Athlon 64 2600+ vs Mobile Pentium 4 2.66

AMD

Athlon 64 2600+

1 Cores1 Thrd15 WWMax: 1.6 GHz2008
VS
Intel

Mobile Pentium 4 2.66

1 Cores2 Thrd66 WWMax: 2.67 GHz2003
Similar parts
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Athlon 64 2600+ vs Mobile Pentium 4 2.66 Performance Spectrum

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.

Athlon 64 2600+ vs Mobile Pentium 4 2.66 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.

Athlon 64 2600+ vs Mobile Pentium 4 2.66: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Athlon 64 2600+

2008

Why buy it

  • Draws 15W instead of 66W, a 51W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (392 vs 395).
  • Launch MSRP is still $100 MSRP, while Mobile Pentium 4 2.66 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Mobile Pentium 4 2.66

2003

Why buy it

    Trade-offs

    • 340% higher power demand at 66W vs 15W.

    Quick Answers

    So, is Mobile Pentium 4 2.66 better than Athlon 64 2600+?
    Yes. Mobile Pentium 4 2.66 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 0.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.8% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.
    Which one is better for gaming?
    If gaming is the priority, Mobile Pentium 4 2.66 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 0.2% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.
    Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
    For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Mobile Pentium 4 2.66 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 1 cores and 2 threads.
    Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
    Mobile Pentium 4 2.66 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Mobile Pentium 4 2.66 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $100 MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Athlon 64 2600+ only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2008 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (3.9 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on AM2.
    Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
    Athlon 64 2600+ makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2008 vs 2003). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

    Athlon 64 2600+ vs Mobile Pentium 4 2.66 Technical Specifications

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

    AMD

    Athlon 64 2600+

    The Athlon 64 2600+ is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Lima (2008−2009) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 1.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: AM2. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 392 points. Launch price was $149.

    Intel

    Mobile Pentium 4 2.66

    The Mobile Pentium 4 2.66 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Junho 2003 (22 years ago). It is based on the Northwood (2002−2004) architecture. It features 1 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.67 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 66 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2. Passmark benchmark score: 395 points. Launch price was $69.

    Processing Power

    The Athlon 64 2600+ packs 1 cores / 1 threads, matching the Mobile Pentium 4 2.66's 1 cores. Boost clocks reach 1.6 GHz on the Athlon 64 2600+ versus 2.67 GHz on the Mobile Pentium 4 2.66 — a 50.1% clock advantage for the Mobile Pentium 4 2.66. The Athlon 64 2600+ uses the Lima (2008−2009) architecture (65 nm), while the Mobile Pentium 4 2.66 uses Northwood (2002−2004) (130 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 64 2600+ scores 392 against the Mobile Pentium 4 2.66's 395 — a 0.8% lead for the Mobile Pentium 4 2.66. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

    FeatureAthlon 64 2600+Mobile Pentium 4 2.66
    Cores / Threads
    1 / 1
    1 / 2
    Boost Clock
    1.6 GHz
    2.67 GHz+67%
    L3 Cache
    0 kB
    0 kB
    L2 Cache
    512 kB
    512 kB
    Process
    65 nm-50%
    130 nm
    Architecture
    Lima (2008−2009)
    Northwood (2002−2004)
    PassMark
    392
    395
    Geekbench 6 Single
    800
    Geekbench 6 Multi
    800
    🧠

    Memory & Platform

    The Athlon 64 2600+ uses the AM2 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Mobile Pentium 4 2.66 uses PGA478 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR2-667 on the Athlon 64 2600+ versus DDR2 on the Mobile Pentium 4 2.66 — the Athlon 64 2600+ supports 33250% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Athlon 64 2600+ supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 4 GB 300% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Athlon 64 2600+) vs 1 (Mobile Pentium 4 2.66). Both provide 0 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: AMD AM2 (Athlon 64 2600+) and 852PM,855PM (Mobile Pentium 4 2.66).

    FeatureAthlon 64 2600+Mobile Pentium 4 2.66
    Socket
    AM2
    PGA478
    PCIe Generation
    PCIe 2.0+82%
    PCIe 1.1
    Max RAM Speed
    DDR2-667+33250%
    DDR2
    Max RAM Capacity
    16 GB+300%
    4 GB
    RAM Channels
    2+100%
    1
    ECC Support
    No
    No
    PCIe Lanes
    0
    0
    🔧

    Advanced Features

    Virtualization: not specified (Athlon 64 2600+) / None (Mobile Pentium 4 2.66). Primary use case: Mobile Pentium 4 2.66 targets Legacy Laptop.

    FeatureAthlon 64 2600+Mobile Pentium 4 2.66
    Integrated GPU
    No
    No
    IGPU Model
    None
    Unlocked
    No
    AVX-512
    No
    Virtualization
    None
    Target Use
    Legacy Laptop