Intel N100 vs. N150: is the new chip worth the upgrade? [VIDEO]

As we progress through 2025, a wave of new education-focused Chromebooks is emerging, powered by Intel’s latest Twin Lake processors, the N150 and N250. These chips represent the successor to the now-familiar N100 and N200, which have become staples in devices like the Lenovo Chromebook Flex 3i. With the arrival of new devices featuring the N150, the question arises: does this generational update warrant an upgrade?

To address this, we conducted a series of benchmarks, comparing a device equipped with the N100 (the Lenovo Flex 3i with 4GB of RAM) against the new ASUS Chromebook CM12, which boasts the newer N150 and 8GB of RAM. While the RAM difference might introduce some variability, our focus remained on assessing the raw processing power of these chips.

We employed a suite of benchmarks, including Octane 2.0+, Speedometer 2.0 and 3.0, and JetStream 2. These tests were run in guest mode, so we could get an apples-to-apples, extension-free environment for a fair comparison.

Benchmark scores

Octane 2.0+ revealed a notable performance uplift with the N150. Single-core performance saw a 10% increase, while multi-core performance jumped by nearly 30%. This suggests that while single-task operations see a moderate improvement, multitasking experiences a significant boost.

Speedometer 2.0, however, showed minimal gains, with only single-digit percentage increases. Speedometer 3.0, considered by Google as the new standard benchmark for Chromebooks, echoed this, showing a 3-5% improvement. This indicates that while web-based tasks benefit from the N150, the enhancements are incremental.

JetStream 2, which evaluates the ability to handle complex tasks like PWAs, revealed a more substantial 10-12% performance increase with the N150. This suggests that tasks requiring more graphic rendering and simultaneous operations see a noticeable advantage.

To update, or not to update?

For schools already equipped with N100 or N200-powered Chromebooks, an immediate upgrade might not be necessary. The generational leap in performance, while present, isn’t substantial enough to justify a complete overhaul if you aren’t yet really ready to update your hardware.

However, for schools planning a new Chromebook deployment, opting for devices with the N150 is definitely advisable. The N150 offers a clear performance advantage, comes with a longer support window, and should deliver a smoother experience especially in more demanding applications.

In essence, the N150 represents a solid next-gen step, but not really what I would consider a revolutionary one. While it provides tangible performance improvements, particularly in multitasking and complex web applications, the N100 remains a capable and reliable processor. If price is negligible, the N150 is the clear choice for future-proofing. But existing N100 fleets should continue to serve well for the foreseeable future.