Core i3-550 vs A6 PRO-7400B
Core i3-550
A6 PRO-7400B
Performance Spectrum - CPU
About PassMark
PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Core i3-550 is positioned at rank 965 and the A6 PRO-7400B is on rank 559, so the A6 PRO-7400B offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i3-550
Performance Per Dollar A6 PRO-7400B
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i3-550 | A6 PRO-7400B |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($5) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Clarkdale (2010−2011) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Kaveri (2014−2015) / 28 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i3-550 | A6 PRO-7400B |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($5) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.
Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-550 and A6 PRO-7400B
Core i3-550
The Core i3-550 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 May 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Clarkdale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1156. Thermal design power (TDP): 73 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,632 points. Launch price was $101.
A6 PRO-7400B
The A6 PRO-7400B is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 31 July 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Kaveri (2014−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L2 cache: 1024 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FM2+. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 1,640 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
The Core i3-550 packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the A6 PRO-7400B's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Core i3-550 versus 3.9 GHz on the A6 PRO-7400B — a 19.7% clock advantage for the A6 PRO-7400B (base: 3.2 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Core i3-550 uses the Clarkdale (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the A6 PRO-7400B uses Kaveri (2014−2015) (28 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-550 scores 1,632 against the A6 PRO-7400B's 1,640 — a 0.5% lead for the A6 PRO-7400B.
| Feature | Core i3-550 | A6 PRO-7400B |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 3.2 GHz | 3.9 GHz+22% |
| Base Clock | 3.2 GHz | 3.5 GHz+9% |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB (total) | — |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 1024 kB+300% |
| Process | 32 nm | 28 nm-13% |
| Architecture | Clarkdale (2010−2011) | Kaveri (2014−2015) |
| PassMark | 1,632 | 1,640 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | 1,320 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 437 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 899 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i3-550 uses the LGA1156 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the A6 PRO-7400B uses FM2+ (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1333 memory speed. The A6 PRO-7400B supports up to 64 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: H55,H57,P55,Q57 (Core i3-550) and AMD FM2+ (A6 PRO-7400B).
| Feature | Core i3-550 | A6 PRO-7400B |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1156 | FM2+ |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | DDR3-1866 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | 64 GB+300% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: Yes (Core i3-550) / not specified (A6 PRO-7400B). Both include integrated graphics — Intel HD Graphics (Core i3-550) and AMD Radeon R5 (A6 PRO-7400B) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU.
| Feature | Core i3-550 | A6 PRO-7400B |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | Yes |
| IGPU Model | Intel HD Graphics | AMD Radeon R5 |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | Yes | — |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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