Pentium N3540 vs Core 2 Duo T9900
Pentium N3540
Core 2 Duo T9900
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 Core 2 Duo T9900 is on rank 635, so the Core 2 Duo T9900 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 Core 2 Duo T9900
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium N3540 | Core 2 Duo T9900 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($161) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Penryn (2008−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium N3540 | Core 2 Duo T9900 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($161) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
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 Core 2 Duo T9900
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.
Core 2 Duo T9900
The Core 2 Duo T9900 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 June 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.06 GHz, with boost up to 0.07 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 6 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,204 points. Launch price was $530.
Processing Power
The Pentium N3540 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core 2 Duo T9900 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Pentium N3540 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.66 GHz on the Pentium N3540 versus 0.07 GHz on the Core 2 Duo T9900 — a 189.7% clock advantage for the Pentium N3540 (base: 2.16 GHz vs 3.06 GHz). The Pentium N3540 uses the Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) architecture (22 nm), while the Core 2 Duo T9900 uses Penryn (2008−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium N3540 scores 1,207 against the Core 2 Duo T9900's 1,204 — a 0.2% lead for the Pentium N3540. L3 cache: 2 MB L2 Cache on the Pentium N3540 vs 6 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Duo T9900.
| Feature | Pentium N3540 | Core 2 Duo T9900 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+100% | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.66 GHz+3700% | 0.07 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.16 GHz | 3.06 GHz+42% |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB L2 Cache | 6 MB L2 Cache+200% |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB | 6 MB (total)+200% |
| Process | 22 nm-51% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) | Penryn (2008−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,207 | 1,204 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium N3540 uses the FCBGA1170 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core 2 Duo T9900 uses PGA478 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium N3540 | Core 2 Duo T9900 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1170 | PGA478 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0+82% | PCIe 1.1 |
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