-of-life LGA 1155 platform
- No Windows 11 support
- DDR3 memory is obsolete
Competitors & Alternatives
Intel Core i5-3470T
- AMD A8-5500Rival
Desktop Low Power
- AMD A10-5700Rival
Desktop Mainstream
- Intel Core i3-3220Rival
Desktop Mainstream
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i5-3470SRival
Desktop Low Power
- AMD A6-5400KRival
Desktop Budget
Haswell successor with slightly better performance and improved integrated graphics.
Compare head-to-headModern 4-thread processor with dramatically better single-thread performance and platform features.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 3 3200GEAlt
Low-power quad-core with Vega graphics for modern compact builds.
6-core low-power Coffee Lake processor for modern SFF desktops.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 5 5600GEAlt
Efficient 6-core processor with strong integrated graphics for small form factor builds.
Intel Core i5-3550S
- AMD FX-6300Rival
Desktop Mainstream
- AMD A10-5700Rival
Desktop Low Power
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i5-3470SRival
Desktop Low Power
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i5-3570Rival
Desktop Mainstream
- AMD A8-5500Rival
Desktop Budget
Haswell successor with AVX2, better IPC, and the same 65W TDP.
Compare head-to-headModern 6-core, 65W processor with dramatically better performance.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 5 5600GEAlt
Efficient 6-core, 12-thread modern processor for SFF builds.
Modern low-power 4-thread processor with vastly superior IPC.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 3 4300GEAlt
Budget quad-core with modern Vega integrated graphics and DDR4.
Our Verdict on Each
The i5-3470T was an efficient choice for compact desktops in 2012, but its dual-core design and outdated platform make it unsuitable for modern workloads.
Best for: Maintaining an existing legacy system for basic tasks
Read the full reviewThe i5-3550S offers slightly better clocks than the i5-3470S within the same 65W envelope, but its outdated platform makes it unsuitable for modern use.
Best for: Maintaining an existing SFF desktop that already uses this processor
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Intel Core i5-3470T or Intel Core i5-3550S?
Based on our editorial ratings, the Intel Core i5-3550S comes out ahead with a score of 4.9/10. That said, the best choice depends on your workload — check the spec and performance breakdown above for gaming, productivity and efficiency differences.
Which is faster for gaming, Intel Core i5-3470T or Intel Core i5-3550S?
For gaming, the Intel Core i5-3550S leads with a gaming performance score of 18/100 among Intel Core i5-3470T and Intel Core i5-3550S.
Which uses less power?
The Intel Core i5-3470T has the lowest rated TDP. Power draw across these chips: Intel Core i5-3470T (35 W), Intel Core i5-3550S (65 W).
Do Intel Core i5-3470T and Intel Core i5-3550S use the same socket?
Yes — all of these CPUs use the LGA 1155 socket, so they share compatible motherboards.
Which has more cores?
The Intel Core i5-3550S has the most cores. Core counts: Intel Core i5-3470T (2 cores), Intel Core i5-3550S (4 cores).
Which is faster in multi-core benchmarks?
The Intel Core i5-3550S posts the highest multi-core benchmark score. Multi-core results: Intel Core i5-3470T (3,500), Intel Core i5-3550S (6,950). Benchmark figures are approximate and workload-dependent.