CPU Comparison
Intel Core i5-3550S vs Intel Core i5-3570T
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.
Quad cores handle office apps, but the low base clock limits 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.
Low base clock and HD 2500 make it unsuitable for gaming.
Virtualization
Same four-core, four-thread design limits virtualization capability as other S-series i5 processors.
Can run basic VMs, but clock speeds are a limiting factor.
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 performance-per-watt for a 2012 desktop chip.
Specialized Performance
AI / ML
- No AI acceleration hardware
- Not applicable for this processor generation
- Insufficient compute for AI workloads
- No AI hardware
- Unsuitable for modern 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
- Integrated graphics too weak
- Low base clock limits frame rates
- Needs a dedicated GPU for any real 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- DDR3 memory is obsolete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
- Very low 45W TDP
- True 4 physical cores
- Good for basic home servers
- Runs very cool
Cons
- Low base clock of 2.3 GHz
- Obsolete DDR3 memory
- Weak HD 2500 graphics
- Locked multiplier
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 i5-3570T
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i5-3570SRival
Desktop
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i5-3570Rival
Desktop
- AMD A8-5500Rival
Desktop
- Intel Core i3-3225Rival
Desktop
- AMD A10-5700Rival
Desktop
Slightly faster Haswell alternative.
Compare head-to-head- Intel Pentium G3220Alt
Cheaper basic desktop alternative if power isn't a concern.
- AMD Ryzen 3 2200GEAlt
Modern low-power quad-core alternative.
- Intel N100Alt
Massively more efficient for basic tasks.
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 efficient low-power chip for its time, but its low base clock and obsolete platform make it irrelevant for modern use.
Best for: The Core i5-3570T should only be considered if you are upgrading an older LGA 1155 system or building a very low-power home server from salvaged parts. Its 45W TDP and quad-core design make it decent for a DIY NAS or a pfSense router. However, its low base clock of 2.3 GHz makes it sluggish for modern web browsing and everyday multitasking. It is completely unsuited for gaming without a dedicated GPU, and even then, the low clock speeds will bottleneck older titles. Do not spend much money on this processor. If you are building a new system, even the lowest-tier modern Intel N100 or Athlon 3000G will offer vastly superior single-thread performance, efficiency, and modern I/O features.
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Intel Core i5-3550S or Intel Core i5-3570T?
Based on our editorial ratings, the Intel Core i5-3570T comes out ahead with a score of 5.5/10. 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 i5-3570T?
For gaming, the Intel Core i5-3570T leads with a gaming performance score of 25/100 among Intel Core i5-3550S and Intel Core i5-3570T.
Which uses less power?
The Intel Core i5-3570T has the lowest rated TDP. Power draw across these chips: Intel Core i5-3550S (65 W), Intel Core i5-3570T (45 W).
Do Intel Core i5-3550S and Intel Core i5-3570T use the same socket?
No. They use different sockets (Intel Core i5-3550S: LGA 1155, Intel Core i5-3570T: Intel Socket 1155 (LGA1155)), 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 i5-3570T (5,200). Benchmark figures are approximate and workload-dependent.