Pentium 4 1.80 vs Pentium III 1200

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.

Pentium 4 1.80 vs Pentium III 1200 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.

Pentium 4 1.80 vs Pentium III 1200: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Pentium 4 1.80

2001

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +20.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 0.4 vs 1.0 PassMark/$ ($562 MSRP vs $200 MSRP).
❌123.3% higher power demand at 67W vs 30W.

Pentium III 1200

2001

Why buy it

✅Costs $362 less on MSRP ($200 MSRP vs $562 MSRP).
✅Delivers 143.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 1.0 vs 0.4 PassMark/$ ($200 MSRP vs $562 MSRP).
✅Draws 30W instead of 67W, a 37W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Pentium 4 1.80 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (195 vs 225).

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium 4 1.80 better than Pentium III 1200?

Yes. Pentium 4 1.80 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 20.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 15.4% 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 1.80 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 20.0% 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, Pentium 4 1.80 is the stronger fit. You are getting 15.4% better PassMark, backed by 1 cores and 1 threads.

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

Pentium 4 1.80 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Pentium 4 1.80 comes in 181.0% more expensive on MSRP at $562 MSRP versus $200 MSRP, and it still gives you a 20.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Pentium III 1200 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2001 platform. Even with 143.5% better value on paper (1.0 vs 0.4 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on PGA370.

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

Pentium 4 1.80 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 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.

Pentium 4 1.80 vs Pentium III 1200 Technical Specifications

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

Pentium 4 1.80

The Pentium 4 1.80 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: 1.8 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 256 kB. Built on 180 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 67 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2. Passmark benchmark score: 225 points. Launch price was $69.

Pentium III 1200

The Pentium III 1200 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Tualatin (2000−2002) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 1.2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 256 kB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: PGA370. Thermal design power (TDP): 30 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 195 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

Both the Pentium 4 1.80 and Pentium III 1200 share an identical 1-core/1-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.8 GHz on the Pentium 4 1.80 versus 1.2 GHz on the Pentium III 1200 — a 40% clock advantage for the Pentium 4 1.80. The Pentium 4 1.80 uses the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture (180 nm), while the Pentium III 1200 uses Tualatin (2000−2002) (130 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium 4 1.80 scores 225 against the Pentium III 1200's 195 — a 14.3% lead for the Pentium 4 1.80. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Pentium 4 1.80	Pentium III 1200
Cores / Threads	1 / 1	1 / 1
Boost Clock	1.8 GHz+50%	1.2 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	256 kB	256 kB
Process	180 nm	130 nm-28%
Architecture	NetBurst (2000−2006)	Tualatin (2000−2002)
PassMark	225+15%	195

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Memory & Platform

The Pentium 4 1.80 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium III 1200 uses PGA370 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Pentium 4 1.80	Pentium III 1200
Socket	PGA478	PGA370
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed	—	SDR-133
Max RAM Capacity	—	512 MB
RAM Channels	—	1
ECC Support	—	No
PCIe Lanes	—	0

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Pentium 4 1.80) / None (Pentium III 1200). Primary use case: Pentium III 1200 targets Legacy.

Feature	Pentium 4 1.80	Pentium III 1200
Integrated GPU	—	No
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	None
Target Use	—	Legacy

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Value Analysis

At launch, the Pentium 4 1.80 was priced at $562, while the Pentium III 1200 came in at $200. On launch pricing ($562 vs $200), Pentium III 1200 was $362 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium 4 1.80 delivers 0.4 pts/$ vs 1.0 pts/$ for the Pentium III 1200 — making the Pentium III 1200 the 83.6% better value option.

Feature	Pentium 4 1.80	Pentium III 1200
MSRP	$562	$200-64%
Performance per Dollar	0.4	1.0+150%
Release Date	2001	2001

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