Apple M1 vs Intel Atom N2100

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Apple M1 or Apple M1 – which processor offers superior performance? In this comparison, we examine disparities and assess which of these two CPUs outperforms the other. We delve into technical specifications and benchmark outcomes.
The Apple M1 features 8 processor cores and has the capability to manage 8 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q4/2020 and belongs to the 1 generation of the Apple M series series.
The Intel Atom N2100 features 1 processor cores and has the capability to manage 2 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q4/2011 and belongs to the 3 generation of the Intel Atom series.
To use the Intel Atom N2100, you'll need a motherboard with a BGA 559 socket.
Apple M1 Group Intel Atom N2000
1 Generation 3
Apple M1 Name Intel Atom N2100
Mobile Segment Desktop / Server
Apple M series Family Intel Atom
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Apple M1 has 8 CPU cores and can calculate 8 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the A-Core is 3.2 GHz.
The number of CPU cores greatly affects the speed of the processor and is an important performance indicator.
Processors with hybrid (big.LITTLE) architecture strike a balance between performance and power efficiency, making them ideal for mobile devices.
The Intel Atom N2100 has 1 CPU cores and can calculate 2 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Atom N2100 is 1.6 GHz
The processor has one core only.
2.06 GHz B-Core Frequency None
None None 1x
hybrid (big.LITTLE) Core architecture normal
4x Firestorm Cores A None
8 CPU Cores 1
No Overclocking No
None None 1.6 GHz
No Hyperthreading Yes
3.2 GHz A-Core Frequency None
4x Icestorm Cores B None
8 Threads 2
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Apple M1 has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Apple M1 uses the Apple M1 (8 Core), which has 1024 texture shaders
and 128 execution units.
The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
The Intel Atom N2100 has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Intel Atom N2100 uses the PowerVR SGX545, which has 32 texture shaders
and 4 execution units.
-- GPU (Turbo) --
5 nm Technology 32 nm
-- Direct X 10.1
8.0 GB Max. GPU Memory 0 bytes
128 Execution units 4
Q4/2020 Release date Q1/2010
Apple M1 (8 Core) GPU name PowerVR SGX545
1024 Shaders 32
1.3 GHz GPU frequency 0.64 GHz
1 Generation --
-- Max. displays --
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

16 Neural cores @ 11 TOPS AI specifications --
Apple Neural Engine AI hardware --
 
 

Hardware codec support

A photo or video codec that is accelerated in hardware can greatly accelerate the working speed of a processor and extend the battery life of notebooks or smartphones when playing videos.
Decode / Encode h265 / HEVC (8 bit) No
Decode / Encode VP9 No
Decode VP8 No
Decode VC-1 No
Decode / Encode JPEG No
Decode / Encode h264 No
Decode / Encode h265 / HEVC (10 bit) No
Decode AVC No
No AV1 No
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 16.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 68.2 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 4.0 GB distributed across 1 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 8.5 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
LPDDR4X-4266 Memory type DDR3-800
68.2 GB/s Bandwidth 8.5 GB/s
Yes AES-NI No
No ECC No
pci PCIe pci
16.0 GB Max. Memory 4.0 GB
2 Memory channels 1
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 15 W watts.
TDP indicates the cooling solution needed to effectively manage the processor's heat. It generally provides an approximate indication of the actual power consumption of the CPU itself.
The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 3.5 W watts.
20 W TDP up None
10 W TDP down None
15 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 3.5 W
-- Tjunction max --
 
 

Technical details

The Apple M1 is manufactured using a 5 nm process.
A smaller manufacturing process indicates a more contemporary and energy-efficient CPU.
A substantial cache can significantly enhance the processor's performance, particularly in scenarios like gaming.
The Intel Atom N2100 is manufactured using a 32 nm process.
Apple Virtualization Framework Virtualization None
5 nm Technology 32 nm
ARMv8-A64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
Rosetta 2 x86-Emulation ISA extensions SSE3
APL 1102 Part Number --
Chiplet Chip design Monolithic
Q4/2020 Release date Q4/2011
-- Release price --
16.0 MB L2-Cache 512.0 KB
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
0 bytes L3-Cache 0 bytes
Socket BGA 559
macOS Operating systems Windows 10, Linux
M1 Architecture Cedarview