In Atomfall, the Core i3-540 is slower than the Core i5-12500. However, it's a better value for money, as it's $108 cheaper!
Core i3-540
- Up to 52% cheaper – $98.95 vs $206.97
- Up to 52% cheaper
- Up to 42% better value in Atomfall – $0.52 vs $0.89/FPS
- Up to 42% better value in Atomfall
Core i5-12500
- Up to 23% faster in Atomfall – 230 vs 187 FPS
- Up to 23% faster in Atomfall
- Is 11 years and 11 months newer – Jan 04, 2022 vs Jan 07, 2010
- Is 11 years and 11 months newer
- Consumes up to 11% less energy – 65 vs 73 Watts
- Consumes up to 11% less energy
Atomfall FPS Calculator
Core i3-540 vs Core i5-12500: Comparison of performance and price
Core i3-540
Jan 7th, 2010
Average FPS
187 FPS
81%
Min 1% FPS
140 FPS
81%
Price, $
$98.95
100%
Value, $/FPS
$0.52/FPS
100%
Core i5-12500
Jan 4th, 2022
Average FPS
230 FPS
100%
Min 1% FPS
173 FPS
100%
Price, $
$206.97
47%
Value, $/FPS
$0.89/FPS
58%
Synthetic Benchmarks
The Core i3-540 vs Core i5-12500 in synthetic CPU benchmarks
Performance Specifications
The Core i3-540 vs Core i5-12500 in core CPU performance specifications
Core i3-540
Jan 7th, 2010
Cores
2-core
33%
L3 Cache
4 MB
22%
Base Frequency
3.066 GHz
100%
Turbo Frequency
GHz
Max. DDR3 RAM Speed
1333 MHz
28%
Core i5-12500
Jan 4th, 2022
Cores
6-core
100%
L3 Cache
18 MB
100%
Base Frequency
3 GHz
98%
Turbo Frequency
4.6 GHz
100%
Max. DDR5 RAM Speed
4800 MHz
100%
Specifications
Comparison of core specifications
Core i3-540 Jan 7th, 2010 | SpecificationsComparison of core specifications | Core i5-12500 Jan 4th, 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Jan 7th, 2010 | Released | Jan 4th, 2022 |
$133.00 | MSRP | $212.00 |
Desktop | Segment | Desktop |
| LGA1156 | Socket | LGA1700 |
| 73 W | Power Consumption | 65 W |
| Other Features | ||
| 1333 MHz (DDR3) | RAM | 3200 MHz (DDR4), 4800 MHz (DDR5) |
| Intel HD | Integrated GPU | UHD Graphics 770 |
| Not Overclockable | Overclock Support | Not Overclockable |















































































































































