Pentium 4 2.66 vs Ryzen 5 3600

Pentium 4 2.66 vs Ryzen 5 3600 Performance Spectrum

Pentium 4 2.66

1 / 1

378

0.0%

17,685

+4578.6%

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

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.

Pentium 4 2.66 vs Ryzen 5 3600 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 2.66 vs Ryzen 5 3600: 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 2.66

2002

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 3600 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (378 vs 17,685).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 1.3 vs 88.9 PassMark/$ ($300 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌69.2% higher power demand at 110W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 3600.

Ryzen 5 3600

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +2140.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $101 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $300 MSRP).
✅Delivers 6953.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 88.9 vs 1.3 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $300 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 110W, a 45W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

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

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 3600 better than Pentium 4 2.66?

Yes. Ryzen 5 3600 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 2140.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 4578.6% 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, Ryzen 5 3600 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 2140.7% 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, Ryzen 5 3600 is the stronger fit. You are getting 4578.6% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Ryzen 5 3600 is the better buy right now. Ryzen 5 3600 comes in $101 cheaper on MSRP at $199 MSRP versus $300 MSRP, and it still gives you a 2140.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 6953.1% better value on MSRP (88.9 vs 1.3 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Ryzen 5 3600 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2002) and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 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 2.66 vs Ryzen 5 3600 Technical Specifications

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

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.

Ryzen 5 3600

The Ryzen 5 3600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 17,685 points. Launch price was $199.

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Processing Power

The Pentium 4 2.66 packs 1 cores / 1 threads, while the Ryzen 5 3600 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Ryzen 5 3600 has 5 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.66 GHz on the Pentium 4 2.66 versus 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3600 — a 44.9% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 3600. The Pentium 4 2.66 uses the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture (130 nm), while the Ryzen 5 3600 uses Matisse (2019−2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium 4 2.66 scores 378 against the Ryzen 5 3600's 17,685 — a 191.6% lead for the Ryzen 5 3600. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Pentium 4 2.66 vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 3600.

Feature	Pentium 4 2.66	Ryzen 5 3600
Cores / Threads	1 / 1	6 / 12+500%
Boost Clock	2.66 GHz	4.2 GHz+58%
Base Clock	—	3.6 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	32 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512 kB	512K (per core)
Process	130 nm	7 nm, 12 nm-95%
Architecture	NetBurst (2000−2006)	Matisse (2019−2020)
PassMark	378	17,685+4579%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	9,500
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,295
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	1,898

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Pentium 4 2.66 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Ryzen 5 3600 uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Pentium 4 2.66	Ryzen 5 3600
Socket	PGA478	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 4.0+264%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	No
PCIe Lanes	—	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Pentium 4 2.66) / Yes (Ryzen 5 3600). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 3600 targets Gaming/Budget Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 3600 rivals Core i5-10400.

Feature	Pentium 4 2.66	Ryzen 5 3600
Integrated GPU	—	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	Yes
Target Use	—	Gaming/Budget Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Pentium 4 2.66 was priced at $300, while the Ryzen 5 3600 came in at $199. On launch pricing ($300 vs $199), Ryzen 5 3600 was $101 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium 4 2.66 delivers 1.3 pts/$ vs 88.9 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 3600 — making the Ryzen 5 3600 the 194.4% better value option.

Feature	Pentium 4 2.66	Ryzen 5 3600
MSRP	$300	$199-34%
Performance per Dollar	1.3	88.9+6738%
Release Date	2002	2019

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