Core i5-3550 vs Xeon Bronze 3204
Core i5-3550
Xeon Bronze 3204
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 i5-3550 is positioned at rank 694 and the Xeon Bronze 3204 is on rank 572, so the Xeon Bronze 3204 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-3550
Performance Per Dollar Xeon Bronze 3204
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i5-3550 | Xeon Bronze 3204 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($30) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm) | ✨ Modern (Cascade Lake (2019−2020) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i5-3550 | Xeon Bronze 3204 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($30) | ✅ 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 i5-3550 and Xeon Bronze 3204
Core i5-3550
The Core i5-3550 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 29 April 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 77 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 4,778 points. Launch price was $205.
Xeon Bronze 3204
The Xeon Bronze 3204 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture. It features 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 1.9 GHz. L3 cache: 8.25 MB. L2 cache: 6 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 85 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 4,797 points. Launch price was $213.
Processing Power
The Core i5-3550 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Xeon Bronze 3204 offers 6 cores / 6 threads — the Xeon Bronze 3204 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Core i5-3550 versus 1.9 GHz on the Xeon Bronze 3204 — a 64.3% clock advantage for the Core i5-3550 (base: 3.3 GHz vs 1.9 GHz). The Core i5-3550 uses the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Xeon Bronze 3204 uses Cascade Lake (2019−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-3550 scores 4,778 against the Xeon Bronze 3204's 4,797 — a 0.4% lead for the Xeon Bronze 3204. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i5-3550 vs 8.25 MB on the Xeon Bronze 3204.
| Feature | Core i5-3550 | Xeon Bronze 3204 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 6 / 6+50% |
| Boost Clock | 3.7 GHz+95% | 1.9 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.3 GHz+74% | 1.9 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 6 MB (total) | 8.25 MB+38% |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 6 MB+2300% |
| Process | 22 nm | 14 nm-36% |
| Architecture | Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) | Cascade Lake (2019−2020) |
| PassMark | 4,778 | 4,797 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i5-3550 uses the LGA1155 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon Bronze 3204 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i5-3550 | Xeon Bronze 3204 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1155 | LGA3647 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | 2133 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 1024 |
| RAM Channels | — | 6 |
| ECC Support | — | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 48 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Core i5-3550) / VT-x, VT-d (Xeon Bronze 3204). Direct competitor: Xeon Bronze 3204 rivals EPYC 7232P.
| Feature | Core i5-3550 | Xeon Bronze 3204 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| IGPU Model | — | None |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | Yes |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d |
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