Core i5-4300M vs Core i7-3540M

Core i5-4300M

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 3.3 GHz2013

Core i7-3540M

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2013

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-4300M

2 / 4

2,960

0.0%

2,984

+0.8%

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 i5-4300M is positioned at rank 1017 and the Core i7-3540M is on rank 81, so the Core i7-3540M 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 i5-4300M

#1005

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

2250%

#1006

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

2217%

#1007

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

2035%

#1008

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

2026%

#1009

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

2008%

#1011

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1939%

#1012

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1859%

#1013

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1856%

#1014

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1806%

#1017

Core i5-4300M

MSRP: $227|Avg: N/A

100%

#1018

Celeron 1005M

MSRP: $86|Avg: N/A

100%

#1019

Athlon 64 X2 TK-42

MSRP: $60|Avg: $10

99%

#1020

Athlon Neo MV-40

MSRP: $100|Avg: $5

98%

#1021

Core i7-4860EQ

MSRP: $434|Avg: $80

97%

#1022

Pentium SU2700

MSRP: $100|Avg: $10

97%

#1023

A4-1250

MSRP: $100|Avg: $30

96%

#1025

Core i5-4200M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

96%

#1026

Celeron 1000M

MSRP: $86|Avg: N/A

95%

#1028

Celeron B840

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

95%

#1029

Celeron M 743

MSRP: $107|Avg: $15

95%

#1030

Core i7-3612QM

MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A

95%

#1031

Pentium 967

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

94%

#1032

Core i5-4400E

MSRP: $266|Avg: $50

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-3540M

#69

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

246%

#70

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

242%

#71

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

222%

#72

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

221%

#73

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

219%

#75

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

212%

#76

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

203%

#77

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

203%

#78

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

197%

#81

Core i7-3540M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#88

Core 2 Duo T7500

MSRP: $316|Avg: $5

97%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i7-3540M delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i5-4300M in both compute-intensive tasks (0.8% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i5-4300M	Core i7-3540M
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($227)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i5-4300M	Core i7-3540M
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($227)	✅ 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 i5-4300M Benchmark Check

Core i7-3540M Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-4300M and Core i7-3540M

Core i5-4300M

The Core i5-4300M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) 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 22 nm process technology. Socket: PGA946. Thermal design power (TDP): 37 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,960 points. Launch price was $227.

Core i7-3540M

The Core i7-3540M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 January 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,984 points. Launch price was $349.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-4300M and Core i7-3540M share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.3 GHz on the Core i5-4300M versus 3.7 GHz on the Core i7-3540M — a 11.4% clock advantage for the Core i7-3540M (base: 2.6 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core i5-4300M uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i7-3540M uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-4300M scores 2,960 against the Core i7-3540M's 2,984 — a 0.8% lead for the Core i7-3540M. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-4300M vs 4 MB (total) on the Core i7-3540M.

Feature	Core i5-4300M	Core i7-3540M
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.3 GHz	3.7 GHz+12%
Base Clock	2.6 GHz	3 GHz+15%
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)	4 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	22 nm	22 nm
Architecture	Haswell (2013−2015)	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
PassMark	2,960	2,984

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-4300M uses the PGA946 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-3540M uses PGA988 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-4300M	Core i7-3540M
Socket	PGA946	PGA988
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	—	1600
Max RAM Capacity	—	32
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i5-4300M) / true (Core i7-3540M). The Core i7-3540M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 4000), while the Core i5-4300M requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i7-3540M rivals AMD A10-5750M.