Core i3-550 vs Core M-5Y10

Core i3-550

2 Cores4 Thrd73 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2010

Core M-5Y10

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 2 GHz2014

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i3-550

2 / 4

1,632

0.0%

1,644

+0.7%

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 Core M-5Y10 is on rank 1190, so the Core i3-550 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i3-550

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

26350%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

24898%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

18078%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

5446%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

4314%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

3774%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

2161%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

2133%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

1942%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

1942%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

1920%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

1869%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

1843%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

1835%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

1818%

#965

Core i3-550

MSRP: $138|Avg: $5

100%

#966

Core i7-980

MSRP: $583|Avg: $50

100%

#967

Pentium G3250

MSRP: $171|Avg: $25

99%

#968

Pentium E2200

MSRP: $84|Avg: $5

99%

#969

Core 2 Duo E7300

MSRP: $133|Avg: $133

99%

#970

Core i3-540

MSRP: $133|Avg: $5

99%

#972

Phenom II X3 700e

MSRP: $125|Avg: $40

98%

#973

Core i5-760

MSRP: $230|Avg: $61

98%

#974

Core i3-7102E

MSRP: $225|Avg: $80

98%

#975

Core 2 Quad Q8400

MSRP: $183|Avg: $128

96%

#976

Pentium Dual-Core E2180

MSRP: $84|Avg: $5

94%

#977

Pentium E2180

MSRP: $84|Avg: $15

94%

#978

Pentium Dual-Core E2140

MSRP: $74|Avg: $5

93%

#979

Core i7-960

MSRP: $309|Avg: $110

93%

#980

E1-1500

MSRP: $60|Avg: $10

93%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core M-5Y10

#1178

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

5015%

#1179

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

4942%

#1180

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

4537%

#1181

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

4516%

#1182

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

4475%

#1184

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

4321%

#1185

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

4144%

#1186

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

4137%

#1187

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

4026%

#1190

Core M-5Y10

MSRP: $281|Avg: $20

100%

#1193

Celeron 900

MSRP: $86|Avg: $5

96%

#1194

Pentium T3400

MSRP: $150|Avg: $90

96%

#1195

Core 2 Solo SU3500

MSRP: $262|Avg: $15

96%

#1196

Core 2 Duo E8335

MSRP: $200|Avg: $50

94%

#1199

Celeron 560

MSRP: $89|Avg: $5

91%

#1200

Core i3-2312M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

90%

#1201

Celeron 857

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

90%

#1202

Celeron 925

MSRP: $100|Avg: $100

90%

#1203

Core 2 Duo E8135

MSRP: $200|Avg: $15

87%

#1204

Core 2 Duo U7700

MSRP: $262|Avg: $10

87%

#1205

Core Duo T2400

MSRP: $294|Avg: N/A

86%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core i3-550 leads in gaming performance. However, the Core M-5Y10 is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.7% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Core i3-550	Core M-5Y10
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	✅ More affordable ($5)	⚠️ Higher cost ($20)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Clarkdale (2010−2011) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Broadwell-Y (2014) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Core i3-550 stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 75% cheaper ($5 vs $20) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Core i3-550	Core M-5Y10
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+297%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($5)	⚠️ Higher cost ($20)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Core i3-550 Benchmark Check

Core M-5Y10 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-550 and Core M-5Y10

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.

Core M-5Y10

The Core M-5Y10 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 5 September 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-Y (2014) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 0.8 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1234. Thermal design power (TDP): 4.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,644 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i3-550 and Core M-5Y10 share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Core i3-550 versus 2 GHz on the Core M-5Y10 — a 46.2% clock advantage for the Core i3-550 (base: 3.2 GHz vs 0.8 GHz). The Core i3-550 uses the Clarkdale (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Core M-5Y10 uses Broadwell-Y (2014) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-550 scores 1,632 against the Core M-5Y10's 1,644 — a 0.7% lead for the Core M-5Y10. Both processors carry 4 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i3-550	Core M-5Y10
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.2 GHz+60%	2 GHz
Base Clock	3.2 GHz+300%	0.8 GHz
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	32 nm	14 nm-56%
Architecture	Clarkdale (2010−2011)	Broadwell-Y (2014)
PassMark	1,632	1,644
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 Core M-5Y10 uses FCBGA1234 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i3-550	Core M-5Y10
Socket	LGA1156	FCBGA1234
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1333	—
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: Yes (Core i3-550) / not specified (Core M-5Y10). The Core i3-550 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics), while the Core M-5Y10 requires a dedicated GPU.

Feature	Core i3-550	Core M-5Y10
Integrated GPU	Yes	—
IGPU Model	Intel HD Graphics	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	Yes	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i3-550 launched at $138 MSRP, while the Core M-5Y10 debuted at $281. At current prices ($5 vs $20), the Core i3-550 is $15 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i3-550 delivers 326.4 pts/$ vs 82.2 pts/$ for the Core M-5Y10 — making the Core i3-550 the 119.5% better value option.