Intel Core i7-3540M vs Intel Xeon X5492 Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core workloads?

A: The Intel Core i7-3540M wins every recorded multi-core benchmark. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, it scores 254 against 249 for the Xeon X5492, a 2% lead. The margin remains consistent in Cinebench R20 multi-core (1060 vs 1039) and Cinebench R23 multi-core (2525 vs 2475), both also 2% advantages.

Q: How do the two chips compare in single-core performance?

A: The Core i7-3540M leads in single-core tests as well. It posts 149 in Cinebench R20 single-core versus 146 for the Xeon X5492, a 2.1% gap, and 356 in Cinebench R23 single-core versus 349, a 2% difference.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

A: The Intel Core i7-3540M has 2 cores and 4 threads. The Intel Xeon X5492 has 4 cores and 4 threads. Despite having half the physical cores, the Core i7-3540M still edges out the Xeon in all shared benchmarks thanks to Hyper-Threading and a newer architecture.

Q: Do these CPUs support ECC memory?

A: Yes, but only the Xeon X5492. The Xeon supports ECC memory, while the Core i7-3540M does not. This is a meaningful distinction for server and workstation use where data integrity is critical.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: Only the Intel Core i7-3540M includes integrated graphics, specifically the Intel HD 4000. The Xeon X5492 has no integrated graphics, which is typical for server-class parts.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each CPU?

A: The Core i7-3540M has an average benchmark score of 867, placing it in the 23rd percentile of all CPUs. The Xeon X5492 has an average score of 852, also in the 23rd percentile. The Core i7 sits 0.1% above the Intel Xeon X3460 and 0.4% above the Core i5-3470T, while the Xeon X5492 sits 0.4% above the AMD Athlon X4 830.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core i7-3540M and Intel Xeon X5492 come from very different eras and design philosophies. The Core i7-3540M is built on Ivy Bridge, Intel's 22 nm process, and its codename is Ivy Bridge. It belongs to the Core i7 generation and uses the Intel Socket G2 (988B) mobile socket. The Xeon X5492, by contrast, uses the Core 2 architecture, codenamed Harpertown, built on an older 45 nm process. It belongs to the Xeon (Harpertown) generation and uses the Intel Socket 771, a server platform.

The transistor counts and die sizes reflect the generational gap. The Xeon X5492 packs 820 million transistors across a dual-die design measuring 2x 107 mm². The Core i7-3540M, with its more integrated 22 nm process, has a die size of 118 mm² and no transistor count is listed in the database. The smaller process node gives the mobile chip a significant efficiency advantage, which is reflected in the thermal design power: 35 watts for the Core i7-3540M versus 150 watts for the Xeon X5492.

Cache hierarchies differ substantially. The Core i7-3540M has 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core, plus a 4 MB shared L3 cache. The Xeon X5492 also has 64 KB of L1 per core, but its L2 cache is organized as 6 MB per die, and it has no L3 cache at all. The presence of a shared L3 cache on the Ivy Bridge part is a notable architectural advantage for workloads that benefit from a larger pool of fast memory.

Memory support is another differentiator. The Core i7-3540M supports DDR3 memory in dual-channel configuration and does not support ECC. The Xeon X5492 supports both DDR2 and DDR3 in dual-channel configuration and does support ECC memory. The Xeon also lists PCIe Gen 2 support, while the Core i7-3540M has no PCIe generation listed in the database.

Integrated graphics is exclusive to the Core i7-3540M, which carries the Intel HD 4000 GPU. The Xeon X5492 has no integrated graphics, as is standard for server and workstation processors.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-3540M wins every head-to-head benchmark recorded in the database. It takes all five shared tests: Cinebench R15 multi-core, Cinebench R20 multi-core, Cinebench R20 single-core, Cinebench R23 multi-core, and Cinebench R23 single-core. The margins are narrow, all between 2% and 2.1%, but the sweep is complete.

The Core i7-3540M also has a benchmark in Geekbench that the Xeon X5492 does not share. It scores 1160 in Geekbench multi-core and 565 in Geekbench single-core. These results are not part of the head-to-head comparison, but they add to the Core i7's overall picture as the more versatile part.

The Xeon X5492's strengths are not in raw benchmark wins but in platform capabilities. It supports ECC memory, which the Core i7-3540M cannot offer. It also has four physical cores rather than two, which may matter for certain legacy workloads that scale with physical core count rather than threads. The Xeon supports both DDR2 and DDR3 memory, giving system builders more flexibility in memory selection. Its production status is listed as end-of-life, while the Core i7-3540M's production status is not listed in the database.

For a mobile system, the Core i7-3540M is clearly the better fit. Its 35 watt TDP, integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics, and newer 22 nm process make it suitable for laptops and compact systems. The Xeon X5492, with its 150 watt TDP, Socket 771 platform, and lack of integrated graphics, is a server or workstation part through and through.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every major specification category.

• Cores: The Core i7-3540M has 2 cores; the Xeon X5492 has 4 cores.
• Threads: The Core i7-3540M has 4 threads; the Xeon X5492 has 4 threads.
• Base clock: The Core i7-3540M runs at 3.00 GHz; the Xeon X5492 runs at 3.40 GHz.
• Boost clock: The Core i7-3540M boosts to 3.70 GHz; the Xeon X5492 has no boost clock listed.
• TDP: The Core i7-3540M is rated at 35 watts; the Xeon X5492 is rated at 150 watts.
• Socket: The Core i7-3540M uses Intel Socket G2 (988B); the Xeon X5492 uses Intel Socket 771.
• Architecture: The Core i7-3540M uses Ivy Bridge; the Xeon X5492 uses Core 2.
• Process node: The Core i7-3540M is built on 22 nm; the Xeon X5492 is built on 45 nm.
• Die size: The Core i7-3540M measures 118 mm²; the Xeon X5492 measures 2x 107 mm².
• Transistors: The Core i7-3540M has no transistor count listed; the Xeon X5492 has 820 million.
• L2 cache: The Core i7-3540M has 256 KB per core; the Xeon X5492 has 6 MB per die.
• L3 cache: The Core i7-3540M has 4 MB shared; the Xeon X5492 has none.
• Memory support: The Core i7-3540M supports DDR3; the Xeon X5492 supports DDR2 and DDR3.
• ECC memory: The Core i7-3540M does not support ECC; the Xeon X5492 does.
• PCIe: The Core i7-3540M has no PCIe generation listed; the Xeon X5492 has Gen 2.
• Integrated graphics: The Core i7-3540M has Intel HD 4000; the Xeon X5492 has none.
• Market segment: The Core i7-3540M is mobile; the Xeon X5492 is server/workstation.
• Production status: The Core i7-3540M has no status listed; the Xeon X5492 is end-of-life.
• Release date: The Core i7-3540M was released in January 2013; the Xeon X5492 was released in September 2008.
• Launch MSRP: The Xeon X5492 had a launch MSRP of $1493; the Core i7-3540M has no launch MSRP listed.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results are uniform: the Intel Core i7-3540M wins all five recorded tests, but the margins are tight. The largest advantage is in Cinebench R20 single-core, where the Core i7-3540M scores 149 against 146 for the Xeon X5492, a 2.1% lead. Every other test shows a 2% delta.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Core i7-3540M scores 254, while the Xeon X5492 scores 249. This is a narrow victory, but it is notable because the Xeon has twice the physical core count. The Core i7-3540M compensates with Hyper-Threading, a newer architecture, and a higher boost clock of 3.70 GHz versus the Xeon's fixed 3.40 GHz.

Cinebench R20 multi-core shows the same pattern. The Core i7-3540M posts 1060, and the Xeon X5492 posts 1039. The 21-point gap translates to a 2% advantage. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Core i7-3540M scores 2525 against 2475, a 50-point gap that again rounds to 2%.

Single-core results follow the same trend. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Core i7-3540M scores 356, and the Xeon X5492 scores 349, a 7-point difference or 2%. The Core i7-3540M also has Geekbench results in the database, scoring 1160 in multi-core and 565 in single-core, though no comparable Geekbench scores are listed for the Xeon X5492.

The average benchmark scores reinforce the hierarchy. The Core i7-3540M averages 867 across its benchmark suite, while the Xeon X5492 averages 852. That 15-point gap places the Core i7-3540M 0.1% above the Intel Xeon X3460 and 0.4% above the Intel Core i5-3470T in its nearest rival group. The Xeon X5492 sits 0.4% above the AMD Athlon X4 830 and 0.4% below the Intel Core i5-5250U in its own rival group. Both processors land in the 23rd percentile of all CPUs.

The data shows a decisive, if narrow, sweep for the Core i7-3540M. Despite being a mobile dual-core part with a 35 watt TDP, it outperforms a quad-core server chip from the Core 2 era in every shared benchmark. The Xeon X5492's advantages, ECC support, four physical cores, and broader memory compatibility, are platform features rather than performance wins. For raw compute in the recorded tests, the Core i7-3540M is the faster processor.