Atom D2560 vs Pentium U5600

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.

Atom D2560 vs Pentium U5600 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.

Atom D2560 vs Pentium U5600: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Atom D2560

2012

Why buy it

✅Draws 1W instead of 18W, a 17W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (4 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel GMA 3650, while Pentium U5600 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Pentium U5600 across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (765 vs 835).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (1 MB vs 3 MB).

Pentium U5600

2011

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.6% higher average FPS across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+200% larger total L3 cache (3 MB vs 1 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $100 MSRP, while Atom D2560 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌1700% higher power demand at 18W vs 1W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Atom D2560 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium U5600 better than Atom D2560?

Yes. Pentium U5600 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 10.6% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data and 9.2% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Pentium U5600 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 10.6% more average FPS across 49 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium U5600 is the stronger fit. You are getting 9.2% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 200% larger total L3 cache (3 MB vs 1 MB).

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

Pentium U5600 is the better buy right now. Pentium U5600 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $100 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 10.6% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (8.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 D2560 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2012 vs 2011). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Atom D2560 vs Pentium U5600 Technical Specifications

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

Atom D2560

The Atom D2560 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 24 October 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Cedarview (2011−2012) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 1 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA559. Thermal design power (TDP): 10 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-800, DDR3-1066. Passmark benchmark score: 765 points. Launch price was $69.

Pentium U5600

The Pentium U5600 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.33 GHz, with boost up to 1.33 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1288. Thermal design power (TDP): 18 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 835 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

The Atom D2560 packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the Pentium U5600's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Atom D2560 versus 1.33 GHz on the Pentium U5600 — a 40.2% clock advantage for the Atom D2560 (base: 2 GHz vs 1.33 GHz). The Atom D2560 uses the Cedarview (2011−2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Pentium U5600 uses Arrandale (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Atom D2560 scores 765 against the Pentium U5600's 835 — a 8.8% lead for the Pentium U5600. L3 cache: 1 MB on the Atom D2560 vs 3 MB (total) on the Pentium U5600.

Feature	Atom D2560	Pentium U5600
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2 GHz+50%	1.33 GHz
Base Clock	2 GHz+50%	1.33 GHz
L3 Cache	1 MB	3 MB (total)+200%
L2 Cache	1 MB	256K (per core)+25500%
Process	32 nm	32 nm
Architecture	Cedarview (2011−2012)	Arrandale (2010−2011)
PassMark	765	835+9%

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Memory & Platform

The Atom D2560 uses the FCBGA559 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium U5600 uses BGA1288 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.