Athlon Silver 3050e vs Core i7-3540M
Athlon Silver 3050e
Core i7-3540M
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 Silver 3050e is positioned at rank 699 and the Core i7-3540M is on rank 81, so the Core i7-3540M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon Silver 3050e
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-3540M
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon Silver 3050e | Core i7-3540M |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($60) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Dali (Zen) (2020) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon Silver 3050e | Core i7-3540M |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($60) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
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 Silver 3050e and Core i7-3540M
Athlon Silver 3050e
The Athlon Silver 3050e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Dali (Zen) (2020) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB + 4 MB. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,979 points. Launch price was $149.
Core i7-3540M
The Core i7-3540M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 January 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,984 points. Launch price was $349.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon Silver 3050e and Core i7-3540M share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Athlon Silver 3050e versus 3.7 GHz on the Core i7-3540M — a 27.7% clock advantage for the Core i7-3540M (base: 1.4 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Athlon Silver 3050e uses the Dali (Zen) (2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-3540M uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon Silver 3050e scores 2,979 against the Core i7-3540M's 2,984 — a 0.2% lead for the Core i7-3540M. L3 cache: 4 MB on the Athlon Silver 3050e vs 4 MB (total) on the Core i7-3540M.
| Feature | Athlon Silver 3050e | Core i7-3540M |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.8 GHz | 3.7 GHz+32% |
| Base Clock | 1.4 GHz | 3 GHz+114% |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB | 4 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+300% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-36% | 22 nm |
| Architecture | Dali (Zen) (2020) | Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) |
| PassMark | 2,979 | 2,984 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | 1,175 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 758 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 1,494 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon Silver 3050e uses the FP5 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-3540M uses PGA988 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 2400 on the Athlon Silver 3050e versus 1600 on the Core i7-3540M — the Athlon Silver 3050e supports 40% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 32 of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 8 (Athlon Silver 3050e) vs 16 (Core i7-3540M) — the Core i7-3540M offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Dalí (Athlon Silver 3050e) and HM75,HM76,HM77,QM77,QS77 (Core i7-3540M).
| Feature | Athlon Silver 3050e | Core i7-3540M |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FP5 | PGA988 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | 2400+50% | 1600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 | 32 |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 8 | 16+100% |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support true virtualization. Both include integrated graphics — Radeon Vega 3 (Athlon Silver 3050e) and Intel HD Graphics 4000 (Core i7-3540M) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i7-3540M rivals AMD A10-5750M.
| Feature | Athlon Silver 3050e | Core i7-3540M |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | Yes |
| IGPU Model | Radeon Vega 3 | Intel HD Graphics 4000 |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | true | true |
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