Athlon XP 1800+ vs Pentium III 1400S

AMD

Athlon XP 1800+

1 Cores1 Thrd66 WWMax: 1.53 GHz2001
Similar parts
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VS
Intel

Pentium III 1400S

1 Cores1 Thrd32 WWMax: 1.4 GHz2002
Similar parts
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Athlon XP 1800+ vs Pentium III 1400S 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 1800+ vs Pentium III 1400S 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.

Athlon XP 1800+ vs Pentium III 1400S: 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 1800+

2001

Why buy it

    Trade-offs

    • Lower PassMark (225 vs 228).
    • 0.8% HIGHER MSRP
      $252 MSRPvs$250 MSRP
    • 106.3% higher power demand at 66W vs 32W.

    Pentium III 1400S

    2002

    Why buy it

    • +1.3% higher PassMark.
    • Costs $2 less on MSRP ($250 MSRP vs $252 MSRP).
    • Draws 32W instead of 66W, a 34W reduction.

    Trade-offs

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

    Quick Answers

    So, is Pentium III 1400S better than Athlon XP 1800+?
    It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon XP 1800+ is ahead with 9.3% higher max boost clock. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Pentium III 1400S pulls ahead with 1.3% better PassMark.
    Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
    For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium III 1400S is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.3% better PassMark, backed by 1 cores and 1 threads.
    Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
    Pentium III 1400S is the better buy right now. Pentium III 1400S comes in $2 cheaper on MSRP at $250 MSRP versus $252 MSRP, and it still gives you 1.3% better PassMark. The compromise is that Athlon XP 1800+ is still the better pure gaming CPU with 9.3% higher max boost clock. It is also 2.1% better value on MSRP (0.9 vs 0.9 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.
    Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
    Pentium III 1400S makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2002 vs 2001) and more multi-core headroom with 1 cores / 1 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 1800+ vs Pentium III 1400S Technical Specifications

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

    AMD

    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.

    Intel

    Pentium III 1400S

    The Pentium III 1400S 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: 1.4 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: PGA370. Thermal design power (TDP): 32 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 228 points. Launch price was $69.

    Processing Power

    Both the Athlon XP 1800+ and Pentium III 1400S share an identical 1-core/1-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.53 GHz on the Athlon XP 1800+ versus 1.4 GHz on the Pentium III 1400S — a 8.9% clock advantage for the Athlon XP 1800+. The Athlon XP 1800+ uses the Thoroughbred (2001−2002) architecture (180 nm), while the Pentium III 1400S uses Tualatin (2000−2002) (130 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon XP 1800+ scores 225 against the Pentium III 1400S's 228 — a 1.3% lead for the Pentium III 1400S. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

    FeatureAthlon XP 1800+Pentium III 1400S
    Cores / Threads
    1 / 1
    1 / 1
    Boost Clock
    1.53 GHz+9%
    1.4 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
    225
    228+1%
    Geekbench 6 Single
    180
    Geekbench 6 Multi
    651
    🧠

    Memory & Platform

    The Athlon XP 1800+ uses the A socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium III 1400S uses PGA370 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR1 on the Athlon XP 1800+ versus PC133 on the Pentium III 1400S — the Pentium III 1400S supports 13200% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Pentium III 1400S 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: KT133,KT266,nForce2 (Athlon XP 1800+) and Intel 815,VIA Apollo Pro 133T (Pentium III 1400S).

    FeatureAthlon XP 1800+Pentium III 1400S
    Socket
    A
    PGA370
    PCIe Generation
    PCIe 1.1
    PCIe 1.1
    Max RAM Speed
    DDR1
    PC133+13200%
    Max RAM Capacity
    2 GB
    4 GB+100%
    RAM Channels
    1
    1
    ECC Support
    No
    Yes
    PCIe Lanes
    0
    🔧

    Advanced Features

    Both support No virtualization. Primary use case: Athlon XP 1800+ targets Budget. Direct competitor: Athlon XP 1800+ rivals Pentium D 830.

    FeatureAthlon XP 1800+Pentium III 1400S
    Integrated GPU
    No
    No
    Unlocked
    No
    AVX-512
    No
    No
    Virtualization
    No
    No
    Target Use
    Budget
    💰

    Value Analysis

    At launch, the Athlon XP 1800+ was priced at $252, while the Pentium III 1400S came in at $250. On launch pricing ($252 vs $250), Pentium III 1400S was $2 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon XP 1800+ delivers 0.9 pts/$ vs 0.9 pts/$ for the Pentium III 1400S — making the Pentium III 1400S the 2.1% better value option.

    FeatureAthlon XP 1800+Pentium III 1400S
    MSRP
    $252
    $250
    Performance per Dollar
    0.9
    0.9
    Release Date
    2001
    2002

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