Athlon II X4 620e vs Atom x5-Z8300

Athlon II X4 620e vs Atom x5-Z8300 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X4 620e

4 / 4

2,906

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Atom x5-Z8300

4 / 4

2,934

+1.0%

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 II X4 620e vs Atom x5-Z8300 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 II X4 620e vs Atom x5-Z8300: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Athlon II X4 620e

2011

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,906 vs 2,934).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 29.4 vs 146.7 PassMark/$ ($99 MSRP vs $20 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Atom x5-Z8300 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Atom x5-Z8300

2015

Why buy it

✅+1% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $79 less on MSRP ($20 MSRP vs $99 MSRP).
✅Delivers 399.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 146.7 vs 29.4 PassMark/$ ($20 MSRP vs $99 MSRP).
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), while Athlon II X4 620e needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Atom x5-Z8300 better than Athlon II X4 620e?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon II X4 620e is ahead with a 0.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Atom x5-Z8300 pulls ahead with 1% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Atom x5-Z8300 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Atom x5-Z8300 is the better buy right now. Atom x5-Z8300 comes in $79 cheaper on MSRP at $20 MSRP versus $99 MSRP, and it still gives you 1% better PassMark. The compromise is that Athlon II X4 620e is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 0.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 399.8% better value on MSRP (146.7 vs 29.4 PassMark/$), 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-Z8300 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2015 vs 2011) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon II X4 620e vs Atom x5-Z8300 Technical Specifications

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

Athlon II X4 620e

The Athlon II X4 620e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Propus (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,906 points. Launch price was $149.

Atom x5-Z8300

The Atom x5-Z8300 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 1.84 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: UTFCBGA592. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,934 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Athlon II X4 620e and Atom x5-Z8300 share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Athlon II X4 620e versus 1.84 GHz on the Atom x5-Z8300 — a 34.2% clock advantage for the Athlon II X4 620e (base: 2.6 GHz vs 1.44 GHz). The Athlon II X4 620e uses the Propus (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Atom x5-Z8300 uses Cherry Trail (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 620e scores 2,906 against the Atom x5-Z8300's 2,934 — a 1% lead for the Atom x5-Z8300. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Athlon II X4 620e	Atom x5-Z8300
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	4 / 4
Boost Clock	2.6 GHz+41%	1.84 GHz
Base Clock	2.6 GHz+81%	1.44 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	2 MB+300%
Process	45 nm	14 nm-69%
Architecture	Propus (2009−2011)	Cherry Trail (2015−2016)
PassMark	2,906	2,934

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X4 620e uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Atom x5-Z8300 uses UTFCBGA592 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1333 on the Athlon II X4 620e versus DDR3L-RS 1600 on the Atom x5-Z8300 — the Atom x5-Z8300 supports 20% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Athlon II X4 620e supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 2 GB — 1500% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Athlon II X4 620e) vs 1 (Atom x5-Z8300). PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II X4 620e) vs 1 (Atom x5-Z8300) — the Atom x5-Z8300 offers 1 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD AM3 (Athlon II X4 620e) and Intel FC-UTBGA592 (Atom x5-Z8300).

Feature	Athlon II X4 620e	Atom x5-Z8300
Socket	AM3	UTFCBGA592
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1333	DDR3L-RS 1600+20%
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB+1500%	2 GB
RAM Channels	2+100%	1
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	0	1

🔧

Advanced Features

The Atom x5-Z8300 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Cherry Trail)), while the Athlon II X4 620e requires a dedicated GPU.

Feature	Athlon II X4 620e	Atom x5-Z8300
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Intel HD Graphics (Cherry Trail)

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon II X4 620e was priced at $99, while the Atom x5-Z8300 came in at $20. On launch pricing ($99 vs $20), Atom x5-Z8300 was $79 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X4 620e delivers 29.4 pts/$ vs 146.7 pts/$ for the Atom x5-Z8300 — making the Atom x5-Z8300 the 133.3% better value option.

Feature	Athlon II X4 620e	Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP	$99	$20-80%
Performance per Dollar	29.4	146.7+399%
Release Date	2011	2015

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