Atom Z3740 vs Core i5-2500S
Atom Z3740
Core i5-2500S
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 Z3740 is positioned at rank 172 and the Core i5-2500S is on rank 854, so the Atom Z3740 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Atom Z3740
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-2500S
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Atom Z3740 | Core i5-2500S |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($61) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Bay Trail-T (2013−2014) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Atom Z3740 | Core i5-2500S |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($61) |
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 Z3740 and Core i5-2500S
Atom Z3740
The Atom Z3740 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 27 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Bay Trail-T (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.33 GHz, with boost up to 1.86 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: UTFCBGA1380. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,380 points. Launch price was $32.
Core i5-2500S
The Core i5-2500S 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 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 6144 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,373 points. Launch price was $75.
Processing Power
Both the Atom Z3740 and Core i5-2500S share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.86 GHz on the Atom Z3740 versus 3.7 GHz on the Core i5-2500S — a 66.2% clock advantage for the Core i5-2500S (base: 1.33 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The Atom Z3740 uses the Bay Trail-T (2013−2014) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i5-2500S uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Atom Z3740 scores 3,380 against the Core i5-2500S's 3,373 — a 0.2% lead for the Atom Z3740. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Atom Z3740 vs 6144 kB (total) on the Core i5-2500S.
| Feature | Atom Z3740 | Core i5-2500S |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 1.86 GHz | 3.7 GHz+99% |
| Base Clock | 1.33 GHz | 2.7 GHz+103% |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 6144 kB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 512K (per core)+100% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 22 nm-31% | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Bay Trail-T (2013−2014) | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) |
| PassMark | 3,380 | 3,373 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 600 |
Memory & Platform
The Atom Z3740 uses the UTFCBGA1380 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i5-2500S uses LGA1155 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to LPDDR3-1066 memory speed. The Core i5-2500S supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 4 GB — 155.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Atom Z3740) vs 16 (Core i5-2500S) — the Core i5-2500S offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel FC-UTBGA592 (Atom Z3740) and H61,H67,P67,Z68,B75,Z77 (Core i5-2500S).
| Feature | Atom Z3740 | Core i5-2500S |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | UTFCBGA1380 | LGA1155 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | LPDDR3-1066 | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 4 GB | 32 GB+700% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Atom Z3740) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-2500S). Both include integrated graphics — Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail) (Atom Z3740) and HD Graphics 2000 (Core i5-2500S) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-2500S targets Legacy Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-2500S rivals Phenom II X4 980.
| Feature | Atom Z3740 | Core i5-2500S |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | Yes |
| IGPU Model | Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail) | HD Graphics 2000 |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d, EPT |
| Target Use | — | Legacy Desktop |
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