The Intel Core i5-3550S is a desktop processor with 4 cores, launched in April 2012. It is part of the Core i5 lineup, using the Ivy Bridge architecture with Socket 1155. Core i5-3550S has 6 MB of L3 cache and operates at 3 GHz by default, but can boost up to 3.7 GHz, depending on the workload. Intel is building the Core i5-3550S on a 22 nm production process using 1,400 million transistors. The multiplier is locked on Core i5-3550S, which limits its overclocking capabilities.
With a TDP of 65 W, the Core i5-3550S consumes typical power levels for a modern PC. Intel's processor supports DDR3 memory with a dual-channel interface. For communication with other components in the machine, Core i5-3550S uses a PCI-Express Gen 3 connection. This processor features the Intel HD 2500 integrated graphics solution.
Hardware virtualization is available on the Core i5-3550S, which greatly improves virtual machine performance. Additionally, IOMMU virtualization (PCI passthrough) is supported, so that guest virtual machines may directly use host hardware. Programs using Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX) will run on this processor, boosting performance for calculation-heavy applications.