Athlon 64 TF-20 vs Atom x5-Z8500

Athlon 64 TF-20 vs Atom x5-Z8500 Performance Spectrum

Athlon 64 TF-20

1 / 1

1,245

+0.2%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Atom x5-Z8500

4 / 4

1,242

0.0%

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.

Athlon 64 TF-20 vs Atom x5-Z8500 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Athlon 64 TF-20 vs Atom x5-Z8500: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Athlon 64 TF-20

2009

Why buy it

✅+0.2% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Atom x5-Z8500 across 8 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $50 MSRP, while Atom x5-Z8500 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while Atom x5-Z8500 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Atom x5-Z8500

2015

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.3% higher average FPS across 8 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), while Athlon 64 TF-20 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,242 vs 1,245).

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon 64 TF-20 better than Atom x5-Z8500?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Atom x5-Z8500 is ahead with a 3.3% average FPS lead across 8 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Athlon 64 TF-20 pulls ahead with 0.2% better PassMark.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon 64 TF-20 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 1 cores and 1 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Athlon 64 TF-20 is the better buy right now. Athlon 64 TF-20 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $50 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.2% better PassMark. The compromise is that Atom x5-Z8500 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 3.3% average FPS lead across 8 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (24.9 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Atom x5-Z8500 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2015 vs 2009). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon 64 TF-20 vs Atom x5-Z8500 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

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.

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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

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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 139.9% 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 — 100% 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+140%
Max RAM Capacity	4 GB	8 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	—	2

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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.