Intel Core i3-540 vs AMD Athlon II X4 630

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i3-540 and AMD Athlon II X4 630 processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Graphics, Graphics interfaces, Compatibility, Peripherals, Security & Reliability, Advanced Technologies, Virtualization. Benchmark processor performance analysis: PassMark - Single thread mark, PassMark - CPU mark, Geekbench 4 - Single Core, Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core, CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s).

Intel Core i3-540

AMD Athlon II X4 630

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i3-540

CPU is newer: launch date 4 month(s) later
Around 9% higher clock speed: 3.06 GHz vs 2.8 GHz
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 32 nm vs 45 nm
Around 30% lower typical power consumption: 73 Watt vs 95 Watt
Around 12% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1269 vs 1129
Around 32% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 459 vs 347
3.5x better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s): 29.815 vs 8.536

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	January 2010 vs September 2009
Maximum frequency	3.06 GHz vs 2.8 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm vs 45 nm
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	73 Watt vs 95 Watt
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1269 vs 1129
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	459 vs 347
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	29.815 vs 8.536

Reasons to consider the AMD Athlon II X4 630

2 more cores, run more applications at once: 4 vs 2
4x more L1 cache, more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
4x more L2 cache, more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
Around 40% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 2157 vs 1540
Around 14% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 1155 vs 1015
5.2x better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s): 2.635 vs 0.508
Around 10% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s): 0.166 vs 0.151
Around 63% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s): 3.684 vs 2.263

Specifications (specs)
Number of cores	4 vs 2
L1 cache	128 KB (per core) vs 64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	512 KB (per core) vs 256 KB (per core)
Benchmarks
PassMark - CPU mark	2157 vs 1540
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1155 vs 1015
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	2.635 vs 0.508
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.166 vs 0.151
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	3.684 vs 2.263

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Core i3-540
CPU 2: AMD Athlon II X4 630

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1269

1129

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1540

2157

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

459

347

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

1015

1155

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

0.508

2.635

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

29.815

8.536

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

0.151

0.166

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

2.263

3.684

Name	Intel Core i3-540	AMD Athlon II X4 630
PassMark - Single thread mark	1269	1129
PassMark - CPU mark	1540	2157
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	459	347
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1015	1155
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	0.508	2.635
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	29.815	8.536
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.151	0.166
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	0.816
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	2.263	3.684

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Core i3-540	AMD Athlon II X4 630
Essentials
Architecture codename	Clarkdale	Propus
Launch date	January 2010	September 2009
Launch price (MSRP)	$45	$63
Place in performance rating	2965	2968
Price now	$21	$42.99
Processor Number	i3-540
Series	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors
Status	Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)	37.72	21.49
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.06 GHz
Bus Speed	2.5 GT/s DMI
Die size	81 mm2	169 mm
L1 cache	64 KB (per core)	128 KB (per core)
L2 cache	256 KB (per core)	512 KB (per core)
L3 cache	4096 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm	45 nm
Maximum core temperature	72.6°C
Maximum frequency	3.06 GHz	2.8 GHz
Number of cores	2	4
Number of threads	4
Transistor count	382 million	300 million
VID voltage range	0.6500V-1.4000V
Memory
Max memory channels	2
Maximum memory bandwidth	21 GB/s
Maximum memory size	16.38 GB
Supported memory types	DDR3 1066/1333	DDR3
Graphics
Graphics base frequency	733 MHz
Intel® Clear Video HD technology
Intel® Flexible Display Interface (Intel® FDI)
Processor graphics	Intel HD Graphics
Graphics interfaces
Number of displays supported	2
Compatibility
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	1	1
Package Size	37.5mm x 37.5mm
Sockets supported	FCLGA1156	AM3
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	73 Watt	95 Watt
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes	16
PCI Express revision	2.0
PCIe configurations	1x16, 2x8
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Advanced Technologies
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Flexible Display interface (FDI)
Idle States
Instruction set extensions	Intel® SSE4.2
Intel 64
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Demand Based Switching
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility
Physical Address Extensions (PAE)	36-bit
Thermal Monitoring
Virtualization
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)