Athlon XP 2800+ vs Pentium 4 2.66

Athlon XP 2800+ vs Pentium 4 2.66 Performance Spectrum

Athlon XP 2800+

1 / 1

380

+0.5%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium 4 2.66

1 / 1

378

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 2800+ vs Pentium 4 2.66 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 2800+ vs Pentium 4 2.66: 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

✅Better for gaming: +10.9% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 74W instead of 110W, a 36W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Stock), unlike Pentium 4 2.66.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 1.0 vs 1.3 PassMark/$ ($375 MSRP vs $300 MSRP).

Pentium 4 2.66

2002

Why buy it

✅Costs $75 less on MSRP ($300 MSRP vs $375 MSRP).
✅Delivers 24.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 1.3 vs 1.0 PassMark/$ ($300 MSRP vs $375 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon XP 2800+ across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (378 vs 380).
❌48.6% higher power demand at 110W vs 74W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon XP 2800+.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon XP 2800+ better than Pentium 4 2.66?

Yes. Athlon XP 2800+ is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 10.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.5% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Athlon XP 2800+ is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 10.9% 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 2800+ is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 1 cores and 1 threads.

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

Athlon XP 2800+ is still the much better call for a fresh build. Athlon XP 2800+ comes in 25.0% more expensive on MSRP at $375 MSRP versus $300 MSRP, and it still gives you a 10.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Pentium 4 2.66 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2002 platform. Even with 24.3% better value on paper (1.3 vs 1.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on PGA478.

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

Pentium 4 2.66 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2002 vs 2001). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon XP 2800+ vs Pentium 4 2.66 Technical Specifications

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

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.

Pentium 4 2.66

The Pentium 4 2.66 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: 2.66 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: 378 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Athlon XP 2800+ and Pentium 4 2.66 share an identical 1-core/1-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.25 GHz on the Athlon XP 2800+ versus 2.66 GHz on the Pentium 4 2.66 — a 16.7% clock advantage for the Pentium 4 2.66. The Athlon XP 2800+ uses the Barton (2001−2004) architecture (130 nm), while the Pentium 4 2.66 uses NetBurst (2000−2006) (130 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon XP 2800+ scores 380 against the Pentium 4 2.66's 378 — a 0.5% lead for the Athlon XP 2800+. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Athlon XP 2800+	Pentium 4 2.66
Cores / Threads	1 / 1	1 / 1
Boost Clock	2.25 GHz	2.66 GHz+18%
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	512K	512 kB
Process	130 nm	130 nm
Architecture	Barton (2001−2004)	NetBurst (2000−2006)
PassMark	380	378
Geekbench 6 Single	250	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	250	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon XP 2800+ uses the A socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium 4 2.66 uses PGA478 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon XP 2800+	Pentium 4 2.66
Socket	A	PGA478
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed	DDR-333	—
Max RAM Capacity	2 GB	—
RAM Channels	1	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	0	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: None (Athlon XP 2800+) / not specified (Pentium 4 2.66). Primary use case: Athlon XP 2800+ targets Legacy Desktop.

Feature	Athlon XP 2800+	Pentium 4 2.66
Integrated GPU	No	—
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	None	—
Target Use	Legacy Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon XP 2800+ was priced at $375, while the Pentium 4 2.66 came in at $300. On launch pricing ($375 vs $300), Pentium 4 2.66 was $75 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon XP 2800+ delivers 1.0 pts/$ vs 1.3 pts/$ for the Pentium 4 2.66 — making the Pentium 4 2.66 the 21.7% better value option.

Feature	Athlon XP 2800+	Pentium 4 2.66
MSRP	$375	$300-20%
Performance per Dollar	1.0	1.3+30%
Release Date	2001	2002

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