Pentium E5500 vs Atom Z2560
Pentium E5500
Atom Z2560
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 E5500 is positioned at rank 913 and the Atom Z2560 is on rank 104, so the Atom Z2560 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium E5500
Performance Per Dollar Atom Z2560
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium E5500 | Atom Z2560 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($25) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Wolfdale (2008−2010) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Clovertrail (2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium E5500 | Atom Z2560 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($25) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
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 E5500 and Atom Z2560
Pentium E5500
The Pentium E5500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 18 April 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,064 points. Launch price was $109.
Atom Z2560
The Atom Z2560 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 27 February 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Clovertrail (2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 1.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FC-MB4760. Thermal design power (TDP): 3 Watt. Memory support: DDR2. Passmark benchmark score: 1,056 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
The Pentium E5500 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Atom Z2560's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Pentium E5500 versus 1.6 GHz on the Atom Z2560 — a 54.5% clock advantage for the Pentium E5500. The Pentium E5500 uses the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Atom Z2560 uses Clovertrail (2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium E5500 scores 1,064 against the Atom Z2560's 1,056 — a 0.8% lead for the Pentium E5500. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Pentium E5500 | Atom Z2560 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.8 GHz+75% | 1.6 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.8 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB (total)+300% | 512K (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 32 nm-29% |
| Architecture | Wolfdale (2008−2010) | Clovertrail (2013) |
| PassMark | 1,064 | 1,056 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium E5500 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Atom Z2560 uses FC-MB4760 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium E5500 | Atom Z2560 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA775 | FC-MB4760 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 3.0+173% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | LPDDR2-1066 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 2 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 0 |
Advanced Features
The Atom Z2560 includes integrated graphics (PowerVR SGX544MP2), while the Pentium E5500 requires a dedicated GPU.
| Feature | Pentium E5500 | Atom Z2560 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | PowerVR SGX544MP2 |
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