Athlon XP 2200+ vs Pentium 4 2.26

AMD

Athlon XP 2200+

1 Cores1 Thrd68 WWMax: 1.8 GHz2001
VS
Intel

Pentium 4 2.26

1 Cores1 Thrd110 WWMax: 2.26 GHz2002
Similar parts
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Athlon XP 2200+ vs Pentium 4 2.26 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 2200+ vs Pentium 4 2.26 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 2200+ vs Pentium 4 2.26: 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 2200+

2001

Why buy it

  • Draws 68W instead of 110W, a 42W reduction.
  • Includes a boxed cooler (Stock), unlike Pentium 4 2.26.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (280 vs 295).

Pentium 4 2.26

2002

Why buy it

    Trade-offs

    • 61.8% higher power demand at 110W vs 68W.
    • No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon XP 2200+.

    Quick Answers

    So, is Pentium 4 2.26 better than Athlon XP 2200+?
    Yes. Pentium 4 2.26 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you 5.4% better PassMark and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.
    Which one is better for gaming?
    If gaming is the priority, Pentium 4 2.26 has the edge because it leads the single-thread side of this matchup with 25.6% higher max boost clock.
    Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
    For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium 4 2.26 is the stronger fit. You are getting 5.4% better PassMark, backed by 1 cores and 1 threads.
    Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
    Pentium 4 2.26 is the better buy right now. Pentium 4 2.26 comes in in basically the same MSRP band at $241 MSRP versus $241 MSRP, and it still gives you 5.4% higher PassMark. It is also 5.4% better value on MSRP (1.2 vs 1.2 PassMark/$), 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 4 2.26 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 2200+ vs Pentium 4 2.26 Technical Specifications

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

    AMD

    Athlon XP 2200+

    The Athlon XP 2200+ is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Janeiro 2001 (24 years ago). It is based on the Thorton (2001−2003) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 1.8 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 256 kB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: A. Thermal design power (TDP): 68 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 280 points. Launch price was $85.

    Intel

    Pentium 4 2.26

    The Pentium 4 2.26 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 2.26 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 110 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2. Passmark benchmark score: 295 points. Launch price was $69.

    Processing Power

    Both the Athlon XP 2200+ and Pentium 4 2.26 share an identical 1-core/1-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.8 GHz on the Athlon XP 2200+ versus 2.26 GHz on the Pentium 4 2.26 — a 22.7% clock advantage for the Pentium 4 2.26. The Athlon XP 2200+ uses the Thorton (2001−2003) architecture (130 nm), while the Pentium 4 2.26 uses NetBurst (2000−2006) (130 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon XP 2200+ scores 280 against the Pentium 4 2.26's 295 — a 5.2% lead for the Pentium 4 2.26. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

    FeatureAthlon XP 2200+Pentium 4 2.26
    Cores / Threads
    1 / 1
    1 / 1
    Boost Clock
    1.8 GHz
    2.26 GHz+26%
    L3 Cache
    0 kB
    0 kB
    L2 Cache
    256 kB
    512 kB+100%
    Process
    130 nm
    130 nm
    Architecture
    Thorton (2001−2003)
    NetBurst (2000−2006)
    PassMark
    280
    295+5%
    Geekbench 6 Single
    200
    Geekbench 6 Multi
    200
    🧠

    Memory & Platform

    The Athlon XP 2200+ uses the A socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium 4 2.26 uses PGA478 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

    FeatureAthlon XP 2200+Pentium 4 2.26
    Socket
    A
    PGA478
    PCIe Generation
    PCIe 1.1
    PCIe 1.1
    Max RAM Speed
    DDR-266
    Max RAM Capacity
    2 GB
    RAM Channels
    1
    ECC Support
    No
    PCIe Lanes
    0
    🔧

    Advanced Features

    Virtualization: None (Athlon XP 2200+) / not specified (Pentium 4 2.26). Primary use case: Athlon XP 2200+ targets Legacy Desktop.

    FeatureAthlon XP 2200+Pentium 4 2.26
    Integrated GPU
    No
    Unlocked
    Yes
    AVX-512
    No
    Virtualization
    None
    Target Use
    Legacy Desktop
    💰

    Value Analysis

    At launch, the Athlon XP 2200+ was priced at $241, while the Pentium 4 2.26 came in at $241. On launch pricing ($241 vs $241), Pentium 4 2.26 was $0 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon XP 2200+ delivers 1.2 pts/$ vs 1.2 pts/$ for the Pentium 4 2.26 — making the Pentium 4 2.26 the 5.2% better value option.

    FeatureAthlon XP 2200+Pentium 4 2.26
    MSRP
    $241
    $241
    Performance per Dollar
    1.2
    1.2
    Release Date
    2001
    2002

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