Core i5-2540M vs Pentium Gold 5405U

CPU

GPU

Core i5-2540M

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 3.3 GHz2011

Pentium Gold 5405U

2 Cores4 Thrd15 WWMax: 2.3 GHz2019

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-2540M

2 / 4

2,356

0.0%

2,357

0.0%

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 i5-2540M is positioned at rank 8 and the Pentium Gold 5405U is on rank 476, so the Core i5-2540M 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 i5-2540M

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

112%

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

110%

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

101%

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

101%

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

100%

#10

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

97%

#11

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

93%

#12

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

92%

#13

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

90%

#17

Core i3-350M

MSRP: $130|Avg: $10

83%

#18

Atom x5-E8000

MSRP: $18|Avg: N/A

82%

#19

Core 2 Duo T5900

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $5

81%

#22

Core i3-3130M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

73%

#23

Core 2 Duo T5550

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $5

70%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Pentium Gold 5405U

#464

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

622%

#465

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

613%

#466

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

563%

#467

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

560%

#468

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

555%

#470

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

536%

#471

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

514%

#472

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

513%

#473

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

500%

#476

Pentium Gold 5405U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#488

Processor U300

MSRP: $193|Avg: $180

98%

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 Pentium Gold 5405U (2019) utilizes 14 nm technology and DDR3, DDR4, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Core i5-2540M	Pentium Gold 5405U
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($10)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)	✨ Modern (Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i5-2540M (2011) relies on 32 nm technology and DDR3, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Core i5-2540M	Pentium Gold 5405U
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($10)	✅ 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 i5-2540M Benchmark Check

Pentium Gold 5405U Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-2540M and Pentium Gold 5405U

Core i5-2540M

The Core i5-2540M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 February 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,356 points. Launch price was $266.

Pentium Gold 5405U

The Pentium Gold 5405U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 January 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 2.3 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,357 points. Launch price was $161.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-2540M and Pentium Gold 5405U share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.3 GHz on the Core i5-2540M versus 2.3 GHz on the Pentium Gold 5405U — a 35.7% clock advantage for the Core i5-2540M (base: 2.6 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Core i5-2540M uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Pentium Gold 5405U uses Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-2540M scores 2,356 against the Pentium Gold 5405U's 2,357 — a 0% lead for the Pentium Gold 5405U. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-2540M vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium Gold 5405U.

Feature	Core i5-2540M	Pentium Gold 5405U
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.3 GHz+43%	2.3 GHz
Base Clock	2.6 GHz+13%	2.3 GHz
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)+50%	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256 kB (per core)
Process	32 nm	14 nm-56%
Architecture	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)	Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019)
PassMark	2,356	2,357

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-2540M uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium Gold 5405U uses FCBGA1528 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-2540M	Pentium Gold 5405U
Socket	PGA988	FCBGA1528
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	1333	—
Max RAM Capacity	16	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (Core i5-2540M) / not specified (Pentium Gold 5405U). The Core i5-2540M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 3000), while the Pentium Gold 5405U requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i5-2540M rivals Phenom II Black Edition N660.