Atom x5-Z8300 vs Core i5-2500T

Atom x5-Z8300

4 Cores4 Thrd−WMax: 1.84 GHz2015

Core i5-2500T

4 Cores4 Thrd45 WWMax: 3.3 GHz2011

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Atom x5-Z8300

4 / 4

2,934

+0.2%

2,929

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 x5-Z8300 is positioned at rank 4 and the Core i5-2500T is on rank 882, so the Atom x5-Z8300 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 x5-Z8300

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

100%

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

99%

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

90%

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

90%

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

89%

#10

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

86%

#11

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

83%

#12

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

82%

#13

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

80%

#17

Core i3-350M

MSRP: $130|Avg: $10

74%

#18

Atom x5-E8000

MSRP: $18|Avg: N/A

73%

#19

Core 2 Duo T5900

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $5

72%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-2500T

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

19373%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

18306%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

13291%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

4004%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

3172%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

2775%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

1589%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

1568%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

1428%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

1428%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

1412%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

1374%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

1355%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

1349%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

1337%

#882

Core i5-2500T

MSRP: $182|Avg: $30

100%

#884

Athlon II X2 265

MSRP: $83|Avg: $15

99%

#885

Core i3-2100

MSRP: $117|Avg: $10

99%

#886

A8-3800

MSRP: $130|Avg: $40

98%

#887

Pentium E5200

MSRP: $84|Avg: $15

97%

#888

Athlon II X2 235e

MSRP: $69|Avg: $15

97%

#889

Athlon II X2 250e

MSRP: $77|Avg: $15

97%

#890

Core i7-2600S

MSRP: $297|Avg: $99

97%

#891

Athlon II X2 250u

MSRP: $60|Avg: $15

97%

#892

Pentium G6951

MSRP: $89|Avg: $50

97%

#893

Core i3-2125

MSRP: $134|Avg: $15

97%

#895

Celeron G1820

MSRP: $110|Avg: $15

96%

#896

Celeron E1600

MSRP: $53|Avg: $10

96%

#897

Athlon II X2 270u

MSRP: $68|Avg: $10

96%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core i5-2500T leads in gaming performance. However, the Atom x5-Z8300 is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.2% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Atom x5-Z8300	Core i5-2500T
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	✅ More affordable ($20)	⚠️ Higher cost ($30)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Cherry Trail (2015−2016) / 14 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Atom x5-Z8300 stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 33% cheaper ($20 vs $30) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Atom x5-Z8300	Core i5-2500T
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+50%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($20)	⚠️ Higher cost ($30)

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 x5-Z8300 Benchmark Check

Core i5-2500T Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Atom x5-Z8300 and Core i5-2500T

Atom x5-Z8300

The Atom x5-Z8300 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 March 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Cherry Trail (2015−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.44 GHz, with boost up to 1.84 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: UTFCBGA592. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,934 points. Launch price was $69.

Core i5-2500T

The Core i5-2500T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 9 January 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 6144 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,929 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Atom x5-Z8300 and Core i5-2500T share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.84 GHz on the Atom x5-Z8300 versus 3.3 GHz on the Core i5-2500T — a 56.8% clock advantage for the Core i5-2500T (base: 1.44 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Atom x5-Z8300 uses the Cherry Trail (2015−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-2500T uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Atom x5-Z8300 scores 2,934 against the Core i5-2500T's 2,929 — a 0.2% lead for the Atom x5-Z8300. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Atom x5-Z8300 vs 6144 kB (total) on the Core i5-2500T.

Feature	Atom x5-Z8300	Core i5-2500T
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	4 / 4
Boost Clock	1.84 GHz	3.3 GHz+79%
Base Clock	1.44 GHz	2.3 GHz+60%
L3 Cache	0 kB	6144 kB (total)
L2 Cache	2 MB+700%	256 kB (per core)
Process	14 nm-56%	32 nm
Architecture	Cherry Trail (2015−2016)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	2,934	2,929

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Atom x5-Z8300 uses the UTFCBGA592 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-2500T uses LGA1155 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3L-RS 1600 memory speed. The Core i5-2500T supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 2 GB — 176.5% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 1 (Atom x5-Z8300) vs 2 (Core i5-2500T). PCIe lanes: 1 (Atom x5-Z8300) vs 16 (Core i5-2500T) — the Core i5-2500T offers 15 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Atom x5-Z8300	Core i5-2500T
Socket	UTFCBGA592	LGA1155
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3L-RS 1600	DDR3-1333
Max RAM Capacity	2 GB	32 GB+1500%
RAM Channels	1	2+100%
ECC Support	❌	❌
PCIe Lanes	1	16+1500%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Atom x5-Z8300) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-2500T). Both include integrated graphics — Intel HD Graphics (Cherry Trail) (Atom x5-Z8300) and HD Graphics 2000 (Core i5-2500T) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-2500T targets Desktop.

Feature	Atom x5-Z8300	Core i5-2500T
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel HD Graphics (Cherry Trail)	HD Graphics 2000
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	—	Desktop