A real-life single-threaded benchmark. This benchmark isn't L2-cache intensive so a Duron or Celeron can be as fast as their more expensive Athlon or Pentium counterparts if other factors like the front side bus (FSB) are the same.

This benchmark is suitable for anything between 500MHz sixth generation CPU's and Pentium 4 or Athlon64. Newer CPU's are of course supported but give less adequate results due to the small WAVE file and the single-threaded encoding. Also note that you need Windows 2000 or newer for this benchmark.

My benchmark method

I used a normal MP3 encoding program and the WAVE version of the Rolling Stones - Thru and Thru (from Voodoo Lounge; 1994) to convert it to a 128Kbps MP3 file.

CPU (chipset)	Lame 3.98.2 MP3 encoding (6:15 WAV)	score
Ryzen 7 1700 (AMD B350)		9.00
FX 9590 (990FX)		10.00
Xeon W3550 (X58)		10.00
Core 2 Duo E8500 (P45)		11.00
Core i7 920 (X58)		12.00
Core 2 Duo E8400 (P45)		12.00
Xeon 5160 (3 GHz) (5000P)		12.00
Athlon II X2 B26 (AMD970)		13.00
Core 2 Quad Q9550 (P45)		13.00
Celeron 460 (P45)		13.00
Pentium E6300 (P45)		13.00
FX 8120 (AMD970)		13.00
Xeon E5530 (2.4 GHz) (5520)		13.00
Core 2 Duo Mobile T9400 (PM45)		14.00
Core 2 Duo Mobile T9300 (PM965)		14.00
Phenom II X4 940 BE (AMD790)		14.00
Phenom II X4 945 (AMD790)		14.00
Opteron 6220 (SR5650)		14.00
Athlon II X2 250 (AMD970)		14.00
A4 5300 (AMD A88X)		14.00
Core 2 Duo E6750 (P45)		14.00
Celeron E3400 (P45)		14.00
Core 2 Duo E7300 (P45)		14.00
Core M 5Y10c (Broadwell-Y)		14.00
Xeon 5150 (2.66 GHz) (5000P)		14.00
Phenom II X2 B53 (AMD790)		15.00
Opteron 6204 (SR5650)		15.00
Athlon 64 X2 6000+ (AMD790)		16.00
Athlon X2 7750 BE (AMD790)		16.00
Athlon II X2 215 (AMD890)		16.00
Xeon E5607 (X58)		16.00
Xeon E5345 (5000P)		16.00
Xeon 5140 (2.33 GHz) (5000P)		16.00
Core 2 Quad Q6600 (iP35)		16.00
Opteron 6234 (SR5650)		17.00
Xeon E5606 (X58)		17.00
Core 2 Duo Mobile T7300 (PM965)		18.00
Athlon 64 X2 5200+ (AMD790)		18.00
Athlon 64 X2 5600+ (AMD790)		18.00
Opteron 8378 (nForce2200)		18.00
Opteron 8360 (nForce2200)		18.00
Phenom II X4 8xx (AMD970)		18.00
Core 2 Duo E6400 (P45)		18.00
Opteron 8220 SE (nForce2200)		18.00
Pentium 4 Extreme Ed. 3.46GHz (PT880)		18.00
Athlon 64 1640B (AMD790)		19.00
Phenom X3 8650 (AMD790)		19.00
Phenom X3 8600B (AMD790)		19.00
Opteron 2376HE (nForce2200)		19.00
Phenom X4 9650 (AMD790)		19.00
Athlon 64 X2 5000+ (GF7050)		19.00
Core 2 Duo Mobile T7200 (i945PM)		19.00
Opteron 2218 (nForce2200)		19.00
Opteron 2356 (nForce2200)		19.00
Pentium 4 571 (3.8 GHz) (i865PE)		19.00
Xeon 5130 (2.0 GHz) (5000P)		19.00
Core 2 Duo Mobile T7100 (PM965)		20.00
Athlon 64 X2 4800+ (AMD790)		20.00
Opteron 6174 (SR5650)		20.00
Core 2 Duo E6300 (P45)		20.00
Celeron 440 (P45)		20.00
Xeon E5205 (5000P)		20.00
Xeon 5120 (1.86 GHz) (5000P)		20.00
Pentium 4 660 (3.6 GHz) (i865PE)		20.00
Pentium 4 661 (3.6 GHz) (i865PE)		20.00
Pentium 4 560 (3.6 GHz) (i865PE)		20.00
Xeon 3.73 GHz (iP35)		20.00
Athlon 64 X2 4600+ (AMD790)		21.00
Phenom X3 8450 (AMD790)		21.00
Opteron 2425 HE (nForce2200)		21.00
Pentium 4 3.06 GHz (i865)		21.00
Pentium Dual-Core E2160 (P45)		21.00
Athlon 64 3800+ (GF7050)		21.00
Opteron 2216 (nForce2200)		21.00
Pentium D 945 (3.4 GHz) (i865PE)		21.00
Pentium 4 3C GHz (i865G)		21.00
Athlon 64 X2 4450e+ (AMD790)		22.00
Opteron 2350 (nForce2200)		22.00
Athlon 64 X2 4400+ (GF7050)		22.00
Opteron 2214 HE (nForce2200)		22.00
Pentium 4 651 (3.4 GHz) (i865PE)		22.00
Opteron 8350 (nForce2200)		22.00
Xeon 3.33GHz (E8500)		22.00
Pentium 4 650 (3.4 GHz) (i865PE)		22.00
Athlon 64 X2 4200+ (AMD790)		23.00
Pentium 4 2.8C GHz (i865)		23.00
Pentium 4 2.8 GHz (i865)		23.00
Core 2 Duo Mobile T5500 (i945PM)		23.00
Celeron D 352 (3.2 GHz) (i865PE)		23.00
Pentium 4 640 (3.2 GHz) (i865PE)		23.00
Pentium 4 540 (3.2 GHz) (i865PE)		23.00
Pentium D 840 (3.2 GHz) (i865PE)		23.00
Pentium 4 3.2E GHz (i865G)		23.00
Athlon 64 FX 51 (AMD8111)		23.00
Celeron D 355 (3.33 GHz) (i865PE)		23.00
Athlon 64 X2 4000+ (AMD790)		24.00
Pentium Dual-Core E2140 (P45)		24.00
Xeon 5110 (1.6 GHz) (5000P)		24.00
Opteron 2419 (nForce2200)		24.00
Pentium D 930 (3 GHz) (i865PE)		24.00
Pentium D 925 (3 GHz) (i865PE)		24.00
Athlon XP 3000+ (nForce2)		24.00
Athlon XP 3200+ (nForce2)		24.00
Pentium D 830 (3 GHz) (i865PE)		24.00
Pentium 4 2.66 GHz (i865G)		24.00
Pentium 4 519 (3.06 GHz) (i865PE)		24.00
Athlon 64 X2 3800+ (AMD790)		25.00
Opteron 1S70 (nForce2200)		25.00
Celeron 420 (P45)		25.00
Athlon 64 X2 3600+ (GF7050)		25.00
Opteron 8212 (nForce2200)		25.00
Celeron D 346 (3.06 GHz) (i865PE)		25.00
Pentium 4 2.6C GHz (i865G)		25.00
Pentium 4 3E GHz (i865G)		25.00
Pentium 4 630 (3 GHz) (i865PE)		25.00
Pentium 4 530 (3 GHz) (i865PE)		25.00
Athlon 64 3200+ (K8T800)		25.00
Pentium D 820 (2.8 GHz) (i865PE)		26.00
Pentium D 915 (2.8 GHz) (i865PE)		26.00
Celeron D 340 (2.93 GHz) (i865G)		26.00
Pentium 4 2.53 GHz (i865G)		26.00
Pentium 4 520 (2.8 GHz) (i865PE)		26.00
Pentium D 920 (2.8 GHz) (i865PE)		26.00
Opteron 6100 (SR5650)		27.00
Pentium D 805 (2.66 GHz) (i865PE)		27.00
Athlon XP 2900+ (nForce2)		27.00
Celeron 2.7 GHz (i865G)		27.00
Athlon XP 2400+ (SiS745)		27.00
Celeron D 335 (2.8 GHz) (i865G)		27.00
Pentium 4 2.4B GHz (i865G)		27.00
Pentium 4 2.4B GHz (i845G)		27.00
Opteron 1.6 GHz (nForce2200)		28.00
Pentium M 1600 (i855PM)		28.00
Sempron 3200+ (GF7050)		28.00
Opteron 2210 HE (nForce2200)		28.00
Opteron 844 (AMD8111)		28.00
Athlon XP 2600+ (nForce2)		28.00
Celeron 2.5 GHz (i865)		29.00
Celeron D 330 (2.66 GHz) (i865G)		29.00
Athlon XP 2500+ (SiS745)		29.00
Celeron 2.6 GHz (i865G)		30.00
Celeron 2.4 GHz (i865G)		30.00
Athlon XP 2200+ (SiS745)		30.00
Athlon XP 2100+ (SiS745)		31.00
Athlon 64 2650e (AMD790)		32.00
Pentium M 1400 (i855PM)		32.00
Sempron 2800+ (GF7050)		32.00
Celeron 2.2 GHz (i865G)		32.00
Duron 1800 (SiS745)		32.00
Athlon XP 1900+ (SiS745)		33.00
Pentium 4 2.0A GHz (i845G)		33.00
Pentium 4 2.0A GHz (i865G)		33.00
Athlon XP 1800+ (SiS745)		35.00
Pentium 4 1.9 GHz (i850)		36.00
Pentium 4 1.8A GHz (i865G)		36.00
Celeron 2.0 GHz (i865G)		36.00
Athlon HX 1400 (AMD8111 A0)		36.00
Sempron 2200+ (nForce2)		36.00
Athlon XP 1700+ (SiS745)		36.00
Pentium III-S 1400 (i815)		36.00
Pentium 4 1.8 GHz (i865G)		37.00
Celeron 1.8 GHz (i865G)		38.00
Athlon 1400 (SiS745)		39.00
Athlon XP 1600+ (SiS745)		39.00
Pentium 4 1.7 GHz (i865G)		40.00
Celeron 1.7 GHz (i865G)		41.00
Athlon 1333 (SiS745)		41.00
Pentium 4 1.7 GHz (i845G)		41.00
Pentium 4 1.6 GHz (i865G)		42.00
Pentium 4 1.5A GHz (i865G)		43.00
Pentium III-S 1133 (i815)		44.00
Pentium 4 1.5A GHz (i845G)		44.00
Celeron 1200 (i815)		45.00
Pentium 4 1.5 GHz (i865G)		45.00
Mobile Athlon 4 1200 (SiS745)		45.00
Pentium 4 1.5 GHz (i850)		45.00
Pentium 4 1.4 GHz (i850)		48.00
Celeron 1100A (i815)		49.00
Pentium 4 1.3 GHz (i850)		52.00
Duron 1100 (SiS745)		54.00
Pentium III 1000 (i815)		54.00
Athlon 1000C (SiS745)		55.00
Athlon 1000 (KX133)		57.00
Pentium III 933 (i815)		57.00
Pentium III 900 (i815)		59.00
Pentium III 866 (i815)		61.00
Pentium III 850 (i815)		63.00
Athlon 850 (SiS745)		66.00
Celeron 900 (i815)		67.00
Mobile Duron 850 (SiS745)		67.00
Pentium III 800EB (i815)		67.00
Celeron 850 (i815)		70.00
Athlon 800 (KX133)		71.00
Pentium III 733 (i815)		73.00
Pentium III 667 (i815)		80.00
Duron 750 (SiS745)		81.00
Pentium 4 1.x GHz (i850)		84.00
Duron 700 (SiS745)		85.00
Athlon 650 (KX133)		86.00
Celeron 667 (i815)		90.00
Duron 650 (SiS745)		91.00
Celeron 633 (i815)		95.00
Celeron 600 (i815)		98.00
Duron 600 (SiS745)		98.00
Celeron 566 (i815)		105.00
Athlon 500 (KX133)		111.00