Athlon XP 2600+ vs Atom N455

Athlon XP 2600+ vs Atom N455 Performance Spectrum

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.

Athlon XP 2600+ vs Atom N455 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 XP 2600+ vs Atom N455: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Athlon XP 2600+

2001

Why buy it

✅Draws 68W instead of 512W, a 444W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Atom N455 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (340 vs 345).
❌Launch MSRP is still $98 MSRP, while Atom N455 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while Atom N455 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Atom N455

2010

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +12.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel GMA 3150, while Athlon XP 2600+ needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌652.9% higher power demand at 512W vs 68W.

Quick Answers

So, is Atom N455 better than Athlon XP 2600+?

Yes. Atom N455 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 12.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1.5% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Atom N455 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 12.3% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Atom N455 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.5% better PassMark, backed by 1 cores and 2 threads.

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

Atom N455 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Atom N455 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $98 MSRP, and it still gives you a 12.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Athlon XP 2600+ only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2001 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (3.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on A.

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

Atom N455 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2010 vs 2001) and more multi-core headroom with 1 cores / 2 threads instead of 1/1. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon XP 2600+ vs Atom N455 Technical Specifications

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

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.

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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%

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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 -300.3% 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 — 100% 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).