Pentium III 1200 vs Athlon XP 1600+
Pentium III 1200
Athlon XP 1600+
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 III 1200 is positioned at rank 1126 and the Athlon XP 1600+ is on rank 1114, so the Athlon XP 1600+ offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium III 1200
Performance Per Dollar Athlon XP 1600+
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium III 1200 | Athlon XP 1600+ |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($10) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Tualatin (2000−2002) / 130 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Thoroughbred (2001−2002) / 180 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium III 1200 | Athlon XP 1600+ |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+46%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($10) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
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 III 1200 and Athlon XP 1600+
Pentium III 1200
The Pentium III 1200 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Tualatin (2000−2002) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 1.2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 256 kB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: PGA370. Thermal design power (TDP): 30 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 195 points. Launch price was $69.
Athlon XP 1600+
The Athlon XP 1600+ is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Thoroughbred (2001−2002) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 1.4 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 256 kB. Built on 180 nm process technology. Socket: A. Thermal design power (TDP): 63 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 200 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
Both the Pentium III 1200 and Athlon XP 1600+ share an identical 1-core/1-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.2 GHz on the Pentium III 1200 versus 1.4 GHz on the Athlon XP 1600+ — a 15.4% clock advantage for the Athlon XP 1600+. The Pentium III 1200 uses the Tualatin (2000−2002) architecture (130 nm), while the Athlon XP 1600+ uses Thoroughbred (2001−2002) (180 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium III 1200 scores 195 against the Athlon XP 1600+'s 200 — a 2.5% lead for the Athlon XP 1600+. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Pentium III 1200 | Athlon XP 1600+ |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 |
| Boost Clock | 1.2 GHz | 1.4 GHz+17% |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB | 256 kB |
| Process | 130 nm-28% | 180 nm |
| Architecture | Tualatin (2000−2002) | Thoroughbred (2001−2002) |
| PassMark | 195 | 200+3% |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium III 1200 uses the PGA370 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Athlon XP 1600+ uses A (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches SDR-133 on the Pentium III 1200 versus DDR-266 on the Athlon XP 1600+ — the Pentium III 1200 supports -66.7% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Pentium III 1200 supports up to 512 MB of RAM compared to 2 GB — 198.4% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 1-channel memory with ECC support.
| Feature | Pentium III 1200 | Athlon XP 1600+ |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA370 | A |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | SDR-133 | DDR-266 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 512 MB | 2 GB+300% |
| RAM Channels | 1 | 1 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | — |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: None (Pentium III 1200) vs false (Athlon XP 1600+). Primary use case: Pentium III 1200 targets Legacy.
| Feature | Pentium III 1200 | Athlon XP 1600+ |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | None | false |
| Target Use | Legacy | — |
Value Analysis
The Pentium III 1200 launched at $200 MSRP, while the Athlon XP 1600+ debuted at $160. At current prices ($10 vs $15), the Pentium III 1200 is $5 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium III 1200 delivers 19.5 pts/$ vs 13.3 pts/$ for the Athlon XP 1600+ — making the Pentium III 1200 the 37.6% better value option.
| Feature | Pentium III 1200 | Athlon XP 1600+ |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $200 | $160-20% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $10-33% | $15 |
| Performance per Dollar | 19.5+47% | 13.3 |
| Release Date | 2001 | 2001 |
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