Athlon 64 FX-60 vs Pentium N3540

Athlon 64 FX-60 vs Pentium N3540 Performance Spectrum

Athlon 64 FX-60

2 / 2

1,205

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium N3540

4 / 4

1,207

+0.2%

Celeron 1047UE

Celeron 877

Pentium Dual-Core E2180

About PassMark

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Athlon 64 FX-60 vs Pentium N3540 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Athlon 64 FX-60 vs Pentium N3540: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Athlon 64 FX-60

2006

Why buy it

✅Includes a boxed cooler (Stock Cooler), unlike Pentium N3540.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,205 vs 1,207).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 1.2 vs 7.5 PassMark/$ ($1,031 MSRP vs $161 MSRP).
❌5400% higher power demand at 110W vs 2W.

Pentium N3540

2014

Why buy it

✅Costs $870 less on MSRP ($161 MSRP vs $1,031 MSRP).
✅Delivers 541.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 7.5 vs 1.2 PassMark/$ ($161 MSRP vs $1,031 MSRP).
✅Draws 2W instead of 110W, a 108W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon 64 FX-60.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium N3540 better than Athlon 64 FX-60?

Yes. Pentium N3540 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 2.0% average FPS lead across 48 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.2% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Pentium N3540 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 2.0% more average FPS across 48 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium N3540 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Pentium N3540 is the better buy right now. Pentium N3540 comes in $870 cheaper on MSRP at $161 MSRP versus $1,031 MSRP, and it still gives you a 2.0% average FPS lead across 48 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 541.4% better value on MSRP (7.5 vs 1.2 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Pentium N3540 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2014 vs 2006) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon 64 FX-60 vs Pentium N3540 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Athlon 64 FX-60

The Athlon 64 FX-60 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Toledo (2006) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 90 nm process technology. Socket: 939. Thermal design power (TDP): 110 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,205 points. Launch price was $149.

Pentium N3540

The Pentium N3540 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 22 May 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.16 GHz, with boost up to 2.66 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1170. Thermal design power (TDP): 7.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3L-1333. Passmark benchmark score: 1,207 points. Launch price was $251.

⚡

Processing Power

The Athlon 64 FX-60 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Pentium N3540 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Pentium N3540 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Athlon 64 FX-60 versus 2.66 GHz on the Pentium N3540 — a 2.3% clock advantage for the Pentium N3540. The Athlon 64 FX-60 uses the Toledo (2006) architecture (90 nm), while the Pentium N3540 uses Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 64 FX-60 scores 1,205 against the Pentium N3540's 1,207 — a 0.2% lead for the Pentium N3540. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon 64 FX-60 vs 2 MB L2 Cache on the Pentium N3540.

Feature	Athlon 64 FX-60	Pentium N3540
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	2.6 GHz	2.66 GHz+2%
Base Clock	—	2.16 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	2 MB L2 Cache
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB
Process	90 nm	22 nm-76%
Architecture	Toledo (2006)	Bay Trail-M (2013−2014)
PassMark	1,205	1,207
Geekbench 6 Single	250	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	480	—

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon 64 FX-60 uses the 939 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium N3540 uses FCBGA1170 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon 64 FX-60	Pentium N3540
Socket	939	FCBGA1170
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 2.0+82%
Max RAM Speed	DDR-400	—
Max RAM Capacity	4 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	0	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: None (Athlon 64 FX-60) / not specified (Pentium N3540). Primary use case: Athlon 64 FX-60 targets Gaming/Enthusiast.

Feature	Athlon 64 FX-60	Pentium N3540
Integrated GPU	No	—
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	None	—
Target Use	Gaming/Enthusiast	—

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Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon 64 FX-60 was priced at $1031, while the Pentium N3540 came in at $161. On launch pricing ($1031 vs $161), Pentium N3540 was $870 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon 64 FX-60 delivers 1.2 pts/$ vs 7.5 pts/$ for the Pentium N3540 — making the Pentium N3540 the 146.1% better value option.

Feature	Athlon 64 FX-60	Pentium N3540
MSRP	$1031	$161-84%
Performance per Dollar	1.2	7.5+525%
Release Date	2006	2014

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