Pentium III 1266S vs Z-01

Pentium III 1266S vs Z-01 Performance Spectrum

Pentium III 1266S

1 / 1

210

0.0%

215

+2.4%

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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 III 1266S vs Z-01 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.

Pentium III 1266S vs Z-01: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Pentium III 1266S

2001

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (210 vs 215).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 0.6 vs 4.3 PassMark/$ ($369 MSRP vs $50 MSRP).
❌400% higher power demand at 30W vs 6W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Z-01 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Z-01

2011

Why buy it

✅+2.4% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $319 less on MSRP ($50 MSRP vs $369 MSRP).
✅Delivers 655.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 4.3 vs 0.6 PassMark/$ ($50 MSRP vs $369 MSRP).
✅Draws 6W instead of 30W, a 24W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (4 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 Z-01 better than Pentium III 1266S?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Pentium III 1266S is ahead with 27% higher max boost clock. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Z-01 pulls ahead with 2.4% better PassMark.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Z-01 is the stronger fit. You are getting 2.4% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Z-01 is the better buy right now. Z-01 comes in $319 cheaper on MSRP at $50 MSRP versus $369 MSRP, and it still gives you 2.4% better PassMark. The compromise is that Pentium III 1266S is still the better pure gaming CPU with 27% higher max boost clock. It is also 655.6% better value on MSRP (4.3 vs 0.6 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Z-01 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2011 vs 2001) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 threads instead of 1/1. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Pentium III 1266S vs Z-01 Technical Specifications

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

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.

Z-01

The Z-01 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 June 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Desna (2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 1 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 40 nm process technology. Socket: FT1. Thermal design power (TDP): 6 Watt. Memory support: DDR3 Single-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 215 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

The Pentium III 1266S packs 1 cores / 1 threads, while the Z-01 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Z-01 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 1.27 GHz on the Pentium III 1266S versus 1 GHz on the Z-01 — a 23.8% clock advantage for the Pentium III 1266S. The Pentium III 1266S uses the Tualatin (2000−2002) architecture (130 nm), while the Z-01 uses Desna (2011) (40 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium III 1266S scores 210 against the Z-01's 215 — a 2.4% lead for the Z-01. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Pentium III 1266S	Z-01
Cores / Threads	1 / 1	2 / 2+100%
Boost Clock	1.27 GHz+27%	1 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	512 kB	1 MB+100%
Process	130 nm	40 nm-69%
Architecture	Tualatin (2000−2002)	Desna (2011)
PassMark	210	215+2%
Geekbench 6 Single	—	100
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	180

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Pentium III 1266S uses the PGA370 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Z-01 uses FT1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Pentium III 1266S	Z-01
Socket	PGA370	FT1
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 2.0+82%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR3-1066
Max RAM Capacity	—	4 GB
RAM Channels	—	1
ECC Support	—	No
PCIe Lanes	—	4

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Pentium III 1266S) / AMD-V (Z-01). The Z-01 includes integrated graphics (Radeon HD 6250), while the Pentium III 1266S requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Z-01 targets Tablet/Netbook.

Feature	Pentium III 1266S	Z-01
Integrated GPU	—	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Radeon HD 6250
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Tablet/Netbook

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Pentium III 1266S was priced at $369, while the Z-01 came in at $50. On launch pricing ($369 vs $50), Z-01 was $319 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium III 1266S delivers 0.6 pts/$ vs 4.3 pts/$ for the Z-01 — making the Z-01 the 153.2% better value option.

Feature	Pentium III 1266S	Z-01
MSRP	$369	$50-86%
Performance per Dollar	0.6	4.3+617%
Release Date	2001	2011

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