Celeron 2.20 vs Atom N280

Celeron 2.20

1 Cores1 Thrd73 WWMax: 2.2 GHz2002

Atom N280

1 Cores2 Thrd2.5 WWMax: 0.07 GHz2009

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Celeron 2.20

1 / 1

305

+7.0%

285

0.0%

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 Celeron 2.20 is positioned at rank 1081 and the Atom N280 is on rank 367, so the Atom N280 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 Celeron 2.20

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

80755%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

76306%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

55404%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

16691%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

13221%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

11566%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

6624%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

6538%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

5953%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

5952%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

5886%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

5727%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

5647%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

5624%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

5573%

#1081

Celeron 2.20

MSRP: $79|Avg: $15

100%

#1082

Athlon 64 X2 4000+

MSRP: $328|Avg: $10

93%

#1083

Athlon 64 X2 5200+

MSRP: $420|Avg: $15

93%

#1084

Core i7-975

MSRP: $999|Avg: $50

91%

#1085

Athlon XP 2600+

MSRP: $98|Avg: $10

90%

#1086

Core i7-965

MSRP: $1000|Avg: $40

89%

#1087

Athlon 64 FX-74

MSRP: $499|Avg: $50

86%

#1088

Athlon 64 2000+

MSRP: $100|Avg: $20

85%

#1089

Athlon 64 X2 5600+

MSRP: $505|Avg: $15

85%

#1090

Core 2 Extreme QX9770

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $1399

85%

#1091

Athlon 64 X2 5400+

MSRP: $485|Avg: $78

85%

#1092

Celeron 2.30

MSRP: $100|Avg: $10

84%

#1093

Phenom X4 9450e

MSRP: $450|Avg: $430

84%

#1094

Athlon 64 X2 3800+

MSRP: $354|Avg: $20

80%

#1095

Athlon 64 3000+

MSRP: $149|Avg: $10

78%

#1096

Athlon XP 3100+

MSRP: $150|Avg: $20

73%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Atom N280

#111

Ryzen 5 PRO 5675U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $180

100%

#355

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

515%

#356

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

507%

#357

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

466%

#358

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

464%

#359

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

459%

#361

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

444%

#362

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

425%

#363

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

425%

#364

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

413%

#367

Atom N280

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#375

Pentium Dual Core T3200

MSRP: $64|Avg: $5

99%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Atom N280 (2009) utilizes 45 nm technology and modern memory, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Celeron 2.20	Atom N280
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($15)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Northwood (2002−2004) / 130 nm)	🛑 Legacy (DiamondVille (2008−2009) / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Celeron 2.20 (2002) relies on 130 nm technology and DDR1, DDR2, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Celeron 2.20	Atom N280
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($15)	✅ More affordable ($0)

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.

Celeron 2.20 Benchmark Check

Atom N280 Benchmark Check

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Celeron 2.20 and Atom N280

Celeron 2.20

The Celeron 2.20 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Northwood (2002−2004) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 2.2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 128 kB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 73 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2. Passmark benchmark score: 305 points. Launch price was $69.

Atom N280

The Atom N280 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 February 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the DiamondVille (2008−2009) architecture. It features 1 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.66 GHz, with boost up to 0.07 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: 285 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

The Celeron 2.20 packs 1 cores / 1 threads, matching the Atom N280's 1 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Celeron 2.20 versus 0.07 GHz on the Atom N280 — a 187.7% clock advantage for the Celeron 2.20. The Celeron 2.20 uses the Northwood (2002−2004) architecture (130 nm), while the Atom N280 uses DiamondVille (2008−2009) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron 2.20 scores 305 against the Atom N280's 285 — a 6.8% lead for the Celeron 2.20. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Celeron 2.20	Atom N280
Cores / Threads	1 / 1	1 / 2
Boost Clock	2.2 GHz+3043%	0.07 GHz
Base Clock	—	1.66 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	128 kB	512 kB+300%
Process	130 nm	45 nm-65%
Architecture	Northwood (2002−2004)	DiamondVille (2008−2009)
PassMark	305+7%	285

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Celeron 2.20 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Atom N280 uses PBGA437 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR1-400 on the Celeron 2.20 versus DDR2-533 on the Atom N280 — the Atom N280 supports 66.7% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Celeron 2.20 supports up to 4 GB of RAM compared to 2 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 1-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 0 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: 845,850,865 (Celeron 2.20) and Intel PBGA437 (Atom N280).

Feature	Celeron 2.20	Atom N280
Socket	PGA478	PBGA437
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 2.0+82%
Max RAM Speed	DDR1-400	DDR2-533+100%
Max RAM Capacity	4 GB+100%	2 GB
RAM Channels	1	1
ECC Support	❌	❌
PCIe Lanes	0	0

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: No (Celeron 2.20) / not specified (Atom N280). Primary use case: Celeron 2.20 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron 2.20 rivals Pentium 4 2.40.