Atom x7-E3950 vs Turion II M500

Atom x7-E3950 vs Turion II M500 Performance Spectrum

Atom x7-E3950

4 / 4

1,864

0.0%

1,865

+0.1%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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.

Atom x7-E3950 vs Turion II M500 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Atom x7-E3950 vs Turion II M500: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Atom x7-E3950

2016

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (6 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics 505, while Turion II M500 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,864 vs 1,865).
❌1100% higher power demand at 12W vs 1W.

Turion II M500

2009

Why buy it

✅Draws 1W instead of 12W, a 11W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌No integrated graphics, while Atom x7-E3950 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Turion II M500 better than Atom x7-E3950?

Yes. Turion II M500 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 2.2% average FPS lead across 13 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.1% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Turion II M500 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 2.2% more average FPS across 13 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Turion II M500 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.1% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Turion II M500 still makes the most sense overall. Turion II M500 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 2.2% average FPS lead across 13 shared CPU game tests in our data.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Atom x7-E3950 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2016 vs 2009). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Atom x7-E3950 vs Turion II M500 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Atom x7-E3950

The Atom x7-E3950 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 August 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Apollo Lake (2014−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB (total). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1296. Thermal design power (TDP): 12 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 1,864 points. Launch price was $57.

Turion II M500

The Turion II M500 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Caspian (2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.2 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1g3. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,865 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

The Atom x7-E3950 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Turion II M500 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Atom x7-E3950 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Atom x7-E3950 versus 2.2 GHz on the Turion II M500 — a 9.5% clock advantage for the Turion II M500. The Atom x7-E3950 uses the Apollo Lake (2014−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Turion II M500 uses Caspian (2009) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Atom x7-E3950 scores 1,864 against the Turion II M500's 1,865 — a 0.1% lead for the Turion II M500.

Feature	Atom x7-E3950	Turion II M500
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2 GHz	2.2 GHz+10%
Base Clock	1.6 GHz	—
L3 Cache	0 kB	—
L2 Cache	2 MB (total)+100%	1 MB
Process	14 nm-69%	45 nm
Architecture	Apollo Lake (2014−2016)	Caspian (2009)
PassMark	1,864	1,865
Geekbench 6 Single	245	—

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Memory & Platform

The Atom x7-E3950 uses the FCBGA1296 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Turion II M500 uses S1g3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Atom x7-E3950	Turion II M500
Socket	FCBGA1296	S1g3
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	LPDDR4-2400	—
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	—
RAM Channels	4	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	6	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Atom x7-E3950) / not specified (Turion II M500). The Atom x7-E3950 includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 505), while the Turion II M500 requires a dedicated GPU.