Pentium Silver N6000 vs Core i7-3540M
Pentium Silver N6000
Core i7-3540M
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 Silver N6000 is positioned at rank 695 and the Core i7-3540M is on rank 81, 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 Pentium Silver N6000
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-3540M
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium Silver N6000 | Core i7-3540M |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Jasper Lake (2021) / 10 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium Silver N6000 | Core i7-3540M |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Pentium Silver N6000 and Core i7-3540M
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.
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.
Processing Power
The Pentium Silver N6000 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i7-3540M offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Pentium Silver N6000 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.3 GHz on the Pentium Silver N6000 versus 3.7 GHz on the Core i7-3540M — a 11.4% clock advantage for the Core i7-3540M (base: 1.1 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Pentium Silver N6000 uses the Jasper Lake (2021) architecture (10 nm), while the Core i7-3540M uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium Silver N6000 scores 2,989 against the Core i7-3540M's 2,984 — a 0.2% lead for the Pentium Silver N6000. Both processors carry 4 MB (total) of L3 cache.
| Feature | Pentium Silver N6000 | Core i7-3540M |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+100% | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 3.3 GHz | 3.7 GHz+12% |
| Base Clock | 1.1 GHz | 3 GHz+173% |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB (total) | 4 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 1.5 MB (total)+500% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 10 nm-55% | 22 nm |
| Architecture | Jasper Lake (2021) | Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) |
| PassMark | 2,989 | 2,984 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | 1,911 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 473 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 1,090 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium Silver N6000 uses the BGA1338 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Core i7-3540M uses PGA988 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2933 on the Pentium Silver N6000 versus 1600 on the Core i7-3540M — 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: 8 (Pentium Silver N6000) vs 16 (Core i7-3540M) — the Core i7-3540M offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SoC (Pentium Silver N6000) and HM75,HM76,HM77,QM77,QS77 (Core i7-3540M).
| Feature | Pentium Silver N6000 | Core i7-3540M |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1338 | PGA988 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 4.0+33% | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2933 | 1600+39900% |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB+52428700% | 32 |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 8 | 16+100% |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Pentium Silver N6000) vs true (Core i7-3540M). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics (32 EU) (Pentium Silver N6000) and Intel HD Graphics 4000 (Core i7-3540M) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium Silver N6000 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Pentium Silver N6000 rivals Celeron N5105; Core i7-3540M rivals AMD A10-5750M.
| Feature | Pentium Silver N6000 | Core i7-3540M |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | Yes |
| IGPU Model | UHD Graphics (32 EU) | Intel HD Graphics 4000 |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d, EPT | true |
| Target Use | Budget | — |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
You May Also Compare
Similar CPU comparisons based on Pentium Silver N6000 and Core i7-3540M
