Xeon X3460 vs Core i7-3540M

Xeon X3460

4 Cores8 Thrd95 WWMax: 3.46 GHz2009

Core i7-3540M

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2013

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Xeon X3460

4 / 8

2,955

0.0%

2,984

+1.0%

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 Xeon X3460 is positioned at rank 886 and the Core i7-3540M is on rank 81, so the Core i7-3540M 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 Xeon X3460

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

22227%

Xeon Gold 6240R

MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A

4197%

#10

Xeon 6337P

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

3729%

#15

EPYC 9174F

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

2880%

#498

Xeon E5-1681 V3

MSRP: $1589|Avg: $200

100%

#499

Xeon W-3275

MSRP: $4449|Avg: $1550

99%

#500

Xeon Gold 6138

MSRP: $2612|Avg: $300

99%

#501

Xeon E5-2690 v4

MSRP: $2090|Avg: $389

99%

#502

Xeon Platinum 8362

MSRP: $6236|Avg: $5740

97%

#503

Xeon W-3275M

MSRP: $4449|Avg: $4449

97%

#504

Xeon E5-2660 v3

MSRP: $1445|Avg: $150

96%

#505

Xeon E5-2679 v4

MSRP: $2702|Avg: $500

96%

#886

Xeon X3460

MSRP: $316|Avg: $25

100%

#893

Xeon E5502

MSRP: $188|Avg: $39

98%

#898

Xeon W-2225

MSRP: $1166|Avg: $150

96%

#900

Xeon E5-2650L v3

MSRP: $1329|Avg: N/A

96%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-3540M

#69

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

246%

#70

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

242%

#71

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

222%

#72

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

221%

#73

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

219%

#75

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

212%

#76

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

203%

#77

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

203%

#78

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

197%

#81

Core i7-3540M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#88

Core 2 Duo T7500

MSRP: $316|Avg: $5

97%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Use Case Distinction: This is a comparison between a Professional Workstation processor ($25) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon X3460 is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.

Insight	Xeon X3460	Core i7-3540M
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($25)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Lynnfield (2009−2010) / 45 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i7-3540M ($0), however, is optimized for mixed workloads and gaming. For most users, it offers superior single-thread performance and responsiveness at a fraction of the cost ($25 less, 100% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.

Insight	Xeon X3460	Core i7-3540M
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($25)	✅ More affordable ($0)

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.

Xeon X3460 Benchmark Check

Core i7-3540M Benchmark Check

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon X3460 and Core i7-3540M

Xeon X3460

The Xeon X3460 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 September 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Lynnfield (2009−2010) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.46 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1156. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-800, DDR3-1066, DDR3-1333. Passmark benchmark score: 2,955 points. Launch price was $316.

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 Xeon X3460 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Core i7-3540M offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Xeon X3460 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.46 GHz on the Xeon X3460 versus 3.7 GHz on the Core i7-3540M — a 6.7% clock advantage for the Core i7-3540M (base: 2.8 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Xeon X3460 uses the Lynnfield (2009−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i7-3540M uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon X3460 scores 2,955 against the Core i7-3540M's 2,984 — a 1% lead for the Core i7-3540M. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Xeon X3460 vs 4 MB (total) on the Core i7-3540M.

Feature	Xeon X3460	Core i7-3540M
Cores / Threads	4 / 8+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.46 GHz	3.7 GHz+7%
Base Clock	2.8 GHz	3 GHz+7%
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)+100%	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	45 nm	22 nm-51%
Architecture	Lynnfield (2009−2010)	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
PassMark	2,955	2,984

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon X3460 uses the LGA1156 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i7-3540M uses PGA988 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Xeon X3460	Core i7-3540M
Socket	LGA1156	PGA988
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	—	1600
Max RAM Capacity	—	32
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Xeon X3460) / true (Core i7-3540M). The Core i7-3540M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 4000), while the Xeon X3460 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i7-3540M rivals AMD A10-5750M.