Pentium M 745 vs Xeon 2.66

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 M 745 vs Xeon 2.66 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 M 745 vs Xeon 2.66: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Pentium M 745

2004

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.7% higher average FPS across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 21W instead of 89W, a 68W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Xeon 2.66

2002

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Pentium M 745 across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (445 vs 465).
❌Launch MSRP is still $337 MSRP, while Pentium M 745 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌323.8% higher power demand at 89W vs 21W.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium M 745 better than Xeon 2.66?

Not really, because they are built for different jobs. Xeon 2.66 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Pentium M 745 is the more practical desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and everyday use.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Pentium M 745 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 8.7% more average FPS across 49 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium M 745 is the stronger fit. You are getting 4.5% better PassMark, backed by 1 cores and 1 threads.

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

Pentium M 745 is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon 2.66 is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Pentium M 745 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $337 MSRP, and it still gives you a 8.7% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data. Xeon 2.66 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (1.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper.

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

Pentium M 745 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2004 vs 2002) and more multi-core headroom with 1 cores / 1 threads instead of 1/1. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Pentium M 745 vs Xeon 2.66 Technical Specifications

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

Pentium M 745

The Pentium M 745 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Dothan (2004−2005) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 1.8 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 90 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 7.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR2. Passmark benchmark score: 465 points. Launch price was $69.

Xeon 2.66

The Xeon 2.66 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Prestonia (2002) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 2.66 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: PGA604. Thermal design power (TDP): 89 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 445 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

Both the Pentium M 745 and Xeon 2.66 share an identical 1-core/1-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.8 GHz on the Pentium M 745 versus 2.66 GHz on the Xeon 2.66 — a 38.6% clock advantage for the Xeon 2.66. The Pentium M 745 uses the Dothan (2004−2005) architecture (90 nm), while the Xeon 2.66 uses Prestonia (2002) (130 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium M 745 scores 465 against the Xeon 2.66's 445 — a 4.4% lead for the Pentium M 745. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Pentium M 745	Xeon 2.66
Cores / Threads	1 / 1	1 / 1
Boost Clock	1.8 GHz	2.66 GHz+48%
Base Clock	1.8 GHz	—
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	2 MB+300%	512 kB
Process	90 nm-31%	130 nm
Architecture	Dothan (2004−2005)	Prestonia (2002)
PassMark	465+4%	445
Geekbench 6 Single	100	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	100	—

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Memory & Platform

The Pentium M 745 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Xeon 2.66 uses PGA604 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.