Pentium 8500 vs Atom x5-Z8300
Pentium 8500
Atom x5-Z8300
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 Pentium 8500 is positioned at rank 991 and the Atom x5-Z8300 is on rank 4, so the Atom x5-Z8300 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium 8500
Performance Per Dollar Atom x5-Z8300
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium 8500 | Atom x5-Z8300 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($200) | ✅ More affordable ($20) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Alder Lake-U (2022) / Intel 7 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Cherry Trail (2015−2016) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium 8500 | Atom x5-Z8300 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+912%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($200) | ✅ More affordable ($20) |
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 Pentium 8500 and Atom x5-Z8300
Pentium 8500
The Pentium 8500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Alder Lake-U (2022) architecture. It features 5 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 1 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1781. Thermal design power (TDP): 9 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 2,900 points. Launch price was $69.
Atom x5-Z8300
The Atom x5-Z8300 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 March 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Cherry Trail (2015−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.44 GHz, with boost up to 1.84 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: UTFCBGA592. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,934 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
The Pentium 8500 packs 5 cores / 6 threads, while the Atom x5-Z8300 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Pentium 8500 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Pentium 8500 versus 1.84 GHz on the Atom x5-Z8300 — a 82.1% clock advantage for the Pentium 8500 (base: 1 GHz vs 1.44 GHz). The Pentium 8500 uses the Alder Lake-U (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Atom x5-Z8300 uses Cherry Trail (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium 8500 scores 2,900 against the Atom x5-Z8300's 2,934 — a 1.2% lead for the Atom x5-Z8300. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Pentium 8500 vs 0 kB on the Atom x5-Z8300.
| Feature | Pentium 8500 | Atom x5-Z8300 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 5 / 6+25% | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 4.4 GHz+139% | 1.84 GHz |
| Base Clock | 1 GHz | 1.44 GHz+44% |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB (total) | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 1.25 MB (per core) | 2 MB+60% |
| Process | Intel 7 nm-50% | 14 nm |
| Architecture | Alder Lake-U (2022) | Cherry Trail (2015−2016) |
| PassMark | 2,900 | 2,934+1% |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 1,250 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 2,100 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium 8500 uses the FCBGA1781 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Atom x5-Z8300 uses UTFCBGA592 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches LPDDR5-5200 on the Pentium 8500 versus DDR3L-RS 1600 on the Atom x5-Z8300 — the Pentium 8500 supports 50% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Pentium 8500 supports up to 64 GB of RAM compared to 2 GB — 187.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Pentium 8500) vs 1 (Atom x5-Z8300). PCIe lanes: 14 (Pentium 8500) vs 1 (Atom x5-Z8300) — the Pentium 8500 offers 13 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SoC (Pentium 8500) and Intel FC-UTBGA592 (Atom x5-Z8300).
| Feature | Pentium 8500 | Atom x5-Z8300 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1781 | UTFCBGA592 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 5.0+67% | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | LPDDR5-5200+67% | DDR3L-RS 1600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 64 GB+3100% | 2 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2+100% | 1 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 14+1300% | 1 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Pentium 8500) / not specified (Atom x5-Z8300). Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics (48 EU) (Pentium 8500) and Intel HD Graphics (Cherry Trail) (Atom x5-Z8300) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium 8500 targets Entry Level Laptop.
| Feature | Pentium 8500 | Atom x5-Z8300 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | Yes |
| IGPU Model | Intel UHD Graphics (48 EU) | Intel HD Graphics (Cherry Trail) |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d, EPT | — |
| Target Use | Entry Level Laptop | — |
Value Analysis
The Pentium 8500 launched at $200 MSRP, while the Atom x5-Z8300 debuted at $20.
| Feature | Pentium 8500 | Atom x5-Z8300 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $200 | $20-90% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $200 | — |
| Release Date | 2022 | 2015 |
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