Intel Core i3-4370 vs Intel Core i5-3550S Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data shows a consistent outcome across every recorded test: the Intel Core i5-3550S leads the Intel Core i3-4370 by a uniform margin. In the five head-to-head comparisons available, the i5-3550S wins all five. The gap is identical in each case: the i5-3550S posts a 13.8% higher score, with the delta expressed as negative for the i3-4370 across all tests.

Looking at multi-core performance first, the Cinebench R15 multi-core test shows the i5-3550S scoring 383 against the i3-4370's 330. That is a 13.8% advantage. The Cinebench R20 multi-core test repeats the pattern: the i5-3550S scores 1599, while the i3-4370 scores 1379. Again, the difference is exactly 13.8%. The Cinebench R23 multi-core test follows suit, with the i5-3550S at 3808 and the i3-4370 at 3284.

Single-core results tell the same story. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the i5-3550S scores 225 versus the i3-4370's 194. The Cinebench R23 single-core test shows the i5-3550S at 537 and the i3-4370 at 463. In both cases, the margin is 13.8% in favor of the i5-3550S.

The average benchmark score reinforces this picture. The i3-4370 has an average benchmark score of 1130, while the i5-3550S sits at 1118. This is a small difference of 12 points, roughly 1%, but it is notably the average includes a wider set of tests than the head-to-head comparisons. The i3-4370's nearest rivals include the Intel Pentium Gold G5500 at an identical average score of 1130, the Intel Core i5-4690T at 1129 (a 0.1% delta), and the Intel Core i7-3612QM at 1129 (also 0.1%). The Intel Core i3-10110U comes in at 1131, which is 0.1% higher than the i3-4370. For the i5-3550S, the nearest rivals include the Intel Core i3-4150 at 1119 (0.1% lower), the Intel Core i7-2860QM at 1120 (0.1% lower), and the AMD Athlon 240GE at 1121 (0.2% lower). The AMD Ryzen 3 1200 scores 1116, which is 0.2% higher than the i5-3550S.

The percentile rankings are close. The i3-4370 sits at the 32nd percentile among all CPUs, while the i5-3550S is at the 31st percentile. That places both processors within a single percentile point of each other, even though the head-to-head tests show a clear winner. The reason for this apparent contradiction lies in the composition of the average benchmark score: the i5-3550S has additional Geekbench results that are not part of the head-to-head set. Specifically, the i5-3550S records a Geekbench multi-core score of 1716 and a Geekbench single-core score of 623. Those scores pull its average down relative to the Cinebench results, which are uniformly higher than the i3-4370's.

In every head-to-head test, the i5-3550S is the faster processor by a consistent 13.8%. The i3-4370 does not win a single recorded comparison. The margin is not trivial; 13.8% is a meaningful difference in rendering workloads such as those exercised by Cinebench. For applications that rely heavily on multi-threaded performance, the i5-3550S holds a clear advantage. For single-threaded tasks, the same margin applies, indicating that the i5-3550S's higher boost clock and additional physical cores contribute to a comprehensive performance lead.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel microarchitectures and use different sockets. The i3-4370 is built on the Haswell architecture and uses Intel Socket 1150. The i5-3550S is built on the Ivy Bridge architecture and uses Intel Socket 1155. This means they are not drop-in compatible; a motherboard designed for one will not accept the other without a different socket.

Both processors are manufactured on the same 22 nm process node and are produced by Intel. Both have 1,400 million transistors. The die size differs slightly: the i3-4370 has a die size of 177 mm², while the i5-3550S has a die size of 160 mm². The larger die on the i3-4370 is noteworthy given that it has fewer cores, which suggests the Haswell design integrates additional logic or graphics resources compared to the Ivy Bridge part.

The core and thread configuration is a major divergence. The i3-4370 has 2 cores and 4 threads, relying on Hyper-Threading to reach four execution threads. The i5-3550S has 4 physical cores and 4 threads, with no Hyper-Threading. The i5-3550S thus has twice the physical core count, which directly explains its multi-core performance advantage in the benchmark data.

Clock speeds also differ. The i3-4370 has a base clock of 3.80 GHz and no boost clock. The i5-3550S has a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 3.70 GHz. In single-threaded workloads, the i5-3550S can raise its clock to 3.70 GHz, which is close to the i3-4370's fixed 3.80 GHz. The i3-4370's higher base clock does not translate into a single-core win in the recorded tests; the i5-3550S still leads by 13.8% in single-core Cinebench tests. This suggests the extra physical cores and possibly other architectural factors in the i5-3550S outweigh the i3-4370's higher base frequency.

Cache hierarchies also differ. Both processors have 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core. The L3 cache is where they split: the i3-4370 has 4 MB shared L3, while the i5-3550S has 6 MB shared L3. The i5-3550S's larger L3 cache likely helps with data reuse in multi-threaded workloads, contributing to its performance edge.

Integrated graphics are another differentiator. The i3-4370 features Intel HD 4600, while the i5-3550S features Intel HD 2500. The HD 4600 is a more capable graphics unit, though the benchmark data in this database does not include graphics tests. Both processors support DDR3 memory in dual-channel configuration, and neither supports ECC memory. Both use PCIe Gen 3, though the i5-3550S specifies 16 lanes from the CPU, while the i3-4370 simply lists "Gen 3" without a lane count.

The release dates are far apart. The i5-3550S launched on April 28, 2012, while the i3-4370 launched on July 20, 2014. The i5-3550S is therefore over two years older, yet it outperforms the newer i3-4370 in every recorded benchmark. This is a strong indication that core count and cache size matter more than architectural generation for the workloads represented by Cinebench.

Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier. The i5-3550S has a part number of SR0P3, while the i3-4370 has no recorded part number. Both are desktop market segments and are currently listed without production status or launch MSRP data.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the recorded benchmark data, the Intel Core i5-3550S is the faster processor. It wins all five head-to-head tests by a uniform 13.8% margin. There is no benchmark in the database where the i3-4370 comes out ahead. For users who prioritize multi-threaded rendering performance, as measured by Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, the i5-3550S is the clear choice.

The i3-4370 is not without merit. Its average benchmark score of 1130 is slightly higher than the i5-3550S's 1118, and it sits one percentile point higher (32nd versus 31st). However, this average includes the i5-3550S's Geekbench scores, which are not part of the head-to-head set. When comparing the same tests, the i5-3550S is consistently better.

The i5-3550S also offers a larger L3 cache (6 MB versus 4 MB) and twice the physical cores (4 versus 2). These are architectural advantages that are directly reflected in the multi-core benchmarks. The i5-3550S's boost clock of 3.70 GHz nearly matches the i3-4370's fixed 3.80 GHz, yet the i5-3550S still wins single-core tests, indicating that the extra cores and cache provide benefits even in single-threaded scenarios, or that the Ivy Bridge architecture handles these workloads more efficiently.

The i3-4370 does have a newer architecture (Haswell versus Ivy Bridge) and a more capable integrated GPU (HD 4600 versus HD 2500). For a system that relies on integrated graphics and does not use a discrete GPU, the i3-4370 may be the better option. The database does not include graphics benchmarks for either processor, so this advantage cannot be quantified here.

In terms of power consumption, the i3-4370 has a TDP of 54 watts, while the i5-3550S has a TDP of 65 watts. The i3-4370 draws less power, which could be relevant for compact or low-power builds. The i5-3550S consumes more power but delivers higher performance in every recorded test.

Given the data, the i5-3550S is the recommended choice for compute-heavy workloads, especially those that benefit from multiple cores. The i3-4370 is preferable only if the newer architecture, lower TDP, or better integrated graphics are deciding factors, but the benchmark record shows no performance scenario where it beats the i5-3550S. For users who already own a Socket 1155 motherboard, the i5-3550S is the obvious pick. For users with a Socket 1150 board, the i3-4370 is the only one of the two that fits, but the data shows it is slower.

Specification Differences

The following specifications differ between the two processors:

• Cores: 2 (i3-4370) versus 4 (i5-3550S)
• Threads: 4 (i3-4370) versus 4 (i5-3550S)
• Base clock: 3.80 GHz (i3-4370) versus 3.00 GHz (i5-3550S)
• Boost clock: none (i3-4370) versus 3.70 GHz (i5-3550S)
• TDP: 54 watts (i3-4370) versus 65 watts (i5-3550S)
• Socket: Intel Socket 1150 (i3-4370) versus Intel Socket 1155 (i5-3550S)
• Architecture: Haswell (i3-4370) versus Ivy Bridge (i5-3550S)
• Die size: 177 mm² (i3-4370) versus 160 mm² (i5-3550S)
• L3 cache: 4 MB shared (i3-4370) versus 6 MB shared (i5-3550S)
• Integrated graphics: Intel HD 4600 (i3-4370) versus Intel HD 2500 (i5-3550S)
• PCIe: Gen 3 (i3-4370) versus Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) (i5-3550S)
• Release date: 2014-07-20 (i3-4370) versus 2012-04-28 (i5-3550S)
• Part number: none recorded (i3-4370) versus SR0P3 (i5-3550S)

The processors share the following: 22 nm process node, Intel foundry, 1,400 million transistors, 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, DDR3 memory support, dual-channel memory bus, no ECC support, desktop market segment, and locked multipliers.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core Cinebench tests?

A: The Intel Core i5-3550S wins all three multi-core tests. It scores 383 in Cinebench R15 versus 330 for the i3-4370, 1599 in R20 versus 1379, and 3808 in R23 versus 3284. Each margin is 13.8%.

Q: Does the i3-4370 win any single-core benchmark?

A: No. The i5-3550S leads in single-core tests as well, scoring 225 versus 194 in Cinebench R20 single-core and 537 versus 463 in Cinebench R23 single-core. The i3-4370 has zero wins across all five head-to-head tests.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The i3-4370 has an average benchmark score of 1130, while the i5-3550S has 1118. The i3-4370 is slightly higher by 12 points, and it ranks at the 32nd percentile versus the 31st percentile for the i5-3550S. This is influenced by the i5-3550S's additional Geekbench scores, which are not part of the head-to-head comparisons.

Q: What are the core and thread counts?

A: The i3-4370 has 2 cores and 4 threads. The i5-3550S has 4 cores and 4 threads. The i5-3550S has twice the physical cores, which contributes to its multi-core advantage.

Q: Which processor has a higher clock speed?

A: The i3-4370 has a base clock of 3.80 GHz with no boost. The i5-3550S has a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 3.70 GHz. Despite the i3-4370's higher base clock, the i5-3550S wins all single-core tests.

Q: Are these processors compatible with the same motherboard?

A: No. The i3-4370 uses Intel Socket 1150, while the i5-3550S uses Intel Socket 1155. They require different motherboards and cannot be swapped between them.