Athlon XP 1500+
Athlon XP 1800+
Athlon XP 1500+ vs Athlon XP 1800+ 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 XP 1500+ vs Athlon XP 1800+ 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
Counter-Strike 2
League of Legends
Valorant
Among Us
Apex Legends
ARC Raiders
Baldur's Gate 3
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Athlon XP 1500+ vs Athlon XP 1800+: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict
See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.
Athlon XP 1500+
2001Why buy it
- ✅Costs $122 less on MSRP ($130 MSRP vs $252 MSRP).
- ✅Delivers 62.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 1.4 vs 0.9 PassMark/$ ($130 MSRP vs $252 MSRP).
Trade-offs
- ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon XP 1800+ across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ❌Lower PassMark (188 vs 225).
- ❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon XP 1800+.
Athlon XP 1800+
2001Why buy it
- ✅Better for gaming: +20.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ✅Includes a boxed cooler (Stock), unlike Athlon XP 1500+.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 0.9 vs 1.4 PassMark/$ ($252 MSRP vs $130 MSRP).
Quick Answers
So, is Athlon XP 1800+ better than Athlon XP 1500+?
Which one is better for gaming?
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Athlon XP 1500+ vs Athlon XP 1800+ Technical Specifications
Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.
Athlon XP 1500+
The Athlon XP 1500+ is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Palomino (2001) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 1.33 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 256 kB. Built on 180 nm process technology. Socket: A. Thermal design power (TDP): 60 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 188 points. Launch price was $149.
Athlon XP 1800+
The Athlon XP 1800+ is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Janeiro 2001 (24 years ago). It is based on the Thoroughbred (2001−2002) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 1.53 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 256 kB. Built on 180 nm process technology. Socket: A. Thermal design power (TDP): 66 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 225 points. Launch price was $59.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon XP 1500+ and Athlon XP 1800+ share an identical 1-core/1-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.33 GHz on the Athlon XP 1500+ versus 1.53 GHz on the Athlon XP 1800+ — a 14% clock advantage for the Athlon XP 1800+. The Athlon XP 1500+ uses the Palomino (2001) architecture (180 nm), while the Athlon XP 1800+ uses Thoroughbred (2001−2002) (180 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon XP 1500+ scores 188 against the Athlon XP 1800+'s 225 — a 17.9% lead for the Athlon XP 1800+. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Athlon XP 1500+ | Athlon XP 1800+ |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 |
| Boost Clock | 1.33 GHz | 1.53 GHz+15% |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB | 256 kB |
| Process | 180 nm | 180 nm |
| Architecture | Palomino (2001) | Thoroughbred (2001−2002) |
| PassMark | 188 | 225+20% |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 180 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 651 |
Memory & Platform
Both processors use the A socket with PCIe 1.1. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR-266 on the Athlon XP 1500+ versus DDR1 on the Athlon XP 1800+ — the Athlon XP 1800+ supports -100.4% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 2 GB of RAM. Both feature 1-channel memory with ECC support. Chipset compatibility: AMD Socket A (Athlon XP 1500+) and KT133,KT266,nForce2 (Athlon XP 1800+).
| Feature | Athlon XP 1500+ | Athlon XP 1800+ |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | A | A |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR-266 | DDR1 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 2 GB | 2 GB |
| RAM Channels | 1 | 1 |
| ECC Support | No | No |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: None (Athlon XP 1500+) vs No (Athlon XP 1800+). Primary use case: Athlon XP 1500+ targets Desktop, Athlon XP 1800+ targets Budget. Direct competitor: Athlon XP 1800+ rivals Pentium D 830.
| Feature | Athlon XP 1500+ | Athlon XP 1800+ |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | None | No |
| Target Use | Desktop | Budget |
Value Analysis
At launch, the Athlon XP 1500+ was priced at $130, while the Athlon XP 1800+ came in at $252. On launch pricing ($130 vs $252), Athlon XP 1500+ was $122 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon XP 1500+ delivers 1.4 pts/$ vs 0.9 pts/$ for the Athlon XP 1800+ — making the Athlon XP 1500+ the 47.3% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon XP 1500+ | Athlon XP 1800+ |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $130-48% | $252 |
| Performance per Dollar | 1.4+56% | 0.9 |
| Release Date | 2001 | 2001 |
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