Pentium N3540 vs Core i3-380M

CPU

GPU

Pentium N3540

4 Cores4 Thrd2 WWMax: 2.66 GHz2014

Core i3-380M

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 0.53 GHz2010

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Pentium N3540

4 / 4

1,207

0.0%

Celeron 1047UE

Celeron 877

Pentium Dual-Core E2180

1,212

+0.4%

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 i3-380M is on rank 11, so the Core i3-380M 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 Pentium N3540

#1137

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

3912%

#1138

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

3855%

#1139

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

3539%

#1140

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

3523%

#1141

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

3490%

#1143

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

3371%

#1144

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

3232%

#1145

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

3227%

#1146

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

3140%

#1149

Pentium N3540

MSRP: $161|Avg: $161

100%

#1150

Core i7-3555LE

MSRP: $300|Avg: $280

99%

#1151

Core i3-2377M

MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A

99%

#1152

Core 2 Duo E8435

MSRP: $150|Avg: $74

98%

#1153

Celeron M 723

MSRP: $161|Avg: $161

98%

#1154

Core i7-3517UE

MSRP: $330|Avg: $35

96%

#1155

Core M-5Y51

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

96%

#1156

Pentium N3530

MSRP: $161|Avg: $20

96%

#1157

Core i3-330E

MSRP: $177|Avg: $89

95%

#1159

Core i7-2640M

MSRP: $346|Avg: N/A

94%

#1160

Core M-5Y71

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

94%

#1162

Core i7-2620M

MSRP: $346|Avg: N/A

93%

#1164

Celeron N3010

MSRP: $107|Avg: N/A

92%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i3-380M

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

121%

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

119%

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

109%

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

109%

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

108%

#10

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

104%

#11

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

100%

#12

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

100%

#13

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

97%

#17

Core i3-350M

MSRP: $130|Avg: $10

90%

#18

Atom x5-E8000

MSRP: $18|Avg: N/A

89%

#19

Core 2 Duo T5900

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $5

88%

#22

Core i3-3130M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

79%

#23

Core 2 Duo T5550

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $5

75%

#24

Core 2 Duo T7100

MSRP: $197|Avg: $15

75%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Pentium N3540 leads in gaming performance. However, the Core i3-380M is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.4% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Pentium N3540	Core i3-380M
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($161)	✅ More affordable ($25)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) / 22 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Arrandale (2010−2011) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Core i3-380M stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 84% cheaper ($25 vs $161) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Pentium N3540	Core i3-380M
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+547%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($161)	✅ More affordable ($25)

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.

Pentium N3540 Benchmark Check

Core i3-380M Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Pentium N3540 and Core i3-380M

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 i3-380M

The Core i3-380M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 26 October 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.53 GHz, with boost up to 0.53 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,212 points. Launch price was $49.

⚡

Processing Power

The Pentium N3540 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i3-380M offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Pentium N3540 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.66 GHz on the Pentium N3540 versus 0.53 GHz on the Core i3-380M — a 133.5% clock advantage for the Pentium N3540 (base: 2.16 GHz vs 2.53 GHz). The Pentium N3540 uses the Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i3-380M uses Arrandale (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium N3540 scores 1,207 against the Core i3-380M's 1,212 — a 0.4% lead for the Core i3-380M. L3 cache: 2 MB L2 Cache on the Pentium N3540 vs 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-380M.

Feature	Pentium N3540	Core i3-380M
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.66 GHz+402%	0.53 GHz
Base Clock	2.16 GHz	2.53 GHz+17%
L3 Cache	2 MB L2 Cache	3 MB (total)+50%
L2 Cache	2 MB+700%	256K (per core)
Process	22 nm-31%	32 nm
Architecture	Bay Trail-M (2013−2014)	Arrandale (2010−2011)
PassMark	1,207	1,212
Geekbench 6 Single	—	450
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	1,100

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Pentium N3540 uses the FCBGA1170 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i3-380M uses PGA988 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Pentium N3540	Core i3-380M
Socket	FCBGA1170	PGA988
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR3-1066
Max RAM Capacity	—	8 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Pentium N3540) / VT-x (Core i3-380M). The Core i3-380M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Gen 1)), while the Pentium N3540 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-380M targets Legacy Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i3-380M rivals AMD Athlon II P320.

Feature	Pentium N3540	Core i3-380M
Integrated GPU	—	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Intel HD Graphics (Gen 1)
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	VT-x
Target Use	—	Legacy Laptop

💰

Value Analysis

The Pentium N3540 launched at $161 MSRP, while the Core i3-380M debuted at $49. At current prices ($161 vs $25), the Core i3-380M is $136 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium N3540 delivers 7.5 pts/$ vs 48.5 pts/$ for the Core i3-380M — making the Core i3-380M the 146.4% better value option.