Atom N550 vs Celeron 5205U

Atom N550

2 Cores4 Thrd9 WWMax: 1.5 GHz2010

Celeron 5205U

2 Cores2 Thrd15 WWMax: 1.9 GHz2019

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Atom N550

2 / 4

1,435

+0.2%

1,432

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 N550 is positioned at rank 618 and the Celeron 5205U is on rank 1231, so the Atom N550 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 N550

#605

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

818%

#606

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

806%

#607

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

740%

#608

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

736%

#609

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

730%

#611

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

705%

#612

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

676%

#613

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

674%

#614

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

656%

#618

Atom N550

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#621

Athlon II P320

MSRP: $50|Avg: $15

99%

#624

Core 3 N355

MSRP: $300|Avg: $300

98%

#627

Core i5-1335UE

MSRP: $312|Avg: $312

97%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Celeron 5205U

#1218

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

8811%

#1219

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

8682%

#1220

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

7970%

#1221

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

7934%

#1222

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

7861%

#1224

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

7592%

#1225

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

7279%

#1226

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

7267%

#1227

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

7072%

#1230

Core i7-820QM

MSRP: $546|Avg: N/A

100%

#1231

Celeron 5205U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#1232

Core Duo T2700

MSRP: $663|Avg: N/A

84%

#1234

Pentium SU4100

MSRP: $289|Avg: $15

71%

#1235

Core Solo T1400

MSRP: $200|Avg: $5

64%

#1236

Core i7-940XM

MSRP: $1096|Avg: N/A

62%

#1237

Core Solo T1350

MSRP: $200|Avg: $70

61%

#1239

Core Solo T1300

MSRP: $209|Avg: $10

55%

#1240

Core Solo T1200

MSRP: $209|Avg: $10

51%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Celeron 5205U (2019) utilizes 14 nm technology and DDR3, DDR4, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Atom N550	Celeron 5205U
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Pineview (2009−2011) / 45 nm)	✨ Modern (Comet Lake-U (2019−2020) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Atom N550 (2010) relies on 45 nm technology and DDR3, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Atom N550	Celeron 5205U
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 N550 Benchmark Check

Celeron 5205U Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Atom N550 and Celeron 5205U

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.

Celeron 5205U

The Celeron 5205U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 31 October 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake-U (2019−2020) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 1.9 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 1,432 points. Launch price was $107.

⚡

Processing Power

The Atom N550 packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the Celeron 5205U's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 1.5 GHz on the Atom N550 versus 1.9 GHz on the Celeron 5205U — a 23.5% clock advantage for the Celeron 5205U (base: 1.5 GHz vs 1.9 GHz). The Atom N550 uses the Pineview (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Celeron 5205U uses Comet Lake-U (2019−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Atom N550 scores 1,435 against the Celeron 5205U's 1,432 — a 0.2% lead for the Atom N550. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Atom N550 vs 2 MB on the Celeron 5205U.

Feature	Atom N550	Celeron 5205U
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 2
Boost Clock	1.5 GHz	1.9 GHz+27%
Base Clock	1.5 GHz	1.9 GHz+27%
L3 Cache	0 kB	2 MB
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	1 MB+100%
Process	45 nm	14 nm-69%
Architecture	Pineview (2009−2011)	Comet Lake-U (2019−2020)
PassMark	1,435	1,432
Geekbench 6 Single	—	385
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	650

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Atom N550 uses the FCBGA559 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Celeron 5205U uses FCBGA1528 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-667 on the Atom N550 versus DDR4-2400 on the Celeron 5205U — the Celeron 5205U supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Celeron 5205U supports up to 64 GB of RAM compared to 2 GB — 187.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 1 (Atom N550) vs 2 (Celeron 5205U). PCIe lanes: 0 (Atom N550) vs 12 (Celeron 5205U) — the Celeron 5205U offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel NM10 (Atom N550) and Comet Lake-U (Celeron 5205U).

Feature	Atom N550	Celeron 5205U
Socket	FCBGA559	FCBGA1528
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-667	DDR4-2400+33%
Max RAM Capacity	2 GB	64 GB+3100%
RAM Channels	1	2+100%
ECC Support	❌	❌
PCIe Lanes	0	12

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Atom N550) / VT-x, VT-d (Celeron 5205U). Both include integrated graphics — Intel GMA 3150 (Atom N550) and UHD Graphics (Comet Lake) (Celeron 5205U) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron 5205U targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron 5205U rivals Pentium Gold 6405U.