Pentium 4 2.80 vs Ryzen 5 3600
Pentium 4 2.80
Ryzen 5 3600
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. The Pentium 4 2.80 is positioned at rank #1114 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium 4 2.80
Performance Per Dollar Ryzen 5 3600
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium 4 2.80 | Ryzen 5 3600 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($25) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($80) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (NetBurst (2000−2006) / 130 nm) | ✨ Modern (Matisse (2019−2020) / 7 nm, 12 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium 4 2.80 | Ryzen 5 3600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+1255%) |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($25) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($80) |
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 Ryzen 5 3600
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.
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.
Processing Power
The Pentium 4 2.80 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 2.79 GHz on the Pentium 4 2.80 versus 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3600 — a 40.3% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 3600. The Pentium 4 2.80 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 2.80 scores 408 against the Ryzen 5 3600's 17,685 — a 191% lead for the Ryzen 5 3600. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Pentium 4 2.80 vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 3600.
| Feature | Pentium 4 2.80 | Ryzen 5 3600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 1 / 1 | 6 / 12+500% |
| Boost Clock | 2.79 GHz | 4.2 GHz+51% |
| 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 | 408 | 17,685+4235% |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | — | 9,500 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 1,295 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 1,898 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium 4 2.80 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 2.80 | 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 | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 24 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Pentium 4 2.80) / 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 2.80 | Ryzen 5 3600 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | Yes |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | Yes |
| Target Use | — | Gaming/Budget Workstation |
Value Analysis
The Pentium 4 2.80 launched at $327 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 3600 debuted at $199. At current prices ($25 vs $80), the Pentium 4 2.80 is $55 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium 4 2.80 delivers 16.3 pts/$ vs 221.1 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 3600 — making the Ryzen 5 3600 the 172.5% better value option.
| Feature | Pentium 4 2.80 | Ryzen 5 3600 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $327 | $199-39% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $25-69% | $80 |
| Performance per Dollar | 16.3 | 221.1+1256% |
| Release Date | 2002 | 2019 |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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