Athlon 64 TF-20 vs Atom x5-Z8500
Athlon 64 TF-20
Atom x5-Z8500
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 TF-20 is positioned at rank 790 and the Atom x5-Z8500 is on rank 450, so the Atom x5-Z8500 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 TF-20
Performance Per Dollar Atom x5-Z8500
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon 64 TF-20 | Atom x5-Z8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Sherman (2009) / 65 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Cherry Trail (2015−2016) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon 64 TF-20 | Atom x5-Z8500 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 TF-20 and Atom x5-Z8500
Athlon 64 TF-20
The Athlon 64 TF-20 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Sherman (2009) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 1.6 GHz. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: S1g1. Thermal design power (TDP): 512 kB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,245 points. Launch price was $149.
Atom x5-Z8500
The Atom x5-Z8500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 March 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Cherry Trail (2015−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.44 GHz, with boost up to 2.24 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: UTFCBGA1380. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,242 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
The Athlon 64 TF-20 packs 1 cores / 1 threads, while the Atom x5-Z8500 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Atom x5-Z8500 has 3 more cores. Boost clocks reach 1.6 GHz on the Athlon 64 TF-20 versus 2.24 GHz on the Atom x5-Z8500 — a 33.3% clock advantage for the Atom x5-Z8500. The Athlon 64 TF-20 uses the Sherman (2009) architecture (65 nm), while the Atom x5-Z8500 uses Cherry Trail (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 64 TF-20 scores 1,245 against the Atom x5-Z8500's 1,242 — a 0.2% lead for the Athlon 64 TF-20.
| Feature | Athlon 64 TF-20 | Atom x5-Z8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 1 / 1 | 4 / 4+300% |
| Boost Clock | 1.6 GHz | 2.24 GHz+40% |
| Base Clock | — | 1.44 GHz |
| L3 Cache | — | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB | 2 MB+300% |
| Process | 65 nm | 14 nm-78% |
| Architecture | Sherman (2009) | Cherry Trail (2015−2016) |
| PassMark | 1,245 | 1,242 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon 64 TF-20 uses the S1g1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Atom x5-Z8500 uses UTFCBGA1380 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR2-667 on the Athlon 64 TF-20 versus LPDDR3-1600 on the Atom x5-Z8500 — the Atom x5-Z8500 supports 40% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Atom x5-Z8500 supports up to 8 GB of RAM compared to 4 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Chipset compatibility: Socket S1 (Athlon 64 TF-20) and Intel FC-UTBGA592 (Atom x5-Z8500).
| Feature | Athlon 64 TF-20 | Atom x5-Z8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | S1g1 | UTFCBGA1380 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR2-667 | LPDDR3-1600+50% |
| Max RAM Capacity | 4 GB | 8 GB+100% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 2 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: false (Athlon 64 TF-20) / not specified (Atom x5-Z8500). The Atom x5-Z8500 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Cherry Trail)), while the Athlon 64 TF-20 requires a dedicated GPU.
| Feature | Athlon 64 TF-20 | Atom x5-Z8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Intel HD Graphics (Cherry Trail) |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | false | — |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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