Atom N280

Details and Benchmarks for Intel Atom N280

Sysbuilds Alpha Stage!

Please take all results with a big grain of salt. Sysbuilds is in alpha stage at the moment which can lead to wrong data, strange counting errors, silly results and more. This site is under active development.

Benchmark Results

Combined benchmark scores based on multiple data points, giving a quick overview of this processor's performance.

Overall Score

Overall score for Atom N280 based on all benchmark results gathered. Look at this like a meta score, you will find more specific workload ratings below.

3,662 Rank: 2047
Rank Name Score Visual
2043 A4-1250 3,685
+0.6%
2044 Celeron N2910 3,671
+0.2%
2045 Intel Celeron N3000 3,670
+0.2%
2046 Intel Celeron N3010 3,663
+0%
2047 Atom N280 3,662
2048 Atom N2600 3,657
-0.1%
2049 Atom N270 3,642
-0.5%
2050 Atom Z530 3,631
-0.8%
2051 Atom 330 3,625
-1%
2052 Celeron N2805 3,621
-1.1%

View full ranking →

Multicore Score

Multicore performance score for Atom N280 based on multi-threaded benchmark results.

4,209 Rank: 1999
Rank Name Score Visual
1995 Core 2 Duo E7500 4,213
+0.1%
1996 Athlon X2 4850e 4,213
+0.1%
1997 Celeron B710 4,212
+0.1%
1998 Athlon X2 4450e 4,210
+0%
1999 Atom N280 4,209
2000 Core 2 Duo E4600 4,209
+0%
2001 Intel Celeron N3060 4,208
+-0%
2002 Intel Celeron N3050 4,208
+-0%
2003 Atom N270 4,207
+-0%
2004 Atom Z530 4,207
+-0%

View full ranking →

Singlecore Score

Single-core performance score for Atom N280 based on single-threaded benchmark results.

3,297 Rank: 2046
Rank Name Score Visual
2042 Sempron 2500+ 3,333
+1.1%
2043 Intel Celeron N3000 3,330
+1%
2044 A4-1250 3,325
+0.8%
2045 Intel Celeron N3010 3,313
+0.5%
2046 Atom N280 3,297
2047 Atom N2600 3,281
-0.5%
2048 Atom N270 3,266
-0.9%
2049 Celeron N2910 3,250
-1.4%
2050 Atom Z530 3,247
-1.5%
2051 Atom 330 3,229
-2.1%

View full ranking →

Workload Scores

Performance scores grouped by workload type, normalized and aggregated from multiple raw benchmark results.

Number Crunching

Aggregated score for Atom N280 based on integer math, floating point math, and prime number computation benchmarks.

4,426 Rank: 1769
Rank Name Score Visual
1762 Atom D2500 4,453
+0.6%
1763 Atom N450 4,452
+0.6%
1764 Atom N455 4,452
+0.6%
1765 Atom E3815 4,452
+0.6%
1766 Atom D425 4,451
+0.6%
1767 Sempron LE-1250 4,431
+0.1%
1768 Atom 230 4,429
+0.1%
1769 Atom N280 4,426
1770 Atom N270 4,424
+-0%
1771 Atom Z520 4,424
+-0%

View full ranking →

Data Processing

Aggregated score for Atom N280 based on data encryption, data compression, and string sorting benchmarks.

4,417 Rank: 1766
Rank Name Score Visual
1762 Celeron 807UE 4,418
+0%
1763 Atom N450 4,418
+0%
1764 Atom N455 4,418
+0%
1765 Sempron 3200+ 4,418
+0%
1766 Atom N280 4,417
1767 Atom E3815 4,417
+0%
1768 Atom D425 4,417
+0%
1769 Atom N270 4,415
+-0%
1770 Atom 230 4,414
-0.1%
1771 Atom Z520 4,413
-0.1%

View full ranking →

Physics & Compute

Aggregated score for Atom N280 based on physics simulation and extended instruction set (SSE/AVX) benchmarks.

4,432 Rank: 1764
Rank Name Score Visual
1760 Athlon 64 4000+ 4,433
+0%
1761 Atom N450 4,433
+0%
1762 Atom N455 4,433
+0%
1763 Sempron LE-1250 4,433
+0%
1764 Atom N280 4,432
1765 Atom D425 4,432
+0%
1766 Atom E3815 4,431
+-0%
1767 Atom Z520 4,430
+-0%
1768 Sempron 3200+ 4,430
+-0%
1769 Atom N270 4,429
-0.1%

View full ranking →

Atom N280 Details

The Intel Atom N280, launched in June 2008, represents a significant step back in computing performance compared to modern processors, yet it remains notable for its power efficiency and role in early low-power mobile computing. At the time of its release, it competed in the mobile segment as part of Intel’s Atom lineup, targeting netbooks and ultra-portable devices. With a 45 nm process and a TDP of just 2.5 watts, the N280 was designed for minimal power consumption, making it ideal for devices where battery life was paramount. Its microarchitecture, Bonnell, was a departure from traditional x86 designs, prioritizing efficiency over raw performance, and it featured a single core with Hyper-Threading, effectively enabling two threads.

The processor operates at a base frequency of 1.67 GHz, a clock speed that, while modest by today’s standards, was competitive for its era in lightweight tasks. It includes 512 KB of L2 cache and supports a 666.66 MT/s front-side bus, with a 10x multiplier and a locked configuration that limits overclocking. Despite its low power envelope, the N280 supports a range of x86-32 instructions, including MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, and later extensions such as AES-NI and AVX2, although it lacks SSE4.1 and SSE4.2—features that would later become essential for modern software and gaming. It also supports Intel’s Enhanced SpeedStep Technology, which dynamically adjusts clock speeds to save power.

In terms of benchmark performance, the Atom N280 scores 3,662 in the Overall Score, ranking #2047 out of 2060 processors in the dataset, with a Singlecore Score of 3,297 and a Multicore Score of 4,209. These results place it behind most contemporary low-power CPUs, such as the Atom N270 and Z530, and significantly behind modern processors in both single and multi-threaded performance. It falls far behind the top performers in the top 50 lists, with the fastest processors achieving over 12,000 in multicore performance. Its single-core performance is particularly weak, ranking near the bottom in the top 50 single-core list, and its multicore score is only slightly better, indicating limited scalability.

The N280 does not include integrated graphics in its standard configuration, though some systems with the Calistoga chipset may offer limited graphics capabilities. Its main use case was in low-cost, low-power systems where basic computing—web browsing, email, and office tasks—was the primary function. While it has been surpassed by decades of advancements in CPU design, the Atom N280 played a pivotal role in the early adoption of energy-efficient computing in mobile devices.

As of March 2026, the Atom N280 serves as a historical benchmark for how far processor technology has come. It is no longer suitable for modern workloads, but it remains a testament to Intel’s early efforts in creating affordable, low-power computing platforms. For users requiring basic functionality in a power-constrained environment, it may still be viable in niche retro or embedded applications, but for any contemporary use, it is obsolete.
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Intel Atom N280

Main Specifications

Designer: Intel
Name: Atom N280
Family: Atom
Series: N200
Model Number: N280
Cores: 1
Threads: 2
Base Frequency: 1666.66 MHz
Clock Multiplier: 10x (locked)
Microarchitecture: Bonnell
Core Name: Diamondville
Core Family: 6
Core Model: 112
Socket: BGA-437
Package: FCBGA-437
Chipset: Calistoga
Target Segment: Mobile
Max CPUs: 1
TDP: 2.5 W

Cache Specifications

L1 Cache: 56.0128 KiB
L1 Instruction Cache: 32.0512 KiB (8-way set associative)
L1 Data Cache: 23.9616 KiB (6-way set associative)
L2 Cache: 0.5 MiB (8-way set associative)

Memory Specifications

Maximum Memory: 8 GB

Physical Specifications

Process: 45 nm
Die Area: 25.964 mm²
Transistor Count: 0.05 billion
Manufacturer: Intel
Technology: CMOS
Word Size: 64-bit
ISA: x86-32 (x86)

CPU Features

MMX EMMX SSE SSE2 SSE3 SSSE3 SSE4.1 SSE4.2 AVX2 AES x86-16 x86-32 x86-64 Real Protected SMM FPU NX HT EIST TXT vPro VT-x VT-d EPT Secure Key SMEP SIPP IPT TSX Flex Memory FMA
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