Pentium N3540 vs Athlon 64 FX-60
Pentium N3540
Athlon 64 FX-60
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 Pentium N3540 is positioned at rank 1149 and the Athlon 64 FX-60 is on rank 1119, so the Athlon 64 FX-60 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium N3540
Performance Per Dollar Athlon 64 FX-60
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium N3540 | Athlon 64 FX-60 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($161) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($1,000) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Toledo (2006) / 90 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium N3540 | Athlon 64 FX-60 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+522%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($161) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($1,000) |
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 Pentium N3540 and Athlon 64 FX-60
Pentium N3540
The Pentium N3540 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 22 May 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.16 GHz, with boost up to 2.66 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1170. Thermal design power (TDP): 7.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3L-1333. Passmark benchmark score: 1,207 points. Launch price was $251.
Athlon 64 FX-60
The Athlon 64 FX-60 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Toledo (2006) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 90 nm process technology. Socket: 939. Thermal design power (TDP): 110 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,205 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Pentium N3540 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Athlon 64 FX-60 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Pentium N3540 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.66 GHz on the Pentium N3540 versus 2.6 GHz on the Athlon 64 FX-60 — a 2.3% clock advantage for the Pentium N3540. The Pentium N3540 uses the Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) architecture (22 nm), while the Athlon 64 FX-60 uses Toledo (2006) (90 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium N3540 scores 1,207 against the Athlon 64 FX-60's 1,205 — a 0.2% lead for the Pentium N3540. L3 cache: 2 MB L2 Cache on the Pentium N3540 vs 0 kB on the Athlon 64 FX-60.
| Feature | Pentium N3540 | Athlon 64 FX-60 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+100% | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.66 GHz+2% | 2.6 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.16 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB L2 Cache | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB | 2 MB |
| Process | 22 nm-76% | 90 nm |
| Architecture | Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) | Toledo (2006) |
| PassMark | 1,207 | 1,205 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 250 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 480 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium N3540 uses the FCBGA1170 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon 64 FX-60 uses 939 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium N3540 | Athlon 64 FX-60 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1170 | 939 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0+82% | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR-400 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 4 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 0 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Pentium N3540) / None (Athlon 64 FX-60). Primary use case: Athlon 64 FX-60 targets Gaming/Enthusiast.
| Feature | Pentium N3540 | Athlon 64 FX-60 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | Yes |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | None |
| Target Use | — | Gaming/Enthusiast |
Value Analysis
The Pentium N3540 launched at $161 MSRP, while the Athlon 64 FX-60 debuted at $1031. At current prices ($161 vs $1000), the Pentium N3540 is $839 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium N3540 delivers 7.5 pts/$ vs 1.2 pts/$ for the Athlon 64 FX-60 — making the Pentium N3540 the 144.6% better value option.
| Feature | Pentium N3540 | Athlon 64 FX-60 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $161-84% | $1031 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $161-84% | $1000 |
| Performance per Dollar | 7.5+525% | 1.2 |
| Release Date | 2014 | 2006 |
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