Intel Core i3-540 vs Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i3-540 and Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450 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

Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i3-540

CPU is newer: launch date 1 year(s) 10 month(s) later
Around 15% higher clock speed: 3.06 GHz vs 2.67 GHz
Around 2% higher maximum core temperature: 72.6°C vs 71.4°C
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 13% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1272 vs 1128
Around 14% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 459 vs 403

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	January 2010 vs March 2008
Maximum frequency	3.06 GHz vs 2.67 GHz
Maximum core temperature	72.6°C vs 71.4°C
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm vs 45 nm
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	73 Watt vs 95 Watt
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1272 vs 1128
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	459 vs 403

Reasons to consider the Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450

2 more cores, run more applications at once: 4 vs 2
2x more L1 cache, more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
24x more L2 cache, more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
Around 42% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 2186 vs 1538
Around 30% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 1322 vs 1015
Around 13% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s): 0.573 vs 0.508
Around 7% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s): 31.997 vs 29.815
Around 17% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s): 0.177 vs 0.151
Around 41% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s): 1.154 vs 0.816
Around 88% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s): 4.249 vs 2.263

Specifications (specs)
Number of cores	4 vs 2
L1 cache	256 KB vs 64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	12288 KB vs 256 KB (per core)
Benchmarks
PassMark - CPU mark	2186 vs 1538
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1322 vs 1015
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	0.573 vs 0.508
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	31.997 vs 29.815
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.177 vs 0.151
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	1.154 vs 0.816
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	4.249 vs 2.263

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Core i3-540
CPU 2: Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1272

1128

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1538

2186

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

459

403

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

1015

1322

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

0.508

0.573

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

CPU 1

CPU 2

29.815

31.997

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

CPU 1

CPU 2

0.151

0.177

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

0.816

1.154

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

2.263

4.249

Name	Intel Core i3-540	Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450
PassMark - Single thread mark	1272	1128
PassMark - CPU mark	1538	2186
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	459	403
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1015	1322
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	0.508	0.573
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	29.815	31.997
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.151	0.177
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	0.816	1.154
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	2.263	4.249

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Core i3-540	Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450
Essentials
Architecture codename	Clarkdale	Yorkfield
Launch date	January 2010	March 2008
Launch price (MSRP)	$45
Place in performance rating	2964	2970
Price now	$21	$335
Processor Number	i3-540	Q9450
Series	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors
Status	Discontinued	Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)	37.72	3.31
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.06 GHz	2.66 GHz
Bus Speed	2.5 GT/s DMI	1333 MHz FSB
Die size	81 mm2	214 mm2
L1 cache	64 KB (per core)	256 KB
L2 cache	256 KB (per core)	12288 KB
L3 cache	4096 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm	45 nm
Maximum core temperature	72.6°C	71.4°C
Maximum frequency	3.06 GHz	2.67 GHz
Number of cores	2	4
Number of threads	4
Transistor count	382 million	820 million
VID voltage range	0.6500V-1.4000V	0.8500V-1.3625V
Maximum case temperature (TCase)		71 °C
Memory
Max memory channels	2
Maximum memory bandwidth	21 GB/s
Maximum memory size	16.38 GB
Supported memory types	DDR3 1066/1333	DDR1, DDR2, 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	37.5mm x 37.5mm
Sockets supported	FCLGA1156	LGA775
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
FSB parity
Virtualization
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)