Atom N270 vs Atom Z540

Atom N270

1 Cores2 Thrd512 WWMax: 0.1 GHz2008

Atom Z540

1 Cores2 Thrd2.4 WWMax: 0.07 GHz2008

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Atom N270

1 / 2

265

0.0%

305

+15.1%

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 N270 is positioned at rank 411 and the Atom Z540 is on rank 334, so the Atom Z540 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 N270

#124

Core i5-1240P

MSRP: $309|Avg: $200

99%

#125

Core i7-13700H

MSRP: $502|Avg: N/A

98%

#399

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

554%

#400

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

545%

#401

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

501%

#402

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

498%

#403

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

494%

#405

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

477%

#406

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

457%

#407

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

457%

#408

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

444%

#411

Atom N270

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#421

Core i5-9400H

MSRP: $182|Avg: N/A

98%

#426

Celeron 2981U

MSRP: $137|Avg: N/A

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Atom Z540

#322

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

481%

#323

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

474%

#324

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

435%

#325

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

433%

#326

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

429%

#328

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

414%

#329

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

397%

#330

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

397%

#331

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

386%

#334

Atom Z540

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#336

Xeon E3-1505M v5

MSRP: $115|Avg: $115

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Atom N270 leads in gaming performance. However, the Atom Z540 is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 14% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Atom N270	Atom Z540
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (DiamondVille (2008−2009) / 45 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Silverthorne (2008−2010) / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Atom N270	Atom Z540
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 N270 Benchmark Check

Atom Z540 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Atom N270 and Atom Z540

Atom N270

The Atom N270 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2008 (17 years ago). It is based on the DiamondVille (2008−2009) architecture. It features 1 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 0.1 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PBGA437. Thermal design power (TDP): 2.5 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 265 points. Launch price was $44.

Atom Z540

The Atom Z540 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2008 (17 years ago). It is based on the Silverthorne (2008−2010) architecture. It features 1 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.86 GHz, with boost up to 0.07 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PBGA441. Thermal design power (TDP): 2.4 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 305 points. Launch price was $160.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Atom N270 and Atom Z540 share an identical 1-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 0.1 GHz on the Atom N270 versus 0.07 GHz on the Atom Z540 — a 35.3% clock advantage for the Atom N270 (base: 1.6 GHz vs 1.86 GHz). The Atom N270 uses the DiamondVille (2008−2009) architecture (45 nm), while the Atom Z540 uses Silverthorne (2008−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Atom N270 scores 265 against the Atom Z540's 305 — a 14% lead for the Atom Z540. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Atom N270	Atom Z540
Cores / Threads	1 / 2	1 / 2
Boost Clock	0.1 GHz+43%	0.07 GHz
Base Clock	1.6 GHz	1.86 GHz+16%
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	512 kB	512 kB
Process	45 nm	45 nm
Architecture	DiamondVille (2008−2009)	Silverthorne (2008−2010)
PassMark	265	305+15%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Atom N270 uses the PBGA437 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Atom Z540 uses PBGA441 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR2-533 memory speed. Both support up to 2 GB of RAM. Both feature 1-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 0 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: Intel PBGA437 (Atom N270) and Intel US15W (Atom Z540).