Atom Z3770 vs Celeron G540

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.

Atom Z3770 vs Celeron G540 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.

Atom Z3770 vs Celeron G540: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Atom Z3770

2013

Why buy it

✅+0.6% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 8W instead of 65W, a 57W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Celeron G540.

Celeron G540

2011

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Intel Stock), unlike Atom Z3770.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,182 vs 1,189).
❌Launch MSRP is still $42 MSRP, while Atom Z3770 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌712.5% higher power demand at 65W vs 8W.

Quick Answers

So, is Atom Z3770 better than Celeron G540?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Celeron G540 is ahead with a 1.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Atom Z3770 pulls ahead with 0.6% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Atom Z3770 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Atom Z3770 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Atom Z3770 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $42 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.6% better PassMark. Celeron G540 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2011 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (28.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA1155.

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

Atom Z3770 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2013 vs 2011) 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.

Atom Z3770 vs Celeron G540 Technical Specifications

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

Atom Z3770

The Atom Z3770 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 27 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Bay Trail-T (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.46 GHz, with boost up to 2.39 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: UTFCBGA1380. Thermal design power (TDP): 8 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,189 points. Launch price was $37.

Celeron G540

The Celeron G540 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 September 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,182 points. Launch price was $158.

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Processing Power

The Atom Z3770 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Celeron G540 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Atom Z3770 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.39 GHz on the Atom Z3770 versus 2.5 GHz on the Celeron G540 — a 4.5% clock advantage for the Celeron G540 (base: 1.46 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Atom Z3770 uses the Bay Trail-T (2013−2014) architecture (22 nm), while the Celeron G540 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Atom Z3770 scores 1,189 against the Celeron G540's 1,182 — a 0.6% lead for the Atom Z3770. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Atom Z3770 vs 2 MB (total) on the Celeron G540.

Feature	Atom Z3770	Celeron G540
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.39 GHz	2.5 GHz+5%
Base Clock	1.46 GHz	2.5 GHz+71%
L3 Cache	0 kB	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)+100%	256 kB (per core)
Process	22 nm-31%	32 nm
Architecture	Bay Trail-T (2013−2014)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	1,189	1,182
Geekbench 6 Single	—	384
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	655

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Memory & Platform

The Atom Z3770 uses the UTFCBGA1380 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Celeron G540 uses LGA1155 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches LPDDR3-1066 on the Atom Z3770 versus DDR3-1333 on the Celeron G540 — the Celeron G540 supports 25% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Celeron G540 supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 4 GB — 700% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Atom Z3770) vs 16 (Celeron G540) — the Celeron G540 offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel FC-UTBGA592 (Atom Z3770) and H61,H67,P67,Z68,B75,Z77 (Celeron G540).

Feature	Atom Z3770	Celeron G540
Socket	UTFCBGA1380	LGA1155
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	LPDDR3-1066	DDR3-1333+25%
Max RAM Capacity	4 GB	32 GB+700%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	0	16

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Atom Z3770) / VT-x (Celeron G540). Both include integrated graphics — Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail) (Atom Z3770) and Intel HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge) (Celeron G540) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron G540 targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Celeron G540 rivals Pentium G630.

Feature	Atom Z3770	Celeron G540
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail)	Intel HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge)
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	VT-x
Target Use	—	Desktop