Core i3-550
Model frame rate limit of 34 FPS. That is roughly the fastest this processor can feed a graphics card in a modern AAA title, no matter which card you fit.
The Core i3-550 is one of the slowest gaming processor in our database, with a model frame rate limit of 34 FPS.
With 2 cores and 4 threads it is below what modern games expect, so busy scenes stutter before the average frame rate shows a problem.
Frame Rate Limit in Popular Games
| Game (settings) | Most FPS the Core i3-550 can feed |
|---|---|
| Cyberpunk 2077 (High, no ray tracing) | ~30 |
| Fortnite (High, DirectX 12) | ~45 |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (High) | ~35 |
| Counter-Strike 2 (High) | ~75 |
Modelled estimates with an unlimited graphics card, rounded to the nearest 5 FPS. Your real frame rate is the lower of this and what your card can render. See the methodology.
Best match at each resolution
| Resolution | Closest matched card | Estimated FPS |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | GeForce GTX 1650 | 28 |
| 1440p | GeForce GTX 1650 Super | 28 |
| 4K | Radeon RX 6650 XT | 34 |
"Closest matched" means the two parts run out of headroom at about the same frame rate, so neither is obviously wasted. A faster card is still worth buying if you plan to raise the resolution later.
The cards it lands closest to
The 24 graphics cards whose frame rate limit sits nearest this processor's, fastest first. Anything faster than the top of this table is wasted on it at 1080p, and anything slower is a card it will never trouble. For any other combination, use the calculator.
| Graphics card | 1080p | 1440p | 4K |
|---|---|---|---|
| GeForce RTX 3060 | 34 cpu | 34 cpu | 30 gpu |
| Radeon RX Vega 64 | 34 cpu | 34 cpu | 30 gpu |
| GeForce RTX 2060 Super | 34 cpu | 34 cpu | 29 gpu |
| GeForce GTX 1080 | 34 cpu | 34 cpu | 28 gpu |
| Radeon RX 6600 | 34 cpu | 34 cpu | 27 gpu |
| GeForce GTX 1070 Ti | 34 cpu | 34 cpu | 26 gpu |
| Radeon RX Vega 56 | 34 cpu | 34 cpu | 26 gpu |
| GeForce RTX 2060 | 34 cpu | 34 cpu | 23 gpu |
| Intel Arc A580 | 34 cpu | 34 cpu | 24 gpu |
| GeForce GTX 1070 | 34 cpu | 34 cpu | 23 gpu |
| GeForce GTX 1660 Ti | 34 cpu | 34 cpu | 20 gpu |
| GeForce GTX 1660 Super | 34 cpu | 34 cpu | 19 gpu |
| GeForce RTX 3050 8GB | 34 cpu | 34 cpu | 21 gpu |
| GeForce GTX 1660 | 34 cpu | 34 even | 19 gpu |
| Radeon RX 590 | 34 cpu | 34 cpu | 20 gpu |
| GeForce GTX 1650 Super | 34 cpu | 28 gpu | 15 gpu |
| Radeon RX 580 8GB | 34 cpu | 34 even | 18 gpu |
| GeForce GTX 1060 6GB | 34 cpu | 28 gpu | 15 gpu |
| GeForce RTX 3050 6GB | 34 cpu | 27 gpu | 14 gpu |
| Radeon RX 6500 XT | 34 even | 24 gpu | 12 gpu |
| Radeon RX 570 4GB | 33 even | 23 gpu | 12 gpu |
| GeForce GTX 1650 | 28 gpu | 20 gpu | 11 gpu |
| GeForce GTX 1050 Ti | 21 gpu | 15 gpu | 7 gpu |
| GeForce GTX 1050 | 13 gpu | 10 gpu | 5 gpu |
The tag after each number says which part hits its limit first.
Specifications
| Manufacturer | Intel |
| Generation | Intel 1st Gen (Nehalem / Westmere) |
| Cores | 2 |
| Threads | 4 |
| Released | 2010 |
Common Questions
Is the Core i3-550 good for an RTX 5070?
It holds the card back at 1440p. In our model the Core i3-550 tops out near 34 FPS while the RTX 5070 could reach about 106, leaving roughly 68% of the card unused. It is a reasonable pairing at 4K, where the card does more work per frame.
What is the best GPU for the Core i3-550?
At 1440p, the GeForce GTX 1650 Super is the closest match: the two run out of headroom at about the same frame rate, so neither is wasted. A faster card still makes sense if you play at 4K, where the processor matters less.
Is the Core i3-550 still good for gaming?
For older or lighter games, yes. Its 34 FPS frame rate limit and 4 threads mean modern AAA games run, but it will limit any recent mid-range or better card.
Will the Core i3-550 bottleneck an RTX 5080?
Yes, at 1440p. It leaves about 77% of the RTX 5080 unused in our model (34 FPS from the processor against 149 from the card). At 4K the gap shrinks a lot.