Atom N270 vs Pentium 4 2.26
Atom N270
Pentium 4 2.26
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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 Pentium 4 2.26 is on rank 1117, so the Atom N270 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Atom N270
Performance Per Dollar Pentium 4 2.26
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Atom N270 | Pentium 4 2.26 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($20) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (DiamondVille (2008−2009) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (NetBurst (2000−2006) / 130 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Atom N270 | Pentium 4 2.26 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($20) |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Atom N270 and Pentium 4 2.26
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.
Pentium 4 2.26
The Pentium 4 2.26 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 2.26 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 110 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2. Passmark benchmark score: 295 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
The Atom N270 packs 1 cores / 2 threads, matching the Pentium 4 2.26's 1 cores. Boost clocks reach 0.1 GHz on the Atom N270 versus 2.26 GHz on the Pentium 4 2.26 — a 183.1% clock advantage for the Pentium 4 2.26. The Atom N270 uses the DiamondVille (2008−2009) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium 4 2.26 uses NetBurst (2000−2006) (130 nm). In PassMark, the Atom N270 scores 265 against the Pentium 4 2.26's 295 — a 10.7% lead for the Pentium 4 2.26. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Atom N270 | Pentium 4 2.26 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 1 / 2 | 1 / 1 |
| Boost Clock | 0.1 GHz | 2.26 GHz+2160% |
| Base Clock | 1.6 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB | 512 kB |
| Process | 45 nm-65% | 130 nm |
| Architecture | DiamondVille (2008−2009) | NetBurst (2000−2006) |
| PassMark | 265 | 295+11% |
Memory & Platform
The Atom N270 uses the PBGA437 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium 4 2.26 uses PGA478 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Atom N270 | Pentium 4 2.26 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PBGA437 | PGA478 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0+82% | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR2-533 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 2 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 1 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | — |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
You May Also Compare
Similar CPU comparisons based on Atom N270 and Pentium 4 2.26
