Athlon XP 1500+ vs Atom Z520
Athlon XP 1500+
Atom Z520
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 XP 1500+ is positioned at rank 1111 and the Atom Z520 is on rank 523, so the Atom Z520 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon XP 1500+
Performance Per Dollar Atom Z520
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon XP 1500+ | Atom Z520 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Palomino (2001) / 180 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Silverthorne (2008−2010) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon XP 1500+ | Atom Z520 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ 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 XP 1500+ and Atom Z520
Athlon XP 1500+
The Athlon XP 1500+ is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Palomino (2001) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 1.33 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 256 kB. Built on 180 nm process technology. Socket: A. Thermal design power (TDP): 60 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 188 points. Launch price was $149.
Atom Z520
The Atom Z520 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2008 (17 years ago). It is based on the Silverthorne (2008−2010) architecture. It features 1 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.33 GHz, with boost up to 0.03 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PBGA441. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 215 points. Launch price was $65.
Processing Power
The Athlon XP 1500+ packs 1 cores / 1 threads, matching the Atom Z520's 1 cores. Boost clocks reach 1.33 GHz on the Athlon XP 1500+ versus 0.03 GHz on the Atom Z520 — a 191.2% clock advantage for the Athlon XP 1500+. The Athlon XP 1500+ uses the Palomino (2001) architecture (180 nm), while the Atom Z520 uses Silverthorne (2008−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon XP 1500+ scores 188 against the Atom Z520's 215 — a 13.4% lead for the Atom Z520. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Athlon XP 1500+ | Atom Z520 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 1 / 1 | 1 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 1.33 GHz+4333% | 0.03 GHz |
| Base Clock | — | 1.33 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB | 512 kB+100% |
| Process | 180 nm | 45 nm-75% |
| Architecture | Palomino (2001) | Silverthorne (2008−2010) |
| PassMark | 188 | 215+14% |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon XP 1500+ uses the A socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Atom Z520 uses PBGA441 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR-266 on the Athlon XP 1500+ versus DDR2-533 on the Atom Z520 — the Atom Z520 supports -203% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 2 GB of RAM. Both feature 1-channel memory with ECC support. Chipset compatibility: AMD Socket A (Athlon XP 1500+) and Intel US15W (Atom Z520).
| Feature | Athlon XP 1500+ | Atom Z520 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | A | PBGA441 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR-266 | DDR2-533 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 2 GB | 2 GB |
| RAM Channels | 1 | 1 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 0 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: None (Athlon XP 1500+) vs VT-x (Atom Z520). Primary use case: Athlon XP 1500+ targets Desktop, Atom Z520 targets Mobile.
| Feature | Athlon XP 1500+ | Atom Z520 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | None | VT-x |
| Target Use | Desktop | Mobile |
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