Pentium 4 2.26 vs Pentium M 1.30

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 2.26 vs Pentium M 1.30 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 2.26 vs Pentium M 1.30: 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 2.26

2002

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Pentium M 1.30 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (295 vs 315).
❌Launch MSRP is still $241 MSRP, while Pentium M 1.30 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌358.3% higher power demand at 110W vs 24W.

Pentium M 1.30

2003

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +14.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 24W instead of 110W, a 86W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium M 1.30 better than Pentium 4 2.26?

Yes. Pentium M 1.30 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 14.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 6.8% 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 M 1.30 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 14.3% 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 M 1.30 is the stronger fit. You are getting 6.8% better PassMark, backed by 1 cores and 1 threads.

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

Pentium M 1.30 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Pentium M 1.30 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $241 MSRP, and it still gives you a 14.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Pentium 4 2.26 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2002 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (1.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 M 1.30 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2003 vs 2002) and 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 2.26 vs Pentium M 1.30 Technical Specifications

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

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.

Pentium M 1.30

The Pentium M 1.30 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Banias (2003) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 1.3 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 24 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2. Passmark benchmark score: 315 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

Both the Pentium 4 2.26 and Pentium M 1.30 share an identical 1-core/1-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.26 GHz on the Pentium 4 2.26 versus 1.3 GHz on the Pentium M 1.30 — a 53.9% clock advantage for the Pentium 4 2.26. The Pentium 4 2.26 uses the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture (130 nm), while the Pentium M 1.30 uses Banias (2003) (130 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium 4 2.26 scores 295 against the Pentium M 1.30's 315 — a 6.6% lead for the Pentium M 1.30. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Pentium 4 2.26	Pentium M 1.30
Cores / Threads	1 / 1	1 / 1
Boost Clock	2.26 GHz+74%	1.3 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	512 kB	1 MB+100%
Process	130 nm	130 nm
Architecture	NetBurst (2000−2006)	Banias (2003)
PassMark	295	315+7%