Buy on Amazon
$279.99
In Stock
AvailabilityMSRP in USD: $599
Availability
MSRP in USD: $599
AvailabilityMSRP in USD: $133
Availability
MSRP in USD: $133
Key Differences
In short — Core i9-12900K outperforms the cheaper Core i3-540 on the selected game parameters. We do not have the prices of both CPUs to compare value. The better performing Core i9-12900K is 4319 days newer than the cheaper Core i3-540.
Advantages of Intel Core i9-12900K
- Performs up to 4% better in Control than Core i3-540 - 207 vs 199 FPS
- Can execute more multi-threaded tasks simultaneously than Intel Core i3-540 - 24 vs 4 threads
Advantages of Intel Core i3-540
- Up to 65% cheaper than Core i9-12900K - $98.95 vs $279.99
- Consumes up to 42% less energy than Intel Core i9-12900K - 73 vs 125 Watts
Control
Resolution
1920 x 1080
Game Graphics
High
Intel Core i9-12900K Gaming Desktop Processor with Integrated Graphics and 16 (8P+8E) Cores up to 5.2 GHz Unlocked LGA1700 600 Series Chipset 125W
Buy for $279.99 on Amazon
In Stock
Updated 282 minutes ago
Intel Core i3 Processor i3-540 3.06GHz 4MB LGA1156 CPU BX80616I3540
Buy for $98.95 on Amazon
In Stock
Updated 282 minutes ago
TOP 5 Games
Resolution
1920 x 1080
Game Graphics
High
Core i9-12900K
Desktop • Nov 4th, 2021
Core i3-540
Desktop • Jan 7th, 2010
Geekbench 5 Benchmarks
Intel Core i9-12900K | vs | Intel Core i3-540 |
|---|---|---|
Nov 4th, 2021 | Release Date | Jan 7th, 2010 |
| Core i9 | Collection | Core i3 |
| Alder Lake | Codename | Clarkdale |
| Intel Socket 1700 | Socket | Intel Socket 1156 |
Desktop | Segment | Desktop |
16 | Cores | 2 |
24 | Threads | 4 |
3.2 GHz | Base Clock Speed | 3.1 GHz |
| 5.2 GHz | Turbo Clock Speed | Non-Turbo |
| 125 W | TDP | 73 W |
10 nm | Process Size | 32 nm |
32.0x | Multiplier | 23.0x |
| UHD Graphics 770 | Integrated Graphics | Intel HD |
Yes | Overclockable | No |
Builds Using Core i9-12900K or Core i3-540
Control, 1920 x 1080, High
157 FPS
$14.65/FPS
GeForce RTX 4070 Ti
Core i9-12900K
32 GB, N/A Storage
Buy on Amazon
$2,299.99
In Stock
61 FPS
$22.1/FPS
GeForce RTX 3050
Core i9-12900K
64 GB, 2 TB SSD
Buy on Amazon
$1,348
In Stock
143 FPS
$27.76/FPS
GeForce RTX 3090
Core i9-12900K
32 GB, 8 TB SSD + 1 TB HDD
Buy on Amazon
$3,969
In Stock
90 FPS
$15.32/FPS
GeForce RTX 4060
Core i9-12900K
64 GB, 2 TB SSD
Buy on Amazon
$1,379
In Stock
207 FPS
$17.39/FPS
GeForce RTX 4090
Core i9-12900K
16 GB, N/A Storage
Buy on Amazon
$3,599.99
In Stock
157 FPS
$15.27/FPS
GeForce RTX 4070 Ti
Core i9-12900K
32 GB, N/A Storage
Buy on Amazon
$2,396.8
In Stock
109 FPS
$11.28/FPS
GeForce RTX 3070
Core i9-12900K
16 GB, 1 TB SSD
Buy on Amazon
$1,229.99
In Stock
143 FPS
$20.08/FPS
GeForce RTX 3090
Core i9-12900K
32 GB, N/A Storage
Buy on Amazon
$2,870.99
In Stock
90 FPS
$17.66/FPS
GeForce RTX 4060
Core i9-12900K
64 GB, 2 TB SSD
Buy on Amazon
$1,589
In Stock
90 FPS
$15.32/FPS
GeForce RTX 4060
Core i9-12900K
32 GB, 1 TB SSD
Buy on Amazon
$1,379
In Stock
Similar CPU Comparisons
Select from the most popular similar processor comparisons. Most compared processor combinations, including the currently selected ones, are at the top.
