Athlon XP 1700+ vs Z-01

AMD

Athlon XP 1700+

1 Cores1 Thrd64 WWMax: 1.47 GHz2001
VS
AMD

Z-01

2 Cores2 Thrd6 WWMax: 1 GHz2011

Athlon XP 1700+ vs Z-01 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 1700+ vs Z-01: 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 1700+

2001

Why buy it

    Trade-offs

    • ❌Lower PassMark (212 vs 215).
    • ❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 1.1 vs 4.3 PassMark/$ ($190 MSRP vs $50 MSRP).
    • ❌966.7% higher power demand at 64W vs 6W.
    • ❌No integrated graphics, while Z-01 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

    Z-01

    2011

    Why buy it

    • βœ…+1.4% higher PassMark.
    • βœ…Costs $140 less on MSRP ($50 MSRP vs $190 MSRP).
    • βœ…Delivers 285.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 4.3 vs 1.1 PassMark/$ ($50 MSRP vs $190 MSRP).
    • βœ…Draws 6W instead of 64W, a 58W reduction.
    • βœ…100+% more PCIe lanes (4 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

    Trade-offs

    • ❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

    Quick Answers

    So, is Z-01 better than Athlon XP 1700+?
    It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon XP 1700+ is ahead with 47% higher max boost clock. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Z-01 pulls ahead with 1.4% better PassMark.
    Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
    For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Z-01 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.4% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.
    Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
    Z-01 is the better buy right now. Z-01 comes in $140 cheaper on MSRP at $50 MSRP versus $190 MSRP, and it still gives you 1.4% better PassMark. The compromise is that Athlon XP 1700+ is still the better pure gaming CPU with 47% higher max boost clock. It is also 285.4% better value on MSRP (4.3 vs 1.1 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.
    Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
    Z-01 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2011 vs 2001) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 threads instead of 1/1. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

    Athlon XP 1700+ vs Z-01 Technical Specifications

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

    AMD

    Athlon XP 1700+

    The Athlon XP 1700+ is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Thoroughbred (2001βˆ’2002) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 1.47 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 256 kB. Built on 180 nm process technology. Socket: A. Thermal design power (TDP): 64 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 212 points. Launch price was $149.

    AMD

    Z-01

    The Z-01 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 June 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Desna (2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 1 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 40 nm process technology. Socket: FT1. Thermal design power (TDP): 6 Watt. Memory support: DDR3 Single-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 215 points. Launch price was $69.

    ⚑

    Processing Power

    The Athlon XP 1700+ packs 1 cores / 1 threads, while the Z-01 offers 2 cores / 2 threads β€” the Z-01 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 1.47 GHz on the Athlon XP 1700+ versus 1 GHz on the Z-01 β€” a 38.1% clock advantage for the Athlon XP 1700+. The Athlon XP 1700+ uses the Thoroughbred (2001βˆ’2002) architecture (180 nm), while the Z-01 uses Desna (2011) (40 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon XP 1700+ scores 212 against the Z-01's 215 β€” a 1.4% lead for the Z-01. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

    FeatureAthlon XP 1700+Z-01
    Cores / Threads
    1 / 1
    2 / 2+100%
    Boost Clock
    1.47 GHz+47%
    1 GHz
    L3 Cache
    0 kB
    0 kB
    L2 Cache
    256 kB
    1 MB+300%
    Process
    180 nm
    40 nm-78%
    Architecture
    Thoroughbred (2001βˆ’2002)
    Desna (2011)
    PassMark
    212
    215+1%
    Geekbench 6 Single
    β€”
    100
    Geekbench 6 Multi
    β€”
    180
    🧠

    Memory & Platform

    The Athlon XP 1700+ uses the A socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Z-01 uses FT1 (PCIe 2.0) β€” making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR-266 on the Athlon XP 1700+ versus DDR3-1066 on the Z-01 β€” the Z-01 supports -500.8% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 4 GB of RAM. Both feature 1-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon XP 1700+) vs 4 (Z-01) β€” the Z-01 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD Socket A (Athlon XP 1700+) and Desna (Z-01).

    FeatureAthlon XP 1700+Z-01
    Socket
    A
    FT1
    PCIe Generation
    PCIe 1.1
    PCIe 2.0+82%
    Max RAM Speed
    DDR-266
    DDR3-1066
    Max RAM Capacity
    4 GB
    4 GB
    RAM Channels
    1
    1
    ECC Support
    Yes
    No
    PCIe Lanes
    0
    4
    πŸ”§

    Advanced Features

    Virtualization: not specified (Athlon XP 1700+) / AMD-V (Z-01). The Z-01 includes integrated graphics (Radeon HD 6250), while the Athlon XP 1700+ requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Z-01 targets Tablet/Netbook.

    FeatureAthlon XP 1700+Z-01
    Integrated GPU
    No
    Yes
    IGPU Model
    β€”
    Radeon HD 6250
    Unlocked
    β€”
    No
    AVX-512
    β€”
    No
    Virtualization
    β€”
    AMD-V
    Target Use
    β€”
    Tablet/Netbook
    πŸ’°

    Value Analysis

    At launch, the Athlon XP 1700+ was priced at $190, while the Z-01 came in at $50. On launch pricing ($190 vs $50), Z-01 was $140 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon XP 1700+ delivers 1.1 pts/$ vs 4.3 pts/$ for the Z-01 β€” making the Z-01 the 117.6% better value option.

    FeatureAthlon XP 1700+Z-01
    MSRP
    $190
    $50-74%
    Performance per Dollar
    1.1
    4.3+291%
    Release Date
    2001
    2011

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