Intel® Core™ i3-12100 Desktop Processor 12M Cache, up to 4.30 GHz

Product Information

We also tested power consumption with Cyberpunk 2077 and the the 12100F looks impressive, increasing total system usage by just 10% over the 10100F for a 16% boost in performance. Basically, when paired with a mid-range graphics card, a 400 watt power supply would be overkill. 10 Game Average Moving on, we have Watch Dogs: Legion and although 97 fps on average is one of the weaker results from the batch of CPUs tested, the 12100F was 8% faster than the R5 3600 and 20% faster than the 10100F. Moreover, it was ~8% slower than the Ryzen 7 3800X and 10% slower than the Core i5-10600K, both of which are very capable gaming processors. Due to the strong single core performance of the 12100F, we see that it scores very well with 189 pts making it just 6% slower than the 5600X and 12400, but also 16% faster than the 11600K and 22% faster than the 10600K.

Time to see how this quad-core handles gaming, and we'll start with a relatively easy title. In F1 2021 the 12100F was capable of driving up to 292 fps on average, while keeping 1% lows above 200 fps. Of course, the 10100F was also very capable in F1 2021, but we're looking at an 18% performance uplift. It's also a huge step up from the Core i3-10100F, boosting 1% lows by 28% on average with a 21% increase for the average frame rate. It's also typically quite a bit punchier than the Ryzen 5 3600, another great budget CPU from years past. Temps with the Box Cooler Intel 12th-Gen Alder Lake Core i3-12100 and Core i3-12100F Pricing and Specifications Row 0 - Cell 0 Alder Lake's performance advantages come even without its support for DDR5 memory and PCIe 5.0 interfaces (both of which Intel brought to market first). As such, you can use standard DDR4 memory and PCIe 4.0 devices and still have superior performance and connectivity options over AMD's aging AM4 platform. There are also plenty of B- and H-series boards that leverage less-expensive DDR4 memory, which is a saving grace given the ongoing DDR5 shortages.When it comes to power consumption, the 12100F is extremely efficient, we're looking at roughly the same total system usage as the 10100F for around 30% greater performance. Incredible performance for a CPU that's only consuming 50-60 watts. But is also means when more CPU limited in todays games, the 12100F is often comparable to parts such as the Ryzen 7 3700X and Core i5-10600K, which is remarkable.

For testing the Core i3-12100F we're using the MSI B660M Mortar Wi-Fi DDR4 with 32GB of dual-rank, dual-channel DDR4-3200 CL14 memory. This is the same memory we use for all our DDR4 testing and it's typically faster than single-rank DDR4-3800 CL18 memory in terms of performance.Intel classifications are for general, educational and planning purposes only and consist of Export Control Classification Numbers (ECCN) and Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) numbers. Any use made of Intel classifications are without recourse to Intel and shall not be construed as a representation or warranty regarding the proper ECCN or HTS. Your company as an importer and/or exporter is responsible for determining the correct classification of your transaction. The 12100F is also handy for those needing to get some Photoshop work done as the performance is comparable to that of the 11600K, 3700X and 10700K, some pretty high-end CPUs there in comparison. It was also 37% faster than the 10100F, an impressive jump over the previous-gen Core i3 part.

Processors that support 64-bit computing on Intel® architecture require an Intel 64 architecture-enabled BIOS. Arguably the most CPU demanding game in our list is Cyberpunk 2077 and the Core i3-12100F was feeling the pressure a little, though overall performance was excellent, basically matching the R5 3600 and R7 3700X. But as it stands, the 12100F is just 16% slower than the 10600K and 24% slower than the 12400. But when compared to the 10100F, we're looking at a hefty 42% increase in performance.The 12100F was also very capable when testing with Rainbow Six Siege, averaging ~400 fps with 1% lows over 300 fps. This placed it on par with the Ryzen 5 3600 and ahead of both the 11600K and 10600K. When compared to the 10100F, we're seeing a 24% increase in 1% low performance. Next we have Hitman 3, and here the 12100F was good for 154 fps on average which is comparable to numerous current and previous generation mid range processors such as the 3700X, 10600K, 11600K, and even the 12400. A strong result and a massive 36% uplift over the old 10100F. However, the Core i3-12100 doesn't have a hybrid architecture, instead coming with a more traditional design with only four Golden Cove P-Cores active. That means this four-core eight-thread processor doesn't need Intel's new Windows 11-exclusive Thread Director technology to place workloads on the correct cores. As a result, unlike Intel's hybrid models, the 12100 is just as potent in Windows 10 as it is in Windows 11. With a TDP of 60 W, the Core i3-12100 consumes typical power levels for a modern PC. Intel's processor supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory with a dual-channel interface. For communication with other components in the computer, Core i3-12100 uses a PCI-Express Gen 5 connection. This processor features the UHD Graphics 730 integrated graphics solution. Age of Empires IV relies heavily on single core performance, so the Core i3-12100F does very well allowing for 190 fps on average, which is the same level of performance you'll receive from the i5-12400. It's also a 27% increase from the 10100F and a 20% boost over the Ryzen 5 3600.