
Athlon XP 2400+

Pentium 4 2.26
Athlon XP 2400+ 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 2400+ 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.

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 2400+ 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 2400+
2002Why buy it
- ✅Better for gaming: +14.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ✅Costs $48 less on MSRP ($193 MSRP vs $241 MSRP).
- ✅Delivers 29.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 1.6 vs 1.2 PassMark/$ ($193 MSRP vs $241 MSRP).
- ✅Draws 68W instead of 110W, a 42W reduction.
Trade-offs
- ❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.
Pentium 4 2.26
2002Why buy it
Trade-offs
- ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon XP 2400+ across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ❌Lower PassMark (295 vs 305).
- ❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 1.2 vs 1.6 PassMark/$ ($241 MSRP vs $193 MSRP).
- ❌61.8% higher power demand at 110W vs 68W.
Quick Answers
So, is Athlon XP 2400+ better than Pentium 4 2.26?
Which one is better for gaming?
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 2400+ vs Pentium 4 2.26 Technical Specifications
Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Athlon XP 2400+
The Athlon XP 2400+ is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Agosto 2002 (23 years ago). It is based on the Thorton (2001−2003) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 2 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: 305 points. Launch price was $90.

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 2400+ and Pentium 4 2.26 share an identical 1-core/1-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Athlon XP 2400+ versus 2.26 GHz on the Pentium 4 2.26 — a 12.2% clock advantage for the Pentium 4 2.26. The Athlon XP 2400+ 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 2400+ scores 305 against the Pentium 4 2.26's 295 — a 3.3% lead for the Athlon XP 2400+. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Athlon XP 2400+ | Pentium 4 2.26 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 |
| Boost Clock | 2 GHz | 2.26 GHz+13% |
| 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 | 305+3% | 295 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon XP 2400+ 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.
| Feature | Athlon XP 2400+ | Pentium 4 2.26 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | A | PGA478 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR-266 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 4 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 1 | — |
| ECC Support | Yes | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | — |
Value Analysis
At launch, the Athlon XP 2400+ was priced at $193, while the Pentium 4 2.26 came in at $241. On launch pricing ($193 vs $241), Athlon XP 2400+ was $48 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon XP 2400+ delivers 1.6 pts/$ vs 1.2 pts/$ for the Pentium 4 2.26 — making the Athlon XP 2400+ the 25.4% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon XP 2400+ | Pentium 4 2.26 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $193-20% | $241 |
| Performance per Dollar | 1.6+33% | 1.2 |
| Release Date | 2002 | 2002 |
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