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Sempron 3500+ vs Xeon 2.66

CPUCPUGPUGPU
AMD

Sempron 3500+

1 Cores1 Thrd62 WWMax: 2 GHz2005
Similar parts
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VS
Intel

Xeon 2.66

1 Cores1 Thrd89 WWMax: 2.66 GHz2002
Similar parts
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Buy on Amazon

Sempron 3500+ vs Xeon 2.66 Performance Spectrum

Sempron 3500+
1 / 1
465
+4.5%
brand logoAthlon XP 2000+
brand logoAthlon XP 2400+
brand logoAthlon XP 2700+
brand logoAthlon XP 3000+
brand logoRyzen 5 8640HS
brand logoRyzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX
brand logoRyzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX
brand logoRyzen Threadripper 3990X
Xeon 2.66
1 / 1
445
0.0%
brand logoAtom 230
brand logoPentium 4 2.26
brand logoPentium M 1.40
brand logoMobile Pentium 4 2.66
brand logoCore i9-10900F
brand logoXeon W-3335
brand logoCore i9-14900K
brand logoXeon w9-3575X

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.

Sempron 3500+ 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

1080P
Sempron 3500+
low12 FPS
medium12 FPS
high12 FPS
ultra12 FPS
1080P
Xeon 2.66
low11 FPS
medium11 FPS
high11 FPS
ultra11 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

1080P
Sempron 3500+
low12 FPS
medium12 FPS
high12 FPS
ultra12 FPS
1080P
Xeon 2.66
low11 FPS
medium11 FPS
high11 FPS
ultra11 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

1080P
Sempron 3500+
low12 FPS
medium12 FPS
high12 FPS
ultra12 FPS
1080P
Xeon 2.66
low11 FPS
medium11 FPS
high11 FPS
ultra11 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

1080P
Sempron 3500+
low12 FPS
medium12 FPS
high12 FPS
ultra12 FPS
1080P
Xeon 2.66
low11 FPS
medium11 FPS
high11 FPS
ultra11 FPS
Among Us

Among Us

1080P
Sempron 3500+
low12 FPS
medium12 FPS
high12 FPS
ultra12 FPS
1080P
Xeon 2.66
low11 FPS
medium11 FPS
high11 FPS
ultra11 FPS
Apex Legends

Apex Legends

1080P
Sempron 3500+
low12 FPS
medium12 FPS
high12 FPS
ultra12 FPS
1080P
Xeon 2.66
low11 FPS
medium11 FPS
high11 FPS
ultra11 FPS
ARC Raiders

ARC Raiders

1080P
Sempron 3500+
low12 FPS
medium12 FPS
high12 FPS
ultra12 FPS
1080P
Xeon 2.66
low11 FPS
medium11 FPS
high11 FPS
ultra11 FPS
Baldur's Gate 3

Baldur's Gate 3

1080P
Sempron 3500+
low12 FPS
medium12 FPS
high12 FPS
ultra12 FPS
1080P
Xeon 2.66
low11 FPS
medium11 FPS
high11 FPS
ultra11 FPS
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

1080P
Sempron 3500+
low12 FPS
medium12 FPS
high12 FPS
ultra12 FPS
1080P
Xeon 2.66
low11 FPS
medium11 FPS
high11 FPS
ultra11 FPS
Call of Duty: Warzone

Call of Duty: Warzone

1080P
Sempron 3500+
low12 FPS
medium12 FPS
high12 FPS
ultra12 FPS
1080P
Xeon 2.66
low11 FPS
medium11 FPS
high11 FPS
ultra11 FPS
Check FPS with Custom Builds

Sempron 3500+ 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.

Sempron 3500+

2005

Why buy it

  • ✅Better for gaming: +8.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • ✅Draws 62W instead of 89W, a 27W 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 Sempron 3500+ across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
    • ❌Lower PassMark (445 vs 465).
    • ❌Launch MSRP is still $337 MSRP, while Sempron 3500+ mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
    • ❌43.5% higher power demand at 89W vs 62W.

    Quick Answers

    So, is Sempron 3500+ 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 Sempron 3500+ is the more practical desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and everyday use.
    Which one is better for gaming?
    If gaming is the priority, Sempron 3500+ is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 8.7% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.
    Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
    For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Sempron 3500+ 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?
    Sempron 3500+ is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon 2.66 is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Sempron 3500+ comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $337 MSRP, and it still gives you a 8.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Xeon 2.66 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (1.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper.
    Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
    Sempron 3500+ makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2005 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.

    Sempron 3500+ vs Xeon 2.66 Technical Specifications

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

    AMD

    Sempron 3500+

    The Sempron 3500+ is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 October 2005 (20 years ago). It is based on the Palermo (2001−2005) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 256 kB. Built on 90 nm process technology. Socket: 939. Thermal design power (TDP): 62 Watt. Memory support: DDR1. Passmark benchmark score: 465 points. Launch price was $167.

    Intel

    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.

    ⚡

    Processing Power

    Both the Sempron 3500+ and Xeon 2.66 share an identical 1-core/1-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Sempron 3500+ versus 2.66 GHz on the Xeon 2.66 — a 28.3% clock advantage for the Xeon 2.66. The Sempron 3500+ uses the Palermo (2001−2005) architecture (90 nm), while the Xeon 2.66 uses Prestonia (2002) (130 nm). In PassMark, the Sempron 3500+ scores 465 against the Xeon 2.66's 445 — a 4.4% lead for the Sempron 3500+. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

    FeatureSempron 3500+Xeon 2.66
    Cores / Threads
    1 / 1
    1 / 1
    Boost Clock
    2 GHz
    2.66 GHz+33%
    L3 Cache
    0 kB
    0 kB
    L2 Cache
    256 kB
    512 kB+100%
    Process
    90 nm-31%
    130 nm
    Architecture
    Palermo (2001−2005)
    Prestonia (2002)
    PassMark
    465+4%
    445
    🧠

    Memory & Platform

    The Sempron 3500+ uses the 939 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon 2.66 uses PGA604 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

    FeatureSempron 3500+Xeon 2.66
    Socket
    939
    PGA604
    PCIe Generation
    PCIe 2.0
    PCIe 2.0