Celeron M 540 vs Athlon X2 L310
Celeron M 540
Athlon X2 L310
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 M 540 is positioned at rank 873 and the Athlon X2 L310 is on rank 933, so the Celeron M 540 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Celeron M 540
Performance Per Dollar Athlon X2 L310
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Celeron M 540 | Athlon X2 L310 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Merom (2006−2008) / 65 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Conesus (2009) / 65 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Celeron M 540 | Athlon X2 L310 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+0%) |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
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 M 540 and Athlon X2 L310
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.
Athlon X2 L310
The Athlon X2 L310 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Conesus (2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 1.2 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,747 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Celeron M 540 packs 1 cores / 1 threads, while the Athlon X2 L310 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Athlon X2 L310 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 1.86 GHz on the Celeron M 540 versus 1.2 GHz on the Athlon X2 L310 — a 43.1% clock advantage for the Celeron M 540. The Celeron M 540 uses the Merom (2006−2008) architecture (65 nm), while the Athlon X2 L310 uses Conesus (2009) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron M 540 scores 1,744 against the Athlon X2 L310's 1,747 — a 0.2% lead for the Athlon X2 L310.
| Feature | Celeron M 540 | Athlon X2 L310 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 1 / 1 | 2 / 2+100% |
| Boost Clock | 1.86 GHz+55% | 1.2 GHz |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB | 1 MB |
| Process | 65 nm | 65 nm |
| Architecture | Merom (2006−2008) | Conesus (2009) |
| PassMark | 1,744 | 1,747 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 120 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 213 |
Memory & Platform
Maximum memory speed reaches 667 on the Celeron M 540 versus DDR2-667 on the Athlon X2 L310 — the Celeron M 540 supports 198.8% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 4 of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 0 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: GL960,GM965 (Celeron M 540) and Socket S1 (Athlon X2 L310).
| Feature | Celeron M 540 | Athlon X2 L310 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | — | S1 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | 667+33250% | DDR2-667 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 4 | 4 GB+104857500% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | 0 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: false (Celeron M 540) vs Yes (Athlon X2 L310). Primary use case: Athlon X2 L310 targets Mobile. Direct competitor: Celeron M 540 rivals Mobile Sempron 3600+.
| Feature | Celeron M 540 | Athlon X2 L310 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| IGPU Model | None | — |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | false | Yes |
| Target Use | — | Mobile |
Value Analysis
The Celeron M 540 launched at $86 MSRP, while the Athlon X2 L310 debuted at $100. At current prices ($20 vs $20), the Athlon X2 L310 is $0 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Celeron M 540 delivers 87.2 pts/$ vs 87.3 pts/$ for the Athlon X2 L310 — making the Athlon X2 L310 the 0.2% better value option.
| Feature | Celeron M 540 | Athlon X2 L310 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $86-14% | $100 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $20 | $20 |
| Performance per Dollar | 87.2 | 87.3 |
| Release Date | 2007 | 2009 |
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