CPU
GPU
Athlon 64 FX-60
Pentium N3540
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Athlon 64 FX-60 is positioned at rank 1119 and the Pentium N3540 is on rank 1149, so the Athlon 64 FX-60 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon 64 FX-60
Performance Per Dollar Pentium N3540
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon 64 FX-60 | Pentium N3540 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($1,000) | ✅ More affordable ($161) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Toledo (2006) / 90 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon 64 FX-60 | Pentium N3540 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+522%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($1,000) | ✅ More affordable ($161) |
Performance Check
To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.
Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Athlon 64 FX-60 and Pentium N3540
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 | — |
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 | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | — |
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 | — |
Value Analysis
The Athlon 64 FX-60 launched at $1031 MSRP, while the Pentium N3540 debuted at $161. At current prices ($1000 vs $161), the Pentium N3540 is $839 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon 64 FX-60 delivers 1.2 pts/$ vs 7.5 pts/$ for the Pentium N3540 — making the Pentium N3540 the 144.6% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon 64 FX-60 | Pentium N3540 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $1031 | $161-84% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $1000 | $161-84% |
| Performance per Dollar | 1.2 | 7.5+525% |
| Release Date | 2006 | 2014 |
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