Athlon II P320 vs Core i5-540M

Athlon II P320 vs Core i5-540M Performance Spectrum

Athlon II P320

2 / 2

1,776

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i5-540M

2 / 4

1,796

+1.1%

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 P320 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 P320 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 P320

2010

Why buy it

✅Draws 1W instead of 35W, a 34W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (189 vs 300).
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (308 vs 700).
❌Launch MSRP is still $50 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

✅+58.7% 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 P320 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌3400% higher power demand at 35W vs 1W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-540M better than Athlon II P320?

Yes. Core i5-540M is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 0.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 127.3% better Geekbench multi-core, 1.1% higher 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, Core i5-540M is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 0.2% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-540M is the stronger fit. You are getting 127.3% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Core i5-540M is still the much better call for a fresh build. Core i5-540M comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $50 MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Athlon II P320 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2010 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (35.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on S1g4.

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 more multi-core headroom with 2 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 II P320 vs Core i5-540M Technical Specifications

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

Athlon II P320

The Athlon II P320 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.1 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1g4. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,776 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 P320 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i5-540M's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.1 GHz on the Athlon II P320 versus 3.07 GHz on the Core i5-540M — a 37.5% clock advantage for the Core i5-540M. The Athlon II P320 uses the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i5-540M uses Arrandale (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II P320 scores 1,776 against the Core i5-540M's 1,796 — a 1.1% lead for the Core i5-540M. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 189 vs 300, a 45.4% lead for the Core i5-540M that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 308 vs 700 (77.8% advantage for the Core i5-540M).

Feature	Athlon II P320	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	Champlain (2010−2011)	Arrandale (2010−2011)
PassMark	1,776	1,796+1%
Geekbench 6 Single	189	300+59%
Geekbench 6 Multi	308	700+127%

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II P320 uses the S1g4 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i5-540M uses PGA988 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1066 memory speed. Both support up to 8 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II P320) vs 16 (Core i5-540M) — the Core i5-540M offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: M880G (Athlon II P320) and HM55,QM57,HM57,QS57,PM55 (Core i5-540M).

Feature	Athlon II P320	Core i5-540M
Socket	S1g4	PGA988
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1066	DDR3-1066
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	8 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	0	16

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Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon II P320) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-540M). The Core i5-540M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics), while the Athlon II P320 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon II P320 targets Laptop, Core i5-540M targets Mainstream Laptop. Direct competitor: Athlon II P320 rivals Pentium P6000; Core i5-540M rivals AMD Turion II Ultra M660.