Intel Core i3-540 vs AMD Sempron 3000+

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i3-540 and AMD Sempron 3000+ 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 Sempron 3000+

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i3-540

CPU is newer: launch date 3 year(s) 8 month(s) later
1 more cores, run more applications at once: 2 vs 1
Around 91% higher clock speed: 3.06 GHz vs 1.6 GHz
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 32 nm vs 90 nm
2x more L2 cache, more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
2.4x better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1269 vs 530
5.2x better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 1540 vs 299

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	January 2010 vs May 2006
Number of cores	2 vs 1
Maximum frequency	3.06 GHz vs 1.6 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm vs 90 nm
L2 cache	256 KB (per core) vs 256 KB
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1269 vs 530
PassMark - CPU mark	1540 vs 299

Reasons to consider the AMD Sempron 3000+

Around 18% lower typical power consumption: 62 Watt vs 73 Watt

Thermal Design Power (TDP)	62 Watt vs 73 Watt

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Core i3-540
CPU 2: AMD Sempron 3000+

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1269

530

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1540

299

Name	Intel Core i3-540	AMD Sempron 3000+
PassMark - Single thread mark	1269	530
PassMark - CPU mark	1540	299
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	459
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1015
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	0.508
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	29.815
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.151
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	0.816
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	2.263

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Core i3-540	AMD Sempron 3000+
Essentials
Architecture codename	Clarkdale	Manila
Launch date	January 2010	May 2006
Launch price (MSRP)	$45	$50
Place in performance rating	2965	2952
Price now	$21	$49.95
Processor Number	i3-540
Series	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors
Status	Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)	37.72	2.41
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.06 GHz
Bus Speed	2.5 GT/s DMI
Die size	81 mm2	103 mm
L1 cache	64 KB (per core)	128 KB
L2 cache	256 KB (per core)	256 KB
L3 cache	4096 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm	90 nm
Maximum core temperature	72.6°C
Maximum frequency	3.06 GHz	1.6 GHz
Number of cores	2	1
Number of threads	4
Transistor count	382 million	81 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
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	AM2
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	73 Watt	62 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)