Atom D525 vs Athlon X2 QL-66

Atom D525

2 Cores4 Thrd13 WWMax: 1.83 GHz2010

Athlon X2 QL-66

2 Cores2 Thrd1 WWMax: 2.2 GHz2009

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Atom D525

2 / 4

1,707

+0.7%

1,695

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5945WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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 D525 is positioned at rank 31 and the Athlon X2 QL-66 is on rank 1048, so the Atom D525 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 D525

#19

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

172%

#20

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

169%

#21

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

155%

#22

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

155%

#23

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

153%

#25

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

148%

#26

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

142%

#27

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

142%

#28

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

138%

#31

Atom D525

MSRP: $63|Avg: N/A

100%

#32

Atom x7835RE

MSRP: $127|Avg: N/A

100%

#33

Core 2 Duo P8400

MSRP: $209|Avg: $10

98%

#38

Core 2 Duo T8100

MSRP: $209|Avg: $10

91%

#39

Atom 330

MSRP: $43|Avg: $30

90%

#43

Core 2 Duo SU7300

MSRP: $289|Avg: N/A

88%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Athlon X2 QL-66

#1036

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

2596%

#1037

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

2558%

#1038

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

2349%

#1039

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

2338%

#1040

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

2317%

#1042

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

2237%

#1043

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

2145%

#1044

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

2142%

#1045

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

2084%

#1048

Athlon X2 QL-66

MSRP: $150|Avg: $5

100%

#1049

Athlon II Neo K145

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

100%

#1050

Celeron P4600

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

99%

#1051

Core 2 Duo U7500

MSRP: $100|Avg: $10

99%

#1052

Pentium 987

MSRP: $134|Avg: $20

98%

#1053

Core i7-4910MQ

MSRP: $570|Avg: $570

98%

#1054

Pentium T4400

MSRP: $107|Avg: $5

97%

#1056

Athlon X2 QL-65

MSRP: $150|Avg: $22

96%

#1057

Pentium J2850

MSRP: $94|Avg: $94

96%

#1058

Core i7-4900MQ

MSRP: $570|Avg: $40

95%

#1059

Celeron P4505

MSRP: $86|Avg: $86

94%

#1060

Pentium Dual Core T2370

MSRP: $150|Avg: $25

94%

#1061

Pentium T4200

MSRP: $99|Avg: $10

94%

#1062

Core i7-2720QM

MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A

94%

#1063

Pentium 2020M

MSRP: $134|Avg: N/A

93%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Athlon X2 QL-66 leads in gaming performance. However, the Atom D525 is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.7% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Atom D525	Athlon X2 QL-66
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($63)	✅ More affordable ($5)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Pinetrail (2009−2011) / 45 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Lion (2008−2009) / 65 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Athlon X2 QL-66 stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 92% cheaper ($5 vs $63) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Atom D525	Athlon X2 QL-66
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+1151%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($63)	✅ More affordable ($5)

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 D525 Benchmark Check

Athlon X2 QL-66 Benchmark Check

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Atom D525 and Athlon X2 QL-66

Atom D525

The Atom D525 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 21 June 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Pinetrail (2009−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 1.83 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA559. Thermal design power (TDP): 13 Watt. Memory support: DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,707 points. Launch price was $63.

Athlon X2 QL-66

The Athlon X2 QL-66 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Lion (2008−2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.2 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: S1g2. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,695 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Atom D525 packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the Athlon X2 QL-66's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 1.83 GHz on the Atom D525 versus 2.2 GHz on the Athlon X2 QL-66 — a 18.4% clock advantage for the Athlon X2 QL-66. The Atom D525 uses the Pinetrail (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Athlon X2 QL-66 uses Lion (2008−2009) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Atom D525 scores 1,707 against the Athlon X2 QL-66's 1,695 — a 0.7% lead for the Atom D525.

Feature	Atom D525	Athlon X2 QL-66
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 2
Boost Clock	1.83 GHz	2.2 GHz+20%
Base Clock	1.8 GHz	—
L3 Cache	0 kB	—
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	1 MB+100%
Process	45 nm-31%	65 nm
Architecture	Pinetrail (2009−2011)	Lion (2008−2009)
PassMark	1,707	1,695

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Atom D525 uses the FCBGA559 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon X2 QL-66 uses S1g2 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-800 on the Atom D525 versus DDR2-667 on the Athlon X2 QL-66 — the Atom D525 supports 40% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Athlon X2 QL-66 supports up to 8 GB of RAM compared to 4 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 1 (Atom D525) vs 2 (Athlon X2 QL-66). Both provide 0 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: Intel NM10 (Atom D525) and AMD S1 (Athlon X2 QL-66).

Feature	Atom D525	Athlon X2 QL-66
Socket	FCBGA559	S1g2
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-800+50%	DDR2-667
Max RAM Capacity	4 GB	8 GB+100%
RAM Channels	1	2+100%
ECC Support	❌	❌
PCIe Lanes	0	0