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Pentium 4 2.66 vs Ryzen 5 5600X

CPUCPUGPUGPU
Intel

Pentium 4 2.66

1 Cores1 Thrd110 WWMax: 2.66 GHz2002
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

Ryzen 5 5600X

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.6 GHz2020
Ryzen family
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Pentium 4 2.66 vs Ryzen 5 5600X Performance Spectrum

Pentium 4 2.66
1 / 1
378
0.0%
brand logoPentium III 1266S
brand logoAtom 230
brand logoAtom N280
brand logoAtom N435
brand logoCore i5-12500
brand logoXeon W-3335
brand logoXeon w7-3545
brand logoXeon w9-3575X
Ryzen 5 5600X
6 / 12
21,845
+5679.1%
brand logoRyzen Z2 Go
brand logoRyzen 7 5825C
brand logoRyzen 5 6600U
brand logoRyzen 5 5500
brand logoRyzen 9 5900X
brand logoRyzen 9 9900X3D
brand logoRyzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX
brand logoRyzen 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 5600X 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

1080P
Pentium 4 2.66
low9 FPS
medium9 FPS
high9 FPS
ultra9 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 5 5600X
low203 FPS
medium174 FPS
high140 FPS
ultra107 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

1080P
Pentium 4 2.66
low9 FPS
medium9 FPS
high9 FPS
ultra9 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 5 5600X
low464 FPS
medium387 FPS
high324 FPS
ultra291 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

1080P
Pentium 4 2.66
low9 FPS
medium9 FPS
high9 FPS
ultra9 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 5 5600X
low546 FPS
medium473 FPS
high432 FPS
ultra358 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

1080P
Pentium 4 2.66
low9 FPS
medium9 FPS
high9 FPS
ultra9 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 5 5600X
low546 FPS
medium546 FPS
high546 FPS
ultra546 FPS
Among Us

Among Us

1080P
Pentium 4 2.66
low9 FPS
medium9 FPS
high9 FPS
ultra9 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 5 5600X
low60 FPS
medium60 FPS
high60 FPS
ultra60 FPS
Apex Legends

Apex Legends

1080P
Pentium 4 2.66
low9 FPS
medium9 FPS
high9 FPS
ultra9 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 5 5600X
low300 FPS
medium269 FPS
high236 FPS
ultra217 FPS
ARC Raiders

ARC Raiders

1080P
Pentium 4 2.66
low9 FPS
medium9 FPS
high9 FPS
ultra9 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 5 5600X
low269 FPS
medium200 FPS
high168 FPS
ultra145 FPS
Baldur's Gate 3

Baldur's Gate 3

1080P
Pentium 4 2.66
low9 FPS
medium9 FPS
high9 FPS
ultra9 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 5 5600X
low197 FPS
medium176 FPS
high146 FPS
ultra118 FPS
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

1080P
Pentium 4 2.66
low9 FPS
medium9 FPS
high9 FPS
ultra9 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 5 5600X
low350 FPS
medium299 FPS
high256 FPS
ultra214 FPS
Call of Duty: Warzone

Call of Duty: Warzone

1080P
Pentium 4 2.66
low9 FPS
medium9 FPS
high9 FPS
ultra9 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 5 5600X
low242 FPS
medium220 FPS
high185 FPS
ultra173 FPS
Check FPS with Custom Builds

Pentium 4 2.66 vs Ryzen 5 5600X: 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 5600X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
    • ❌Lower PassMark (378 vs 21,845).
    • ❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 1.3 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($300 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
    • ❌69.2% higher power demand at 110W vs 65W.

    Ryzen 5 5600X

    2020

    Why buy it

    • ✅Better for gaming: +2172.9% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
    • ✅Costs $1 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $300 MSRP).
    • ✅Delivers 5698.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 1.3 PassMark/$ ($299 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 5600X better than Pentium 4 2.66?
    Yes. Ryzen 5 5600X is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 2172.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 5679.1% 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 5600X is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 2172.9% 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 5600X is the stronger fit. You are getting 5679.1% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.
    Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
    Ryzen 5 5600X is the better buy right now. Ryzen 5 5600X comes in $1 cheaper on MSRP at $299 MSRP versus $300 MSRP, and it still gives you a 2172.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 5698.4% better value on MSRP (73.1 vs 1.3 PassMark/$), 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 5600X makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 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 5600X Technical Specifications

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

    Intel

    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.

    AMD

    Ryzen 5 5600X

    The Ryzen 5 5600X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 5 November 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 21,845 points. Launch price was $299.

    ⚡

    Processing Power

    The Pentium 4 2.66 packs 1 cores / 1 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5600X offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Ryzen 5 5600X has 5 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.66 GHz on the Pentium 4 2.66 versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X — a 53.4% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600X. The Pentium 4 2.66 uses the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture (130 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5600X uses Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium 4 2.66 scores 378 against the Ryzen 5 5600X's 21,845 — a 193.2% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600X. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Pentium 4 2.66 vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X.

    FeaturePentium 4 2.66Ryzen 5 5600X
    Cores / Threads
    1 / 1
    6 / 12+500%
    Boost Clock
    2.66 GHz
    4.6 GHz+73%
    Base Clock
    —
    3.7 GHz
    L3 Cache
    0 kB
    32 MB
    L2 Cache
    512 kB
    512K (per core)
    Process
    130 nm
    7 nm, 12 nm-95%
    Architecture
    NetBurst (2000−2006)
    Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)
    PassMark
    378
    21,845+5679%
    🧠

    Memory & Platform

    The Pentium 4 2.66 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Ryzen 5 5600X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

    FeaturePentium 4 2.66Ryzen 5 5600X
    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
    —
    Yes
    PCIe Lanes
    —
    24
    🔧

    Advanced Features

    Virtualization: not specified (Pentium 4 2.66) / AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600X). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600X targets Desktop.

    FeaturePentium 4 2.66Ryzen 5 5600X
    Integrated GPU
    —
    No
    Unlocked
    —
    Yes
    AVX-512
    —
    No
    Virtualization
    —
    AMD-V
    Target Use
    —
    Desktop
    💰

    Value Analysis

    At launch, the Pentium 4 2.66 was priced at $300, while the Ryzen 5 5600X came in at $299. On launch pricing ($300 vs $299), Ryzen 5 5600X was $1 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium 4 2.66 delivers 1.3 pts/$ vs 73.1 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 5600X — making the Ryzen 5 5600X the 193.2% better value option.

    FeaturePentium 4 2.66Ryzen 5 5600X
    MSRP
    $300
    $299
    Performance per Dollar
    1.3
    73.1+5523%
    Release Date
    2002
    2020
    Search Pentium 4 2.66 on AmazonSearch Ryzen 5 5600X on Amazon

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