Intel Core i3-560 Review

The Core i3-560 is one of Intel's entry-level Desktop processors. It was released in 2010 with 2 cores and 4 threads. With base clock at 3.333GHz, max speed at 3.33GHz, and a 73W power rating. The Core i3-560 is based on the Clarkdale 32nm family and is part of the Core i3 series.

Now, we're asking ourselves whether or not the Intel Core i3-560 finally dethrones the Athlon II X3 460 as the de facto ruler of the mainstream processors. Ultimately, it depends: the Core i3-560 doesn't reach the same single-core performance as AMD, but we're starting to see more games adopt multi-threaded CPUs, so that doesn't matter as much.

As the higher-priced version of the Core i3-550, the Core i3-560 has higher base and Boost frequencies of 3.333 and 3.33 GHz, respectively. That's an increase in base frequency and a bump to boost clocks, but the real advantage should lay in the higher Package Power Tracking (PPT) envelope, which is a measurement of the maximum amount of power delivered to the socket. The Core i3-550's PPT tops out at 73W, while the motherboard can pump up to 142W to the Core i3-560 at peak performance. That opens up much more aggressive boost behavior, on both single and multiple cores, that could widen the performance gap beyond what we see on the spec sheet.

If you're mostly playing games on your PC, you will be happy buying either processor. Both proved to be solid options and are evenly matched with a slight advantage to the AMD chip if you don't tune up the Athlon II X3 processor. The base performance we showed for the Core i3-560 can be achieved with $90 memory, while the Athlon II X3 460 will require $110 - $120 memory in order to enable the frame rates shown here. It’s not a big cost difference and right now with anything less than an RTX 2070 or Vega 64 you’ll more than likely become GPU limited.

One of the nice things about the Intel Core i3-560 processors is that the retail boxed models come with a CPU cooler. So, you can pick something like the Intel Core i3-560 up for $190 and don’t need to spend any extra money on CPU cooling.

The Intel Core i3-560 retail boxed processor comes with the traditional ‘pancake’ CPU cooler. Nothing fancy, but it gets the job done on this processor which is rated at 73W TDP. You do not need to have an aftermarket cooling solution unless you want to.

Bottom Line, the Intel Core i3-560 does not get much media attention since it is entry-level 1 Gen Core Clarkdale processor, but it is a very capable processor that still delivers a good computing experience for entry-level users.

If extended overclocking and boost frequencies are trivial matters to you, Intel also offers the Core i3-550 at $101. It’s still outfitted with 2-cores and 4-threads, but clocks in at a slower 3.2GHz and maxes out at only 3.2GHz.

That said, to squeeze out all the potential of this surprisingly potent entry-level chip, you’ll want (and need) to splurge on an enthusiast-grade P55, P67, Q57 motherboard.

Fresh from a successful roll-out of mainstream Core i3 CPUs, Intel's attack on AMD now extends down into the entry-level with its Core i3-560 processors, which the company is making available as of Sep 2010.