
Athlon 64 2600+ vs Pentium M 1.60

Athlon 64 2600+

Pentium M 1.60
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 Athlon 64 2600+ is positioned at rank 1080 and the Pentium M 1.60 is on rank 1133, so the Athlon 64 2600+ offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon 64 2600+
Performance Per Dollar Pentium M 1.60
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon 64 2600+ | Pentium M 1.60 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | Balanced gaming performance | Balanced gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($5) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Lima (2008−2009) / 65 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Banias (2003) / 130 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon 64 2600+ | Pentium M 1.60 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($5) | ✅ 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 Athlon 64 2600+ and Pentium M 1.60

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.

Pentium M 1.60
The Pentium M 1.60 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Banias (2003) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 1.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 24 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2. Passmark benchmark score: 405 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon 64 2600+ and Pentium M 1.60 share an identical 1-core/1-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.6 GHz on the Athlon 64 2600+ versus 1.6 GHz on the Pentium M 1.60 — identical boost frequencies. The Athlon 64 2600+ uses the Lima (2008−2009) architecture (65 nm), while the Pentium M 1.60 uses Banias (2003) (130 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 64 2600+ scores 392 against the Pentium M 1.60's 405 — a 3.3% lead for the Pentium M 1.60. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Athlon 64 2600+ | Pentium M 1.60 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 |
| Boost Clock | 1.6 GHz | 1.6 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB | 1 MB+100% |
| Process | 65 nm-50% | 130 nm |
| Architecture | Lima (2008−2009) | Banias (2003) |
| PassMark | 392 | 405+3% |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon 64 2600+ uses the AM2 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium M 1.60 uses PGA478 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Athlon 64 2600+ | Pentium M 1.60 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | — |
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