Intel Core i5-3570K vs Intel Core i7-8550U

Processor comparisons 17-03-2021

   Let's say you are thinking about choosing a CPU, you will be able to make a choice after reading the comprehensive tests Intel Core i5-3570K vs Intel Core i7-8550U and decide which is better for games or normal use for video editing, streaming, programming, machine learning, rendering. Here you can find all information from real video editing and streaming tests or many benchmarks. A thorough review of all the specifications, to make it easier to understand, is summarized in the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of parallel examination in software tests like WPrime, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, 7zip, Gears 5, AIDA64, 3DMark, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Dolphin Emulator, RealBench, SuperPi, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Blender, Handbrake, MATLAB, PassMark, PCMark 10, Prime95, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Furmark, UserBenchmark, VeraCrypt, Blender.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

Rainbow Six Siege
Overwatch
Valorant
Last Man Standing
Red Dead Redemption 2
Apex Legends
Grand Theft Auto V
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Valheim
Halo Infinite
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Watch Dogs Legion
Fallout 76
Death Stranding
DOOM: Eternal
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone
Cyberpunk 2077
Borderlands 3
Fortnite

After looking at the data of parallel benchmarks and videos, you already be able to figure out which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i7-8550U or Intel Core i5-3570K.

Summary benchmark results

As a percentage of the maximum value based on a sample from the entire base of all processors
Processor Benchmark

Core i5-3570K

51%

Core i7-8550U

51%

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-3570K

51%

Core i7-8550U

52%

For the maximum in this test, the results of the most powerful processor in the site database are taken. And of course, this is a server processor, on which no one will play games. Because the cost of this processor reaches several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a low game result, just look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the final table below.
List of less popular games in which processors were compared: League of Legends (LOL), Hitman 3, Forza Horizon 4, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Control, DOTA 2A, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Monster Hunter World, Horizon Zero Dawn, Half-Life: Alyx, Metro Exodus, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Battlefield V, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Ghostrunner, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, NBA 2K20.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	91.5	91.9
Valorant	103.9	104.4
Cyberpunk 2077	58.2	58.5
Apex Legends	97.7	98.1
Call of Duty Warzone	78.0	78.3
Overwatch	84.2	84.6
Red Dead Redemption 2	71.7	72.0
DOOM Eternal	52.0	52.2
Warzone	81.1	81.4
Assassin's Creed	87.3	87.7
Valheim	86.3	86.6

The numbers in this table indicate the maximum FPS that was received on the device with the corresponding processor. Depending on the configuration of the computer (RAM size and Video Card) and graphics quality settings (Ultra, Medium, Normal), the results may differ quite significantly. We recommend that you better study the results of the Cinebench, GeekBench and Passmark becnmarks.
The computers that were in the comparisons not only did they have different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 4K, 2K or FullHD. So the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. You will get more accurate information about how powerful the processor will be in games, if you get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i5-3570K

41%

Core i7-8550U

228%

To make a finishing choice on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. The newer the processor generation, the better its performance in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i7-8550U is more energy efficient than the Core i5-3570K since it has less power consumption: 77W vs. 15W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. And TDP should be taken into account when choosing a processor cooling system. It is necessary to calculate so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

Let's say you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for video rendering or video editing, machine learning, streaming, programming, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum performance, the CPU includes all threads and cores that it has. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to find out whether the software that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that can use only one core to work, and all the advantages of multi-core mode are unused.

Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Core i5-3570K	Intel Core i7-8550U
Cinbench 15 Single-core	132	167
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	510	564
Cinbench 20 Single-core	275	354
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	1041	1211
Cinbench 23 Single-core	731	979
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	2780	3111

Passmark
This popular benchmark displays Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i5-3570K	Intel Core i7-8550U
Single-Core	2023	2072
Multi-Core	4907	5970

GeekBench 6, 5.2
This benchmark shows Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i5-3570K	Intel Core i7-8550U
Single-Core	970	1027
Multi-Core	3401	3788

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most helpful will be the the possibility of overclocking it and release date of the processor. The newer the processor, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same can be said about overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, thereby increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in the newest games. The savings are obvious! Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Intel Core i5-3570K	Intel Core i7-8550U
Announcement date	April 01, 2012	April 01, 2017
Type	Desktop	Laptop
Socket	LGA1155	FC-BGA1356
Core name	Ivy Bridge	Kaby Lake R
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	3	8
Turbo Frequency	3.8 MHz	4 MHz
Frequency	3.4 MHz	1.8 MHz
Cores	4	4
Threads	4	8
Bus rate	5 GT/s	4 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	22 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	2460 millions	1820 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	77 W	15 W
Memory type	DDR3 1333/1600	DDR4-2400, LPDDR3-2133
Max. Memory	32 Gb	32 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	25.6 GB/s	37.5 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	6 MB	8 MB
Overclocking	Yes	Yes
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i5-3570K is 47% better than Core i7-8550U in terms of CPU frequency. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-3570K is better: 3
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i7-8550U is better: 29
However, it should be understood that the summary data in the table above do not mean that you should be guided entirely by them and trust a simple comparison of these figures. Better to watch benchmarks video and read the reviews of of people who bought Intel Core i5-3570K and Intel Core i7-8550U before making a selection which of the CPUs to buy for gaming.

• Intel Core i5-3570K specs and review.

• Intel Core i7-8550U specs and review.