Core M-5Y10 vs Core i3-550

CPU

GPU

Core M-5Y10

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 2 GHz2014

Core i3-550

2 Cores4 Thrd73 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2010

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core M-5Y10

2 / 4

1,644

+0.7%

1,632

0.0%

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 M-5Y10 is positioned at rank 1190 and the Core i3-550 is on rank 965, 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 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 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 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 M-5Y10	Core i3-550
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($20)	✅ More affordable ($5)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Broadwell-Y (2014) / 14 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Clarkdale (2010−2011) / 32 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 M-5Y10	Core i3-550
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+297%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($20)	✅ More affordable ($5)

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 M-5Y10 Benchmark Check

Core i3-550 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

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

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.

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.

⚡

Processing Power

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

Feature	Core M-5Y10	Core i3-550
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2 GHz	3.2 GHz+60%
Base Clock	0.8 GHz	3.2 GHz+300%
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256 kB (per core)
Process	14 nm-56%	32 nm
Architecture	Broadwell-Y (2014)	Clarkdale (2010−2011)
PassMark	1,644	1,632
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	1,320
Geekbench 6 Single	—	437
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	899

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core M-5Y10 uses the FCBGA1234 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i3-550 uses LGA1156 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

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

🔧

Advanced Features

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

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

💰

Value Analysis

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