Atom N2600 vs Core i7-640LM

Atom N2600

2 Cores4 Thrd4 WWMax: 1.6 GHz2011

Core i7-640LM

2 Cores4 Thrd25 WWMax: 2.93 GHz2010

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Atom N2600

2 / 4

1,528

0.0%

1,529

+0.1%

About PassMark

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Atom N2600 is positioned at rank 40 and the Core i7-640LM is on rank 333, so the Atom N2600 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Atom N2600

#10

Ryzen 7 260

MSRP: $199|Avg: $70

93%

#28

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

192%

#29

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

189%

#30

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

174%

#31

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

173%

#32

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

171%

#34

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

165%

#35

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

159%

#36

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

158%

#37

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

154%

#40

Atom N2600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#43

Core 2 Duo SU7300

MSRP: $289|Avg: N/A

98%

#51

Celeron N2807

MSRP: $107|Avg: $60

91%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-640LM

#321

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

480%

#322

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

473%

#323

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

434%

#324

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

432%

#325

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

428%

#327

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

413%

#328

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

396%

#329

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

396%

#330

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

385%

#333

Core i7-640LM

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#336

Xeon E3-1505M v5

MSRP: $115|Avg: $115

99%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i7-640LM delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Atom N2600 in both compute-intensive tasks (0.1% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Atom N2600	Core i7-640LM
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Cedarview-M (2011−2012) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Arrandale (2010−2011) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Atom N2600	Core i7-640LM
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Atom N2600 Benchmark Check

Core i7-640LM Benchmark Check

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Atom N2600 and Core i7-640LM

Atom N2600

The Atom N2600 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 December 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Cedarview-M (2011−2012) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 1.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA559. Thermal design power (TDP): 3.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,528 points. Launch price was $47.

Core i7-640LM

The Core i7-640LM is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.13 GHz, with boost up to 2.93 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1288. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-800, DDR3-1066. Passmark benchmark score: 1,529 points. Launch price was $332.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Atom N2600 and Core i7-640LM share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.6 GHz on the Atom N2600 versus 2.93 GHz on the Core i7-640LM — a 58.7% clock advantage for the Core i7-640LM (base: 1.6 GHz vs 2.13 GHz). The Atom N2600 uses the Cedarview-M (2011−2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i7-640LM uses Arrandale (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Atom N2600 scores 1,528 against the Core i7-640LM's 1,529 — a 0.1% lead for the Core i7-640LM. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Atom N2600 vs 4 MB (total) on the Core i7-640LM.

Feature	Atom N2600	Core i7-640LM
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	1.6 GHz	2.93 GHz+83%
Base Clock	1.6 GHz	2.13 GHz+33%
L3 Cache	0 kB	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)+100%	256 kB (per core)
Process	32 nm	32 nm
Architecture	Cedarview-M (2011−2012)	Arrandale (2010−2011)
PassMark	1,528	1,529

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Atom N2600 uses the FCBGA559 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i7-640LM uses BGA1288 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-800 on the Atom N2600 versus 1066 on the Core i7-640LM — the Core i7-640LM supports 198.9% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i7-640LM supports up to 8 of RAM compared to 2 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 1 (Atom N2600) vs 2 (Core i7-640LM). PCIe lanes: 4 (Atom N2600) vs 16 (Core i7-640LM) — the Core i7-640LM offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel NM10 (Atom N2600) and HM55,HM57,QM57,QS57 (Core i7-640LM).

Feature	Atom N2600	Core i7-640LM
Socket	FCBGA559	BGA1288
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-800	1066+35433%
Max RAM Capacity	2 GB+26214300%	8
RAM Channels	1	2+100%
ECC Support	❌	❌
PCIe Lanes	4	16+300%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Atom N2600) / true (Core i7-640LM). Both include integrated graphics — Intel GMA 3600 (Atom N2600) and Intel HD Graphics (Ironlake) (Core i7-640LM) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i7-640LM rivals Core 2 Duo SL9400.