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Athlon 64 2600+ vs Pentium 4 2.66

CPUCPUGPUGPU
AMD

Athlon 64 2600+

1 Cores1 Thrd15 WWMax: 1.6 GHz2008
Similar parts
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VS
Intel

Pentium 4 2.66

1 Cores1 Thrd110 WWMax: 2.66 GHz2002
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Athlon 64 2600+ vs Pentium 4 2.66 Performance Spectrum

Athlon 64 2600+
1 / 1
392
+3.7%
brand logoAthlon XP 1700+
brand logoAthlon XP 2000+
brand logoAthlon XP 2400+
brand logoAthlon XP 2600+
brand logoRyzen AI 5 340
brand logoRyzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX
brand logoRyzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX
brand logoRyzen Threadripper 3990X
Pentium 4 2.66
1 / 1
378
0.0%
brand logoPentium III 1266S
brand logoAtom 230
brand logoAtom N280
brand logoAtom N435
brand logoCore i5-12500
brand logoXeon W-3335
brand logoXeon w7-3545
brand logoXeon w9-3575X

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 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

1080P
Athlon 64 2600+
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
1080P
Pentium 4 2.66
low9 FPS
medium9 FPS
high9 FPS
ultra9 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

1080P
Athlon 64 2600+
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
1080P
Pentium 4 2.66
low9 FPS
medium9 FPS
high9 FPS
ultra9 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

1080P
Athlon 64 2600+
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
1080P
Pentium 4 2.66
low9 FPS
medium9 FPS
high9 FPS
ultra9 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

1080P
Athlon 64 2600+
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
1080P
Pentium 4 2.66
low9 FPS
medium9 FPS
high9 FPS
ultra9 FPS
Among Us

Among Us

1080P
Athlon 64 2600+
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
1080P
Pentium 4 2.66
low9 FPS
medium9 FPS
high9 FPS
ultra9 FPS
ARC Raiders

ARC Raiders

1080P
Athlon 64 2600+
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
1080P
Pentium 4 2.66
low9 FPS
medium9 FPS
high9 FPS
ultra9 FPS
Civilization VI

Civilization VI

1080P
Athlon 64 2600+
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
1080P
Pentium 4 2.66
low9 FPS
medium9 FPS
high9 FPS
ultra9 FPS
Dead by Daylight

Dead by Daylight

1080P
Athlon 64 2600+
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
1080P
Pentium 4 2.66
low9 FPS
medium9 FPS
high9 FPS
ultra9 FPS
Deadlock

Deadlock

1080P
Athlon 64 2600+
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
1080P
Pentium 4 2.66
low9 FPS
medium9 FPS
high9 FPS
ultra9 FPS
Delta Force

Delta Force

1080P
Athlon 64 2600+
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
1080P
Pentium 4 2.66
low9 FPS
medium9 FPS
high9 FPS
ultra9 FPS
Check FPS with Custom Builds

Athlon 64 2600+ vs 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

  • ✅Better for gaming: +11.1% higher average FPS across 29 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • ✅Costs $200 less on MSRP ($100 MSRP vs $300 MSRP).
  • ✅Delivers 211.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 3.9 vs 1.3 PassMark/$ ($100 MSRP vs $300 MSRP).
  • ✅Draws 15W instead of 110W, a 95W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Pentium 4 2.66

2002

Why buy it

    Trade-offs

    • ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon 64 2600+ across 29 shared CPU benchmark tests.
    • ❌Lower PassMark (378 vs 392).
    • ❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 1.3 vs 3.9 PassMark/$ ($300 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
    • ❌633.3% higher power demand at 110W vs 15W.

    Quick Answers

    So, is Athlon 64 2600+ better than Pentium 4 2.66?
    Yes. Athlon 64 2600+ is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 11.1% average FPS lead across 29 shared CPU game tests in our data, 3.7% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.
    Which one is better for gaming?
    If gaming is the priority, Athlon 64 2600+ is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 11.1% more average FPS across 29 shared CPU game tests.
    Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
    For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon 64 2600+ is the stronger fit. You are getting 3.7% better PassMark, backed by 1 cores and 1 threads.
    Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
    Athlon 64 2600+ is the better buy right now. Athlon 64 2600+ comes in $200 cheaper on MSRP at $100 MSRP versus $300 MSRP, and it still gives you a 11.1% average FPS lead across 29 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 211.1% better value on MSRP (3.9 vs 1.3 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.
    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 2002) and more multi-core headroom with 1 cores / 1 threads instead of 1/1. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

    Athlon 64 2600+ vs 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

    Pentium 4 2.66

    The Pentium 4 2.66 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: 2.66 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 110 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2. Passmark benchmark score: 378 points. Launch price was $69.

    ⚡

    Processing Power

    Both the Athlon 64 2600+ and Pentium 4 2.66 share an identical 1-core/1-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.6 GHz on the Athlon 64 2600+ versus 2.66 GHz on the Pentium 4 2.66 — a 49.8% clock advantage for the Pentium 4 2.66. The Athlon 64 2600+ uses the Lima (2008−2009) architecture (65 nm), while the Pentium 4 2.66 uses NetBurst (2000−2006) (130 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 64 2600+ scores 392 against the Pentium 4 2.66's 378 — a 3.6% lead for the Athlon 64 2600+. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

    FeatureAthlon 64 2600+Pentium 4 2.66
    Cores / Threads
    1 / 1
    1 / 1
    Boost Clock
    1.6 GHz
    2.66 GHz+66%
    L3 Cache
    0 kB
    0 kB
    L2 Cache
    512 kB
    512 kB
    Process
    65 nm-50%
    130 nm
    Architecture
    Lima (2008−2009)
    NetBurst (2000−2006)
    PassMark
    392+4%
    378
    🧠

    Memory & Platform

    The Athlon 64 2600+ uses the AM2 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium 4 2.66 uses PGA478 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

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

    Value Analysis

    At launch, the Athlon 64 2600+ was priced at $100, while the Pentium 4 2.66 came in at $300. On launch pricing ($100 vs $300), Athlon 64 2600+ was $200 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon 64 2600+ delivers 3.9 pts/$ vs 1.3 pts/$ for the Pentium 4 2.66 — making the Athlon 64 2600+ the 102.7% better value option.

    FeatureAthlon 64 2600+Pentium 4 2.66
    MSRP
    $100-67%
    $300
    Performance per Dollar
    3.9+200%
    1.3
    Release Date
    2008
    2002
    Search Athlon 64 2600+ on AmazonSearch Pentium 4 2.66 on Amazon

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