Core i5-3550S vs Core i3-6320

The Core i5-3550S packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i3-6320 offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Core i5-3550S has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Core i5-3550S versus 3.9 GHz on the Core i3-6320 — a 5.3% clock advantage for the Core i3-6320 (base: 3 GHz vs 3.9 GHz). The Core i5-3550S uses the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i3-6320 uses Skylake (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-3550S scores 4,442 against the Core i3-6320's 4,421 — a 0.5% lead for the Core i5-3550S. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 619 vs 1,311, a 71.7% lead for the Core i3-6320 that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 6144 kB (total) on the Core i5-3550S vs 4 MB (total) on the Core i3-6320.

The Core i5-3550S uses the LGA1155 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i3-6320 uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1600 on the Core i5-3550S versus DDR4-2133 on the Core i3-6320 — the Core i3-6320 supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i3-6320 supports up to 64 GB of RAM compared to 32 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: H61,H67,P67,Z68,B75,Z77 (Core i5-3550S) and H110,H170,Z170,Q170,Q150,B150,B250,H270,Z270,Q270,Q250 (Core i3-6320).

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-3550S) vs Yes (Core i3-6320). Both include integrated graphics — HD Graphics 2500 (Core i5-3550S) and Intel HD Graphics 530 (Core i3-6320) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-3550S targets Legacy Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-3550S rivals FX-6350.

The Core i5-3550S launched at $205 MSRP, while the Core i3-6320 debuted at $160. At current prices ($100 vs $35), the Core i3-6320 is $65 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-3550S delivers 44.4 pts/$ vs 126.3 pts/$ for the Core i3-6320 — making the Core i3-6320 the 95.9% better value option.