MediaTek is pushing the entry-level Chromebook market forward with the newly announced Kompanio 540. The chip is designed to improve performance, efficiency, and connectivity without raising the cost.
Kompanio 540 offers faster cores and newer RAM
The Kompanio 540 sticks with an 8-core CPU layout, but swaps in newer parts. Two Cortex-A78 cores run at 2.6 GHz, backed by six Cortex-A55 cores at 2.0 GHz.
That’s a step up from the older Kompanio 520, which relied on slower A76 cores. MediaTek says users can expect up to 35% better battery life compared to earlier models.
PNY CS3250 PCIe 5.0 SSD delivers blazing speeds up to 14,900 MB/s with two models available now and a 4 TB version coming soon.
MediaTek keeps things flexible for OEMs
Device makers get plenty of options with this SoC. The Kompanio 540 supports:
- LPDDR5 or LPDDR4x memory
- UFS 3.1 or eMMC 5.1 storage
- PCIe-Gen2, USB 2.0, and USB 3.2 Gen2
This mix gives OEMs room to balance speed, cost, and power use in budget machines.
Graphics support stays modest but capable
The integrated Mali-G57 MC2 GPU won’t impress high-end gamers, but it gets the job done. It can handle 4K video at 60 FPS or power dual displays up to 2.5K.
That’s more than enough for students, casual users, or anyone relying on web-based tools.
Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 arrive on a budget
One big win: connectivity. The Kompanio 540 adds support for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Bluetooth LE. These are rare features in this segment, giving cheaper laptops a real edge for future-proof networking.
Kompanio 540 laptops coming in early 2026
Chromebooks powered by this chip are expected to launch starting in January 2026. That leaves plenty of time for OEMs to tune builds, and maybe undercut Snapdragon-powered rivals in the same tier.
The specs may be modest, but the direction is clear: low-cost no longer means outdated.
