A8-5550M
VS
Atom x5-E3940

A8-5550M vs Atom x5-E3940

AMD

A8-5550M

4 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 3.1 GHz2013
VS
Intel

Atom x5-E3940

4 Cores4 Thrd10 WWMax: 1.8 GHz2014

Performance Spectrum - CPU

About PassMark

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The A8-5550M is positioned at rank 692 and the Atom x5-E3940 is on rank 337, so the Atom x5-E3940 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar A8-5550M

#680
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
972%
#681
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
958%
#682
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
879%
#683
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
875%
#684
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
867%
#686
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
838%
#687
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
803%
#688
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
802%
#689
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
780%
#692
A8-5550M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#696
Processor N95
MSRP: $160|Avg: $80
99%
#699
Athlon Silver 3050e
MSRP: $100|Avg: $60
99%
#705
C-60
MSRP: $50|Avg: $20
98%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Atom x5-E3940

#101
Core i5-1350P
MSRP: $320|Avg: $250
97%
#325
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
485%
#326
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
478%
#327
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
438%
#328
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
436%
#329
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
432%
#331
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
418%
#332
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
400%
#333
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
400%
#334
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
389%
#337
Atom x5-E3940
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The A8-5550M leads in gaming performance. However, the Atom x5-E3940 is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.3% greater multi-core processing power.
InsightA8-5550MAtom x5-E3940
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Richland (2013−2014) / 32 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Apollo Lake (2014−2016) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

InsightA8-5550MAtom x5-E3940
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of A8-5550M and Atom x5-E3940

AMD

A8-5550M

The A8-5550M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Richland (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FS1r2. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,811 points. Launch price was $90.

Intel

Atom x5-E3940

The Atom x5-E3940 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 August 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Apollo Lake (2014−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 1.8 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB (total). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1296. Thermal design power (TDP): 10 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 1,816 points. Launch price was $69.

Processing Power

Both the A8-5550M and Atom x5-E3940 share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.1 GHz on the A8-5550M versus 1.8 GHz on the Atom x5-E3940 — a 53.1% clock advantage for the A8-5550M (base: 2.1 GHz vs 1.6 GHz). The A8-5550M uses the Richland (2013−2014) architecture (32 nm), while the Atom x5-E3940 uses Apollo Lake (2014−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the A8-5550M scores 1,811 against the Atom x5-E3940's 1,816 — a 0.3% lead for the Atom x5-E3940. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

FeatureA8-5550MAtom x5-E3940
Cores / Threads
4 / 4
4 / 4
Boost Clock
3.1 GHz+72%
1.8 GHz
Base Clock
2.1 GHz+31%
1.6 GHz
L3 Cache
0 kB
0 kB
L2 Cache
1 MB (per core)
2 MB (total)+100%
Process
32 nm
14 nm-56%
Architecture
Richland (2013−2014)
Apollo Lake (2014−2016)
PassMark
1,811
1,816
🧠

Memory & Platform

The A8-5550M uses the FS1r2 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Atom x5-E3940 uses FCBGA1296 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 1600 on the A8-5550M versus DDR3L-1866 on the Atom x5-E3940 — the A8-5550M supports 199.3% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The A8-5550M supports up to 16 of RAM compared to 8 GB 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (A8-5550M) vs 6 (Atom x5-E3940) — the A8-5550M offers 10 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: FP2,FS1r2 (A8-5550M) and Intel FCBGA1296 (Atom x5-E3940).

FeatureA8-5550MAtom x5-E3940
Socket
FS1r2
FCBGA1296
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
1600+53233%
DDR3L-1866
Max RAM Capacity
16
8 GB+52428700%
RAM Channels
2
2
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
16+167%
6
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (A8-5550M) / not specified (Atom x5-E3940). Both include integrated graphics Radeon HD 8510G / 8550G (A8-5550M) and Intel HD Graphics 500 (Atom x5-E3940) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: A8-5550M rivals Core i3-4000M.

FeatureA8-5550MAtom x5-E3940
Integrated GPU
Yes
Yes
IGPU Model
Radeon HD 8510G / 8550G
Intel HD Graphics 500
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
true