Core i3-540 vs Core i5-4200Y

Core i3-540

2 Cores4 Thrd73 WWMax: 0.07 GHz2010

Core i5-4200Y

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 1.9 GHz2013

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i3-540

2 / 4

1,554

0.0%

1,558

+0.3%

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 Core i3-540 is positioned at rank 970 and the Core i5-4200Y is on rank 211, so the Core i5-4200Y 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 Core i3-540

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

26688%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

25217%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

18310%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

5516%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

4369%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

3822%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

2189%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

2161%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

1967%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

1967%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

1945%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

1893%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

1866%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

1859%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

1842%

#970

Core i3-540

MSRP: $133|Avg: $5

100%

#972

Phenom II X3 700e

MSRP: $125|Avg: $40

99%

#973

Core i5-760

MSRP: $230|Avg: $61

99%

#974

Core i3-7102E

MSRP: $225|Avg: $80

99%

#975

Core 2 Quad Q8400

MSRP: $183|Avg: $128

97%

#976

Pentium E2180

MSRP: $84|Avg: $15

96%

#977

Pentium Dual-Core E2180

MSRP: $84|Avg: $5

96%

#978

Pentium Dual-Core E2140

MSRP: $74|Avg: $5

94%

#979

E1-1500

MSRP: $60|Avg: $10

94%

#980

Core i7-960

MSRP: $309|Avg: $110

94%

#981

Core i5-2405S

MSRP: $309|Avg: $120

94%

#982

Celeron 420

MSRP: $39|Avg: $15

93%

#983

Athlon II X4 615e

MSRP: $186|Avg: $30

93%

#984

Athlon X2 BE-2350

MSRP: $90|Avg: $10

93%

#985

Core 2 Quad Q8300

MSRP: $179|Avg: $10

92%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-4200Y

#57

Ryzen AI 9 365

MSRP: $400|Avg: $400

97%

#199

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

377%

#200

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

371%

#201

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

341%

#202

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

339%

#203

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

336%

#205

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

325%

#206

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

311%

#207

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

311%

#208

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

302%

#211

Core i5-4200Y

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i5-4200Y delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i3-540 in both compute-intensive tasks (0.3% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i3-540	Core i5-4200Y
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($5)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Clarkdale (2010−2011) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i3-540	Core i5-4200Y
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($5)	✅ More affordable ($0)

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.

Core i3-540 Benchmark Check

Core i5-4200Y Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-540 and Core i5-4200Y

Core i3-540

The Core i3-540 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Clarkdale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.06 GHz, with boost up to 0.07 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1156. Thermal design power (TDP): 73 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,554 points. Launch price was $45.

Core i5-4200Y

The Core i5-4200Y is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 June 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.4 GHz, with boost up to 1.9 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 11.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,558 points. Launch price was $297.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i3-540 and Core i5-4200Y share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 0.07 GHz on the Core i3-540 versus 1.9 GHz on the Core i5-4200Y — a 185.8% clock advantage for the Core i5-4200Y (base: 3.06 GHz vs 1.4 GHz). The Core i3-540 uses the Clarkdale (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i5-4200Y uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-540 scores 1,554 against the Core i5-4200Y's 1,558 — a 0.3% lead for the Core i5-4200Y. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Core i3-540 vs 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-4200Y.

Feature	Core i3-540	Core i5-4200Y
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	0.07 GHz	1.9 GHz+2614%
Base Clock	3.06 GHz+119%	1.4 GHz
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)+33%	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	32 nm	22 nm-31%
Architecture	Clarkdale (2010−2011)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	1,554	1,558
Geekbench 6 Single	—	574

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-540 uses the LGA1156 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i5-4200Y uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i3-540	Core i5-4200Y
Socket	LGA1156	FCBGA1168
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR3L-1600
Max RAM Capacity	—	16 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	12

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i3-540) / VT-x, EPT (Core i5-4200Y). The Core i5-4200Y includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 4200), while the Core i3-540 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-4200Y targets Tablet/2-in-1. Direct competitor: Core i5-4200Y rivals A4-5150M.