Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550S

Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550S is a desktop processor from Intel, built on the Core 2 architecture with the codename Yorkfield. The data sheet lists 4 cores and 4 threads, a 2.83 GHz base clock, no boost clock, and a 65 W TDP. It uses Intel Socket 775 and was released on 2009-01-26, with production status marked end-of-life. The benchmark array is empty and the nearest rival list is empty, so the analysis below relies on the supplied specifications and the single aggregate database rank: the 50th percentile.

Benchmark Performance

The benchmark section of this entry contains no workload scores. The benchmarks array is empty, and the aggregate benchmark score field is 0. The only comparative rank provided is percentileVsAllCpus: 50, which places the Q9550S at the midpoint of all CPUs tracked by the database. Because the nearestRivals array is also empty, there are no deltaPct values to express a percentage lead or deficit against a named competitor. This means the data supports only a global positional statement, not a per-rival comparison.

Interpreting that 50th percentile requires care. A median placement with an empty score table is a rank without measured context, not a proof of performance. The raw execution resources are, however, fully enumerated. The processor provides 4 cores and 4 threads, so it can run four threads simultaneously. The 2.83 GHz base clock is the only clock speed listed; no boost clock is present in the data. Cache is listed as 64 KB of L1 per core and 12 MB of shared L2, with no L3 cache field populated. These parameters define a quad-core execution profile, but the fact pack does not attach a specific benchmark number to them.

With no score array, the data cannot demonstrate single-thread, multi-thread, or memory-latency performance directly. The average benchmark score of 0 is best understood as an empty placeholder in context. There is no evidence in this entry of a measured workload result. The 50th percentile, taken by itself, is the only rank-based benchmark signal available. It indicates a middle-of-the-database position, but no finer differentiation is possible from the supplied data.

Who Should Consider It

Because no workload scores are attached, the practical profile must be assembled from the listed feature set. The Q9550S offers four cores and four threads, making it a match for systems that need four concurrent execution threads. Workloads that can use more than four threads will not find additional thread capacity, since the thread count is exactly equal to the core count. The 2.83 GHz base clock provides the clock speed baseline for all work; with no boost clock listed, there is no higher advertised frequency in the data.

Users with an Intel Socket 775 board are the natural audience for this part. A 65 W TDP quad-core desktop CPU is a notable fit for systems where the thermal envelope is restricted. The memory support field lists DDR1, DDR2, and DDR3, with a dual-channel memory bus, which gives board-level memory flexibility across different Socket 775 environments. ECC memory support is listed as false, so reliability-oriented workloads requiring ECC memory fall outside the intended use.

The integrated graphics field is described as “On certain motherboards (Chipset feature).” That means some motherboard configurations can provide display output through the chipset rather than requiring a CPU-integrated graphics unit. For basic desktop use, this platform feature can be relevant. The multiplier is not unlocked, so users looking for multiplier-based frequency adjustment are outside the intended profile. The processor is desktop-class, so the recommendation set is centered on desktop motherboards rather than server platforms.

Platform and Compatibility

The platform interface is Intel Socket 775. The architecture is Core 2, with the codename Yorkfield and the generation label “Core 2 Quad (Yorkfield).” Intel is listed as both manufacturer and foundry, and the process node is 45 nm. The transistor count is 820 million, and the die size is given as 2x 107 mm², indicating a two-die package design. Each core has 64 KB of L1 cache, while the L2 cache is 12 MB and shared. No L3 cache is listed; the totalL3 and vCache3d fields are null.

Memory support spans DDR1, DDR2, and DDR3, with a dual-channel memory bus. ECC memory is not supported. The PCIe interface is listed as Gen 2. Integrated graphics appear only as a chipset feature on certain motherboards, not as a CPU-side graphics unit. The multiplierUnlocked field is false, so the clock multiplier is fixed from the perspective of the data provided.

Production status is end-of-life. The release date is 2009-01-26, and the part number is SLGAE. The market segment is Desktop. The series field is null, so this entry does not assign a product series grouping beyond the generation and codename. For upgrade-path purposes, the only socket listed is Socket 775, and the memory support set is DDR1, DDR2, and DDR3. No successor socket or forward-compatible platform is listed in the data.

How It Compares

The nearestRivals array in this entry is empty. There are no rival names, no rival scores, and no deltaPct values to analyze. As a result, no per-rival comparison paragraph can be constructed from the supplied data. The only comparison metric present is the global percentileVsAllCpus value of 50, which places the Q9550S at the median of all CPUs in the database.

Because no nearest rivals are listed, no statement can be made about being ahead of or behind a specific alternative processor. The aggregate benchmark score of 0 is not connected to any other CPU score, and the empty benchmark array prevents percentage-based comparisons. The absence of rival data does not remove the hardware profile; it simply means the comparison layer of this entry is limited to the global percentile rank.

Power and Thermals

The TDP of the Q9550S is 65 W. This is the only power-related figure in the fact pack. A 65 W TDP is the thermal design point that a Socket 775 motherboard and cooling solution must handle for this quad-core part. The manufacturing details provide context: the chip uses 820 million transistors on a 45 nm process, with a die size of 2x 107 mm². The processor has no listed boost clock, so the 2.83 GHz base clock is the only operating frequency specified in the data.

The thermal implication of a 65 W TDP is that the cooling solution must be rated for that envelope. The fact pack does not identify a specific cooler class or cooler size, so the exact cooling tier cannot be named from this entry alone. The chipset-based integrated graphics option on certain motherboards may also affect overall platform power, but no motherboard power figure is listed. The power section of this entry is therefore defined entirely by the 65 W TDP value and the related manufacturing parameters.

FAQ

Q: How many cores and threads does the Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550S have?

A: It has 4 cores and 4 threads, with a 2.83 GHz base clock and no boost clock listed.

Q: What socket and architecture does it use?

A: It uses Intel Socket 775, with the Core 2 architecture and the codename Yorkfield, built on Intel’s 45 nm process.

Q: What memory types does it support?

A: The data lists DDR1, DDR2, and DDR3 support with a dual-channel memory bus. ECC memory is not supported.

Q: Does the Q9550S include integrated graphics?

A: The integrated graphics field says “On certain motherboards (Chipset feature),” meaning graphics capability is tied to the motherboard chipset in some configurations rather than being listed as a CPU-internal graphics unit.

Q: Is the multiplier unlocked?

A: No, the multiplierUnlocked field is false.

Q: What is the production status and part number?

A: The processor is end-of-life, with a release date of 2009-01-26 and the part number SLGAE.