Core i7-640LM vs Atom N2600

Core i7-640LM

2 Cores4 Thrd25 WWMax: 2.93 GHz2010

Atom N2600

2 Cores4 Thrd4 WWMax: 1.6 GHz2011

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i7-640LM

2 / 4

1,529

+0.1%

1,528

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 Core i7-640LM is positioned at rank 333 and the Atom N2600 is on rank 40, 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 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 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 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	Core i7-640LM	Atom N2600
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Arrandale (2010−2011) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Cedarview-M (2011−2012) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i7-640LM	Atom N2600
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.

Core i7-640LM Benchmark Check

Atom N2600 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

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

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.

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.

⚡

Processing Power

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

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

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-640LM uses the BGA1288 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Atom N2600 uses FCBGA559 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 1066 on the Core i7-640LM versus DDR3-800 on the Atom N2600 — 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: 2 (Core i7-640LM) vs 1 (Atom N2600). PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i7-640LM) vs 4 (Atom N2600) — the Core i7-640LM offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: HM55,HM57,QM57,QS57 (Core i7-640LM) and Intel NM10 (Atom N2600).

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

🔧

Advanced Features

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