Atom Z500 vs Pentium III 1133

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 Z500 vs Pentium III 1133 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 Z500 vs Pentium III 1133: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Atom Z500

2008

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (165 vs 180).
❌2141.4% higher power demand at 650W vs 29W.

Pentium III 1133

2000

Why buy it

✅Draws 29W instead of 650W, a 621W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $990 MSRP, while Atom Z500 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium III 1133 better than Atom Z500?

Yes. Pentium III 1133 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you 9.1% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Pentium III 1133 has the edge because it leads the single-thread side of this matchup with 41.2% higher max boost clock.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium III 1133 is the stronger fit. You are getting 9.1% better PassMark, backed by 1 cores and 1 threads.

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

Pentium III 1133 is the better buy right now. Pentium III 1133 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $990 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 9.1% higher PassMark. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (0.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Atom Z500 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2008 vs 2000). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Atom Z500 vs Pentium III 1133 Technical Specifications

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

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.

Pentium III 1133

The Pentium III 1133 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Tualatin (2000−2002) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 1.13 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 256 kB. Built on 180 nm process technology. Socket: PGA370. Thermal design power (TDP): 29 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 180 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

Both the Atom Z500 and Pentium III 1133 share an identical 1-core/1-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 0.8 GHz on the Atom Z500 versus 1.13 GHz on the Pentium III 1133 — a 34.2% clock advantage for the Pentium III 1133. The Atom Z500 uses the Silverthorne (2008−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium III 1133 uses Tualatin (2000−2002) (180 nm). In PassMark, the Atom Z500 scores 165 against the Pentium III 1133's 180 — a 8.7% lead for the Pentium III 1133. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Atom Z500	Pentium III 1133
Cores / Threads	1 / 1	1 / 1
Boost Clock	0.8 GHz	1.13 GHz+41%
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	512 kB+100%	256 kB
Process	45 nm-75%	180 nm
Architecture	Silverthorne (2008−2010)	Tualatin (2000−2002)
PassMark	165	180+9%

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Memory & Platform

The Atom Z500 uses the PBGA441 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium III 1133 uses PGA370 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.