Intel Core i3-540 vs Intel Core i5-660

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i3-540 and Intel Core i5-660 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).

 

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i3-540

  • 2.2x better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s): 0.508 vs 0.226
  • 2.3x better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s): 29.815 vs 13.08
  • 2.2x better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s): 0.151 vs 0.068
  • 2.7x better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s): 0.816 vs 0.306
  • Around 65% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s): 2.263 vs 1.375
Benchmarks
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s) 0.508 vs 0.226
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s) 29.815 vs 13.08
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s) 0.151 vs 0.068
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s) 0.816 vs 0.306
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s) 2.263 vs 1.375

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i5-660

  • Around 18% higher clock speed: 3.60 GHz vs 3.06 GHz
  • Around 12% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1424 vs 1272
  • Around 56% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 2394 vs 1538
  • Around 14% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 524 vs 459
  • Around 14% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 1157 vs 1015
Specifications (specs)
Maximum frequency 3.60 GHz vs 3.06 GHz
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark 1424 vs 1272
PassMark - CPU mark 2394 vs 1538
Geekbench 4 - Single Core 524 vs 459
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core 1157 vs 1015

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Core i3-540
CPU 2: Intel Core i5-660

PassMark - Single thread mark
CPU 1
CPU 2
1272
1424
PassMark - CPU mark
CPU 1
CPU 2
1538
2394
Geekbench 4 - Single Core
CPU 1
CPU 2
459
524
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core
CPU 1
CPU 2
1015
1157
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)
CPU 1
CPU 2
0.508
0.226
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)
CPU 1
CPU 2
29.815
13.08
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)
CPU 1
CPU 2
0.151
0.068
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)
CPU 1
CPU 2
0.816
0.306
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)
CPU 1
CPU 2
2.263
1.375
Name Intel Core i3-540 Intel Core i5-660
PassMark - Single thread mark 1272 1424
PassMark - CPU mark 1538 2394
Geekbench 4 - Single Core 459 524
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core 1015 1157
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s) 0.508 0.226
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s) 29.815 13.08
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s) 0.151 0.068
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s) 0.816 0.306
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s) 2.263 1.375

Compare specifications (specs)

Intel Core i3-540 Intel Core i5-660

Essentials

Architecture codename Clarkdale Clarkdale
Launch date January 2010 January 2010
Launch price (MSRP) $45 $70
Place in performance rating 2964 2965
Price now $21 $49
Processor Number i3-540 i5-660
Series Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors
Status Discontinued Discontinued
Value for money (0-100) 37.72 19.54
Vertical segment Desktop Desktop

Performance

64 bit support
Base frequency 3.06 GHz 3.33 GHz
Bus Speed 2.5 GT/s DMI 2.5 GT/s DMI
Die size 81 mm2 81 mm2
L1 cache 64 KB (per core) 64 KB (per core)
L2 cache 256 KB (per core) 256 KB (per core)
L3 cache 4096 KB (shared) 4096 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology 32 nm 32 nm
Maximum core temperature 72.6°C 72.6°C
Maximum frequency 3.06 GHz 3.60 GHz
Number of cores 2 2
Number of threads 4 4
Transistor count 382 million 382 million
VID voltage range 0.6500V-1.4000V 0.6500V-1.4000V

Memory

Max memory channels 2 2
Maximum memory bandwidth 21 GB/s 21 GB/s
Maximum memory size 16.38 GB 16.38 GB
Supported memory types DDR3 1066/1333 DDR3 1066/1333

Graphics

Graphics base frequency 733 MHz 733 MHz
Intel® Clear Video HD technology
Intel® Flexible Display Interface (Intel® FDI)
Processor graphics Intel HD Graphics Intel HD Graphics

Graphics interfaces

Number of displays supported 2 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 FCLGA1156
Thermal Design Power (TDP) 73 Watt 73 Watt

Peripherals

Max number of PCIe lanes 16 16
PCI Express revision 2.0 2.0
PCIe configurations 1x16, 2x8 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® 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 36-bit
Thermal Monitoring

Virtualization

Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)