Pentium 4 2.26 vs Athlon XP 2500+
Pentium 4 2.26
Athlon XP 2500+
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Pentium 4 2.26 is positioned at rank 1117 and the Athlon XP 2500+ is on rank 1105, so the Athlon XP 2500+ offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium 4 2.26
Performance Per Dollar Athlon XP 2500+
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium 4 2.26 | Athlon XP 2500+ |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($20) | ✅ More affordable ($15) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (NetBurst (2000−2006) / 130 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Barton (2001−2004) / 130 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium 4 2.26 | Athlon XP 2500+ |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+45%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($20) | ✅ More affordable ($15) |
Performance Check
To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.
Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Pentium 4 2.26 and Athlon XP 2500+
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.
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.
Processing Power
Both the Pentium 4 2.26 and Athlon XP 2500+ share an identical 1-core/1-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.26 GHz on the Pentium 4 2.26 versus 1.83 GHz on the Athlon XP 2500+ — a 21% clock advantage for the Pentium 4 2.26. The Pentium 4 2.26 uses the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture (130 nm), while the Athlon XP 2500+ uses Barton (2001−2004) (130 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium 4 2.26 scores 295 against the Athlon XP 2500+'s 320 — a 8.1% lead for the Athlon XP 2500+. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Pentium 4 2.26 | Athlon XP 2500+ |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 |
| Boost Clock | 2.26 GHz+23% | 1.83 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB | 512 kB |
| Process | 130 nm | 130 nm |
| Architecture | NetBurst (2000−2006) | Barton (2001−2004) |
| PassMark | 295 | 320+8% |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium 4 2.26 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Athlon XP 2500+ uses A (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium 4 2.26 | Athlon XP 2500+ |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA478 | A |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR-400 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 2 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 1 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Pentium 4 2.26) / false (Athlon XP 2500+).
| Feature | Pentium 4 2.26 | Athlon XP 2500+ |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | false |
Value Analysis
The Pentium 4 2.26 launched at $241 MSRP, while the Athlon XP 2500+ debuted at $172. At current prices ($20 vs $15), the Athlon XP 2500+ is $5 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium 4 2.26 delivers 14.8 pts/$ vs 21.3 pts/$ for the Athlon XP 2500+ — making the Athlon XP 2500+ the 36.5% better value option.
| Feature | Pentium 4 2.26 | Athlon XP 2500+ |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $241 | $172-29% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $20 | $15-25% |
| Performance per Dollar | 14.8 | 21.3+44% |
| Release Date | 2002 | 2003 |
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