Intel Core i3-540 vs Intel Core i7-11700K

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Intel Core i3-540 or Intel Core i3-540 – which processor offers superior performance? In this comparison, we examine disparities and assess which of these two CPUs outperforms the other. We delve into technical specifications and benchmark outcomes.
The Intel Core i3-540 features 2 processor cores and has the capability to manage 4 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q1/2010 and belongs to the 1 generation of the Intel Core i3 series.
To use the Intel Core i3-540, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 1156 socket.
The Intel Core i7-11700K features 8 processor cores and has the capability to manage 16 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q1/2021 and belongs to the 11 generation of the Intel Core i7 series.
To use the Intel Core i7-11700K, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 1200 socket.
Desktop / Server Segment Desktop / Server
Intel Core i3-540 Name Intel Core i7-11700K
Intel Core i3 Family Intel Core i7
1 Generation 11
Intel Core i3 500 Group Intel Core i 11000
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Intel Core i3-540 has 2 CPU cores and can calculate 4 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i3-540 is 3.06 GHz
The Intel Core i7-11700K has 8 CPU cores and can calculate 16 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i7-11700K is 3.6 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 5.0 GHz.
The number of CPU cores greatly affects the speed of the processor and is an important performance indicator.
4 Threads 16
None None 4.5 GHz
Yes Hyperthreading Yes
2x Cores 8x
No Overclocking Yes
normal Core architecture normal
3.06 GHz Frequency 3.6 GHz
None None 5.0 GHz
2 CPU Cores 8
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Intel Core i3-540 has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Intel Core i3-540 uses the Intel HD Graphics (Westmere), which has 24 texture shaders
and 12 execution units.
The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
The Intel Core i7-11700K has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Intel Core i7-11700K uses the Intel UHD Graphics 750, which has 256 texture shaders
and 32 execution units.
0.5 GHz GPU frequency 0.35 GHz
Q1/2010 Release date Q1/2021
10.1 Direct X 12
Intel HD Graphics (Westmere) GPU name Intel UHD Graphics 750
32 nm Technology 14 nm
-- Max. displays --
24 Shaders 256
2.0 GB Max. GPU Memory 64.0 GB
12 Execution units 32
5 Generation 12
0.73 GHz GPU (Turbo) 1.3 GHz
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

-- AI specifications --
-- AI hardware --
 
 

Hardware codec support

A photo or video codec that is accelerated in hardware can greatly accelerate the working speed of a processor and extend the battery life of notebooks or smartphones when playing videos.
Decode AVC Decode / Encode
No VC-1 Decode
No VP9 Decode / Encode
No h265 / HEVC (10 bit) Decode / Encode
Decode h264 Decode / Encode
No VP8 Decode
No h265 / HEVC (8 bit) Decode / Encode
No JPEG Decode / Encode
No AV1 Decode
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 16.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 21.0 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 128.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
2 Memory channels 2
16.0 GB Max. Memory 128.0 GB
pci PCIe pci
No AES-NI Yes
Yes ECC No
21.0 GB/s Bandwidth 51.2 GB/s
DDR3-1066, DDR3-1333 Memory type DDR4-3200
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 73 W watts.
TDP indicates the cooling solution needed to effectively manage the processor's heat. It generally provides an approximate indication of the actual power consumption of the CPU itself.
The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 125 W watts.
-- Tjunction max 100 °C
73 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 125 W
None TDP down 95 W
 
 

Technical details

The Intel Core i3-540 is manufactured using a 32 nm process.
A smaller manufacturing process indicates a more contemporary and energy-efficient CPU.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 4.0 MB cache.
A substantial cache can significantly enhance the processor's performance, particularly in scenarios like gaming.
The Intel Core i7-11700K is manufactured using a 14 nm process.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 16.0 MB cache.
Q1/2010 Release date Q1/2021
-- Part Number --
512.0 KB L2-Cache 4.0 MB
VT-x, VT-x EPT Virtualization VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d
SSE4.1, SSE4.2 ISA extensions SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2, AVX-512
Monolithic Chip design Monolithic
Clarkdale Architecture Rocket Lake S
32 nm Technology 14 nm
LGA 1156 Socket LGA 1200
Windows 10, Linux Operating systems Windows 10, Linux, Windows 11
117 $ Release price 374 $
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
x86-64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
4.0 MB L3-Cache 16.0 MB
 
 

Benchmarks

Estimated results for PassMark CPU Mark

Intel Core i7-11700K
8C 16T @ 3.6 GHz
24332
24332
Intel Core i3-540
2C 4T @ 3.06 GHz
1516
1516

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-11700K
8C 16T @ 3.6 GHz
10765
10765
Intel Core i3-540
2C 4T @ 3.06 GHz
1141
1141

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-11700K
8C 16T @ 3.6 GHz
10731
10731
Intel Core i3-540
2C 4T @ 3.06 GHz
952
952

CPU-Z Benchmark 17 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-11700K
8C 16T @ 3.6 GHz
6283
6283
Intel Core i3-540
2C 4T @ 3.06 GHz
685
685

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

Intel Core i7-11700K
8C 16T @ 3.6 GHz
2213
2213
Intel Core i3-540
2C 4T @ 3.06 GHz
470
470

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Single-Core)

Intel Core i7-11700K
8C 16T @ 3.6 GHz
1794
1794
Intel Core i3-540
2C 4T @ 3.06 GHz
478
478