CPU Comparison
Intel Core i5-3550S vs Intel Core i5-4570S
A side-by-side comparison of specs, performance and value. The Intel Core i5-3550S is a 65W quad-core Ivy Bridge desktop processor with a 3.0 GHz base clock and 3.7 GHz turbo, offering slightly higher clocks than the i5-3470S for power-efficient desktop systems.
The Bottom Line
Overview & Launch
Specifications Compared
Performance Compared
Productivity
The 3.7 GHz turbo provides marginally better performance than the i5-3470S, but the difference is barely noticeable in real-world use.
Snappy for basic tasks, 6MB cache helps responsiveness.
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.
Handles older games well but bottlenecks modern GPUs.
Virtualization
Same four-core, four-thread design limits virtualization capability as other S-series i5 processors.
Can run basic VMs but limited by 4 threads.
Efficiency
The 65W TDP with slightly higher clocks is well-optimized for the 22nm process, though modern chips deliver far more performance per watt.
Excellent power-to-performance ratio for its generation.
Specialized Performance
AI / ML
- No AI acceleration hardware
- Not applicable for this processor generation
- Insufficient compute for AI workloads
- Lacks modern AI instruction sets
- Not suitable for AI workloads
Content Creation
Gaming
- 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
- Needs a dedicated GPU for 3D gaming
- Suitable for e-sports titles from the 2010s
- Will bottleneck any GPU newer than a GTX 1060
Industry Impact
Best CPU by Use Case
Target Audience
Strengths & Weaknesses
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- DDR3 memory is obsolete
Pros
- Low 65W TDP ideal for SFF builds
- Strong single-core performance for its era
- Includes HD 4600 graphics
- Supports VT-d for virtualization
- 6MB L3 cache improves multitasking
Cons
- Uses obsolete DDR3 memory
- Locked multiplier
- No official Windows 11 support
- Bottlenecks modern GPUs
- Lacks modern I/O like USB 3.1 Gen 2
Competitors & Alternatives
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.
Intel Core i5-4570S
- AMD FX-8320ERival
Low Power Desktop
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i5-4570Rival
Standard Desktop
- AMD FX-6350Rival
Budget Desktop
- Intel Core i5-4440Rival
Budget Desktop
- AMD A10-6800KRival
High-End APU
Unlocked variant for overclocking.
Compare head-to-head- Intel Core i7-4770SAlt
Efficient hyper-threaded alternative for more threads.
Slightly newer Haswell Refresh with better clocks.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 5 1500XAlt
Modern budget alternative with SMT.
Much newer budget alternative with 6 cores.
Compare head-to-head
Our Verdict on Each
The 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 reviewA great efficiency-focused CPU for its time, still viable for basic legacy systems but not for modern workloads.
Best for: Drop-in upgrade for older LGA 1150 office PCs.
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Intel Core i5-3550S or Intel Core i5-4570S?
Based on our editorial ratings, the Intel Core i5-4570S comes out ahead with a score of 6.8/10. 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 i5-3550S or Intel Core i5-4570S?
For gaming, the Intel Core i5-4570S leads with a gaming performance score of 45/100 among Intel Core i5-3550S and Intel Core i5-4570S.
Do Intel Core i5-3550S and Intel Core i5-4570S use the same socket?
No. They use different sockets (Intel Core i5-3550S: LGA 1155, Intel Core i5-4570S: LGA 1150), so each needs a compatible motherboard.
Which is faster in multi-core benchmarks?
The Intel Core i5-3550S posts the highest multi-core benchmark score. Multi-core results: Intel Core i5-3550S (6,950), Intel Core i5-4570S (3,600). Benchmark figures are approximate and workload-dependent.