Pentium 4 2.26 vs Atom N450

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 Atom N450 is on rank 660, so the Atom N450 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Pentium 4 2.26

#1

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

255504%

#2

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

241426%

#3

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

175295%

#4

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

52809%

#5

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

41830%

#6

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

36593%

#7

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

20959%

#8

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

20685%

#9

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

18834%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

18833%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

18622%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

18120%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

17866%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

17794%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

17633%

#1117

Pentium 4 2.26

MSRP: $241|Avg: $20

100%

#1118

Athlon 64 3200+

MSRP: $417|Avg: $10

99%

#1119

Pentium Extreme Edition 965

MSRP: $999|Avg: $100

96%

#1120

Athlon 64 FX-60

MSRP: $1031|Avg: $1000

96%

#1121

Athlon XP 2200+

MSRP: $241|Avg: $30

95%

#1122

Athlon XP 1700+

MSRP: $190|Avg: $15

92%

#1123

Pentium Extreme Edition 955

MSRP: $999|Avg: $50

90%

#1124

Athlon XP 2700+

MSRP: $349|Avg: $20

84%

#1125

Athlon XP 2800+

MSRP: $375|Avg: $35

83%

#1126

Pentium III 1200

MSRP: $200|Avg: $10

80%

#1127

Athlon XP 3200+

MSRP: $464|Avg: $40

79%

#1128

Pentium III 1400

MSRP: $250|Avg: $20

75%

#1129

Pentium III 1400S

MSRP: $250|Avg: $250

75%

#1130

Pentium 4 2.60

MSRP: $401|Avg: $25

75%

#1131

Athlon XP 1800+

MSRP: $252|Avg: $30

73%

#1132

Athlon XP 1900+

MSRP: $269|Avg: $20

72%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Atom N450

#648

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

903%

#649

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

890%

#650

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

817%

#651

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

813%

#652

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

805%

#654

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

778%

#655

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

746%

#656

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

745%

#657

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

725%

#660

Atom N450

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#662

Athlon II P360

MSRP: $60|Avg: $10

100%

#665

Athlon X2 QL-64

MSRP: $50|Avg: $15

99%

#666

Core 3 N350

MSRP: $225|Avg: $220

99%

#668

FX-7500

MSRP: $100|Avg: $25

99%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Atom N450 (2009) utilizes 45 nm technology and DDR2, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Pentium 4 2.26	Atom N450
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($20)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (NetBurst (2000−2006) / 130 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Pinetrail (2009−2011) / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Pentium 4 2.26 (2002) relies on 130 nm technology and DDR1, DDR2, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Pentium 4 2.26	Atom N450
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($20)	✅ More affordable ($0)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Pentium 4 2.26 Benchmark Check

Atom N450 Benchmark Check

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Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Pentium 4 2.26 and Atom N450

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.

Atom N450

The Atom N450 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 21 December 2009 (15 years ago). It is based on the Pinetrail (2009−2011) architecture. It features 1 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.66 GHz, with boost up to 1.67 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA559. Thermal design power (TDP): 5.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR2. Passmark benchmark score: 325 points. Launch price was $64.

⚡

Processing Power

The Pentium 4 2.26 packs 1 cores / 1 threads, matching the Atom N450's 1 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.26 GHz on the Pentium 4 2.26 versus 1.67 GHz on the Atom N450 — a 30% clock advantage for the Pentium 4 2.26. The Pentium 4 2.26 uses the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture (130 nm), while the Atom N450 uses Pinetrail (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium 4 2.26 scores 295 against the Atom N450's 325 — a 9.7% lead for the Atom N450. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Pentium 4 2.26	Atom N450
Cores / Threads	1 / 1	1 / 2
Boost Clock	2.26 GHz+35%	1.67 GHz
Base Clock	—	1.66 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	512 kB	512 kB (per core)
Process	130 nm	45 nm-65%
Architecture	NetBurst (2000−2006)	Pinetrail (2009−2011)
PassMark	295	325+10%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Pentium 4 2.26 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Atom N450 uses FCBGA559 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.