The Core i7-870 is a clear winner – it's a faster gaming CPU than the Core i3-540 and it's also a much better value for money, as it's $61.06 cheaper!
Advantages of the Core i7-870
- A faster CPU for gaming
- Up to 62% cheaper – $37.89 vs $98.95
- A much better value for money for gaming
- Can execute more multi-threaded tasks simultaneously – 8 vs 4 threads
Advantages of the Core i3-540
- Consumes up to 23% less energy – 73 vs 95 Watts
- Can run games without a dedicated GPU as it has integrated graphics
Core i7-870 vs Core i3-540 for Gaming
The CPU's performance in selected game and settings
Core i7-870
Sep 8th, 2009
Average FPS
167
100%
Min 1% FPS
113
100%
Price, $
$37.89
100%
Value, $/FPS
$0.22/FPS
100%
Core i7-870 vs Core i3-540 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
Select Settings
Synthetic Benchmarks
The Core i7-870 vs Core i3-540 in synthetic CPU benchmarks
Performance Specifications
The Core i7-870 vs Core i3-540 in core CPU performance specifications
Core i7-870
Sep 8th, 2009
Cores
4-core
100%
L3 Cache
8 MB
100%
Base Frequency
2.93 GHz
95%
Turbo Frequency
3.6 GHz
100%
Max. DDR3 RAM Speed
MHz
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%
Specifications
Comparison of all specifications
Core i7-870 | SpecificationsComparison of all specifications | Core i3-540 |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Sep 8th, 2009 | Release Date | Jan 7th, 2010 |
| Not Available | MSRP | $133.00 |
Desktop | Segment | Desktop |
| Intel Socket 1156 | Socket | Intel Socket 1156 |
| Lynnfield | Codename | Clarkdale |
| 95 W | Power Consumption | 73 W |
| Performance | ||
4 | Cores | 2 |
8 | Threads | 4 |
| 2.9 GHz | Base Frequency | 3.1 GHz |
| 3.6 GHz | Turbo Frequency | Non-Turbo |
8 MB | L3 Cache | 4 MB |
| Other Features | ||
| DDR3 | RAM | DDR3 @ 1333 MHz |
| No | Integrated Graphics | Intel HD |
| No | Overclockable | No |
