Intel Core i3-3240

The Intel Core i3-3240 is a dual-core desktop processor from the Ivy Bridge generation, released in September 2012. With an average benchmark score of 686, it sits at the 17th percentile of all CPUs, indicating that it performs below the majority of modern processors. This is a legacy part best suited for basic office productivity, light web browsing, and older or less demanding applications, rather than modern gaming or intensive content creation workloads.

Who Should Consider It

The benchmark data paints a clear picture of the i3-3240’s intended use case. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 1994 and single-core score of 281 place it firmly in entry-level territory. For users running spreadsheet-heavy office suites, email clients, and multiple browser tabs with modest extensions, this processor provides adequate responsiveness. The dual-core, four-thread configuration, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz, handles sequential office tasks without significant lag, though it will struggle with parallel workloads such as video encoding or large data compilation.

Gamers should look elsewhere. The i3-3240’s integrated Intel HD 2500 graphics and lack of a boost clock mean that even older 3D titles will require a discrete GPU, and its low single-core score of 281 in Cinebench R23 will bottleneck modern game engines that rely heavily on per-thread performance. The data suggests this chip is only viable for esports titles from the early 2010s at low settings and resolutions. Content creators compiling code, rendering 3D scenes, or editing high-resolution video will find the multi-core score of 1994 in Cinebench R23 severely limiting; tasks that take minutes on contemporary CPUs will take hours here.

The processor’s 17th percentile ranking versus all CPUs confirms its position as a basic utility part. It is acceptable for a secondary machine dedicated to file storage, printing, or running lightweight legacy software that requires an x86 architecture. The i3-3240 is not a primary workstation chip by any modern standard; it is a stopgap for basic tasks where cost of replacement hardware is prohibitive, and the system’s other components (RAM, storage) are equally dated.

Power and Thermals

The i3-3240 carries a thermal design power (TDP) of 55 watts, which is modest by current desktop standards. This TDP class indicates that a basic air cooler, such as a stock Intel cooler or a low-profile third-party unit, is sufficient for sustained operation. The 22 nm process node from Intel contributes to this low heat output, allowing for quiet operation in compact cases without aggressive fan curves.

The 55 W TDP also implies that the processor does not require a robust power delivery system on the motherboard. Users pairing this chip with a legacy Socket 1155 board should ensure that the board’s VRM phase count is adequate for the 55 W draw, but in practice, nearly any board from that era will handle it. Thermals are unlikely to be a limiting factor for performance; the chip will not throttle under load with a standard cooler, and its lack of a boost clock means power draw remains consistent at 3.40 GHz.

For system integrators, the 55 W TDP simplifies cooling design significantly. A small tower cooler with a 92 mm fan or even a stock Intel cooler will maintain safe temperatures under full multi-threaded load. The absence of a boost clock eliminates transient power spikes, making thermal management predictable. However, users should be aware that the integrated Intel HD 2500 graphics shares the same thermal envelope; enabling it for light video playback will add a minor heat load, but the 55 W budget provides ample headroom.

Benchmark Performance

The benchmark results for the i3-3240 are consistently low across modern rendering tests, reflecting its age and dual-core design. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the processor scores 1994, while in single-core it scores 281. The multi-core score is roughly seven times higher than the single-core score, which is expected for a dual-core part with four threads, but the absolute values are far below any current entry-level processor.

Comparing it to its nearest rivals, the i3-3240 is essentially tied with the Intel Core i3-5005U, which has an identical average benchmark score of 686, resulting in a 0% delta. This is notable because the i3-5005U is a mobile chip with a lower base clock, yet it matches the desktop i3-3240 in overall performance, indicating that architectural improvements in later generations offset the clock speed advantage of the older part. The Intel Celeron G4900T, a much newer budget desktop chip, scores 685, just 0.1% behind the i3-3240. This shows that even modern Celeron parts with lower clock speeds and fewer threads can match the i3-3240’s aggregate performance.

The Intel Core m5-6Y57, a low-power mobile processor, scores 684, a 0.4% deficit, while the Intel Celeron G3950 scores 683, a 0.5% deficit. These sub-1% deltas mean that in real-world usage, there is no discernible performance difference between the i3-3240 and these rivals. The data suggests that the i3-3240 is not faster than any of its nearest competitors; it merely matches them within a negligible margin. In Cinebench R20, the multi-core score of 837 and single-core score of 118 further emphasize the chip’s limitations, with the single-core result being particularly poor for any task that depends on low-latency, high-frequency execution.

The Cinebench R15 multi-core score of 200 is the lowest in the benchmark set, but it is consistent with the scaling seen in R20 and R23. Across all tests, the i3-3240’s performance is bounded by its two physical cores and modest 3 MB of shared L3 cache. Benchmark results indicate that the processor is only suitable for light, single-threaded tasks like document editing or spreadsheet calculations, where its 3.40 GHz clock provides adequate responsiveness, but it falls behind in any multi-threaded scenario.

Platform and Compatibility

The i3-3240 uses the Intel Socket 1155, which is a legacy platform that supports the Ivy Bridge architecture. It features dual-channel DDR3 memory support, and the chip’s memory controller is limited to that older standard; users cannot install DDR4 or DDR5 modules. The processor has 16 PCIe Gen 3 lanes available from the CPU, which is sufficient for a single discrete graphics card, but does not support multi-GPU configurations with full bandwidth.

The integrated graphics is Intel HD 2500, which provides basic display output for office use but is not designed for gaming or hardware-accelerated video encoding. The processor does not support ECC memory, so error-correcting RAM is not an option for users seeking data integrity in a small server or workstation. The memory bus is dual-channel, and with DDR3 support, users should populate two DIMM slots for optimal bandwidth, though the chip’s performance ceiling is low enough that memory speed will have minimal impact on real-world results.

The upgrade path from the i3-3240 is limited to other Socket 1155 processors, which are all from the Ivy Bridge or Sandy Bridge generations. Users can move to a quad-core i5 or i7 part from that era, but those chips are also outdated by modern standards. The platform does not support PCIe Gen 4 or Gen 5, nor does it support DDR4, so any future upgrade would require a new motherboard and memory. The 22 nm process node and 94 mm² die size are indicative of an old manufacturing process, and the chip’s production status is not listed, but it is clearly discontinued.

For compatibility, the i3-3240’s part number is SR0RH, which helps identify the correct BIOS revision for older motherboards. The lack of an unlocked multiplier means overclocking is not possible, so users cannot squeeze additional performance from the chip beyond its stock 3.40 GHz clock. The socket 1155 platform is also limited to DDR3, which is no longer manufactured in large quantities, making memory upgrades increasingly costly.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i3-3240 suitable for modern gaming?

A: No. Its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 281 and multi-core score of 1994 are far below the requirements of modern game engines. The integrated Intel HD 2500 graphics is not capable of rendering modern 3D titles, and even with a discrete GPU, the processor will bottleneck performance in CPU-intensive scenes.

Q: How does the i3-3240 compare to the Intel Core i3-5005U?

A: The two processors have identical average benchmark scores of 686, resulting in a 0% performance delta. Despite the i3-3240 having a higher base clock of 3.40 GHz versus the mobile chip’s lower clock, they deliver the same overall performance in aggregate benchmarks.

Q: Can I use DDR4 memory with this processor?

A: No. The i3-3240 supports only DDR3 memory in a dual-channel configuration. The memory controller does not support DDR4 or DDR5 standards, so you must use DDR3 modules with this CPU.

Q: What is the thermal design power (TDP) of the i3-3240?

A: The TDP is 55 watts. This low power draw means that a standard air cooler is sufficient, and the processor will not require advanced liquid cooling or high-end heatsinks for safe operation.

Q: Does the i3-3240 support ECC memory?

A: No. The processor does not support ECC memory, so users cannot use error-correcting RAM for data integrity in server or workstation applications.

Q: What is the upgrade path for a system with an i3-3240?

A: The upgrade path is limited to other Socket 1155 processors from the Ivy Bridge or Sandy Bridge generations. Users can move to a quad-core i5 or i7 part, but these are also outdated. A modern upgrade would require a new motherboard, memory, and processor.