Atom Z500 vs Athlon XP 1500+
Atom Z500
Athlon XP 1500+
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 Z500 is positioned at rank 946 and the Athlon XP 1500+ is on rank 1111, so the Atom Z500 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Atom Z500
Performance Per Dollar Athlon XP 1500+
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Atom Z500 | Athlon XP 1500+ |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Silverthorne (2008−2010) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Palomino (2001) / 180 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Atom Z500 | Athlon XP 1500+ |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
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 Z500 and Athlon XP 1500+
Atom Z500
The Atom Z500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2008 (17 years ago). It is based on the Silverthorne (2008−2010) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 0.8 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PBGA441. Thermal design power (TDP): 0.65 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 165 points. Launch price was $45.
Athlon XP 1500+
The Athlon XP 1500+ is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Palomino (2001) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 1.33 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 256 kB. Built on 180 nm process technology. Socket: A. Thermal design power (TDP): 60 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 188 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
Both the Atom Z500 and Athlon XP 1500+ share an identical 1-core/1-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 0.8 GHz on the Atom Z500 versus 1.33 GHz on the Athlon XP 1500+ — a 49.8% clock advantage for the Athlon XP 1500+. The Atom Z500 uses the Silverthorne (2008−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Athlon XP 1500+ uses Palomino (2001) (180 nm). In PassMark, the Atom Z500 scores 165 against the Athlon XP 1500+'s 188 — a 13% lead for the Athlon XP 1500+. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Atom Z500 | Athlon XP 1500+ |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 |
| Boost Clock | 0.8 GHz | 1.33 GHz+66% |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB+100% | 256 kB |
| Process | 45 nm-75% | 180 nm |
| Architecture | Silverthorne (2008−2010) | Palomino (2001) |
| PassMark | 165 | 188+14% |
Memory & Platform
The Atom Z500 uses the PBGA441 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon XP 1500+ uses A (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR2-533 on the Atom Z500 versus DDR-266 on the Athlon XP 1500+ — the Atom Z500 supports -203% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 2 GB of RAM. Both feature 1-channel memory with ECC support. Chipset compatibility: Intel US15W (Atom Z500) and AMD Socket A (Athlon XP 1500+).
| Feature | Atom Z500 | Athlon XP 1500+ |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PBGA441 | A |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0+82% | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR2-533 | DDR-266 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 2 GB | 2 GB |
| RAM Channels | 1 | 1 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Atom Z500) / None (Athlon XP 1500+). Primary use case: Athlon XP 1500+ targets Desktop.
| Feature | Atom Z500 | Athlon XP 1500+ |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | None |
| Target Use | — | Desktop |
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