Intel Core i5 3450 4-core LGA1155
The 22nm Ivy Bridge architecture delivers a true quad-core design with a 3.5GHz boost clock and 6MB of L3 cache, providing competent multi-threaded performance for its era within a 77W power envelope. Its integrated Intel HD Graphics 2500 and boxed cooler make it a complete, cost-effective solution for basic display output without a discrete GPU. This processor is best for users maintaining legacy LGA 1155 systems for office productivity and web-based tasks.
No current retailer price
Snapshot
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Strong social proof (99th percentile) 99th
- Strong user sentiment (93rd percentile) 93rd
- Strong affordability (76th percentile) 76th
- Strong feature (70th percentile) 70th
Cons
What owners think
How owner sentiment changed over time
ExclusiveBased on when customers actually wrote their reviews - so you can see whether early praise held up.
- Q4 2012100/100
Buyers in Q4 2012 praised the i5-3450 as fast, great value, and ideal for mid-range gaming builds, with flawless installation and a major upgrade from older CPUs.
- Performance praised as fast at default speeds and a huge upgrade from older CPUs.
- Value highlighted, especially with discounts, as best price Intel CPU.
- Recommended for mid-range gaming rigs under $800, paired with GTX 660.
- Installation flawless on B75 motherboard; no issues reported.
- Q3 2012100/100
Buyers praised the CPU's cool operation, easy installation, and performance, recommending a good cooler and Z77 motherboard. One noted cheaper faster alternatives exist.
- Runs cool with aftermarket cooler, staying around 40°C under load and 30°C idle.
- Easy upgrade from existing CPU, with smooth installation and great performance.
- Requires a good cooler and Z77 motherboard; one buyer initially skipped cooler but later ordered one.
- Cheaper faster Ivy i5s are often on sale, so value depends on deals.
Based on 32 dated customer reviews, grouped by calendar quarter. Period analysis is in English.
The proof
Performance
Specifications
Full Specifications
Processor
| Brand | Intel |
| Series | Core i5 |
| Model | 3450 |
| Codename | Ivy Bridge |
| Class | desktop |
| Process | 22 |
Cores & Clocks
| Cores | 4 |
| Threads | 4 |
| Base Clock | 3100 |
| Boost Clock | 3500 |
Cache
| L2 Cache | 1 |
| L3 Cache | 6 MB |
Performance
| PassMark Multi | 4522 |
| PassMark Single | 1875 |
Memory
| Memory Type | DDR3 |
| Max Speed | 1600 |
| Channels | 2 |
| Max Memory | 32 |
Platform & Power
| Socket | LGA1155 |
| TDP | 77 |
| Unlocked | No |
Graphics & AI
| Integrated Graphics | Intel HD Graphics 2500 |
vs Competition
| Spec | Intel Core i5 3450 | AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D | SMC EPYC 9555P | MICRO CENTER 9950X3DMAGX870ETMKWF | Dell Inspiron 7700 | Empowered PC Ryzen 7 5700X |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cores | 4 | 16 | 64 | - | 10 | - |
| Threads | 4 | 32 | 128 | - | 12 | - |
| Boost Clock Mhz | 3500 | 5700 | 4400 | - | 4700 | - |
| L3 Cache Mb | 6 | 128 | 256 | - | 12 | - |
| Tdp W | 77 | 120 | 360 | - | 15 | - |
| Socket | LGA1155 | AM5 | AMD Socket SP5 | - | Intel BGA 1744 | - |
| Integrated Graphics | Intel HD Graphics 2500 | AMD Radeon Graphics | - | - | Iris Xe 96EU | - |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | AI | Feature | Platform | User Sentiment | Efficiency | Multi Thread | Social Proof | Affordability | Single Thread |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Core i5 3450 | 38.8 | 70 | 55.5 | 93.1 | 42 | 39.2 | 99 | 75.6 | 48.5 |
| AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D Compare | 96 | 98.5 | 92.3 | 78.6 | 97 | 95.6 | 84.4 | 14.4 | 93 |
| SMC EPYC 9555P Compare | 99.3 | 77.4 | 96.7 | 0 | 89.7 | 99.4 | 0 | 0.5 | 85.9 |
| MICRO CENTER 9950X3DMAGX870ETMKWF Compare | 85.7 | 20.6 | 17.4 | 0 | 66.5 | 97 | 0 | 6.4 | 98.4 |
| Dell Inspiron 7700 Compare | 60.6 | 70 | 71.5 | 0 | 99.5 | 64.4 | 25.1 | 3.7 | 82.2 |
| Empowered PC Ryzen 7 5700X Compare | 63.8 | 20.6 | 17.4 | 0 | 39.6 | 81.8 | 0 | 40 | 85.7 |
Price
Value & Pricing
We started tracking prices for this product on Jul 5, 2026. The chart appears once we have more data.
Usage Scores
- Overall48.7
- AI/LLM35
- Budget63.2
- Gaming43.4
- Server34
- Efficiency41.9
- Productivity45.3
A full written review is coming soon. The specs, scores, prices and charts above are always up to date.
