Intel Core i7-5500U vs Intel Xeon W3550 Comparison

The Intel Xeon W3550 and Intel Core i7-5500U represent two entirely different eras and purposes in Intel’s lineup. The former is a 2009-era server/workstation processor built on the 45nm Nehalem architecture, while the latter is a 2015 mobile chip on the 14nm Broadwell architecture. Despite the seven-year gap in release dates, the benchmark data reveals a surprisingly competitive picture, though the W3550 maintains a consistent edge across every measured test.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Xeon W3550 wins all five head-to-head benchmark comparisons. The most significant margin comes in the Cinebench R23 multi-core test, where the W3550 scores 2778 against the i7-5500U’s 2381, a 16.7% advantage. This pattern repeats across the board. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the W3550 posts 1166 versus 1000 for the i7-5500U, a 16.6% lead. The single-core results tell a similar story: the W3550 achieves 392 in Cinebench R23 single-core versus 336 for the i7-5500U, again a 16.7% difference. The Cinebench R20 single-core test shows 164 versus 141, a 16.3% gap, while the older Cinebench R15 multi-core test rounds out the sweep with 279 versus 240, also a 16.3% margin.

The near-uniformity of these deltas—hovering between 16.3% and 16.7%—suggests a consistent architectural throughput advantage rather than a workload-specific quirk. The W3550’s four cores and eight threads outmatch the i7-5500U’s two cores and four threads, and the older chip’s higher base clock of 3.07 GHz versus 2.40 GHz, plus a boost of 3.33 GHz versus 3.00 GHz, directly translates into the observed performance lead.

Context from the rivals list reinforces the closeness of these two processors overall. The W3550’s average benchmark score is 956, placing it at the 26th percentile of all CPUs. The i7-5500U averages 953, sitting at the 25th percentile. Their nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon W3570 (955 average, 0.1% delta from the W3550) and the Intel Celeron N5105 (955 average, 0.1% delta). The two chips are separated by only 0.3% in average score, yet the W3550 wins every direct head-to-head test by more than 16%. This apparent contradiction is explained by the i7-5500U having additional Geekbench results in its benchmark set, which are not part of the head-to-head comparison—the i7-5500U scores 1689 in Geekbench multi-core and 881 in single-core, tests the W3550 does not have listed.

The Verdict

From the data alone, the Intel Xeon W3550 is the superior performer in every benchmark where both are measured. Anyone prioritizing raw compute in Cinebench workloads should choose the W3550, as it delivers a 16.3% to 16.7% advantage across all five tests. The W3550’s 26th percentile ranking versus the i7-5500U’s 25th percentile, while marginal in aggregate, does not reflect the consistent head-to-head dominance.

However, the i7-5500U is not without its own case. It is a mobile processor with a 15W TDP, a fraction of the W3550’s 130W TDP. The i7-5500U also includes integrated graphics (Intel HD 5500), which the W3550 lacks entirely. For scenarios where the benchmark scores are close enough—and 16% is not huge in absolute terms—the i7-5500U’s vastly lower power draw and integrated GPU make it the more practical choice for portable systems. The W3550 is a server/workstation part requiring a discrete GPU and a much more substantial cooling solution.

The launch MSRP of the i7-5500U is $393. The W3550 has no listed launch MSRP in the data. If the choice is strictly about multi-core compute from the Cinebench results, the W3550 wins outright. If the choice is about total system design, power efficiency, and integrated graphics capability, the i7-5500U is the only viable option given its feature set.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are separated by more than just time; they represent fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel Xeon W3550 uses the Nehalem architecture, specifically the Bloomfield codename, built on a 45nm process node at Intel’s foundry. It packs 731 million transistors onto a 263 mm² die. The Core i7-5500U uses the Broadwell architecture, codename Broadwell-U, on a much more advanced 14nm node. It crams 1,300 million transistors onto just 82 mm²—a higher transistor count in less than a third of the die area.

Core and cache configurations differ sharply. The W3550 offers four cores and eight threads, while the i7-5500U is limited to two cores and four threads. Both share the same per-core L1 cache (64 KB) and L2 cache (256 KB), but the W3550 has an 8 MB shared L3 cache, double the i7-5500U’s 4 MB shared L3. Clock speeds favor the W3550: 3.07 GHz base and 3.33 GHz boost versus 2.40 GHz base and 3.00 GHz boost for the i7-5500U.

Memory support also diverges. Both support DDR3, but the W3550 uses a triple-channel memory bus while the i7-5500U uses dual-channel. The i7-5500U lists a specific memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s, a figure not provided for the W3550. ECC memory is supported by the W3550, reflecting its server/workstation positioning, but not by the i7-5500U. The W3550 uses the Intel Socket 1366, while the i7-5500U uses Intel BGA 1168, a soldered mobile socket. Both support PCIe Gen 2, though the i7-5500U specifies 12 lanes (CPU only). The W3550 has no integrated graphics, while the i7-5500U includes Intel HD 5500. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Xeon W3550 has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Intel Core i7-5500U has 2 cores and 4 threads.

Q: What is the performance difference in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The W3550 scores 2778, which is 16.7% higher than the i7-5500U’s 2381.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The Xeon W3550 supports ECC memory, but the Core i7-5500U does not.

Q: What process nodes are each processor built on?

A: The Xeon W3550 uses a 45nm process, while the Core i7-5500U uses a 14nm process.

Q: Does the Core i7-5500U have integrated graphics?

A: Yes, it includes Intel HD 5500. The Xeon W3550 has no integrated graphics.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Xeon W3550 has an average benchmark score of 956, while the Core i7-5500U averages 953. The W3550’s nearest rival, the Intel Xeon W3570, scores 955.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Xeon W3550 wins in every direct benchmark comparison. Its five victories span Cinebench R15 multi-core, R20 multi-core, R20 single-core, R23 multi-core, and R23 single-core. The margins are consistent, ranging from 16.3% to 16.7%. This makes it the clear choice for any workload represented by these Cinebench tests, particularly multi-threaded rendering tasks where its eight threads and larger 8 MB L3 cache provide a measurable advantage. The W3550 also wins on memory bandwidth potential with its triple-channel DDR3 interface, though no specific bandwidth figure is listed for it. Its market segment is server/workstation, and the data supports that positioning for compute-heavy tasks.

The Intel Core i7-5500U wins on efficiency and integration, though not on any listed benchmark. Its 15W TDP is dramatically lower than the W3550’s 130W, making it suitable for laptops and compact systems where heat and power are constraints. It includes Intel HD 5500 integrated graphics, eliminating the need for a separate GPU. The i7-5500U has a listed memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s, which is a concrete specification advantage in the data, and it fits in the mobile BGA 1168 socket. Its Geekbench results—1689 multi-core and 881 single-core—are additional data points not available for the W3550, though they cannot be directly compared. For a mobile, low-power system with integrated graphics, the i7-5500U is the only option between the two. For raw compute in a workstation context, the W3550 is the winner across all measured metrics.