Atom 230 vs Atom Z520

Atom 230

1 Cores2 Thrd4 WWMax: 0.1 GHz2008

Atom Z520

1 Cores2 Thrd2 WWMax: 0.03 GHz2008

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Atom 230

1 / 2

248

+15.3%

215

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.

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 Atom 230 is positioned at rank 451 and the Atom Z520 is on rank 523, so the Atom 230 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 Atom 230

#439

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

592%

#440

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

583%

#441

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

535%

#442

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

533%

#443

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

528%

#445

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

510%

#446

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

489%

#447

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

488%

#448

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

475%

#451

Atom 230

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Atom Z520

#167

Core Ultra 7 258V

MSRP: $450|Avg: $400

98%

#511

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

682%

#512

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

672%

#513

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

617%

#514

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

614%

#515

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

609%

#517

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

588%

#518

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

564%

#519

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

563%

#520

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

548%

#523

Atom Z520

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Atom 230 delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Atom Z520 in both compute-intensive tasks (14.3% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Atom 230	Atom Z520
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Silverthorne (2008−2010) / 45 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Silverthorne (2008−2010) / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Atom 230	Atom Z520
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

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.

Atom 230 Benchmark Check

Atom Z520 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Atom 230 and Atom Z520

Atom 230

The Atom 230 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 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 0.1 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PBGA437. Thermal design power (TDP): 4 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 248 points. Launch price was $29.

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

Both the Atom 230 and Atom Z520 share an identical 1-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 0.1 GHz on the Atom 230 versus 0.03 GHz on the Atom Z520 — a 107.7% clock advantage for the Atom 230 (base: 1.6 GHz vs 1.33 GHz). Both are built on the Silverthorne (2008−2010) architecture using a 45 nm process. In PassMark, the Atom 230 scores 248 against the Atom Z520's 215 — a 14.3% lead for the Atom 230. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Atom 230	Atom Z520
Cores / Threads	1 / 2	1 / 2
Boost Clock	0.1 GHz+233%	0.03 GHz
Base Clock	1.6 GHz+20%	1.33 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	512 kB	512 kB
Process	45 nm	45 nm
Architecture	Silverthorne (2008−2010)	Silverthorne (2008−2010)
PassMark	248+15%	215

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Atom 230 uses the PBGA437 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Atom Z520 uses PBGA441 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR2-533 memory speed. Both support up to 2 GB of RAM. Both feature 1-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 0 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: Intel BGA437 (Atom 230) and Intel US15W (Atom Z520).