The Intel Alder Lake generation of processors is expanding, adding entry-level options to the mix. One such processor is the budget Core i3-12100.
The CPU has been tested in several games, giving an accurate representation of its gaming prowess. Also tested with an AMD Ryzen 5 3600 CPU. Surprisingly, Intel’s entry-level option managed to beat its rival AMD.
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Art of PC reviewed and tested the new Intel Core i3-12100, calling it “the new ultra-budget gaming king.” Considering the benchmark results, it seems that the CPU deserves that flattering title. The Core i3-12100 comes as the successor to the Intel Core i3-10100, which has remained one of the best budget processors to date.
It represents a big step forward, giving access to DDR5 memory and PCIe Gen 5.0. While most users on a budget won’t want to take advantage of the currently overpriced access to DDR5 RAM, it gives this budget CPU a bit more longevity and future upgradeability.
The CPU comes as part of Intel Alder Lake, a generation full of hybrid processors, but this model does not contain a combination of efficiency and performance cores. Instead, the Core i3-12100 has four cores and eight threads, all of which are Golden Cove cores (performance). It has a base clock of 3.3 GHz which can be boosted up to 4.3 GHz.
The lack of a hybrid core puts the budget Core i3 at a disadvantage compared to its older siblings, the Core i5 and Core i7, but it still managed to score excellent benchmarks. According to Art of PC, the processor proved to be a surprisingly competitive product, considering its modest price of $130.
Art of PC put together a good gaming setup to test the new processor. The equipment includes an Nvidia RTX 3080 graphics card, 32 GB of 3600MHz DDR4 memory, an Asus ROG Strix Z690-A D4 motherboard and an additional CPU cooler in the form of a bequiet! Dark Rock Pro 4. The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 setup Intel tested with was identical, with the exception of the motherboard: The Ryzen setup used an Asus ROG X570 Crosshair VII Hero.
Image credit: Art of PC Image used with permission of the copyright holder
Testers found the average frames per second (fps) achieved in both settings. Core i3-12100 equipment hit high frames even in demanding games, such as Cyberpunk 2077 (108 fps) and Microsoft Flight Simulator (66). Of course, the rest of the system plays a role in this, since the RTX 3080 alone can significantly increase the number of frames per second. However, these two titles are notoriously CPU-heavy, and the Core i3-12100 still delivers a high level of performance.
The Intel Core i3-12100 outperformed the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 processor by an average of 7.85%. It managed to achieve higher fps in every single game it was tested in. The Ryzen 5 3600 has two more cores and four more threads compared to the Core i3-12100, which makes this nearly 8% win even more impressive.
With benchmark results like these, Intel’s new entry-level processor is sure to find its way onto many top processor lists. For gamers on a budget, it’s a good alternative to its more powerful 12th generation Intel siblings.
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Source: newstars.edu.vn