The Intel Core i5-2550K was a desktop processor with 4 cores, launched in January 2012, at an MSRP of $235. It is part of the Core i5 lineup, using the Sandy Bridge architecture with Socket 1155. Core i5-2550K has 6 MB of L3 cache and operates at 3.4 GHz by default, but can boost up to 3.8 GHz, depending on the workload. Intel is building the Core i5-2550K on a 32 nm production process using 1,160 million transistors. You may freely adjust the unlocked multiplier on Core i5-2550K, which simplifies overclocking greatly, as you can easily dial in any overclocking frequency.
With a TDP of 95 W, the Core i5-2550K consumes a good deal of power, so decent cooling is needed. Intel's processor supports DDR3 memory with a dual-channel interface. The highest officially supported memory speed is 1600 MT/s, but with overclocking (and the right memory modules) you can go even higher. For communication with other components in the system, Core i5-2550K uses a PCI-Express Gen 2 connection. This processor does not have integrated graphics, you will need a separate graphics card.
Hardware virtualization is available on the Core i5-2550K, which greatly improves virtual machine performance. Programs using Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX) will run on this processor, boosting performance for calculation-heavy applications.