Core i7-3540M vs Pentium Silver N6000
Core i7-3540M
Pentium Silver N6000
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 Core i7-3540M is positioned at rank 81 and the Pentium Silver N6000 is on rank 695, so the Core i7-3540M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-3540M
Performance Per Dollar Pentium Silver N6000
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-3540M | Pentium Silver N6000 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm) | ✨ Modern (Jasper Lake (2021) / 10 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-3540M | Pentium Silver N6000 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| 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 Core i7-3540M and Pentium Silver N6000
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.
Pentium Silver N6000
The Pentium Silver N6000 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Jasper Lake (2021) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.5 MB (total). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1338. Thermal design power (TDP): 6 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,989 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
The Core i7-3540M packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Pentium Silver N6000 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Pentium Silver N6000 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Core i7-3540M versus 3.3 GHz on the Pentium Silver N6000 — a 11.4% clock advantage for the Core i7-3540M (base: 3 GHz vs 1.1 GHz). The Core i7-3540M uses the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Pentium Silver N6000 uses Jasper Lake (2021) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-3540M scores 2,984 against the Pentium Silver N6000's 2,989 — a 0.2% lead for the Pentium Silver N6000. Both processors carry 4 MB (total) of L3 cache.
| Feature | Core i7-3540M | Pentium Silver N6000 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 4 / 4+100% |
| Boost Clock | 3.7 GHz+12% | 3.3 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3 GHz+173% | 1.1 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB (total) | 4 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 1.5 MB (total)+500% |
| Process | 22 nm | 10 nm-55% |
| Architecture | Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) | Jasper Lake (2021) |
| PassMark | 2,984 | 2,989 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | — | 1,911 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 473 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 1,090 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i7-3540M uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium Silver N6000 uses BGA1338 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 1600 on the Core i7-3540M versus DDR4-2933 on the Pentium Silver N6000 — the Core i7-3540M supports 199% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i7-3540M supports up to 32 of RAM compared to 16 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i7-3540M) vs 8 (Pentium Silver N6000) — the Core i7-3540M offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: HM75,HM76,HM77,QM77,QS77 (Core i7-3540M) and SoC (Pentium Silver N6000).
| Feature | Core i7-3540M | Pentium Silver N6000 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA988 | BGA1338 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 4.0+33% |
| Max RAM Speed | 1600+39900% | DDR4-2933 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 | 16 GB+52428700% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16+100% | 8 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: true (Core i7-3540M) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Pentium Silver N6000). Both include integrated graphics — Intel HD Graphics 4000 (Core i7-3540M) and UHD Graphics (32 EU) (Pentium Silver N6000) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium Silver N6000 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core i7-3540M rivals AMD A10-5750M; Pentium Silver N6000 rivals Celeron N5105.
| Feature | Core i7-3540M | Pentium Silver N6000 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | Yes |
| IGPU Model | Intel HD Graphics 4000 | UHD Graphics (32 EU) |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | true | VT-x, VT-d, EPT |
| Target Use | — | Budget |
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