Atom N270 vs Pentium III 1400S

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.

Atom N270 vs Pentium III 1400S FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Atom N270 vs Pentium III 1400S: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Atom N270

2008

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +16.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌1500% higher power demand at 512W vs 32W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Pentium III 1400S.

Pentium III 1400S

2002

Why buy it

✅Draws 32W instead of 512W, a 480W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Atom N270.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Atom N270 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (228 vs 265).
❌Launch MSRP is still $250 MSRP, while Atom N270 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Quick Answers

So, is Atom N270 better than Pentium III 1400S?

Yes. Atom N270 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 16.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 16.2% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Atom N270 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 16.7% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Atom N270 is the stronger fit. You are getting 16.2% better PassMark, backed by 1 cores and 2 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Atom N270 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Atom N270 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $250 MSRP, and it still gives you a 16.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Pentium III 1400S only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2002 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (0.9 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on PGA370.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Atom N270 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2008 vs 2002) and more multi-core headroom with 1 cores / 2 threads instead of 1/1. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Atom N270 vs Pentium III 1400S Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

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 III 1400S

The Pentium III 1400S is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Tualatin (2000−2002) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 1.4 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: PGA370. Thermal design power (TDP): 32 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 228 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

The Atom N270 packs 1 cores / 2 threads, matching the Pentium III 1400S's 1 cores. Boost clocks reach 0.1 GHz on the Atom N270 versus 1.4 GHz on the Pentium III 1400S — a 173.3% clock advantage for the Pentium III 1400S. The Atom N270 uses the DiamondVille (2008−2009) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium III 1400S uses Tualatin (2000−2002) (130 nm). In PassMark, the Atom N270 scores 265 against the Pentium III 1400S's 228 — a 15% lead for the Atom N270. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Atom N270	Pentium III 1400S
Cores / Threads	1 / 2	1 / 1
Boost Clock	0.1 GHz	1.4 GHz+1300%
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)	Tualatin (2000−2002)
PassMark	265+16%	228

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Memory & Platform

The Atom N270 uses the PBGA437 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium III 1400S uses PGA370 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR2-533 on the Atom N270 versus PC133 on the Pentium III 1400S — the Atom N270 supports 300.8% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Pentium III 1400S supports up to 4 GB of RAM compared to 2 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 1-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 0 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: Intel PBGA437 (Atom N270) and Intel 815,VIA Apollo Pro 133T (Pentium III 1400S).

Feature	Atom N270	Pentium III 1400S
Socket	PBGA437	PGA370
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0+82%	PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed	DDR2-533+301%	PC133
Max RAM Capacity	2 GB	4 GB+100%
RAM Channels	1	1
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	0	0