Athlon II M320 vs Core i5-540M

Athlon II M320 vs Core i5-540M Performance Spectrum

Athlon II M320

2 / 2

1,795

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i5-540M

2 / 4

1,796

+0.1%

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 II M320 vs Core i5-540M 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 II M320 vs Core i5-540M: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Athlon II M320

2009

Why buy it

✅+179.3% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅Draws 1W instead of 35W, a 34W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (188 vs 300).
❌Launch MSRP is still $75 MSRP, while Core i5-540M mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-540M can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-540M

2010

Why buy it

✅+59.6% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel HD Graphics, while Athlon II M320 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (700 vs 1,955).
❌3400% higher power demand at 35W vs 1W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II M320 better than Core i5-540M?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i5-540M is ahead with a 1.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II M320 pulls ahead with 179.3% better Geekbench multi-core.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II M320 is the stronger fit. You are getting 179.3% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Athlon II M320 is the better buy right now. Athlon II M320 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $75 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 179.3% better Geekbench multi-core. The compromise is that Core i5-540M is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 1.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (23.9 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Core i5-540M makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2010 vs 2009). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon II M320 vs Core i5-540M Technical Specifications

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

Athlon II M320

The Athlon II M320 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Caspian (2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.1 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1g3. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Memory support: DDR2. Passmark benchmark score: 1,795 points. Launch price was $149.

Core i5-540M

The Core i5-540M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.53 GHz, with boost up to 3.07 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,796 points. Launch price was $257.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II M320 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i5-540M's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.1 GHz on the Athlon II M320 versus 3.07 GHz on the Core i5-540M — a 37.5% clock advantage for the Core i5-540M. The Athlon II M320 uses the Caspian (2009) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i5-540M uses Arrandale (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II M320 scores 1,795 against the Core i5-540M's 1,796 — a 0.1% lead for the Core i5-540M. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 188 vs 300, a 45.9% lead for the Core i5-540M that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 1,955 vs 700 (94.5% advantage for the Athlon II M320).

Feature	Athlon II M320	Core i5-540M
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.1 GHz	3.07 GHz+46%
Base Clock	—	2.53 GHz
L3 Cache	—	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB	256K (per core)+25500%
Process	45 nm	32 nm-29%
Architecture	Caspian (2009)	Arrandale (2010−2011)
PassMark	1,795	1,796
Geekbench 6 Single	188	300+60%
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,955+179%	700

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II M320 uses the S1g3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i5-540M uses PGA988 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR2-800 on the Athlon II M320 versus DDR3-1066 on the Core i5-540M — the Core i5-540M supports 33.3% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 8 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II M320) vs 16 (Core i5-540M) — the Core i5-540M offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Socket S1g3 (Athlon II M320) and HM55,QM57,HM57,QS57,PM55 (Core i5-540M).

Feature	Athlon II M320	Core i5-540M
Socket	S1g3	PGA988
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR2-800	DDR3-1066+33%
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	8 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	0	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon II M320) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-540M). The Core i5-540M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics), while the Athlon II M320 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon II M320 targets Legacy Laptop, Core i5-540M targets Mainstream Laptop. Direct competitor: Athlon II M320 rivals Core 2 Duo T6400; Core i5-540M rivals AMD Turion II Ultra M660.