Pentium 4 2.80 vs Athlon 64 2600+
Pentium 4 2.80
Athlon 64 2600+
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 2.80 is positioned at rank 1114 and the Athlon 64 2600+ is on rank 1080, so the Athlon 64 2600+ 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 2.80
Performance Per Dollar Athlon 64 2600+
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium 4 2.80 | Athlon 64 2600+ |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($25) | ✅ More affordable ($5) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (NetBurst (2000−2006) / 130 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Lima (2008−2009) / 65 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium 4 2.80 | Athlon 64 2600+ |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+380%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($25) | ✅ More affordable ($5) |
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 2.80 and Athlon 64 2600+
Pentium 4 2.80
The Pentium 4 2.80 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: 2.79 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: 408 points. Launch price was $69.
Athlon 64 2600+
The Athlon 64 2600+ is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Lima (2008−2009) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 1.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: AM2. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 392 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
Both the Pentium 4 2.80 and Athlon 64 2600+ share an identical 1-core/1-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.79 GHz on the Pentium 4 2.80 versus 1.6 GHz on the Athlon 64 2600+ — a 54.2% clock advantage for the Pentium 4 2.80. The Pentium 4 2.80 uses the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture (130 nm), while the Athlon 64 2600+ uses Lima (2008−2009) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium 4 2.80 scores 408 against the Athlon 64 2600+'s 392 — a 4% lead for the Pentium 4 2.80. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Pentium 4 2.80 | Athlon 64 2600+ |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 |
| Boost Clock | 2.79 GHz+74% | 1.6 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB | 512 kB |
| Process | 130 nm | 65 nm-50% |
| Architecture | NetBurst (2000−2006) | Lima (2008−2009) |
| PassMark | 408+4% | 392 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium 4 2.80 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Athlon 64 2600+ uses AM2 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium 4 2.80 | Athlon 64 2600+ |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA478 | AM2 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR2-667 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 0 |
Value Analysis
The Pentium 4 2.80 launched at $327 MSRP, while the Athlon 64 2600+ debuted at $100. At current prices ($25 vs $5), the Athlon 64 2600+ is $20 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium 4 2.80 delivers 16.3 pts/$ vs 78.4 pts/$ for the Athlon 64 2600+ — making the Athlon 64 2600+ the 131.1% better value option.
| Feature | Pentium 4 2.80 | Athlon 64 2600+ |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $327 | $100-69% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $25 | $5-80% |
| Performance per Dollar | 16.3 | 78.4+381% |
| Release Date | 2002 | 2008 |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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