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Athlon XP 2800+ vs Core i7-9700K

CPUCPUGPUGPU
AMD

Athlon XP 2800+

1 Cores1 Thrd74 WWMax: 2.25 GHz2001
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VS
Intel

Core i7-9700K

8 Cores8 Thrd95 WWMax: 4.9 GHz2018
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Athlon XP 2800+ vs Core i7-9700K Performance Spectrum

Athlon XP 2800+
1 / 1
380
0.0%
brand logoAthlon XP 1700+
brand logoAthlon XP 2000+
brand logoAthlon XP 2200+
brand logoAthlon 64 2000+
brand logoRyzen 5 PRO 5655G
brand logoRyzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX
brand logoRyzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX
brand logoRyzen Threadripper 3990X
Core i7-9700K
8 / 8
14,397
+3688.7%
brand logoCore i7-6700
brand logoCore i7-7700K
brand logoCore 7 160UL
brand logoCore i3-13100T
brand logoXeon w5-2445
brand logoCore i7-14700K
brand logoXeon w7-3565X
brand logoXeon w9-3495X

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 2800+ vs Core i7-9700K 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

Path of Exile 2

1080P
Athlon XP 2800+
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
1080P
Core i7-9700K
low308 FPS
medium278 FPS
high231 FPS
ultra182 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

1080P
Athlon XP 2800+
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
1080P
Core i7-9700K
low360 FPS
medium321 FPS
high291 FPS
ultra259 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

1080P
Athlon XP 2800+
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
1080P
Core i7-9700K
low360 FPS
medium360 FPS
high360 FPS
ultra360 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

1080P
Athlon XP 2800+
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
1080P
Core i7-9700K
low360 FPS
medium360 FPS
high360 FPS
ultra360 FPS
Among Us

Among Us

1080P
Athlon XP 2800+
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
1080P
Core i7-9700K
low60 FPS
medium60 FPS
high60 FPS
ultra60 FPS
Apex Legends

Apex Legends

1080P
Athlon XP 2800+
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
1080P
Core i7-9700K
low300 FPS
medium300 FPS
high300 FPS
ultra286 FPS
ARC Raiders

ARC Raiders

1080P
Athlon XP 2800+
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
1080P
Core i7-9700K
low323 FPS
medium242 FPS
high212 FPS
ultra188 FPS
Baldur's Gate 3

Baldur's Gate 3

1080P
Athlon XP 2800+
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
1080P
Core i7-9700K
low301 FPS
medium259 FPS
high200 FPS
ultra163 FPS
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

1080P
Athlon XP 2800+
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
1080P
Core i7-9700K
low315 FPS
medium259 FPS
high218 FPS
ultra190 FPS
Call of Duty: Warzone

Call of Duty: Warzone

1080P
Athlon XP 2800+
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
1080P
Core i7-9700K
low241 FPS
medium219 FPS
high182 FPS
ultra169 FPS
Check FPS with Custom Builds

Athlon XP 2800+ vs Core i7-9700K: 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 2800+

2001

Why buy it

  • ✅Costs $10 less on MSRP ($375 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
  • ✅Draws 74W instead of 95W, a 21W reduction.
  • ✅Includes a boxed cooler (Stock), unlike Core i7-9700K.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9700K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • ❌Lower PassMark (380 vs 14,397).
  • ❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 1.0 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($375 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
  • ❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-9700K

2018

Why buy it

  • ✅Better for gaming: +2149.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • ✅Delivers 3590.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 37.4 vs 1.0 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $375 MSRP).
  • ✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
  • ✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Athlon XP 2800+ needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

  • ❌
    2.7% HIGHER MSRP
    $385 MSRPvs$375 MSRP
  • ❌28.4% higher power demand at 95W vs 74W.
  • ❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon XP 2800+.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-9700K better than Athlon XP 2800+?
Yes. Core i7-9700K is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 2149.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 3688.7% 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, Core i7-9700K is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 2149.1% 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, Core i7-9700K is the stronger fit. You are getting 3688.7% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 8 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Core i7-9700K is the better buy right now. Core i7-9700K comes in 2.7% more expensive on MSRP at $385 MSRP versus $375 MSRP, and it still gives you a 2149.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 3590.3% better value on MSRP (37.4 vs 1.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Core i7-9700K makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2018 vs 2001) and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 8 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 2800+ vs Core i7-9700K Technical Specifications

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

AMD

Athlon XP 2800+

The Athlon XP 2800+ 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: 2.25 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512K. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: A. Thermal design power (TDP): 74 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 380 points. Launch price was $149.

Intel

Core i7-9700K

The Core i7-9700K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 14,397 points. Launch price was $374.

⚡

Processing Power

The Athlon XP 2800+ packs 1 cores / 1 threads, while the Core i7-9700K offers 8 cores / 8 threads — the Core i7-9700K has 7 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.25 GHz on the Athlon XP 2800+ versus 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K — a 74.1% clock advantage for the Core i7-9700K. The Athlon XP 2800+ uses the Barton (2001−2004) architecture (130 nm), while the Core i7-9700K uses Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon XP 2800+ scores 380 against the Core i7-9700K's 14,397 — a 189.7% lead for the Core i7-9700K. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon XP 2800+ vs 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K.

FeatureAthlon XP 2800+Core i7-9700K
Cores / Threads
1 / 1
8 / 8+700%
Boost Clock
2.25 GHz
4.9 GHz+118%
Base Clock
—
3.6 GHz
L3 Cache
0 kB
12 MB (total)
L2 Cache
512K+100%
256K (per core)
Process
130 nm
14 nm-89%
Architecture
Barton (2001−2004)
Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)
PassMark
380
14,397+3689%
Geekbench 6 Single
250
—
Geekbench 6 Multi
250
—
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon XP 2800+ uses the A socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Core i7-9700K uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR-333 on the Athlon XP 2800+ versus DDR4-2666 on the Core i7-9700K — the Core i7-9700K supports -900.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i7-9700K supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 2 GB — 6300% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 1 (Athlon XP 2800+) vs 2 (Core i7-9700K). PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon XP 2800+) vs 16 (Core i7-9700K) — the Core i7-9700K offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: KT400,nForce2 Ultra 400 (Athlon XP 2800+) and Intel 300 series (Core i7-9700K).

FeatureAthlon XP 2800+Core i7-9700K
Socket
A
LGA1151
PCIe Generation
PCIe 1.1
PCIe 3.0+173%
Max RAM Speed
DDR-333
DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity
2 GB
128 GB+6300%
RAM Channels
1
2+100%
ECC Support
No
No
PCIe Lanes
0
16
🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Virtualization support: None (Athlon XP 2800+) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K). The Core i7-9700K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Athlon XP 2800+ requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon XP 2800+ targets Legacy Desktop, Core i7-9700K targets Desktop.

FeatureAthlon XP 2800+Core i7-9700K
Integrated GPU
No
Yes
IGPU Model
—
UHD Graphics 630
Unlocked
Yes
Yes
AVX-512
No
No
Virtualization
None
VT-x, VT-d
Target Use
Legacy Desktop
Desktop
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon XP 2800+ was priced at $375, while the Core i7-9700K came in at $385. On launch pricing ($375 vs $385), Athlon XP 2800+ was $10 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon XP 2800+ delivers 1.0 pts/$ vs 37.4 pts/$ for the Core i7-9700K — making the Core i7-9700K the 189.4% better value option.

FeatureAthlon XP 2800+Core i7-9700K
MSRP
$375-3%
$385
Performance per Dollar
1.0
37.4+3640%
Release Date
2001
2018
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