Celeron G540T vs Athlon II M340
Celeron G540T
Athlon II M340
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 Celeron G540T is positioned at rank 639 and the Athlon II M340 is on rank 1001, so the Celeron G540T offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Celeron G540T
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II M340
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Celeron G540T | Athlon II M340 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($42) | ✅ More affordable ($15) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Caspian (2009) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Celeron G540T | Athlon II M340 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+175%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($42) | ✅ More affordable ($15) |
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 Celeron G540T and Athlon II M340
Celeron G540T
The Celeron G540T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.1 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,137 points. Launch price was $69.
Athlon II M340
The Athlon II M340 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: 2.2 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: 1,115 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
Both the Celeron G540T and Athlon II M340 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.1 GHz on the Celeron G540T versus 2.2 GHz on the Athlon II M340 — a 4.7% clock advantage for the Athlon II M340. The Celeron G540T uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Athlon II M340 uses Caspian (2009) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron G540T scores 1,137 against the Athlon II M340's 1,115 — a 2% lead for the Celeron G540T. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 384 vs 858, a 76.3% lead for the Athlon II M340 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 655 vs 1,500 (78.4% advantage for the Athlon II M340).
| Feature | Celeron G540T | Athlon II M340 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.1 GHz | 2.2 GHz+5% |
| Base Clock | 2.1 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB (total) | — |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 1 MB+300% |
| Process | 32 nm-29% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) | Caspian (2009) |
| PassMark | 1,137+2% | 1,115 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 384 | 858+123% |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 655 | 1,500+129% |
Memory & Platform
The Celeron G540T uses the LGA1155 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon II M340 uses S1g3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1333 on the Celeron G540T versus DDR2-800 on the Athlon II M340 — the Celeron G540T supports 40% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Celeron G540T supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Celeron G540T) vs 0 (Athlon II M340) — the Celeron G540T offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H61,H67,P67,Z68,B75,Z77 (Celeron G540T) and RS880M (Athlon II M340).
| Feature | Celeron G540T | Athlon II M340 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1155 | S1g3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333+50% | DDR2-800 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB+300% | 8 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | 0 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x (Celeron G540T) vs AMD-V (Athlon II M340). The Celeron G540T includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge)), while the Athlon II M340 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron G540T targets Desktop, Athlon II M340 targets Laptop. Direct competitor: Celeron G540T rivals Pentium G630T.
| Feature | Celeron G540T | Athlon II M340 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | No |
| IGPU Model | Intel HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge) | — |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | VT-x | AMD-V |
| Target Use | Desktop | Laptop |
Value Analysis
The Celeron G540T launched at $42 MSRP, while the Athlon II M340 debuted at $80. At current prices ($42 vs $15), the Athlon II M340 is $27 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Celeron G540T delivers 27.1 pts/$ vs 74.3 pts/$ for the Athlon II M340 — making the Athlon II M340 the 93.2% better value option.
| Feature | Celeron G540T | Athlon II M340 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $42-48% | $80 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $42 | $15-64% |
| Performance per Dollar | 27.1 | 74.3+174% |
| Release Date | 2011 | 2009 |
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