Athlon XP 2600+ vs Atom N455

CPU

GPU

Athlon XP 2600+

1 Cores1 Thrd68 WWMax: 1.92 GHz2001

Atom N455

1 Cores2 Thrd512 WWMax: 1.67 GHz2010

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Athlon XP 2600+

1 / 1

340

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Atom N455

1 / 2

345

+1.5%

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 2600+ is positioned at rank 1085 and the Atom N455 is on rank 633, so the Atom N455 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Athlon XP 2600+

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

89831%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

84882%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

61631%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

18567%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

14707%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

12866%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

7369%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

7273%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

6622%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

6621%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

6547%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

6371%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

6282%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

6256%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

6199%

#1085

Athlon XP 2600+

MSRP: $98|Avg: $10

100%

#1086

Core i7-965

MSRP: $1000|Avg: $40

99%

#1087

Athlon 64 FX-74

MSRP: $499|Avg: $50

96%

#1088

Athlon 64 2000+

MSRP: $100|Avg: $20

95%

#1089

Core 2 Extreme QX9770

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $1399

95%

#1090

Athlon 64 X2 5600+

MSRP: $505|Avg: $15

95%

#1091

Athlon 64 X2 5400+

MSRP: $485|Avg: $78

94%

#1092

Celeron 2.30

MSRP: $100|Avg: $10

94%

#1093

Phenom X4 9450e

MSRP: $450|Avg: $430

93%

#1094

Athlon 64 X2 3800+

MSRP: $354|Avg: $20

89%

#1095

Athlon 64 3000+

MSRP: $149|Avg: $10

87%

#1096

Athlon XP 3100+

MSRP: $150|Avg: $20

82%

#1097

Athlon 64 3300+

MSRP: $200|Avg: $200

75%

#1098

Athlon 64 2800+

MSRP: $178|Avg: $15

68%

#1099

Athlon 64 3700+

MSRP: $272|Avg: $20

66%

#1100

Athlon 64 FX-72

MSRP: $799|Avg: $40

65%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Atom N455

#187

Core Ultra 9 288V

MSRP: $600|Avg: $600

98%

#188

Core i7-10870H

MSRP: $417|Avg: N/A

98%

#621

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

850%

#622

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

838%

#623

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

769%

#624

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

766%

#625

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

759%

#627

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

733%

#628

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

703%

#629

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

701%

#630

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

683%

#633

Atom N455

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#638

Celeron Dual-Core T1400

MSRP: $80|Avg: $10

99%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Atom N455 (2010) utilizes 45 nm technology and DDR3, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Athlon XP 2600+	Atom N455
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($10)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Barton (2001−2004) / 130 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Pinetrail (2009−2011) / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Athlon XP 2600+ (2001) relies on 130 nm technology and older memory, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Athlon XP 2600+	Atom N455
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($10)	✅ More affordable ($0)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Athlon XP 2600+ Benchmark Check

Atom N455 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Athlon XP 2600+ and Atom N455

Athlon XP 2600+

The Athlon XP 2600+ is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Janeiro 2001 (24 years ago). It is based on the Barton (2001−2004) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 1.92 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512K. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: A. Thermal design power (TDP): 68 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 340 points. Launch price was $23.

Atom N455

The Atom N455 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 June 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Pinetrail (2009−2011) architecture. It features 1 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.66 GHz, with boost up to 1.67 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA559. Thermal design power (TDP): 6.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 345 points. Launch price was $64.

⚡

Processing Power

The Athlon XP 2600+ packs 1 cores / 1 threads, matching the Atom N455's 1 cores. Boost clocks reach 1.92 GHz on the Athlon XP 2600+ versus 1.67 GHz on the Atom N455 — a 13.9% clock advantage for the Athlon XP 2600+. The Athlon XP 2600+ uses the Barton (2001−2004) architecture (130 nm), while the Atom N455 uses Pinetrail (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon XP 2600+ scores 340 against the Atom N455's 345 — a 1.5% lead for the Atom N455. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Athlon XP 2600+	Atom N455
Cores / Threads	1 / 1	1 / 2
Boost Clock	1.92 GHz+15%	1.67 GHz
Base Clock	—	1.66 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	512K	512K (per core)
Process	130 nm	45 nm-65%
Architecture	Barton (2001−2004)	Pinetrail (2009−2011)
PassMark	340	345+1%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon XP 2600+ uses the A socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Atom N455 uses FCBGA559 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR-333 on the Athlon XP 2600+ versus DDR3-667 on the Atom N455 — the Atom N455 supports -203.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Athlon XP 2600+ supports up to 4 GB of RAM compared to 2 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 1-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 0 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: AMD Socket A (Athlon XP 2600+) and Intel NM10 (Atom N455).

Feature	Athlon XP 2600+	Atom N455
Socket	A	FCBGA559
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 2.0+82%
Max RAM Speed	DDR-333	DDR3-667
Max RAM Capacity	4 GB+100%	2 GB
RAM Channels	1	1
ECC Support	✅	❌
PCIe Lanes	0	0