
Pentium III 1266S vs Core i5-13400F

Pentium III 1266S

Core i5-13400F
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 III 1266S is positioned at rank #1140 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 III 1266S
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-13400F
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium III 1266S | Core i5-13400F |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($20) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($180) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Tualatin (2000−2002) / 130 nm) | ✨ Modern (Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) / Intel 7 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium III 1266S | Core i5-13400F |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+1224%) |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($20) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($180) |
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 1266S and Core i5-13400F

Pentium III 1266S
The Pentium III 1266S 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: 1.27 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: PGA370. Thermal design power (TDP): 30 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 210 points. Launch price was $69.

Core i5-13400F
The Core i5-13400F is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture. It features 10 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 25,029 points. Launch price was $196.
Processing Power
The Pentium III 1266S packs 1 cores / 1 threads, while the Core i5-13400F offers 10 cores / 16 threads — the Core i5-13400F has 9 more cores. Boost clocks reach 1.27 GHz on the Pentium III 1266S versus 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-13400F — a 113.5% clock advantage for the Core i5-13400F. The Pentium III 1266S uses the Tualatin (2000−2002) architecture (130 nm), while the Core i5-13400F uses Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium III 1266S scores 210 against the Core i5-13400F's 25,029 — a 196.7% lead for the Core i5-13400F. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Pentium III 1266S vs 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-13400F.
| Feature | Pentium III 1266S | Core i5-13400F |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 1 / 1 | 10 / 16+900% |
| Boost Clock | 1.27 GHz | 4.6 GHz+262% |
| Base Clock | — | 2.5 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 20 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB | 1.25 MB (per core)+150% |
| Process | 130 nm | Intel 7 nm-95% |
| Architecture | Tualatin (2000−2002) | Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) |
| PassMark | 210 | 25,029+11819% |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | — | 16,211 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 2,407 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 11,408 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium III 1266S uses the PGA370 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Core i5-13400F uses LGA1700 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium III 1266S | Core i5-13400F |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA370 | LGA1700 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 5.0+355% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 192 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 20 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Pentium III 1266S) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-13400F). Primary use case: Core i5-13400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-13400F rivals Ryzen 5 7600.
| Feature | Pentium III 1266S | Core i5-13400F |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d |
| Target Use | — | Gaming |
Value Analysis
The Pentium III 1266S launched at $369 MSRP, while the Core i5-13400F debuted at $196. At current prices ($20 vs $180), the Pentium III 1266S is $160 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium III 1266S delivers 10.5 pts/$ vs 139.1 pts/$ for the Core i5-13400F — making the Core i5-13400F the 171.9% better value option.
| Feature | Pentium III 1266S | Core i5-13400F |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $369 | $196-47% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $20-89% | $180 |
| Performance per Dollar | 10.5 | 139.1+1225% |
| Release Date | 2001 | 2023 |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.















