Atom Z550 vs Pentium 4 2.60
Atom Z550
Pentium 4 2.60
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 Z550 is positioned at rank 592 and the Pentium 4 2.60 is on rank 1128, so the Atom Z550 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Atom Z550
Performance Per Dollar Pentium 4 2.60
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Atom Z550 | Pentium 4 2.60 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($25) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Silverthorne (2008−2010) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (NetBurst (2000−2006) / 130 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Atom Z550 | Pentium 4 2.60 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($25) |
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 Z550 and Pentium 4 2.60
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.
Pentium 4 2.60
The Pentium 4 2.60 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 92 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2. Passmark benchmark score: 365 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
The Atom Z550 packs 1 cores / 2 threads, matching the Pentium 4 2.60's 1 cores. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Atom Z550 versus 2.6 GHz on the Pentium 4 2.60 — a 26.1% clock advantage for the Pentium 4 2.60. The Atom Z550 uses the Silverthorne (2008−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium 4 2.60 uses NetBurst (2000−2006) (130 nm). In PassMark, the Atom Z550 scores 375 against the Pentium 4 2.60's 365 — a 2.7% lead for the Atom Z550. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Atom Z550 | Pentium 4 2.60 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 1 / 2 | 1 / 1 |
| Boost Clock | 2 GHz | 2.6 GHz+30% |
| Base Clock | 2 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core) | 512 kB |
| Process | 45 nm-65% | 130 nm |
| Architecture | Silverthorne (2008−2010) | NetBurst (2000−2006) |
| PassMark | 375+3% | 365 |
Memory & Platform
The Atom Z550 uses the PBGA441 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium 4 2.60 uses PGA478 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Atom Z550 | Pentium 4 2.60 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PBGA441 | PGA478 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0+82% | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR2-533 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 2 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 1 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | — |
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