The Core i3-540 is the comparison's loser – it's a much slower gaming CPU than the Core i5-2500 and it's also a slightly worse value for money, as it's only $36.92 cheaper!
Advantages of the Core i3-540
- Up to 27% cheaper – $98.95 vs $135.87
- Consumes up to 23% less energy – 73 vs 95 Watts
Advantages of the Core i5-2500
- A much faster CPU for gaming
- A slightly better value for money for gaming
Core i3-540 vs Core i5-2500 for Gaming
The CPU's performance in selected game and settings
Core i3-540
Jan 7th, 2010
Average FPS
166
98%
Min 1% FPS
112
98%
Price, $
$98.95
100%
Value, $/FPS
$0.59/FPS
100%
Core i5-2500
Jan 9th, 2011
Average FPS
170
100%
Min 1% FPS
114
100%
Price, $
$135.87
72%
Value, $/FPS
$0.79/FPS
75%
Core i3-540 vs Core i5-2500 in My Games
The FPS you'll get in saved games, click on a game to change it
The FPS you'll get in saved games, click on a game to change it
Very High
1920x1080
Average FPS
Average FPS
High
1920x1080
+1
Average FPS
Average FPS
Best Looking
1920x1080
Average FPS
Average FPS
Ultra
1920x1080
+2
Average FPS
Average FPS
High
1920x1080
+3
Average FPS
Average FPS
Add a Game
Select Settings
Synthetic Benchmarks
The Core i3-540 vs Core i5-2500 in synthetic CPU benchmarks
Performance Specifications
The Core i3-540 vs Core i5-2500 in core CPU performance specifications
Core i3-540
Jan 7th, 2010
Cores
2-core
50%
L3 Cache
4 MB
67%
Base Frequency
3.07 GHz
93%
Turbo Frequency
GHz
Max. DDR3 RAM Speed
1333 MHz
100%
Core i5-2500
Jan 9th, 2011
Cores
4-core
100%
L3 Cache
6 MB
100%
Base Frequency
3.3 GHz
100%
Turbo Frequency
3.7 GHz
100%
Max. DDR3 RAM Speed
MHz
Specifications
Comparison of all specifications
Core i3-540 | SpecificationsComparison of all specifications | Core i5-2500 |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Jan 7th, 2010 | Release Date | Jan 9th, 2011 |
| $133.00 | MSRP | Not Available |
Desktop | Segment | Desktop |
| Intel Socket 1156 | Socket | Intel Socket 1155 |
| Clarkdale | Codename | Sandy Bridge |
73 W | Power Consumption | 95 W |
| Performance | ||
| 2 | Cores | 4 |
| 4 | Threads | 4 |
| 3.1 GHz | Base Frequency | 3.3 GHz |
| Non-Turbo | Turbo Frequency | 3.7 GHz |
| 4 MB | L3 Cache | 6 MB |
| Other Features | ||
| DDR3 @ 1333 MHz | RAM | DDR3 |
| Intel HD | Integrated Graphics | Intel HD 2000 |
| No | Overclockable | No |
