Intel Core i3-12100F: No. 1 for nimble PCs at a bargain

Test setup

We recently enjoyed the pleasing results of the Core i3-10105F here, and that processor already has a successor – the 12100F. It presents an option in the Alder Lake family for users on a budget. But that doesn’t mean it will limit you in performance. Plus, in target environments (especially simpler gaming PC builds), the latest Core i3 is nicely power-efficient without breaking your bank account.

Test setup

* We use the following BIOSes on motherboards. For MSI MEG Z590 Ace v1.14, for MSI MEG X570 Ace v1E and for MSI MEG Z490 Ace v17.

Note: Graphics drivers used at the time of testing: Nvidia GeForce 466.77 and OS Windows 10 build 19043.

Older CPUs are tested on the MSI MEG Z590 Ace, X570 Ace and Z490 Ace motherboards. With MSI MEG Z690 Unify, the memory used is DDR5 Kingston Fury Beast (2× 16 GB, 5200 MHz/CL40):

• Contents
• Intel Core i3-12100F in detail
• Methodology: performance tests
• Methodology: how we measure power draw
• Methodology: temperature and clock speed tests
• Test setup
• 3DMark
• Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla
• Borderlands 3
• Counter-Strike: GO
• Cyberpunk 2077
• DOOM Eternal
• F1 2020
• Metro Exodus
• Microsoft Flight Simulator
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider
• Total War Saga: Troy
• Overall gaming performance
• Gaming performance per euro
• PCMark and Geekbench
• Web performance
• 3D rendering: Cinebench, Blender, ...
• Video 1/2: Adobe Premiere Pro
• Video 1/2: DaVinci Resolve Studio
• Graphic effects: Adobe After Effects
• Video encoding
• Audio encoding
• Broadcasting (OBS a Xsplit)
• Photos 1/2: Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom
• Photos 2/2: Affinity Photo, AI aplikácie Topaz Labs, ZPS X, ...
• (De)compression
• (De)encryption
• Numerical computing
• Simulations
• Memory and cache tests
• Processor power draw curve
• Average processor power draw
• Performance per watt
• Achieved CPU clock speed
• CPU temperature
• Conclusion