Athlon XP 1600+ vs Pentium III 1266S
Athlon XP 1600+
Pentium III 1266S
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 XP 1600+ is positioned at rank 1114 and the Pentium III 1266S is on rank 1140, so the Athlon XP 1600+ offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon XP 1600+
Performance Per Dollar Pentium III 1266S
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon XP 1600+ | Pentium III 1266S |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($15) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($20) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Thoroughbred (2001−2002) / 180 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Tualatin (2000−2002) / 130 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon XP 1600+ | Pentium III 1266S |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+27%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($15) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($20) |
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 XP 1600+ and Pentium III 1266S
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.
Pentium III 1266S
The Pentium III 1266S 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: 1.27 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: PGA370. Thermal design power (TDP): 30 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 210 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon XP 1600+ and Pentium III 1266S share an identical 1-core/1-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.4 GHz on the Athlon XP 1600+ versus 1.27 GHz on the Pentium III 1266S — a 9.7% clock advantage for the Athlon XP 1600+. The Athlon XP 1600+ uses the Thoroughbred (2001−2002) architecture (180 nm), while the Pentium III 1266S uses Tualatin (2000−2002) (130 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon XP 1600+ scores 200 against the Pentium III 1266S's 210 — a 4.9% lead for the Pentium III 1266S. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Athlon XP 1600+ | Pentium III 1266S |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 |
| Boost Clock | 1.4 GHz+10% | 1.27 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB | 512 kB+100% |
| Process | 180 nm | 130 nm-28% |
| Architecture | Thoroughbred (2001−2002) | Tualatin (2000−2002) |
| PassMark | 200 | 210+5% |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon XP 1600+ uses the A socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium III 1266S uses PGA370 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Athlon XP 1600+ | Pentium III 1266S |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | A | PGA370 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR-266 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 2 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 1 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: false (Athlon XP 1600+) / not specified (Pentium III 1266S).
| Feature | Athlon XP 1600+ | Pentium III 1266S |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | false | — |
Value Analysis
The Athlon XP 1600+ launched at $160 MSRP, while the Pentium III 1266S debuted at $369. At current prices ($15 vs $20), the Athlon XP 1600+ is $5 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon XP 1600+ delivers 13.3 pts/$ vs 10.5 pts/$ for the Pentium III 1266S — making the Athlon XP 1600+ the 23.8% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon XP 1600+ | Pentium III 1266S |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $160-57% | $369 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $15-25% | $20 |
| Performance per Dollar | 13.3+27% | 10.5 |
| Release Date | 2001 | 2001 |
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