Athlon XP 1600+
C-30
Athlon XP 1600+ vs C-30 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 1600+ vs C-30 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 1600+ vs C-30: 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 1600+
2001Why buy it
- ✅Draws 63W instead of 512W, a 449W reduction.
- ✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike C-30.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower PassMark (200 vs 201).
- ❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 1.3 vs 4.0 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $50 MSRP).
- ❌No integrated graphics, while C-30 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
C-30
2011Why buy it
- ✅+0.5% higher PassMark.
- ✅Costs $110 less on MSRP ($50 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
- ✅Delivers 221.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 4.0 vs 1.3 PassMark/$ ($50 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
- ✅100+% more PCIe lanes (4 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
- ✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon HD 6250, while Athlon XP 1600+ needs a discrete GPU.
Trade-offs
- ❌712.7% higher power demand at 512W vs 63W.
- ❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon XP 1600+.
Quick Answers
So, is C-30 better than Athlon XP 1600+?
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 1600+ vs C-30 Technical Specifications
Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.
Athlon XP 1600+
The Athlon XP 1600+ is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Thoroughbred (2001−2002) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 1.4 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 256 kB. Built on 180 nm process technology. Socket: A. Thermal design power (TDP): 63 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 200 points. Launch price was $149.
C-30
The C-30 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 January 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Ontario (2011−2012) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 1.2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 40 nm process technology. Socket: FT1. Thermal design power (TDP): 512 kB. Memory support: DDR3 Single-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 201 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon XP 1600+ and C-30 share an identical 1-core/1-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.4 GHz on the Athlon XP 1600+ versus 1.2 GHz on the C-30 — a 15.4% clock advantage for the Athlon XP 1600+. The Athlon XP 1600+ uses the Thoroughbred (2001−2002) architecture (180 nm), while the C-30 uses Ontario (2011−2012) (40 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon XP 1600+ scores 200 against the C-30's 201 — a 0.5% lead for the C-30. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Athlon XP 1600+ | C-30 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 |
| Boost Clock | 1.4 GHz+17% | 1.2 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB | 512 kB+100% |
| Process | 180 nm | 40 nm-78% |
| Architecture | Thoroughbred (2001−2002) | Ontario (2011−2012) |
| PassMark | 200 | 201 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon XP 1600+ uses the A socket (PCIe 1.1), while the C-30 uses FT1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR-266 on the Athlon XP 1600+ versus DDR3-1066 on the C-30 — the C-30 supports -500.8% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The C-30 supports up to 4 GB of RAM compared to 2 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 1-channel memory with ECC support. Chipset compatibility: Socket A (Athlon XP 1600+) and AMD BGA413 (C-30).
| Feature | Athlon XP 1600+ | C-30 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | A | FT1 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR-266 | DDR3-1066 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 2 GB | 4 GB+100% |
| RAM Channels | 1 | 1 |
| ECC Support | No | No |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 4 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: false (Athlon XP 1600+) / not specified (C-30). The C-30 includes integrated graphics (Radeon HD 6250), while the Athlon XP 1600+ requires a dedicated GPU.
| Feature | Athlon XP 1600+ | C-30 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Radeon HD 6250 |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | false | — |
Value Analysis
At launch, the Athlon XP 1600+ was priced at $160, while the C-30 came in at $50. On launch pricing ($160 vs $50), C-30 was $110 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon XP 1600+ delivers 1.3 pts/$ vs 4.0 pts/$ for the C-30 — making the C-30 the 105.1% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon XP 1600+ | C-30 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $160 | $50-69% |
| Performance per Dollar | 1.3 | 4.0+208% |
| Release Date | 2001 | 2011 |
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