Celeron M 540 vs A10-7300

Celeron M 540

1 Cores1 Thrd1 WWMax: 1.86 GHz2007

A10-7300

4 Cores4 Thrd4 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2014

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Celeron M 540

1 / 1

1,744

+0.5%

1,736

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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 M 540 is positioned at rank 873 and the A10-7300 is on rank 1042, so the Celeron M 540 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Celeron M 540

#861

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1447%

#862

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1426%

#863

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1309%

#864

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1303%

#865

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1291%

#867

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1247%

#868

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1195%

#869

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1193%

#870

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1161%

#873

Celeron M 540

MSRP: $86|Avg: $20

100%

#877

Microsoft SQ1

MSRP: $300|Avg: $180

99%

#879

Core i5-6440HQ

MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A

99%

#883

Celeron Dual-Core T1600

MSRP: $150|Avg: $150

99%

#884

Athlon II N330

MSRP: $100|Avg: $50

99%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar A10-7300

#1030

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

2536%

#1031

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

2499%

#1032

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

2294%

#1033

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

2283%

#1034

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

2263%

#1036

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

2185%

#1037

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

2095%

#1038

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

2092%

#1039

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

2035%

#1042

A10-7300

MSRP: $150|Avg: $50

100%

#1043

Core i7-3612QE

MSRP: $426|Avg: $50

100%

#1044

Pentium Dual Core T4200

MSRP: $100|Avg: $10

99%

#1045

A6 Micro-6500T

MSRP: $100|Avg: $15

99%

#1046

Pentium N3520

MSRP: $100|Avg: $10

99%

#1047

E2-3800

MSRP: $100|Avg: $20

98%

#1048

Athlon X2 QL-66

MSRP: $150|Avg: $5

98%

#1049

Athlon II Neo K145

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

98%

#1050

Celeron P4600

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

97%

#1051

Core 2 Duo U7500

MSRP: $100|Avg: $10

96%

#1052

Pentium 987

MSRP: $134|Avg: $20

96%

#1053

Core i7-4910MQ

MSRP: $570|Avg: $570

96%

#1054

Pentium T4400

MSRP: $107|Avg: $5

95%

#1056

Athlon X2 QL-65

MSRP: $150|Avg: $22

94%

#1057

Pentium J2850

MSRP: $94|Avg: $94

93%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The A10-7300 (2014) utilizes 28 nm technology and DDR3, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Celeron M 540	A10-7300
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	✅ More affordable ($20)	⚠️ Higher cost ($50)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Merom (2006−2008) / 65 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Kaveri (2014−2015) / 28 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Celeron M 540 (2007) relies on 65 nm technology and older memory, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Celeron M 540	A10-7300
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+151%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($20)	⚠️ Higher cost ($50)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Celeron M 540 Benchmark Check

A10-7300 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Celeron M 540 and A10-7300

Celeron M 540

The Celeron M 540 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Merom (2006−2008) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 1.86 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,744 points. Launch price was $69.

A10-7300

The A10-7300 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Kaveri (2014−2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L2 cache: 4096 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FP3. Thermal design power (TDP): 4 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,736 points. Launch price was $130.

⚡

Processing Power

The Celeron M 540 packs 1 cores / 1 threads, while the A10-7300 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the A10-7300 has 3 more cores. Boost clocks reach 1.86 GHz on the Celeron M 540 versus 3.2 GHz on the A10-7300 — a 53% clock advantage for the A10-7300. The Celeron M 540 uses the Merom (2006−2008) architecture (65 nm), while the A10-7300 uses Kaveri (2014−2015) (28 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron M 540 scores 1,744 against the A10-7300's 1,736 — a 0.5% lead for the Celeron M 540.

Feature	Celeron M 540	A10-7300
Cores / Threads	1 / 1	4 / 4+300%
Boost Clock	1.86 GHz	3.2 GHz+72%
Base Clock	—	1.9 GHz
L2 Cache	1 MB	4096 kB+300%
Process	65 nm	28 nm-57%
Architecture	Merom (2006−2008)	Kaveri (2014−2015)
PassMark	1,744	1,736

🧠

Memory & Platform

Maximum memory speed reaches 667 on the Celeron M 540 versus DDR3-1600 on the A10-7300 — the Celeron M 540 supports 198.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The A10-7300 supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 4 — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Celeron M 540) vs 16 (A10-7300) — the A10-7300 offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: GL960,GM965 (Celeron M 540) and FP3 (A10-7300).

Feature	Celeron M 540	A10-7300
Socket	—	FP3
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 3.0+173%
Max RAM Speed	667+22133%	DDR3-1600
Max RAM Capacity	4	16 GB+419430300%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	❌	❌
PCIe Lanes	0	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: false (Celeron M 540) vs AMD-V (A10-7300). The A10-7300 includes integrated graphics (Radeon R6), while the Celeron M 540 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A10-7300 targets Laptop. Direct competitor: Celeron M 540 rivals Mobile Sempron 3600+; A10-7300 rivals Core i3-4010U.

Feature	Celeron M 540	A10-7300
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	None	Radeon R6
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	false	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Laptop

💰

Value Analysis

The Celeron M 540 launched at $86 MSRP, while the A10-7300 debuted at $150. At current prices ($20 vs $50), the Celeron M 540 is $30 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Celeron M 540 delivers 87.2 pts/$ vs 34.7 pts/$ for the A10-7300 — making the Celeron M 540 the 86.1% better value option.