The Core i3-540 is a slower gaming CPU than the Core i7-990X, however, it's a better value for money, as it's $69.32 cheaper!
Advantages of the Core i3-540
- Up to 39% cheaper – $108.70 vs $178.02
- 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 i7-990X
- A much faster CPU for gaming
- Can execute more multi-threaded tasks simultaneously – 12 vs 4 threads
Core i3-540 vs Core i7-990X for Gaming
The CPU's performance in selected game and settings
Core i3-540
Jan 7th, 2010
Average FPS
186
98%
Min 1% FPS
132
99%
Price, $
$108.7
100%
Value, $/FPS
$0.58/FPS
100%
Core i7-990X
Feb 24th, 2011
Average FPS
189
100%
Min 1% FPS
133
100%
Price, $
$178.02
61%
Value, $/FPS
$0.94/FPS
62%
Core i3-540 vs Core i7-990X 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
Add a Game
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Synthetic Benchmarks
The Core i3-540 vs Core i7-990X in synthetic CPU benchmarks
Performance Specifications
The Core i3-540 vs Core i7-990X in core CPU performance specifications
Core i3-540
Jan 7th, 2010
Cores
2-core
33%
L3 Cache
4 MB
33%
Base Frequency
3.066 GHz
88%
Turbo Frequency
GHz
Max. DDR3 RAM Speed
1333 MHz
100%
Core i7-990X
Feb 24th, 2011
Cores
6-core
100%
L3 Cache
12 MB
100%
Base Frequency
3.466 GHz
100%
Turbo Frequency
3.733 GHz
100%
Max. DDR3 RAM Speed
MHz
Specifications
Comparison of all specifications
Core i3-540 | SpecificationsComparison of all specifications | Core i7-990X |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Jan 7th, 2010 | Release Date | Feb 24th, 2011 |
| $133.00 | MSRP | Not Available |
Desktop | Segment | Desktop |
| Intel Socket 1156 | Socket | Intel Socket 1366 |
| Clarkdale | Codename | Gulftown |
73 W | Power Consumption | 130 W |
| Performance | ||
| 2 | Cores | 6 |
| 4 | Threads | 12 |
| 3.1 GHz | Base Frequency | 3.5 GHz |
| Non-Turbo | Turbo Frequency | 3.7 GHz |
| 4 MB | L3 Cache | 12 MB |
| Other Features | ||
| DDR3 @ 1333 MHz | RAM | DDR3 |
Intel HD | Integrated Graphics | No |
| No | Overclockable | Yes |
