Intel Core i3-1115GRE vs Intel Core i5-3550S Comparison

# Intel Core i5-3550S vs Intel Core i3-1115GRE: A Decade-Long Leap in Efficiency

This comparison pits a 2012 desktop quad-core from the Ivy Bridge era against a 2020 mobile dual-core from Tiger Lake. The data tells a surprising story: despite having half the physical cores, the newer i3-1115GRE wins every single benchmark in the head-to-head set, albeit by narrow margins. The i5-3550S holds a 31st percentile rank among all CPUs, while the i3-1115GRE sits just one percentile higher at 32. Their average benchmark scores are remarkably close — 1118 for the i5 versus 1127 for the i3 — yet the underlying architectures could hardly be more different.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has more physical cores?

A: The Intel Core i5-3550S has 4 cores and 4 threads, while the Intel Core i3-1115GRE has 2 cores and 4 threads. The i5 also has a higher base clock (3.00 GHz vs 2.20 GHz), but the i3 has a higher boost clock (3.90 GHz vs 3.70 GHz).

Q: How much faster is the i3-1115GRE in multi-core workloads?

A: The i3-1115GRE wins all three multi-core Cinebench tests. In R15 multi-core, it scores 392 versus 383 (2.3% higher). In R20 multi-core, it scores 1637 versus 1599 (2.3% higher). In R23 multi-core, it scores 3899 versus 3808 (2.3% higher).

Q: Do the single-core results tell a different story?

A: No, the pattern holds. The i3-1115GRE leads in R15 single-core (55 vs 54, 1.8% higher), R20 single-core (231 vs 225, 2.6% higher), and R23 single-core (550 vs 537, 2.4% higher). The i5-3550S does not win a single benchmark in the head-to-head comparison.

Q: What are the key architectural differences?

A: The i5-3550S uses Intel's 22 nm Ivy Bridge process with 1,400 million transistors on a 160 mm² die, while the i3-1115GRE uses the 10 nm Tiger Lake process on a 144 mm² die. The i3 also has larger per-core caches: 80 KB L1 and 1.25 MB L2 per core versus 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core on the i5.

Q: How do their power requirements compare?

A: The i5-3550S has a 65 W TDP, while the i3-1115GRE is rated at just 15 W. This is a 4.3x difference in thermal design power, making the i3 dramatically more power-efficient despite its newer, denser process node.

Q: What memory and PCIe support do they offer?

A: The i5-3550S supports DDR3 memory over a dual-channel bus and provides PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only). The i3-1115GRE supports DDR4 and LPDDR4X over a dual-channel bus, offers PCIe Gen 4 with 4 lanes (CPU only), and includes ECC memory support — a feature the i5 lacks.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gulf between these two processors spans roughly eight years of Intel design evolution. The i5-3550S belongs to the Ivy Bridge generation, built on a 22 nm process with 1,400 million transistors packed into a 160 mm² die. Its 4 cores each come with 64 KB of L1 cache and 256 KB of L2 cache, sharing a 6 MB L3 pool. The i3-1115GRE, by contrast, is a Tiger Lake-U part fabricated on Intel's 10 nm node with a smaller 144 mm² die size. Its 2 cores have substantially more private cache: 80 KB of L1 and a full 1.25 MB of L2 per core, again with 6 MB of shared L3.

The cache hierarchy differences suggest Intel's newer design philosophy: give each core more local memory to reduce latency, even if it means fewer cores. The i3 also supports a broader memory range — DDR4 and LPDDR4X — compared to the i5's DDR3-only support. Both use dual-channel memory buses. PCIe capabilities diverge sharply: the i5 offers Gen 3 with 16 lanes, while the i3 offers Gen 4 but only 4 lanes, reflecting its mobile positioning where chipset connectivity matters more than raw lane count.

The integrated graphics represent another generational leap. The i5-3550S pairs with Intel HD 2500, while the i3-1115GRE uses UHD Graphics G4 with 48 execution units. Neither benchmark set in the data covers graphics performance, so the comparison must rest on CPU compute alone. The i3 also supports ECC memory, a feature absent on the i5, and its production status is listed as "Active" while the i5's status is not specified.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results are striking in their consistency: the i3-1115GRE wins all six benchmarks, yet the margins are uniformly slim. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i3 scores 392 against the i5's 383, a 2.3% advantage. The R15 single-core test shows 55 versus 54, just 1.8% apart. Moving to R20, the multi-core gap widens slightly to 2.3% (1637 vs 1599), while single-core reaches 2.6% (231 vs 225). The R23 results mirror this pattern: multi-core 3899 vs 3808 (2.3% apart) and single-core 550 vs 537 (2.4% apart).

This near-uniform delta of roughly 2-3% is remarkable given the hardware differences. The i5 has double the physical cores but a lower boost clock (3.70 GHz vs 3.90 GHz) and four generations older microarchitecture. The i3's two Willow Cove cores are clearly far more efficient per thread than Ivy Bridge cores, enough to overcome the core-count deficit. The average benchmark scores reflect this: the i5 averages 1118 across its benchmarks, the i3 averages 1127 — only 0.8% apart.

The nearest rival data provides context. The i5-3550S sits within 0.2% of the AMD Ryzen 3 1200 (avg score 1116) and within 0.1% of the Intel Core i3-4150 (1119) and Intel Core i7-2860QM (1120). The i3-1115GRE's closest competitors include the Intel Core i5-3330S (1128) and Intel Core i7-3612QM (1129), each within 0.2%. Both processors occupy a similar performance tier, yet they achieve it through entirely different means.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i5-3550S | Intel Core i3-1115GRE |

|---|---|---|

| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 2 / 4 |

| Base Clock | 3.00 GHz | 2.20 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.70 GHz | 3.90 GHz |

| TDP | 65 W | 15 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1155 | Intel BGA 1449 |

| Architecture | Ivy Bridge | Tiger Lake |

| Process Node | 22 nm | 10 nm |

| Transistors | 1,400 million | Not specified |

| Die Size | 160 mm² | 144 mm² |

| L1 Cache (per core) | 64 KB | 80 KB |

| L2 Cache (per core) | 256 KB | 1.25 MB |

| Memory Support | DDR3 | DDR4, LPDDR4X |

| ECC Memory | No | Yes |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 16 Lanes | Gen 4, 4 Lanes |

| Integrated Graphics | Intel HD 2500 | UHD Graphics G4 48EU |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Release Date | 2012-04-28 | 2020-09-01 |

| Launch MSRP | Not specified | $338 |

The table reveals a clear split: the i5-3550S emphasizes raw core count and older, simpler cache structure, while the i3-1115GRE prioritizes per-core efficiency, modern memory, and drastically lower power. The socket difference — 1155 for desktop versus BGA 1449 for mobile — reinforces their intended use cases. The i3's ECC support and active production status further distinguish it as a current-generation embedded or industrial part.

Where Each One Wins

The data offers no ambiguity in benchmark wins — the i3-1115GRE takes all six head-to-head tests, including both single-core and multi-core workloads. However, the i5-3550S wins in areas that benchmarks don't directly measure. It offers 4 physical cores, which historically provides better multitasking headroom in scenarios not captured by Cinebench's scoring, and its 65 W TDP suggests a desktop platform with more robust cooling and upgrade potential. The i5's 16 PCIe Gen 3 lanes versus the i3's 4 Gen 4 lanes means the i5 can support more expansion devices directly from the CPU, though the i3's Gen 4 standard offers higher per-lane bandwidth.

The i3-1115GRE wins decisively on efficiency: its 15 W TDP is less than a quarter of the i5's 65 W rating. For battery-powered or thermally constrained systems, this is the dominant factor. The i3 also supports newer memory types (DDR4, LPDDR4X) and ECC, which matters for reliability-sensitive workloads. Its higher boost clock (3.90 GHz vs 3.70 GHz) likely contributes to its single-core superiority, while the larger L2 cache per core (1.25 MB vs 256 KB) helps both single and multi-threaded performance.

The Verdict

Choosing between these two processors depends entirely on the use case, per the data. The i3-1115GRE is the superior performer in every measured benchmark, with wins ranging from 1.8% to 2.6% across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23. Its 15 W TDP makes it the only viable option for fanless or battery-powered designs, and its ECC memory support and active production status position it for embedded systems. The launch MSRP of $338 for the i3 provides a reference point, though no pricing data exists for the i5.

The i5-3550S, despite its age and lower benchmark scores, still holds value for users with existing Socket 1155 platforms who need 4 physical cores and 16 PCIe lanes. Its 65 W TDP and DDR3 memory support indicate a traditional desktop build where power efficiency is less critical. However, the benchmark data offers no scenario where the i5 wins outright — it trails in every test. For new system designs, the i3-1115GRE's combination of higher scores, lower power, and modern platform features makes it the data-backed choice. The i5's only advantages are core count and PCIe lane count, neither of which translates to a benchmark win in this dataset.