Athlon 64 3000+ vs Pentium M 730

Athlon 64 3000+ vs Pentium M 730 Performance Spectrum

Athlon 64 3000+

1 / 1

450

+3.4%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium M 730

1 / 1

435

0.0%

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 3000+ vs Pentium M 730 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 3000+ vs Pentium M 730: 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 3000+

2001

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $149 MSRP, while Pentium M 730 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌229.6% higher power demand at 89W vs 27W.

Pentium M 730

2005

Why buy it

✅Draws 27W instead of 89W, a 62W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (435 vs 450).

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon 64 3000+ better than Pentium M 730?

Yes. Athlon 64 3000+ 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 3.4% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Athlon 64 3000+ 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, Athlon 64 3000+ is the stronger fit. You are getting 3.4% better PassMark, backed by 1 cores and 1 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Athlon 64 3000+ is the better buy right now. Athlon 64 3000+ comes in at an unclear MSRP at $149 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (3.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Pentium M 730 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2005 vs 2001). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon 64 3000+ vs Pentium M 730 Technical Specifications

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

Athlon 64 3000+

The Athlon 64 3000+ is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Janeiro 2001 (24 years ago). It is based on the Clawhammer (2001−2005) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512K. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: 754. Thermal design power (TDP): 89 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 450 points. Launch price was $65.

Pentium M 730

The Pentium M 730 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Dothan (2004−2005) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 1.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 90 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 27 Watt. Memory support: DDR2. Passmark benchmark score: 435 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Athlon 64 3000+ and Pentium M 730 share an identical 1-core/1-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Athlon 64 3000+ versus 1.6 GHz on the Pentium M 730 — a 22.2% clock advantage for the Athlon 64 3000+. The Athlon 64 3000+ uses the Clawhammer (2001−2005) architecture (130 nm), while the Pentium M 730 uses Dothan (2004−2005) (90 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 64 3000+ scores 450 against the Pentium M 730's 435 — a 3.4% lead for the Athlon 64 3000+. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Athlon 64 3000+	Pentium M 730
Cores / Threads	1 / 1	1 / 1
Boost Clock	2 GHz+25%	1.6 GHz
Base Clock	—	1.6 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	512K+25500%	2 MB
Process	130 nm	90 nm-31%
Architecture	Clawhammer (2001−2005)	Dothan (2004−2005)
PassMark	450+3%	435

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon 64 3000+ uses the 754 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium M 730 uses PGA478 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.