Intel Core i5-2540M vs AMD Ryzen 5 3500U

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Intel Core i5-2540M or Intel Core i5-2540M – 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 i5-2540M features 2 processor cores and has the capability to manage 4 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q1/2011 and belongs to the 2 generation of the Intel Core i5 series.
To use the Intel Core i5-2540M, you'll need a motherboard with a BGA 1023 socket.
The AMD Ryzen 5 3500U features 4 processor cores and has the capability to manage 8 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q1/2019 and belongs to the 2 generation of the AMD Ryzen 5 series.
To use the AMD Ryzen 5 3500U, you'll need a motherboard with a FP5 socket.
Mobile Segment Mobile
Intel Core i5-2540M Name AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
Intel Core i5 Family AMD Ryzen 5
2 Generation 2
Intel Core i 2000M Group AMD Ryzen 3000U
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Intel Core i5-2540M has 2 CPU cores and can calculate 4 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i5-2540M is 2.6 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 3.3 GHz.
The AMD Ryzen 5 3500U has 4 CPU cores and can calculate 8 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the AMD Ryzen 5 3500U is 2.1 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 3.7 GHz.
3.3 GHz Turbo Frequency (1 core) 3.7 GHz
No Overclocking No
normal Core architecture normal
2.6 GHz Frequency 2.1 GHz
4 Threads 8
None None 3.0 GHz
Yes Hyperthreading Yes
2 CPU Cores 4
2x Cores 4x
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Intel Core i5-2540M has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Intel Core i5-2540M uses the Intel HD Graphics 3000, which has 96 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 AMD Ryzen 5 3500U has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the AMD Ryzen 5 3500U uses the AMD Radeon Vega 8 Graphics, which has 512 texture shaders
and 8 execution units.
0.65 GHz GPU frequency 1.2 GHz
Q1/2011 Release date Q1/2018
10.1 Direct X 12
Intel HD Graphics 3000 GPU name AMD Radeon Vega 8 Graphics
32 nm Technology 14 nm
-- Max. displays --
96 Shaders 512
2.0 GB Max. GPU Memory 2.0 GB
12 Execution units 8
6 Generation 8
1.3 GHz GPU (Turbo) --
 
 

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 / Encode AVC Decode / Encode
Decode VC-1 Decode
No VP9 Decode / Encode
No h265 / HEVC (10 bit) Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode h264 Decode / Encode
No VP8 Decode / Encode
No h265 / HEVC (8 bit) Decode / Encode
No JPEG Decode / Encode
No AV1 No
 
 

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 21.3 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 32.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 38.4 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 32.0 GB
pci PCIe pci
Yes AES-NI Yes
No ECC Yes
21.3 GB/s Bandwidth 38.4 GB/s
DDR3-1333 Memory type DDR4-2400
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 35 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 15 W watts.
None TDP up 35 W
100 °C Tjunction max 105 °C
35 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 15 W
None TDP down 12 W
 
 

Technical details

The Intel Core i5-2540M 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 3.0 MB cache.
A substantial cache can significantly enhance the processor's performance, particularly in scenarios like gaming.
The AMD Ryzen 5 3500U is manufactured using a 12 nm process.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 4.0 MB cache.
Q1/2011 Release date Q1/2019
-- Part Number --
0 bytes L2-Cache 0 bytes
VT-x, VT-x EPT Virtualization AMD-V, SVM
SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX ISA extensions SSE4a, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, FMA3, AVX2
Monolithic Chip design Chiplet
Sandy Bridge H Architecture Picasso (Zen+)
32 nm Technology 12 nm
BGA 1023 Socket FP5
Windows 10, Linux Operating systems Windows 10, Linux, Windows 11
269 $ Release price --
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
x86-64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
3.0 MB L3-Cache 4.0 MB
 
 

Benchmarks

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
4C 8T @ 2.1 GHz
2907
2907
Intel Core i5-2540M
2C 4T @ 2.6 GHz
1216
1216

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
4C 8T @ 2.1 GHz
2579
2579
Intel Core i5-2540M
2C 4T @ 2.6 GHz
1414
1414

CPU-Z Benchmark 17 (Multi-Core)

AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
4C 8T @ 2.1 GHz
1647
1647
Intel Core i5-2540M
2C 4T @ 2.6 GHz
723
723

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
4C 8T @ 2.1 GHz
976
976
Intel Core i5-2540M
2C 4T @ 2.6 GHz
559
559