Atom D525
VS
Xeon E5502

Atom D525 vs Xeon E5502

Intel

Atom D525

2 Cores4 Thrd13 WWMax: 1.83 GHz2010
VS
Intel

Xeon E5502

2 Cores2 Thrd80 WWMax: 1.87 GHz2009

Performance Spectrum - CPU

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 Xeon E5502 is on rank 893, 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 Xeon E5502

#1
Xeon Platinum 8454H
MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A
22639%
#6
Xeon Gold 6240R
MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A
4274%
#10
Xeon 6337P
MSRP: $60|Avg: $5
3798%
#15
EPYC 9174F
MSRP: $194|Avg: $30
2934%
#502
Xeon Platinum 8362
MSRP: $6236|Avg: $5740
99%
#503
Xeon W-3275M
MSRP: $4449|Avg: $4449
99%
#504
Xeon E5-2660 v3
MSRP: $1445|Avg: $150
98%
#505
Xeon E5-2679 v4
MSRP: $2702|Avg: $500
97%
#506
Xeon E5-2680 v3
MSRP: $1745|Avg: $212
93%
#507
Xeon Platinum 8562Y+
MSRP: $5945|Avg: $7000
92%
#508
Xeon E7-8895 v2
MSRP: $6841|Avg: $65
91%
#893
Xeon E5502
MSRP: $188|Avg: $39
100%
#898
Xeon W-2225
MSRP: $1166|Avg: $150
97%
#899
Xeon E5-2650L v3
MSRP: $1329|Avg: N/A
97%
#906
Xeon E5405
MSRP: $209|Avg: $15
91%
#907
Xeon E5-2440
MSRP: $728|Avg: $249
91%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Use Case Distinction: This is a comparison between a Professional Workstation processor ($39) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon E5502 is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.
InsightAtom D525Xeon E5502
Gaming
Lower gaming performance
Superior gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
⚠️ Higher cost ($63)
More affordable ($39)
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Pinetrail (2009−2011) / 45 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Gainestown (2009−2010) / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Atom D525 ($63), however, is optimized for mixed workloads and gaming. For most users, it offers superior single-thread performance and responsiveness at a fraction of the cost ($24 less, 62% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.
InsightAtom D525Xeon E5502
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Better overall value (+63%)
Upfront Cost
⚠️ Higher cost ($63)
More affordable ($39)

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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Atom D525 and Xeon E5502

Intel

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.

Intel

Xeon E5502

The Xeon E5502 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 March 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Gainestown (2009−2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.86 GHz, with boost up to 1.87 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,725 points. Launch price was $95.

Processing Power

The Atom D525 packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the Xeon E5502's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 1.83 GHz on the Atom D525 versus 1.87 GHz on the Xeon E5502 — a 2.2% clock advantage for the Xeon E5502 (base: 1.8 GHz vs 1.86 GHz). The Atom D525 uses the Pinetrail (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Xeon E5502 uses Gainestown (2009−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Atom D525 scores 1,707 against the Xeon E5502's 1,725 — a 1% lead for the Xeon E5502. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Atom D525 vs 4 MB (total) on the Xeon E5502.

FeatureAtom D525Xeon E5502
Cores / Threads
2 / 4
2 / 2
Boost Clock
1.83 GHz
1.87 GHz+2%
Base Clock
1.8 GHz
1.86 GHz+3%
L3 Cache
0 kB
4 MB (total)
L2 Cache
512K (per core)+100%
256 kB (per core)
Process
45 nm
45 nm
Architecture
Pinetrail (2009−2011)
Gainestown (2009−2010)
PassMark
1,707
1,725+1%
Geekbench 6 Single
200
Geekbench 6 Multi
800
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Atom D525 uses the FCBGA559 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon E5502 uses LGA1366 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-800 memory speed. The Xeon E5502 supports up to 144 GB of RAM compared to 4 GB 189.2% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 1 (Atom D525) vs 3 (Xeon E5502). PCIe lanes: 0 (Atom D525) vs 32 (Xeon E5502) — the Xeon E5502 offers 32 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel NM10 (Atom D525) and Intel 5500,Intel 5520,Intel X58 (Xeon E5502).

FeatureAtom D525Xeon E5502
Socket
FCBGA559
LGA1366
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR3-800
DDR3-800
Max RAM Capacity
4 GB
144 GB+3500%
RAM Channels
1
3+200%
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
0
32
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Atom D525) / true (Xeon E5502). The Atom D525 includes integrated graphics (Intel GMA 3150), while the Xeon E5502 requires a dedicated GPU.

FeatureAtom D525Xeon E5502
Integrated GPU
Yes
No
IGPU Model
Intel GMA 3150
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
true
💰

Value Analysis

The Atom D525 launched at $63 MSRP, while the Xeon E5502 debuted at $188.

FeatureAtom D525Xeon E5502
MSRP
$63-66%
$188
Avg Price (30d)
$39
Release Date
2010
2009