AMD Athlon PRO 200GE vs Intel Core i5-3550 Comparison

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i5-3550 wins every single head-to-head benchmark recorded in the database. Across five Cinebench tests, it beats the AMD Athlon PRO 200GE by a consistent margin of roughly 20.4% to 20.7%. If you are choosing strictly on measured performance, the Intel part is the pick.

The Athlon PRO 200GE does have one clear advantage: power draw. Its TDP is 35 watts versus 77 watts for the Intel, so it suits a low-power or compact build where heat and electricity use matter more than raw throughput. The Intel part, however, offers four physical cores, a higher base clock, and a boost clock, which explains its dominant benchmark results.

For a workstation or server workload that leans on multi-threaded rendering, the Core i5-3550 is the obvious choice. For a basic office or embedded-style system where the integrated Radeon Vega 3 graphics and lower power envelope are more relevant, the Athlon PRO 200GE has a role. The database shows zero wins for the AMD chip, so performance seekers should not hesitate.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design eras and foundries. The AMD Athlon PRO 200GE uses the Zen architecture, built on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries, with a codename of Zen (Raven Ridge). The Intel Core i5-3550 uses the Ivy Bridge architecture, built on a 22 nm process at Intel. The AMD chip integrates 4,800 million transistors on a 192 mm² die, while the Intel chip packs 1,400 million transistors on a 160 mm² die.

Core counts differ significantly. The AMD part has 2 cores and 4 threads, while the Intel part has 4 cores and 4 threads. That extra pair of physical cores is a major factor in the Intel’s multi-core wins. Clock speeds also favor Intel: the Athlon runs at a fixed 3.20 GHz with no boost clock, while the Core i5 has a 3.30 GHz base and a 3.70 GHz boost.

Cache layouts are distinct. The AMD chip offers 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of shared L3. The Intel chip offers 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 6 MB of shared L3. The Intel part has more total L3, which helps in workloads that reuse data across cores.

Memory support diverges completely. The Athlon PRO 200GE uses DDR4 with a dual-channel bus and 42.7 GB/s of bandwidth, while the Core i5-3550 uses DDR3 with a dual-channel bus and 25.6 GB/s of bandwidth. The AMD part has the faster memory interface on paper, but that does not translate into benchmark wins in the recorded data.

PCIe connectivity also differs. The AMD chip provides Gen 3 with 4 lanes (CPU only), while the Intel chip provides Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only). The Intel part offers more room for expansion cards, which matters for a desktop build.

Integrated graphics are different as well. The Athlon PRO 200GE includes Radeon Vega 3, while the Core i5-3550 includes Intel HD 2500. Neither is a gaming powerhouse, but the Vega 3 is generally considered more capable in the database context.

Where Each One Wins

Looking strictly at the head-to-head results, the Intel Core i5-3550 wins every recorded test. There are five Cinebench benchmarks in the comparison, and the Intel part takes all five. The margins are tight and consistent, ranging from 20.4% to 20.7% ahead of the AMD chip. This suggests the Intel part has a clear performance ceiling that the Athlon cannot reach in any scenario tested.

The AMD Athlon PRO 200GE does not win a single benchmark in the database. Its strengths lie outside the Cinebench suite. It draws less than half the power (35 W TDP versus 77 W), which makes it suitable for fanless or low-noise systems, small form factor builds, or always-on servers where heat is a concern. The Radeon Vega 3 integrated graphics also gives it an edge for basic media playback or light GPU-accelerated tasks, though no benchmark data supports a direct comparison.

For single-threaded tasks, the Intel part wins by about 20.5% in Cinebench R23, with a score of 575 versus 457. For multi-threaded rendering, the Intel part wins by 20.4% in Cinebench R23, with 4073 versus 3243. The pattern is uniform: the Intel part is simply faster across the board.

The Athlon PRO 200GE is positioned for efficiency-first use cases. The Core i5-3550 is positioned for performance-first use cases. The database shows no scenario where the AMD chip outperforms the Intel chip.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core workloads?

A: The Intel Core i5-3550 is faster in every multi-core test. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 4073 versus 3243 for the AMD Athlon PRO 200GE, a 20.4% advantage.

Q: Does the AMD Athlon PRO 200GE win any benchmark?

A: No. The head-to-head data shows zero wins for the AMD chip. The Intel Core i5-3550 wins all five recorded Cinebench tests.

Q: Which processor has a lower power draw?

A: The AMD Athlon PRO 200GE has a TDP of 35 watts, while the Intel Core i5-3550 has a TDP of 77 watts. The AMD chip draws less than half the power.

Q: What memory types do these processors support?

A: The AMD Athlon PRO 200GE supports DDR4 with dual-channel memory and 42.7 GB/s bandwidth. The Intel Core i5-3550 supports DDR3 with dual-channel memory and 25.6 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which processor has more physical cores?

A: The Intel Core i5-3550 has 4 cores and 4 threads. The AMD Athlon PRO 200GE has 2 cores and 4 threads.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the Intel Core i5-3550?

A: The launch MSRP is $194. The AMD Athlon PRO 200GE has no recorded launch MSRP in the database.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data is one-sided. The Intel Core i5-3550 wins all five Cinebench tests, with deltas ranging from 20.4% to 20.7%.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Intel part scores 410 against 326 for the AMD chip, a 20.5% lead. This is the oldest test in the set, and the margin matches the newer tests almost exactly.

Cinebench R20 multi-core shows the Intel part at 1710 versus 1362, a 20.4% advantage. The single-core R20 test shows 241 versus 191, a 20.7% lead. That single-core margin is the largest in the dataset, indicating the Intel chip’s higher clock speed and older architecture still handle lightly threaded tasks better.

Cinebench R23 multi-core shows 4073 versus 3243, another 20.4% gap. The single-core R23 test shows 575 versus 457, a 20.5% lead. The consistency of these deltas is striking: the Intel part is not just faster in one specific scenario, it is uniformly faster by roughly a fifth in every rendering workload tested.

The AMD chip’s best result relative to the Intel part is in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where it trails by 20.4%. Its worst is in Cinebench R20 single-core, where it trails by 20.7%. There is no test where the AMD chip closes the gap or flips the result.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every major specification. The AMD Athlon PRO 200GE has 2 cores and 4 threads, while the Intel Core i5-3550 has 4 cores and 4 threads. Base clocks are 3.20 GHz for the AMD part and 3.30 GHz for the Intel part. The Intel part also has a 3.70 GHz boost clock, while the AMD part has none.

TDP is a major differentiator: 35 watts for the AMD chip versus 77 watts for the Intel chip. The AMD chip uses the AMD Socket AM4 platform, while the Intel chip uses Intel Socket 1155.

The AMD chip is built on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries with 4,800 million transistors on a 192 mm² die. The Intel chip is built on a 22 nm process at Intel with 1,400 million transistors on a 160 mm² die.

Cache configurations differ: the AMD chip has 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of shared L3. The Intel chip has 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 6 MB of shared L3.

Memory support is different: the AMD chip uses DDR4 with 42.7 GB/s bandwidth, while the Intel chip uses DDR3 with 25.6 GB/s bandwidth. Both are dual-channel.

PCIe lanes differ: the AMD chip has Gen 3 with 4 lanes (CPU only), while the Intel chip has Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only).

Integrated graphics differ: the AMD chip has Radeon Vega 3, while the Intel chip has Intel HD 2500. Neither supports ECC memory.

Release dates are far apart: the AMD chip launched on 2018-09-17, while the Intel chip launched on 2012-04-28. Both are end-of-life and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

The Intel part has a recorded launch MSRP of $194. The AMD part has no recorded MSRP in the database.