Atom Z550 vs Atom N455

Atom Z550

1 Cores2 Thrd2.4 WWMax: 2 GHz2009

Atom N455

1 Cores2 Thrd512 WWMax: 1.67 GHz2010

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Atom Z550

1 / 2

375

+8.7%

345

0.0%

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 Z550 is positioned at rank 592 and the Atom N455 is on rank 633, so the Atom Z550 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Atom Z550

#184

Core Ultra 7 266V

MSRP: $520|Avg: $520

99%

#580

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

782%

#581

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

771%

#582

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

708%

#583

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

705%

#584

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

698%

#586

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

674%

#587

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

646%

#588

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

645%

#589

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

628%

#592

Atom Z550

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Atom N455

#187

Core Ultra 9 288V

MSRP: $600|Avg: $600

98%

#188

Core i7-10870H

MSRP: $417|Avg: N/A

98%

#621

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

850%

#622

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

838%

#623

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

769%

#624

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

766%

#625

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

759%

#627

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

733%

#628

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

703%

#629

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

701%

#630

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

683%

#633

Atom N455

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#638

Celeron Dual-Core T1400

MSRP: $80|Avg: $10

99%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Atom Z550 delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Atom N455 in both compute-intensive tasks (8.3% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Atom Z550	Atom N455
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Silverthorne (2008−2010) / 45 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Pinetrail (2009−2011) / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Atom Z550	Atom N455
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Atom Z550 Benchmark Check

Atom N455 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Atom Z550 and Atom N455

Atom Z550

The Atom Z550 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 April 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Silverthorne (2008−2010) architecture. It features 1 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PBGA441. Thermal design power (TDP): 2.4 Watt. Memory support: unknown. Passmark benchmark score: 375 points. Launch price was $69.

Atom N455

The Atom N455 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 June 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Pinetrail (2009−2011) architecture. It features 1 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.66 GHz, with boost up to 1.67 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA559. Thermal design power (TDP): 6.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 345 points. Launch price was $64.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Atom Z550 and Atom N455 share an identical 1-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Atom Z550 versus 1.67 GHz on the Atom N455 — a 18% clock advantage for the Atom Z550 (base: 2 GHz vs 1.66 GHz). The Atom Z550 uses the Silverthorne (2008−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Atom N455 uses Pinetrail (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Atom Z550 scores 375 against the Atom N455's 345 — a 8.3% lead for the Atom Z550. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Atom Z550	Atom N455
Cores / Threads	1 / 2	1 / 2
Boost Clock	2 GHz+20%	1.67 GHz
Base Clock	2 GHz+20%	1.66 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	45 nm	45 nm
Architecture	Silverthorne (2008−2010)	Pinetrail (2009−2011)
PassMark	375+9%	345

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Atom Z550 uses the PBGA441 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Atom N455 uses FCBGA559 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR2-533 on the Atom Z550 versus DDR3-667 on the Atom N455 — the Atom N455 supports 40% 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. Both provide 0 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: Intel US15W (Atom Z550) and Intel NM10 (Atom N455).

Feature	Atom Z550	Atom N455
Socket	PBGA441	FCBGA559
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR2-533	DDR3-667+50%
Max RAM Capacity	2 GB	2 GB
RAM Channels	1	1
ECC Support	❌	❌
PCIe Lanes	0	0