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).

Intel Core i3-540

Intel Core i5-660

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: 1426 vs 1269
Around 56% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 2400 vs 1540
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	1426 vs 1269
PassMark - CPU mark	2400 vs 1540
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

1269

1426

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1540

2400

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	1269	1426
PassMark - CPU mark	1540	2400
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	2965	2966
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)