CPU Comparison
Intel Core i5-3550S vs Intel Core i5-8500T
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.
6 cores handle office tasks easily, with decent single-core speed.
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.
Can handle light games, but low clocks limit high-refresh gaming.
Virtualization
Same four-core, four-thread design limits virtualization capability as other S-series i5 processors.
Good for 1-2 VMs, but lacks hyper-threading.
Efficiency
The 65W TDP with slightly higher clocks is well-optimized for the 22nm process, though modern chips deliver far more performance per watt.
Outstanding efficiency with a 35W TDP.
Specialized Performance
AI / ML
- No AI acceleration hardware
- Not applicable for this processor generation
- Insufficient compute for AI workloads
- No dedicated AI hardware.
- Low clocks make inference slow.
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
- Clocks are too low for modern CPU-bound games.
- UHD 630 is only good for very light titles.
- Needs a low-end discrete GPU for decent gaming.
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- DDR3 memory is obsolete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
- Extremely low 35W TDP
- 6 cores for parallel tasks
- Higher base clock than 8400T
- Runs very cool
Cons
- Locked multiplier
- No Hyper-Threading
- End-of-life platform
- Limited by 35W power limit under load
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 i5-8500T
- AMD Ryzen 5 2400GERival
Low Power Desktop
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i5-8400TRival
Low Power Desktop
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600ERival
Low Power Desktop
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i7-8700TRival
High-End Low Power
- AMD Ryzen 3 2200GERival
Budget Low Power
Slightly faster clocks, same TDP.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 5 3400GEAlt
Better integrated graphics.
Much faster modern architecture.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 5 5600GEAlt
Better efficiency and performance.
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 reviewAn excellent low-power 6-core processor that offers better performance than the 8400T, making it a great choice for SFF builds where space and power are constrained.
Best for: Building a quiet home server or SFF office PC using used parts.
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Intel Core i5-3550S or Intel Core i5-8500T?
Based on our editorial ratings, the Intel Core i5-8500T comes out ahead with a score of 7.8/10. 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 i5-8500T?
For gaming, the Intel Core i5-8500T leads with a gaming performance score of 55/100 among Intel Core i5-3550S and Intel Core i5-8500T.
Which uses less power?
The Intel Core i5-8500T has the lowest rated TDP. Power draw across these chips: Intel Core i5-3550S (65 W), Intel Core i5-8500T (35 W).
Do Intel Core i5-3550S and Intel Core i5-8500T use the same socket?
No. They use different sockets (Intel Core i5-3550S: LGA 1155, Intel Core i5-8500T: LGA 1151), so each needs a compatible motherboard.
Which has more cores?
The Intel Core i5-8500T has the most cores. Core counts: Intel Core i5-3550S (4 cores), Intel Core i5-8500T (6 cores).
Which is faster in multi-core benchmarks?
The Intel Core i5-8500T posts the highest multi-core benchmark score. Multi-core results: Intel Core i5-3550S (6,950), Intel Core i5-8500T (9,000). Benchmark figures are approximate and workload-dependent.