Atom x5-Z8500 vs Athlon 64 TF-20
Atom x5-Z8500
Athlon 64 TF-20
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-Z8500 is positioned at rank 450 and the Athlon 64 TF-20 is on rank 790, so the Atom x5-Z8500 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-Z8500
Performance Per Dollar Athlon 64 TF-20
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Atom x5-Z8500 | Athlon 64 TF-20 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Cherry Trail (2015−2016) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sherman (2009) / 65 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Atom x5-Z8500 | Athlon 64 TF-20 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) |
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-Z8500 and Athlon 64 TF-20
Atom x5-Z8500
The Atom x5-Z8500 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 2.24 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: UTFCBGA1380. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,242 points. Launch price was $69.
Athlon 64 TF-20
The Athlon 64 TF-20 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Sherman (2009) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 1.6 GHz. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: S1g1. Thermal design power (TDP): 512 kB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,245 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Atom x5-Z8500 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Athlon 64 TF-20 offers 1 cores / 1 threads — the Atom x5-Z8500 has 3 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.24 GHz on the Atom x5-Z8500 versus 1.6 GHz on the Athlon 64 TF-20 — a 33.3% clock advantage for the Atom x5-Z8500. The Atom x5-Z8500 uses the Cherry Trail (2015−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Athlon 64 TF-20 uses Sherman (2009) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Atom x5-Z8500 scores 1,242 against the Athlon 64 TF-20's 1,245 — a 0.2% lead for the Athlon 64 TF-20.
| Feature | Atom x5-Z8500 | Athlon 64 TF-20 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+300% | 1 / 1 |
| Boost Clock | 2.24 GHz+40% | 1.6 GHz |
| Base Clock | 1.44 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | — |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB+300% | 512 kB |
| Process | 14 nm-78% | 65 nm |
| Architecture | Cherry Trail (2015−2016) | Sherman (2009) |
| PassMark | 1,242 | 1,245 |
Memory & Platform
The Atom x5-Z8500 uses the UTFCBGA1380 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Athlon 64 TF-20 uses S1g1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches LPDDR3-1600 on the Atom x5-Z8500 versus DDR2-667 on the Athlon 64 TF-20 — the Atom x5-Z8500 supports 40% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Atom x5-Z8500 supports up to 8 GB of RAM compared to 4 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Chipset compatibility: Intel FC-UTBGA592 (Atom x5-Z8500) and Socket S1 (Athlon 64 TF-20).
| Feature | Atom x5-Z8500 | Athlon 64 TF-20 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | UTFCBGA1380 | S1g1 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | LPDDR3-1600+50% | DDR2-667 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 8 GB+100% | 4 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 2 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Atom x5-Z8500) / false (Athlon 64 TF-20). The Atom x5-Z8500 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Cherry Trail)), while the Athlon 64 TF-20 requires a dedicated GPU.
| Feature | Atom x5-Z8500 | Athlon 64 TF-20 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | No |
| IGPU Model | Intel HD Graphics (Cherry Trail) | — |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | false |
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