Intel Atom N270 vs Intel Atom N280
Intel Atom N270
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The Intel Atom N270 is a typical netbook single-core CPU released in 2008 that runs at up to 1.6 GHz. There is no iGPU or NPU here.
The Atom core was designed for low power consumption and cheap production. The downside is its relatively low performance per Watt (due to the lack of our-of-order execution) compared to Celeron, Core, etc processors running at similar clock speeds. Still, the integrated Hyper-Threading makes the operating system treat the CPU as a dual-core CPU, reducing the penalty of strict in-order execution a bit.
Performance-wise, the N270 is only comparable to a 1.2-GHz Celeron M. In 2025 terms, this means it's unbelievably slow, with the OS alone taking minutes to fully load (Windows 10 is technically supported). The lack of modern instruction sets such as the SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX and AVX2 exacerbates the issue - many apps will not run at all. For comparison, a 2014 processor designed to run at ~5 W, Intel's Core M-5Y10c is about 5 times as fast as an N270 in both single-thread and multi-thread workloads.
Due to the modern (for 2009) 45-nm process, low clock speed and very basic architecture putting efficiency first, the chip's power consumption is very low (TDP: 2.5 W). Therefore, the Atom does not need active cooling and can be used in very small designs like netbooks, handheld and tablets.
Intel Atom N280
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The Intel Atom N280 is a typical netbook single core CPU which is clocked at 1.66 GHz. The Atom core was designed for a low power consumption and cheap production. The downside is the relative low performance per Watt (due to the in-order execution) compared to similar clocked Celeron processors, e.g.. Still the integrated Hyper-Threading (the operating system sees the CPU as a dual core CPU) decreases the penalty of the in-order execution a bit.
The performance of the N280 is only compareable to a 1.2-1.3 GHz clocked Celeron M and therfore only sufficient for non demanding applications like Office or web surfing. HD videos, advanced photo editing, video cutting may not run fluently. Compared to the N270, the N280 only offers a minimal higher clock speed and a faster FSB. The performance increase should not really be noticeable.
Due to the modern 45nm process (in 2009) and the small size, the power consumption is very low (2.5 Watt TDP). Therfore, the CPU does not need a good cooling system and can be used in very small designs (like Netbooks).
Package: 437-Ball-µFCBGA, 22 mm × 22 mm
| Model | Intel Atom N270 | Intel Atom N280 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Codename | Diamondville | DiamondVille | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Series | Intel Atom | Intel Atom | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Series: Atom DiamondVille |
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| Clock | 1600 MHz | 1660 MHz | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FSB | 533 | 667 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| L1 Cache | 56 KB | 56 KB | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| L2 Cache | 512 KB | 512 KB | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cores / Threads | 1 / 2 1 x 1.6 GHz | 1 / 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| TDP | 2.5 Watt | 2.5 Watt | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Transistors | 47 Million | 47 Million | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Technology | 45 nm | 45 nm | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Voltage | 0.9-1.1625 V | 0.9-1.1625 V V | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Die Size | 26 mm2 | 26 mm2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| max. Temp. | 90 °C | 90 °C | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Socket | BGA437 | PBGA437 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Features | DDR2 RAM, MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, Execute Disable Bit, Enhanced SpeedStep | MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, HHT, Execute Disable Bit, Enhanced Speedstep, Hyper-Threading | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Architecture | x86 | x86 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| $44 U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Announced | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Manufacturer | ark.intel.com |
Benchmarks
Average Benchmarks Intel Atom N270 → 100% n=11
Average Benchmarks Intel Atom N280 → 107% n=11
- Average benchmark values for this graphics card* Smaller numbers mean a higher performance
1 This benchmark is not used for the average calculation
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