The Core i3-540 is a slightly slower gaming CPU than the Core i7-930, however, it's a better value for money, as it's $49.77 cheaper!
Advantages of the Core i3-540
- Up to 33% cheaper – $98.95 vs $148.72
- A better value for money for gaming
- Consumes up to 44% less energy – 73 vs 130 Watts
- Can run games without a dedicated GPU as it has integrated graphics
Advantages of the Core i7-930
- A slightly faster CPU for gaming
- Can execute more multi-threaded tasks simultaneously – 8 vs 4 threads
Core i3-540 vs Core i7-930 for Gaming
The CPU's performance in selected game and settings
Core i3-540
Jan 7th, 2010
Average FPS
166
100%
Min 1% FPS
112
100%
Price, $
$98.95
100%
Value, $/FPS
$0.59/FPS
100%
Core i7-930
Feb 28th, 2010
Average FPS
166
100%
Min 1% FPS
112
100%
Price, $
$148.72
66%
Value, $/FPS
$0.89/FPS
66%
Core i3-540 vs Core i7-930 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
+2
Average FPS
Average FPS
Ultra
1920x1080
+2
Average FPS
Average FPS
High
1920x1080
+3
Average FPS
Average FPS
Very High
1920x1080
Average FPS
Average FPS
Extreme
1920x1080
+1
Average FPS
Average FPS
Add a Game
Select Settings
Synthetic Benchmarks
The Core i3-540 vs Core i7-930 in synthetic CPU benchmarks
Performance Specifications
The Core i3-540 vs Core i7-930 in core CPU performance specifications
Core i3-540
Jan 7th, 2010
Cores
2-core
50%
L3 Cache
4 MB
50%
Base Frequency
3.07 GHz
100%
Turbo Frequency
GHz
Max. DDR3 RAM Speed
1333 MHz
100%
Core i7-930
Feb 28th, 2010
Cores
4-core
100%
L3 Cache
8 MB
100%
Base Frequency
2.8 GHz
91%
Turbo Frequency
3.06 GHz
100%
Max. DDR3 RAM Speed
MHz
Specifications
Comparison of all specifications
Core i3-540 | SpecificationsComparison of all specifications | Core i7-930 |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Jan 7th, 2010 | Release Date | Feb 28th, 2010 |
| $133.00 | MSRP | Not Available |
Desktop | Segment | Desktop |
| Intel Socket 1156 | Socket | Intel Socket 1366 |
| Clarkdale | Codename | Bloomfield |
73 W | Power Consumption | 130 W |
| Performance | ||
| 2 | Cores | 4 |
| 4 | Threads | 8 |
3.1 GHz | Base Frequency | 2.8 GHz |
| Non-Turbo | Turbo Frequency | 3.1 GHz |
| 4 MB | L3 Cache | 8 MB |
| Other Features | ||
| DDR3 @ 1333 MHz | RAM | DDR3 |
Intel HD | Integrated Graphics | No |
| No | Overclockable | No |
