Intel Core i5-480M vs Intel Core i5-540M

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i5-480M and Intel Core i5-540M 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 - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s).

Intel Core i5-480M

Intel Core i5-540M

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i5-480M

CPU is newer: launch date 11 month(s) later
Around 14% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s): 0.531 vs 0.467
Around 3% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s): 25.017 vs 24.338
2.6x better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s): 5.073 vs 1.984
Around 36% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s): 0.919 vs 0.677

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	4 December 2010 vs 4 January 2010
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1144 vs 1143
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	0.531 vs 0.467
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	25.017 vs 24.338
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	5.073 vs 1.984
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	0.919 vs 0.677

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i5-540M

Around 5% higher clock speed: 3.07 GHz vs 2.93 GHz
Around 35% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 1792 vs 1325
Around 10% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 432 vs 393
Around 9% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 922 vs 845
Around 12% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s): 0.134 vs 0.12

Specifications (specs)
Maximum frequency	3.07 GHz vs 2.93 GHz
Benchmarks
PassMark - CPU mark	1792 vs 1325
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	432 vs 393
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	922 vs 845
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.134 vs 0.12

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Core i5-480M
CPU 2: Intel Core i5-540M

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1144

1143

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1325

1792

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

393

432

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

845

922

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

0.531

0.467

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

CPU 1

CPU 2

25.017

24.338

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

CPU 1

CPU 2

0.12

0.134

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

5.073

1.984

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

0.919

0.677

Name	Intel Core i5-480M	Intel Core i5-540M
PassMark - Single thread mark	1144	1143
PassMark - CPU mark	1325	1792
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	393	432
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	845	922
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	0.531	0.467
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	25.017	24.338
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.12	0.134
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	5.073	1.984
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	0.919	0.677

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Core i5-480M	Intel Core i5-540M
Essentials
Architecture codename	Arrandale	Arrandale
Launch date	4 December 2010	4 January 2010
Launch price (MSRP)	$81	$257
Place in performance rating	3045	3058
Price now	$80.60	$189.95
Processor Number	i5-480M	i5-540M
Series	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors
Status	Discontinued	Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)	8.79	3.80
Vertical segment	Mobile	Mobile
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	2.66 GHz	2.53 GHz
Bus Speed	2.5 GT/s DMI	2.5 GT/s DMI
Die size	81 mm2	81 mm2
Front-side bus (FSB)	2400 MHz	2500 MHz
L1 cache	128 KB	128 KB
L2 cache	512 KB	512 KB
L3 cache	3072 KB	3072 KB
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm	32 nm
Maximum core temperature	105°C	105°C
Maximum frequency	2.93 GHz	3.07 GHz
Number of cores	2	2
Number of threads	4	4
Transistor count	382 million	382 million
Memory
Max memory channels	2	2
Maximum memory bandwidth	17.1 GB/s	17.1 GB/s
Maximum memory size	8 GB	8 GB
Supported memory types	DDR3 800/1066	DDR3 800/1066
Graphics
Graphics base frequency	500 MHz	500 MHz
Graphics max dynamic frequency	766 MHz	766 MHz
Graphics max frequency	766 MHz	766 MHz
Intel® Clear Video HD technology
Intel® Clear Video 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	rPGA 37.5mmx 37.5mm, BGA 34mmx28mm	rPGA 37.5mmx 37.5mm, BGA 34mmx28mm
Sockets supported	BGA1288, PGA988	BGA1288, PGA988
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	35 Watt	35 Watt
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes	16	16
PCI Express revision	2.0	2.0
PCIe configurations	1x16	1x16
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® SSE4.1, Intel® SSE4.2	Intel® SSE4.1, Intel® SSE4.2
Intel 64
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Fast Memory Access
Intel® Flex Memory Access
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® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)