Intel Pentium N3540 vs Intel Atom C2538

Last updated:

CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Intel Pentium N3540 or Intel Pentium N3540 – 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 Intel Pentium N3540 features 4 processor cores and has the capability to manage 4 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q3/2014 and belongs to the 6 generation of the Intel Pentium series.
To use the Intel Pentium N3540, you'll need a motherboard with a BGA 1170 socket.
The Intel Atom C2538 features 4 processor cores and has the capability to manage 4 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q3/2013 and belongs to the 3 generation of the Intel Atom series.
To use the Intel Atom C2538, you'll need a motherboard with a BGA 1283 socket.
Intel Pentium N3540 Name Intel Atom C2538
Intel Pentium J2000/N3500 Group Intel Atom C2000
6 Generation 3
Desktop / Server Segment Desktop / Server
Intel Pentium Family Intel Atom
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Intel Pentium N3540 has 4 CPU cores and can calculate 4 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Pentium N3540 is 2.16 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 2.66 GHz.
The Intel Atom C2538 has 4 CPU cores and can calculate 4 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Atom C2538 is 2.4 GHz
4x Cores 4x
4 CPU Cores 4
No Hyperthreading No
No Overclocking No
2.66 GHz Turbo Frequency (1 core) None
2.66 GHz Turbo Frequency (all cores) None
normal Core architecture normal
2.16 GHz Frequency 2.4 GHz
4 Threads 4
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Intel Pentium N3540 has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Intel Pentium N3540 uses the Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail GT1), which has 32 texture shaders
and 4 execution units.
The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
The Intel Atom C2538 does not have integrated graphics.
4 Execution units --
32 Shaders --
11.2 Direct X --
0.9 GHz GPU (Turbo) --
Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail GT1) GPU name
-- Max. displays --
22 nm Technology --
0.31 GHz GPU frequency --
2.0 GB Max. GPU Memory 0 bytes
Q3/2013 Release date --
7 Generation --
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

-- AI specifications --
-- 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 VC-1 --
No h265 / HEVC (8 bit) --
No VP8 --
No VP9 --
No AV1 --
Decode / Encode AVC --
No h265 / HEVC (10 bit) --
Decode / Encode h264 --
Decode JPEG --
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 8.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 21.3 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 64.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
DDR3-1333 Memory type DDR3L-1600, DDR3-1600
8.0 GB Max. Memory 64.0 GB
21.3 GB/s Bandwidth 25.6 GB/s
No ECC Yes
No AES-NI Yes
pci PCIe pci
2 Memory channels 2
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 7.5 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 15 W watts.
4.5 W TDP down None
7.5 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 15 W
100 °C Tjunction max --
 
 

Technical details

The Intel Pentium N3540 is manufactured using a 22 nm process.
A smaller manufacturing process indicates a more contemporary and energy-efficient CPU.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 2.0 MB cache.
A substantial cache can significantly enhance the processor's performance, particularly in scenarios like gaming.
The Intel Atom C2538 is manufactured using a 22 nm process.
VT-x, VT-x EPT Virtualization VT-x, VT-x EPT
Windows 10, Linux Operating systems Windows 10, Linux
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
Monolithic Chip design Monolithic
Bay Trail Architecture Avoton
BGA 1170 Socket BGA 1283
22 nm Technology 22 nm
x86-64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
-- Release price 104 $
Q3/2014 Release date Q3/2013
-- Part Number --
0 bytes L2-Cache 2.0 MB
SSE4.1, SSE4.2 ISA extensions SSE4.1, SSE4.2
2.0 MB L3-Cache 0 bytes