Core i3 540
Intel desktop processor · Core i 1st gen · launched January 2010
Check the price on AmazonAffiliate link. Street prices move; the figures on this page are launch prices.
Launch price in today's dollars
The Core i3 540 launched at $133 in 2010. Adjusted with the U.S. Consumer Price Index, that is about $202 in 2026 dollars (7-month average), a 52% rise over 16 years.
Method: launch price × (CPI 2026 average ÷ CPI 2010 average), calendar-year averages of BLS series CPIAUCSL. 2026 covers 7 months so far.
Specifications
| Vendor | Intel |
|---|---|
| Series | Core i 1st gen |
| Launched | January 2010 |
| Launch price | $133 (1,000-unit price) |
| Socket | LGA 1156 |
| Cores / threads | 2 / 4 |
| Base clock | 3.06 GHz |
| L3 cache | 4 MB |
| Rated power | 73 W (TDP) |
| Integrated graphics | HD Graphics |
| Tier | 3-series |
The Intel 3-series over time
Intel desktop processors in the same tier around this one, oldest first, re-releases left out. Prices in launch dollars and in 2026 dollars; scores are Blender 4.x medians where they exist.
| Part | Year | Launch price | In 2026 $ | Blender |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core i3 530 | 2010 | $113 | $171 | — |
| Core i3 540 | 2010 | $133 | $202 | — |
| Core i3 550 | 2010 | $138 | $209 | — |
| Core i3 560 | 2010 | $138 | $209 | — |
| Core i3 2102 | 2011 | $127 | $187 | — |
| Core i3 2100 | 2011 | $117 | $172 | — |
| Core i3 2100T | 2011 | $127 | $187 | — |
| Core i3 2120 | 2011 | $138 | $203 | — |
| Core i3 2120T | 2011 | $127 | $187 | — |
| Core i3 2105 | 2011 | $134 | $197 | — |
| Core i3 2125 | 2011 | $134 | $197 | — |
| Core i3 2130 | 2011 | $138 | $203 | — |
| Core i3 3220 | 2012 | $117 | $169 | 18 |
| Core i3 3220T | 2012 | $117 | $169 | — |
| Core i3 3225 | 2012 | $134 | $193 | — |
| Core i3 3240 | 2012 | $138 | $199 | 20 |
Compare with
- Core i3 530 · 2010 · $113
- Core i3 550 · 2010 · $138
- Core i3 560 · 2010 · $138
- Core i5 650 · 2010 · $176
- Core 2 Duo E7500 · 2009 · $133
- Core 2 Duo E7600 · 2009 · $133
- Core i3 2100 · 2011 · $117
- Core i3 2100T · 2011 · $127
Think you know your hardware? Specdle is a daily game: name the desktop processor from its specs in eight guesses. Play today's puzzle.