Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550s vs Intel Core i3-540. Specifications, performance, tests

Background information about the processors being compared, series, generation and market segment.

• Segment
  Desktop Desktop / Server
• Family
  Intel Core2 Duo Intel Core i3
• Generation
  2 1
• CPU group
  Intel Core 2 Quad Q8000/Q9000 Intel Core i 500
• Predecessor
  No --
• Successor
  No --

Basic parameters such as number of cores, number of threads, base and turbo frequency, and cache size. These parameters indirectly tell about the speed of the processor, the higher they are the better.

• Frequency
  2.83 GHz 3.06 GHz
• Turbo (1 Core)
  No No turbo
• Turbo (2 Cores)
  No turbo No turbo
• Hyperthreading
  No Yes
• Overclocking
  No No
• Core architecture
  normal normal

Types, channel quantity of RAM supported by Intel Core i3-540 and Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550s. Depending on the motherboards, higher or lower memory frequencies may be supported.

• Memory type
  DDR2-800 / DDR3-1066 DDR3-1066DDR3-1333
• Max. Memory
  16 GB
• ECC
  No Yes
• Memory channels
  2 2
• PCIe
  No data 2.0 x 16

Compare the TDP requirements of TDP Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550s and Intel Core i3-540 to select a cooling system. Note, the TDP value refers to thermal watts, not electrical watts.

• TDP (PL1)
  65 W 73 W
• TDP up
  No --
• TDP (PL2)
  No --
• TDP down
  No --
• Tjunction max.
  80 °C --

Architecture, interfaces, additional instructions supported by Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550s and Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550s, virtual machine technologies and process technology.

• Instruction set (ISA)
  x86-64 (64 bit) x86-64 (64 bit)
• Virtualization
  VT-x, VT-d VT-x, VT-x EPT
• ISA extensions
  MMX, SSE2, SSE3, SSE4.1 SSE4.1, SSE4.2
• L2-Cache
  12.00 MB --
• L3-Cache
  No 4.00 MB
• Architecture
  Yorkfield Clarkdale
• Technology
  45 nm 32 nm
• Socket
  LGA 775 LGA 1156
• Release date
  Q1/2008 Q1/2010