Athlon XP 2500+ vs Pentium 4 2.26

Athlon XP 2500+ vs Pentium 4 2.26 Performance Spectrum

Athlon XP 2500+

1 / 1

320

+8.5%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Ryzen Threadripper 7970X

Pentium 4 2.26

1 / 1

295

0.0%

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 2500+ 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 2500+ 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 2500+

2003

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +14.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $69 less on MSRP ($172 MSRP vs $241 MSRP).
✅Delivers 52.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 1.9 vs 1.2 PassMark/$ ($172 MSRP vs $241 MSRP).
✅Draws 68W instead of 110W, a 42W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Pentium 4 2.26.

Trade-offs

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

Pentium 4 2.26

2002

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon XP 2500+ across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (295 vs 320).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 1.2 vs 1.9 PassMark/$ ($241 MSRP vs $172 MSRP).
❌61.8% higher power demand at 110W vs 68W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon XP 2500+.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon XP 2500+ better than Pentium 4 2.26?

Yes. Athlon XP 2500+ is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 14.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 8.5% 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, Athlon XP 2500+ is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 14.3% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon XP 2500+ is the stronger fit. You are getting 8.5% better PassMark, backed by 1 cores and 1 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Athlon XP 2500+ is the better buy right now. Athlon XP 2500+ comes in $69 cheaper on MSRP at $172 MSRP versus $241 MSRP, and it still gives you a 14.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 52.0% better value on MSRP (1.9 vs 1.2 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Athlon XP 2500+ makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2003 vs 2002) 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 2500+ vs Pentium 4 2.26 Technical Specifications

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

Athlon XP 2500+

The Athlon XP 2500+ is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Barton (2001−2004) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 1.83 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: A. Thermal design power (TDP): 68 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 320 points. Launch price was $149.

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 2500+ and Pentium 4 2.26 share an identical 1-core/1-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.83 GHz on the Athlon XP 2500+ versus 2.26 GHz on the Pentium 4 2.26 — a 21% clock advantage for the Pentium 4 2.26. The Athlon XP 2500+ uses the Barton (2001−2004) architecture (130 nm), while the Pentium 4 2.26 uses NetBurst (2000−2006) (130 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon XP 2500+ scores 320 against the Pentium 4 2.26's 295 — a 8.1% lead for the Athlon XP 2500+. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Athlon XP 2500+	Pentium 4 2.26
Cores / Threads	1 / 1	1 / 1
Boost Clock	1.83 GHz	2.26 GHz+23%
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	512 kB	512 kB
Process	130 nm	130 nm
Architecture	Barton (2001−2004)	NetBurst (2000−2006)
PassMark	320+8%	295

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon XP 2500+ 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 2500+	Pentium 4 2.26
Socket	A	PGA478
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed	DDR-400	—
Max RAM Capacity	2 GB	—
RAM Channels	1	—
ECC Support	No	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: false (Athlon XP 2500+) / not specified (Pentium 4 2.26).

Feature	Athlon XP 2500+	Pentium 4 2.26
Integrated GPU	No	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	false	—

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon XP 2500+ was priced at $172, while the Pentium 4 2.26 came in at $241. On launch pricing ($172 vs $241), Athlon XP 2500+ was $69 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon XP 2500+ delivers 1.9 pts/$ vs 1.2 pts/$ for the Pentium 4 2.26 — making the Athlon XP 2500+ the 41.3% better value option.

Feature	Athlon XP 2500+	Pentium 4 2.26
MSRP	$172-29%	$241
Performance per Dollar	1.9+58%	1.2
Release Date	2003	2002

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