Core i3-550 vs Phenom II X4 N970
Core i3-550
Phenom II X4 N970
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 Phenom II X4 N970 is on rank 388, so the Phenom II X4 N970 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 Phenom II X4 N970
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i3-550 | Phenom II X4 N970 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower 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 (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i3-550 | Phenom II X4 N970 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Phenom II X4 N970
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.
Phenom II X4 N970
The Phenom II X4 N970 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 2.2 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,647 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Core i3-550 packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Phenom II X4 N970 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Phenom II X4 N970 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Core i3-550 versus 2.2 GHz on the Phenom II X4 N970 — a 37% clock advantage for the Core i3-550. The Core i3-550 uses the Clarkdale (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Phenom II X4 N970 uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-550 scores 1,632 against the Phenom II X4 N970's 1,647 — a 0.9% lead for the Phenom II X4 N970.
| Feature | Core i3-550 | Phenom II X4 N970 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 4 / 4+100% |
| Boost Clock | 3.2 GHz+45% | 2.2 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.2 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB (total) | — |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 2 MB+700% |
| Process | 32 nm-29% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Clarkdale (2010−2011) | Champlain (2010−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,632 | 1,647 |
| 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 Phenom II X4 N970 uses S1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i3-550 | Phenom II X4 N970 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1156 | S1 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| 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 (Phenom II X4 N970). The Core i3-550 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics), while the Phenom II X4 N970 requires a dedicated GPU.
| Feature | Core i3-550 | Phenom II X4 N970 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | Intel HD Graphics | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | Yes | — |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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