Pentium 4 Gaming PC from 2003 — 3D Benchmarks & Classic Games [Part 3]
Published at : 18 Dec 2025
This is the final part of our series dedicated to building and testing a 2003 mid-range gaming PC based on the Intel Pentium 4 2.4C and Radeon 9600 PRO. In this episode, we benchmark the finished system with classic games and synthetic tests under Windows XP.
We run 3DMark 2001, 2003, and 2005, followed by real gameplay in Half-Life 2, Far Cry, DOOM 3, FEAR, and Need for Speed Underground 2, showing how well this 2003-era PC performs under real-world gaming conditions.
To close it off, we take a nostalgic look at some of the most popular games released in 2003, including Enter the Matrix and Max Payne 2.
Whether you’re into vintage PC gaming, Socket 478 systems, or just love retro Windows XP builds, this episode is a tribute to the golden era of early 2000s PC gaming.
⏱ Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
00:11 - Recap of Parts 1 & 2
00:46 - 3DMark 2001 SE
01:23 - 3DMark 03
02:02 - 3DMark 05
02:56 - Half-Life 2 (2004)
03:44 - Doom 3 (2004)
04:31 - F.E.A.R (2005)
05:17 - Far Cry (2004)
06:15 - Need For Speed Underground 2 (2004)
07:01 - Command & Conquer: Generals (2003)
07:37 - Enter The Matrix (2003)
08:06 - Need For Speed Underground (2003)
09:07 - Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne (2003)
09:24 - Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2003)
09:59 - Conclusion & Reflections
💾 PC Specs (built in Part 1):
• Motherboard: MSI 865GM2 (Socket 478)
• CPU: Intel Pentium 4 HT 2.4C (Northwood)
• GPU: ATI Radeon 9600 PRO 128MB AGP
• RAM: 2GB DDR400 (4×512MB Kingmax)
• Sound Card: Sound Blaster Live! (SB0100)
• Storage: Samsung 60GB HDD
• PSU: FSP 300W
• Case: White ATX Mid-Tower
• OS: Windows XP SP3
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