Intel Core i3-540 vs Intel Pentium G3240

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Intel Core i3-540 or Intel Core i3-540 – which processor offers superior performance? In this comparison, we examine disparities and assess which of these two CPUs outperforms the other. We delve into technical specifications and benchmark outcomes.
The Intel Core i3-540 features 2 processor cores and has the capability to manage 4 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q1/2010 and belongs to the 1 generation of the Intel Core i3 series.
To use the Intel Core i3-540, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 1156 socket.
The Intel Pentium G3240 features 2 processor cores and has the capability to manage 2 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q2/2014 and belongs to the 5 generation of the Intel Pentium series.
To use the Intel Pentium G3240, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 1150 socket.
Intel Core i3 Family Intel Pentium
1 Generation 5
Intel Core i3 500 Group Intel Pentium G3000
Desktop / Server Segment Desktop / Server
Intel Core i3-540 Name Intel Pentium G3240
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Intel Core i3-540 has 2 CPU cores and can calculate 4 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i3-540 is 3.06 GHz
The Intel Pentium G3240 has 2 CPU cores and can calculate 2 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Pentium G3240 is 3.1 GHz
3.06 GHz Frequency 3.1 GHz
No Overclocking No
4 Threads 2
Yes Hyperthreading No
normal Core architecture normal
2 CPU Cores 2
2x Cores 2x
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Intel Core i3-540 has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Intel Core i3-540 uses the Intel HD Graphics (Westmere), which has 24 texture shaders
and 12 execution units.
The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
The Intel Pentium G3240 has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Intel Pentium G3240 uses the Intel HD Graphics (Haswell GT1), which has 80 texture shaders
and 10 execution units.
2.0 GB Max. GPU Memory 2.0 GB
5 Generation 7.5
Q1/2010 Release date Q4/2012
12 Execution units 10
0.73 GHz GPU (Turbo) 1.1 GHz
-- Max. displays --
0.5 GHz GPU frequency 0.35 GHz
24 Shaders 80
10.1 Direct X 11.1
32 nm Technology 22 nm
Intel HD Graphics (Westmere) GPU name Intel HD Graphics (Haswell GT1)
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

-- AI specifications --
-- AI hardware --
 
 

Hardware codec support

A photo or video codec that is accelerated in hardware can greatly accelerate the working speed of a processor and extend the battery life of notebooks or smartphones when playing videos.
No VP8 No
Decode AVC Decode / Encode
No JPEG Decode
No VP9 No
No VC-1 Decode
Decode h264 Decode / Encode
No h265 / HEVC (10 bit) No
No AV1 No
No h265 / HEVC (8 bit) No
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 16.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 21.0 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 32.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 21.3 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
Yes ECC Yes
pci PCIe pci
DDR3-1066, DDR3-1333 Memory type DDR3-1333
16.0 GB Max. Memory 32.0 GB
21.0 GB/s Bandwidth 21.3 GB/s
2 Memory channels 2
No AES-NI Yes
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 73 W watts.
TDP indicates the cooling solution needed to effectively manage the processor's heat. It generally provides an approximate indication of the actual power consumption of the CPU itself.
The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 54 W watts.
-- Tjunction max --
73 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 54 W
 
 

Technical details

The Intel Core i3-540 is manufactured using a 32 nm process.
A smaller manufacturing process indicates a more contemporary and energy-efficient CPU.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 4.0 MB cache.
A substantial cache can significantly enhance the processor's performance, particularly in scenarios like gaming.
The Intel Pentium G3240 is manufactured using a 14 nm process.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 3.0 MB cache.
SSE4.1, SSE4.2 ISA extensions SSE4.1, SSE4.2
Clarkdale Architecture Haswell S
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
x86-64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
117 $ Release price 54 $
VT-x, VT-x EPT Virtualization VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d
Q1/2010 Release date Q2/2014
512.0 KB L2-Cache 0 bytes
Windows 10, Linux Operating systems Windows 10, Linux
Monolithic Chip design Monolithic
LGA 1156 Socket LGA 1150
-- Part Number --
32 nm Technology 14 nm
4.0 MB L3-Cache 3.0 MB
 
 

Benchmarks

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Intel Pentium G3240
2C 2T @ 3.1 GHz
1302
1302
Intel Core i3-540
2C 4T @ 3.06 GHz
1141
1141

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

Intel Pentium G3240
2C 2T @ 3.1 GHz
1004
1004
Intel Core i3-540
2C 4T @ 3.06 GHz
952
952

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

Intel Pentium G3240
2C 2T @ 3.1 GHz
577
577
Intel Core i3-540
2C 4T @ 3.06 GHz
470
470