Atom x5-Z8300 vs Pentium 8500
Atom x5-Z8300
Pentium 8500
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 x5-Z8300 is positioned at rank 4 and the Pentium 8500 is on rank 991, so the Atom x5-Z8300 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Atom x5-Z8300
Performance Per Dollar Pentium 8500
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Atom x5-Z8300 | Pentium 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($20) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($200) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Cherry Trail (2015−2016) / 14 nm) | ✨ Modern (Alder Lake-U (2022) / Intel 7 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Atom x5-Z8300 | Pentium 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+912%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($20) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($200) |
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 x5-Z8300 and Pentium 8500
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.
Pentium 8500
The Pentium 8500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Alder Lake-U (2022) architecture. It features 5 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 1 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1781. Thermal design power (TDP): 9 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 2,900 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
The Atom x5-Z8300 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Pentium 8500 offers 5 cores / 6 threads — the Pentium 8500 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 1.84 GHz on the Atom x5-Z8300 versus 4.4 GHz on the Pentium 8500 — a 82.1% clock advantage for the Pentium 8500 (base: 1.44 GHz vs 1 GHz). The Atom x5-Z8300 uses the Cherry Trail (2015−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Pentium 8500 uses Alder Lake-U (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Atom x5-Z8300 scores 2,934 against the Pentium 8500's 2,900 — a 1.2% lead for the Atom x5-Z8300. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Atom x5-Z8300 vs 8 MB (total) on the Pentium 8500.
| Feature | Atom x5-Z8300 | Pentium 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 5 / 6+25% |
| Boost Clock | 1.84 GHz | 4.4 GHz+139% |
| Base Clock | 1.44 GHz+44% | 1 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 8 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB+60% | 1.25 MB (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm | Intel 7 nm-50% |
| Architecture | Cherry Trail (2015−2016) | Alder Lake-U (2022) |
| PassMark | 2,934+1% | 2,900 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 1,250 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 2,100 |
Memory & Platform
The Atom x5-Z8300 uses the UTFCBGA592 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium 8500 uses FCBGA1781 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3L-RS 1600 on the Atom x5-Z8300 versus LPDDR5-5200 on the Pentium 8500 — the Pentium 8500 supports 50% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Pentium 8500 supports up to 64 GB of RAM compared to 2 GB — 187.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 1 (Atom x5-Z8300) vs 2 (Pentium 8500). PCIe lanes: 1 (Atom x5-Z8300) vs 14 (Pentium 8500) — the Pentium 8500 offers 13 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel FC-UTBGA592 (Atom x5-Z8300) and SoC (Pentium 8500).
| Feature | Atom x5-Z8300 | Pentium 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | UTFCBGA592 | FCBGA1781 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 5.0+67% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3L-RS 1600 | LPDDR5-5200+67% |
| Max RAM Capacity | 2 GB | 64 GB+3100% |
| RAM Channels | 1 | 2+100% |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 1 | 14+1300% |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Atom x5-Z8300) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Pentium 8500). Both include integrated graphics — Intel HD Graphics (Cherry Trail) (Atom x5-Z8300) and Intel UHD Graphics (48 EU) (Pentium 8500) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium 8500 targets Entry Level Laptop.
| Feature | Atom x5-Z8300 | Pentium 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | Yes |
| IGPU Model | Intel HD Graphics (Cherry Trail) | Intel UHD Graphics (48 EU) |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d, EPT |
| Target Use | — | Entry Level Laptop |
Value Analysis
The Atom x5-Z8300 launched at $20 MSRP, while the Pentium 8500 debuted at $200.
| Feature | Atom x5-Z8300 | Pentium 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $20-90% | $200 |
| Avg Price (30d) | — | $200 |
| Release Date | 2015 | 2022 |
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