Intel Core i5-3335S

The Intel Core i5-3335S is a 65-watt desktop processor built on Intel’s 22nm Ivy Bridge architecture, featuring four physical cores without Hyper-Threading. With a base clock of 2.70 GHz and a boost clock of 3.20 GHz, this chip sits in a peculiar position: it is a locked, power-efficient variant aimed at mainstream desktops, yet its benchmark results place it squarely against low-power mobile parts. The data reveals a processor whose performance profile is defined more by its thermal envelope than by its architectural generation.

Benchmark Performance

The average benchmark score for the Intel Core i5-3335S is 1108, which places it at the 31st percentile among all CPUs. This is a modest ranking, indicating that the chip outperforms roughly a third of the processors in the database but lags behind the majority. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 3224 and the Geekbench multicore score of 1647 both reinforce this mid-to-low tier positioning. In Cinebench R20, the multicore result drops to 1354, while the single-core score is 191; the R15 multicore score is 324.

What makes these numbers notable is not their absolute value but their alignment with the nearest rivals. The i5-3335S scores identically to the Intel Core i5-3450 and the AMD Ryzen 3 3200U, both with an average score of 1108 and a delta of 0%. This is a striking coincidence: a desktop Ivy Bridge quad-core from 2012 matches a modern low-power mobile Ryzen in aggregate performance. The AMD PRO A12-8870 and AMD Ryzen 3 2200U are marginally behind, with scores of 1107 and deltas of 0.1%. The practical takeaway is that the i5-3335S is not a performance outlier; it sits at a plateau where several very different architectures converge.

The Geekbench single-core score of 562 is worth examining against the multicore figure of 1647, yielding a ratio of roughly 2.9:1. This indicates that the chip’s multithreaded scaling is limited by its lack of Hyper-Threading, as four threads cannot fully utilize the additional cores in heavily parallel workloads. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 455 versus the multicore 3224 shows a similar pattern. The data suggests that the i5-3335S is a balanced but unremarkable performer, with no single benchmark category where it stands out from its immediate competitors.

Power and Thermals

The TDP of 65 watts classifies the i5-3335S as a standard desktop part, not an ultra-low-power variant. This figure implies a need for a basic air cooler, as the chip is not designed for passive cooling or compact fanless builds. The 22nm process node, with 1,480 million transistors on a 160 mm² die, contributes to reasonable efficiency for its era, but the architecture is now several generations old. The boost clock of 3.20 GHz, achievable on a single core, likely causes transient power spikes within the TDP envelope, but the locked multiplier means users cannot adjust voltages or clock speeds to alter thermal behavior.

The 65W TDP is the defining constraint here. It positions the chip between the lower-power mobile parts it rivals in benchmarks and the higher-TDP desktop chips of its own generation. For cooling, a stock Intel cooler or any low-profile tower cooler with a 92mm or 120mm fan would suffice, though the data does not specify cooler dimensions. The thermal implications are straightforward: this chip will run cool and quiet in most chassis, but it will not sustain high all-core loads indefinitely without adequate airflow, as the four cores share a 6 MB L3 cache and rely on the same thermal interface.

Single-Thread vs Multi-Thread Behavior

The split between single-thread and multi-thread performance reveals the i5-3335S’s character. In Cinebench R23, the single-core score of 455 is roughly 14% of the multicore score of 3224, which is a normal ratio for a four-thread chip. In Geekbench, the single-core score of 562 is about 34% of the multicore 1647, a wider gap that suggests the multicore test benefits from memory bandwidth or cache effects. The lack of Hyper-Threading is the primary reason for the modest scaling; with only four threads, the chip cannot hide memory latencies or fill execution units as efficiently as a six- or eight-thread part.

For real workloads, this means the i5-3335S handles single-threaded tasks like web browsing, office documents, or legacy applications with acceptable responsiveness, given the 3.20 GHz boost clock. However, multi-threaded tasks such as video encoding or 3D rendering will show limited gains over dual-core parts, as the Cinebench R15 multicore score of 324 indicates. The data implies that the chip is best suited for lightly threaded workloads where its four cores provide headroom, but it will struggle with modern software that expects more than four threads. The 31st percentile ranking across all CPUs underscores this: it is a chip for basic productivity, not heavy compute.

Platform and Compatibility

The i5-3335S uses the Intel Socket 1155, which was the mainstream platform for Ivy Bridge and Sandy Bridge processors. The architecture is Ivy Bridge, and the memory support is DDR3 with a dual-channel bus, which limits memory bandwidth compared to later DDR4 platforms. The PCIe implementation is Gen 3 with 16 lanes available from the CPU, which is sufficient for a single graphics card but lacks the multi-GPU support or PCIe 4.0 of modern chips. The integrated graphics is Intel HD 4000, a capable iGPU for basic display output but not for gaming or GPU-accelerated workloads.

The upgrade path for Socket 1155 is limited to other Ivy Bridge or Sandy Bridge parts, all of which are now obsolete. The chip does not support ECC memory, and the multiplier is locked, so overclocking is not possible. The 22nm process and 1,480 million transistors are fixed attributes, but the platform’s age means that buyers are restricted to used parts and older DDR3 memory modules. The dual-channel memory bus is a bottleneck for integrated graphics performance, but for a discrete GPU setup, it is adequate. The 16 PCIe Gen 3 lanes are a positive for the era, allowing full bandwidth to a single modern GPU, though the CPU’s processing power may limit frame rates in CPU-bound scenarios.

Who Should Consider It

Based on the benchmark data, the i5-3335S is suitable for users with light to moderate workloads. For office tasks—word processing, spreadsheets, email, and web browsing—the four cores and 3.20 GHz boost clock provide a smooth experience, though the single-core Geekbench score of 562 is below modern standards. For gaming, the chip is a weak option: the integrated HD 4000 graphics is not designed for 3D titles, and the CPU’s multi-threaded performance (Cinebench R23 multicore 3224) will bottleneck modern games that require at least six threads. A discrete GPU would help, but the processor’s 31st percentile ranking means frame rates will be limited in CPU-intensive scenarios.

For content creation, the i5-3335S is not recommended. The Cinebench R20 multicore score of 1354 indicates that video editing or 3D rendering tasks will be slow, and the lack of Hyper-Threading exacerbates this. The chip is better suited for a secondary PC, a home server, or a basic media playback machine. The 65W TDP makes it easy to cool, and the Socket 1155 platform is well-documented, but the performance data does not justify a purchase for demanding workloads. Users who already own this chip from a legacy system should consider it adequate for light use, not for modern productivity.

FAQ

Q: What is the average benchmark score of the Intel Core i5-3335S?

A: The average benchmark score is 1108, with a percentile rank of 31 among all CPUs.

Q: How does the i5-3335S compare to the AMD Ryzen 3 3200U?

A: The two processors have identical average scores of 1108, with a delta of 0%, meaning they perform equally in aggregate benchmarks.

Q: Does the i5-3335S support ECC memory?

A: No, ECC memory is not supported, and the memory type is DDR3 with a dual-channel bus.

Q: What is the boost clock speed of the i5-3335S?

A: The base clock is 2.70 GHz, and the boost clock is 3.20 GHz.

Q: How many threads does the i5-3335S have?

A: It has four cores and four threads, with no Hyper-Threading support.

Q: What PCIe version does the i5-3335S use?

A: It uses PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes available from the CPU.

How It Compares

The Intel Core i5-3450 is the closest rival, with an identical average score of 1108 and a delta of 0%. This is expected, as both are Ivy Bridge quad-core parts on the same socket, though the i5-3450 has a different clock profile. The data shows no performance difference, meaning the i5-3335S’s lower TDP does not come at a cost in aggregate benchmarks.

The AMD Ryzen 3 3200U matches the i5-3335S with a score of 1108 and a 0% delta. This is notable because the Ryzen is a mobile part with two cores and four threads, while the i5 has four cores and four threads. The equal scores suggest that the Ryzen’s newer architecture compensates for its lower core count, making the i5’s age apparent.

The AMD PRO A12-8870 trails slightly with a score of 1107 and a delta of 0.1%. This is a negligible difference, but it indicates that the i5-3335S holds a razor-thin edge over this AMD desktop part. The A12’s architecture is older, so the result is unsurprising.

The AMD Ryzen 3 2200U also scores 1107 with a 0.1% delta, matching the PRO A12. This reinforces the pattern that the i5-3335S sits at a performance plateau where low-power mobile Ryzen parts and older desktop chips converge. The data implies that the i5-3335S is not a standout in any direction, but it is competitive with a broad range of low-end processors from different eras.