Key Differences
In short — Core i7-2600K outperforms the cheaper Core i3-540 on the selected game parameters. However, the worse performing Core i3-540 is a better bang for your buck. The better performing Core i7-2600K is 367 days newer than the cheaper Core i3-540.
Advantages of Intel Core i3-540
- Up to 29% cheaper than Core i7-2600K - $60.0 vs $85.0
- Up to 30% better value when playing Metro Exodus than Core i7-2600K - $0.43 vs $0.61 per FPS
- Consumes up to 23% less energy than Intel Core i7-2600K - 73 vs 95 Watts
Advantages of Intel Core i7-2600K
- Performs up to 1% better in Metro Exodus than Core i3-540 - 140 vs 139 FPS
- Can execute more multi-threaded tasks simultaneously than Intel Core i3-540 - 8 vs 4 threads
Metro Exodus
Resolution
1920 x 1080
Game Graphics
Extreme
Buy for $60 on Amazon
In Stock
Updated 3991 minutes ago
Buy for $85 on Amazon
In Stock
Updated 3991 minutes ago
TOP 5 Games
Resolution
1920 x 1080
Game Graphics
Extreme
Desktop • Jan 7th, 2010
Desktop • Jan 9th, 2011
Geekbench 5 Benchmarks
Intel Core i3-540 | vs | Intel Core i7-2600K |
---|---|---|
Jan 7th, 2010 | Release Date | Jan 9th, 2011 |
Core i3 | Collection | Core i7 |
Clarkdale | Codename | Sandy Bridge |
Intel Socket 1156 | Socket | Intel Socket 1155 |
Desktop | Segment | Desktop |
2 | Cores | 4 |
4 | Threads | 8 |
3.1 GHz | Base Clock Speed | 3.4 GHz |
Non-Turbo | Turbo Clock Speed | 3.8 GHz |
73 W | TDP | 95 W |
32 nm | Process Size | 32 nm |
23.0x | Multiplier | 34.0x |
Intel HD | Integrated Graphics | Intel HD 3000 |
No | Overclockable | Yes |