Core i7-3540M vs Core i7-4558U

Core i7-3540M

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2013

Core i7-4558U

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 3.3 GHz2013

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i7-3540M

2 / 4

2,984

+0.6%

2,966

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 i7-3540M is positioned at rank 81 and the Core i7-4558U is on rank 452, 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 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 Per Dollar Core i7-4558U

#440

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

594%

#441

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

585%

#442

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

537%

#443

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

534%

#444

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

530%

#446

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

511%

#447

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

490%

#448

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

490%

#449

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

476%

#452

Core i7-4558U

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 i7-3540M delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i7-4558U in both compute-intensive tasks (0.6% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i7-3540M	Core i7-4558U
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Haswell-ULT (2013) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i7-3540M	Core i7-4558U
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

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 i7-3540M Benchmark Check

Core i7-4558U Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-3540M and Core i7-4558U

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.

Core i7-4558U

The Core i7-4558U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 June 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell-ULT (2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,966 points. Launch price was $454.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i7-3540M and Core i7-4558U share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Core i7-3540M versus 3.3 GHz on the Core i7-4558U — a 11.4% clock advantage for the Core i7-3540M (base: 3 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Core i7-3540M uses the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i7-4558U uses Haswell-ULT (2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-3540M scores 2,984 against the Core i7-4558U's 2,966 — a 0.6% lead for the Core i7-3540M. Both processors carry 4 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i7-3540M	Core i7-4558U
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz+12%	3.3 GHz
Base Clock	3 GHz+7%	2.8 GHz
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	22 nm	22 nm
Architecture	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)	Haswell-ULT (2013)
PassMark	2,984	2,966

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-3540M uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-4558U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i7-3540M	Core i7-4558U
Socket	PGA988	FCBGA1168
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: true (Core i7-3540M) / not specified (Core i7-4558U). The Core i7-3540M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 4000), while the Core i7-4558U requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i7-3540M rivals AMD A10-5750M.