Athlon 64 3500+ vs Atom S1260
Athlon 64 3500+
Atom S1260
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 Athlon 64 3500+ is positioned at rank 1102 and the Atom S1260 is on rank 749, so the Atom S1260 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon 64 3500+
Performance Per Dollar Atom S1260
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon 64 3500+ | Atom S1260 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (San Diego (2001−2005) / 130 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Centerton (2012) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon 64 3500+ | Atom S1260 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
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 Athlon 64 3500+ and Atom S1260
Athlon 64 3500+
The Athlon 64 3500+ is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Janeiro 2001 (24 years ago). It is based on the San Diego (2001−2005) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 2.2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: 939. Thermal design power (TDP): 89 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 570 points. Launch price was $59.
Atom S1260
The Atom S1260 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 December 2012 (12 years ago). It is based on the Centerton (2012) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1283. Thermal design power (TDP): 8.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 555 points. Launch price was $64.
Processing Power
The Athlon 64 3500+ packs 1 cores / 1 threads, while the Atom S1260 offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Atom S1260 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Athlon 64 3500+ versus 2 GHz on the Atom S1260 — a 9.5% clock advantage for the Athlon 64 3500+. The Athlon 64 3500+ uses the San Diego (2001−2005) architecture (130 nm), while the Atom S1260 uses Centerton (2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 64 3500+ scores 570 against the Atom S1260's 555 — a 2.7% lead for the Athlon 64 3500+. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Athlon 64 3500+ | Atom S1260 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 1 / 1 | 2 / 4+100% |
| Boost Clock | 2.2 GHz+10% | 2 GHz |
| Base Clock | — | 2 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB | 512 kB (per core) |
| Process | 130 nm | 32 nm-75% |
| Architecture | San Diego (2001−2005) | Centerton (2012) |
| PassMark | 570+3% | 555 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon 64 3500+ uses the 939 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Atom S1260 uses FCBGA1283 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR-400 on the Athlon 64 3500+ versus DDR3-1333 on the Atom S1260 — the Atom S1260 supports -203% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Atom S1260 supports up to 8 GB of RAM compared to 4 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Athlon 64 3500+) vs 1 (Atom S1260). PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon 64 3500+) vs 8 (Atom S1260) — the Atom S1260 offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD 939 (Athlon 64 3500+) and Intel BGA1283 (Atom S1260).
| Feature | Athlon 64 3500+ | Atom S1260 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | 939 | FCBGA1283 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR-400 | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 4 GB | 8 GB+100% |
| RAM Channels | 2+100% | 1 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | 8 |
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