Atom N550 vs A6-3500
Atom N550
A6-3500
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 N550 is positioned at rank 618 and the A6-3500 is on rank 707, so the Atom N550 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Atom N550
Performance Per Dollar A6-3500
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Atom N550 | A6-3500 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Pineview (2009−2011) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Llano (2011−2012) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Atom N550 | A6-3500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
Performance Check
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 N550 and A6-3500
Atom N550
The Atom N550 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 August 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Pineview (2009−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 1.5 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA559. Thermal design power (TDP): 8.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,435 points. Launch price was $86.
A6-3500
The A6-3500 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Llano (2011−2012) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM1. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,439 points. Launch price was $70.
Processing Power
The Atom N550 packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the A6-3500 offers 3 cores / 3 threads — the A6-3500 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 1.5 GHz on the Atom N550 versus 2.4 GHz on the A6-3500 — a 46.2% clock advantage for the A6-3500 (base: 1.5 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Atom N550 uses the Pineview (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the A6-3500 uses Llano (2011−2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Atom N550 scores 1,435 against the A6-3500's 1,439 — a 0.3% lead for the A6-3500. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Atom N550 | A6-3500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 3 / 3+50% |
| Boost Clock | 1.5 GHz | 2.4 GHz+60% |
| Base Clock | 1.5 GHz | 2.1 GHz+40% |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 512K (per core) | 1 MB (per core)+100% |
| Process | 45 nm | 32 nm-29% |
| Architecture | Pineview (2009−2011) | Llano (2011−2012) |
| PassMark | 1,435 | 1,439 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 265 |
Memory & Platform
The Atom N550 uses the FCBGA559 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the A6-3500 uses FM1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-667 memory speed. The A6-3500 supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 2 GB — 155.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 1 (Atom N550) vs 2 (A6-3500). PCIe lanes: 0 (Atom N550) vs 16 (A6-3500) — the A6-3500 offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel NM10 (Atom N550) and A55,A75 (A6-3500).
| Feature | Atom N550 | A6-3500 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA559 | FM1 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-667 | DDR3-1866 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 2 GB | 16 GB+700% |
| RAM Channels | 1 | 2+100% |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Atom N550) / AMD-V (A6-3500). Both include integrated graphics — Intel GMA 3150 (Atom N550) and Radeon HD 6530D (A6-3500) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A6-3500 targets Budget Desktop. Direct competitor: A6-3500 rivals Pentium G620.
| Feature | Atom N550 | A6-3500 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | Yes |
| IGPU Model | Intel GMA 3150 | Radeon HD 6530D |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | AMD-V |
| Target Use | — | Budget Desktop |
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