Intel Atom C2538

Intel Atom C2538
Benchmarks & Specs

Last updated:
The Intel Atom C2538, representing the Avoton generation, was originally developed for specific tasks. Manufactured in the 22 nm process, this processor placed a strong focus on energy efficiency, making it particularly attractive for continuous running systems. We still often see this chip today in more compact server solutions or in dedicated network devices.

There, it plays to its strength by reliably providing stable performance for less demanding but critical workloads. With 2 MB of L2 cache and a maximum memory bandwidth of 26 GB/s, the Intel Atom C2538 was well equipped for its primary areas of application. The then support for PCIe 2.0 also offered sufficient flexibility for necessary expansions within its systems.

This processor is an example of hardware designed for durability and low power consumption. It proves that a specialized solution can continue to play an important role in certain niche applications, even after years. One notices that the focus here was on a permanently reliable function.
  • High energy efficiency
  • Reliable performance for specific workloads
  • Ideal for compact server and network solutions

Performance Overview
Average performance across multiple benchmarks

Single-core performance
Rank ? / ?
In segment Desktop
Multi-core performance
Rank ? / ?
In segment Desktop
Geekbench 5, 64bit Single-Core

Geekbench 5, 64bit Single-Core
Single-core performance

Intel Pentium J2900
4C / 4T · 2.67 GHz
240
Intel Pentium N3520
4C / 4T · 2.42 GHz
237
Intel Atom C2538
4C / 4T · 2.40 GHz
236
Intel Pentium N3700
4C / 4T · 2.40 GHz
229
Intel Pentium E2140
2C / 2T · 1.60 GHz
226
Geekbench 5, 64bit Multi-Core

Geekbench 5, 64bit Multi-Core
Multi-core performance

Intel Pentium E6800
2C / 2T · 3.33 GHz
830
Intel Pentium N3530
4C / 4T · 2.58 GHz
830
Intel Atom C2538
4C / 4T · 2.40 GHz
827
AMD Athlon II X2 260
2C / 2T · 3.20 GHz
820
Intel Core2 Duo E7500
2C / 2T · 2.93 GHz
817

More benchmarks

At a glance

PropertyValue
FamilyIntel Atom (108)
CPU groupIntel Atom C2000 (7)
ArchitectureAvoton
Technology22 nm
SegmentDesktop
SocketBGA 1283
Generation3
Predecessor
Successor

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

PropertyValue
CPU Cores / Threads4 / 4
Hyperthreading / SMT
Core architecturenormal
Cores: 4x
Frequency: 2.40 GHz
Turbo Frequency (1 Core):
Turbo Frequency (4 Cores):
L2-Cache2.00 MB
L3-Cache
OverclockingNo

Memory & PCIe

Memory typeMemory bandwidth
DDR3L-1600
DDR3-1600
25.6 GB/s
25.6 GB/s
PropertyValue
Max. Memory64 GB
Memory channels2
ECC
PCIe2.0 x 16
PCIe Bandwidth8.0 GB/s

Thermal Management

PropertyValue
TDP15 W
TDP (PL2)
TDP up
TDP down
T. junction max.

Technical details

PropertyValue
Chip designMonolithic
AES-NI
Operating systemsWindows 10, Linux
Instruction setx86-64 (64 bit)
ISA extensionsSSE4.1, SSE4.2
Release dateQ3/2013
Release price104 $
DocumentsTechnical data sheet
Intel Atom C2538
Intel Atom C2538
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