Athlon XP 1500+
Pentium III 1200
Athlon XP 1500+ vs Pentium III 1200 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 Pentium III 1200 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 Pentium III 1200: 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 $70 less on MSRP ($130 MSRP vs $200 MSRP).
- ✅Delivers 48.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 1.4 vs 1.0 PassMark/$ ($130 MSRP vs $200 MSRP).
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower PassMark (188 vs 195).
- ❌100% higher power demand at 60W vs 30W.
Pentium III 1200
2001Why buy it
- ✅+3.7% higher PassMark.
- ✅Draws 30W instead of 60W, a 30W reduction.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 1.0 vs 1.4 PassMark/$ ($200 MSRP vs $130 MSRP).
Quick Answers
So, is Pentium III 1200 better than Athlon XP 1500+?
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 Pentium III 1200 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.
Pentium III 1200
The Pentium III 1200 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Tualatin (2000−2002) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 1.2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 256 kB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: PGA370. Thermal design power (TDP): 30 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 195 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon XP 1500+ and Pentium III 1200 share an identical 1-core/1-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.33 GHz on the Athlon XP 1500+ versus 1.2 GHz on the Pentium III 1200 — a 10.3% clock advantage for the Athlon XP 1500+. The Athlon XP 1500+ uses the Palomino (2001) architecture (180 nm), while the Pentium III 1200 uses Tualatin (2000−2002) (130 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon XP 1500+ scores 188 against the Pentium III 1200's 195 — a 3.7% lead for the Pentium III 1200. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Athlon XP 1500+ | Pentium III 1200 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 |
| Boost Clock | 1.33 GHz+11% | 1.2 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB | 256 kB |
| Process | 180 nm | 130 nm-28% |
| Architecture | Palomino (2001) | Tualatin (2000−2002) |
| PassMark | 188 | 195+4% |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon XP 1500+ uses the A socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium III 1200 uses PGA370 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR-266 on the Athlon XP 1500+ versus SDR-133 on the Pentium III 1200 — the Pentium III 1200 supports -50% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Athlon XP 1500+ supports up to 2 GB of RAM compared to 512 MB — 300% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 1-channel memory with ECC support.
| Feature | Athlon XP 1500+ | Pentium III 1200 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | A | PGA370 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR-266 | SDR-133 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 2 GB+300% | 512 MB |
| RAM Channels | 1 | 1 |
| ECC Support | No | No |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 0 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support None virtualization. Primary use case: Athlon XP 1500+ targets Desktop, Pentium III 1200 targets Legacy.
| Feature | Athlon XP 1500+ | Pentium III 1200 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | None | None |
| Target Use | Desktop | Legacy |
Value Analysis
At launch, the Athlon XP 1500+ was priced at $130, while the Pentium III 1200 came in at $200. On launch pricing ($130 vs $200), Athlon XP 1500+ was $70 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon XP 1500+ delivers 1.4 pts/$ vs 1.0 pts/$ for the Pentium III 1200 — making the Athlon XP 1500+ the 38.9% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon XP 1500+ | Pentium III 1200 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $130-35% | $200 |
| Performance per Dollar | 1.4+40% | 1.0 |
| Release Date | 2001 | 2001 |
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