Intel Core i3-12100 vs Intel Core i7-1260P

Processor comparisons 11-01-2022

   For example you can't decide which processor to buy, you can make a decision after reading the detailed tests Intel Core i3-12100 vs Intel Core i7-1260P and decide which is better for games or normal use for programming, rendering, video editing, streaming, machine learning. Here you can find all information from several benchmarks or real streaming and video editing tests. A step-by-step analysis of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to understand, is made by the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in software tests such as Handbrake, RealBench, PassMark, SuperPi, 7zip, VeraCrypt, PCMark 10, UserBenchmark, Blender, Dolphin Emulator, MATLAB, Blender, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Gears 5, 3DMark, Furmark, GeekBench 6, 5.2, WPrime, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, AIDA64, Prime95.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

Death Stranding
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone
Borderlands 3
Valorant
Cyberpunk 2077
Red Dead Redemption 2
Grand Theft Auto V
Rainbow Six Siege
Valheim
Halo Infinite
Watch Dogs Legion
Overwatch
Last Man Standing
DOOM: Eternal
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Fallout 76
Apex Legends
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Fortnite

After reading the results of all benchmarks and videos, you already be able to know which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i7-1260P or Intel Core i3-12100.

Summary benchmark results

As a percentage of the maximum value based on a sample from the entire base of all processors
Processor Benchmark

Core i3-12100

56%

Core i7-1260P

56%

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i3-12100

54%

Core i7-1260P

55%

For the maximum in this test, the results of the most powerful processor in the site database are taken. And it is clear that this is a server processor, on which no one will play games. Because this processor costs several tens of thousands of dollars. Therefore, if you think that the selected CPU has a little game result, look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the final table below.
List of other games in which processors were compared: Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), NBA 2K20, Metro Exodus, Half-Life: Alyx, League of Legends (LOL), Forza Horizon 4, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Monster Hunter World, Control, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Ghostrunner, DOTA 2A, Hitman 3, Battlefield V, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Horizon Zero Dawn.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	96.0	97.8
Valorant	109.1	111.1
Cyberpunk 2077	61.1	62.2
Apex Legends	102.6	104.5
Call of Duty Warzone	81.8	83.3
Overwatch	88.4	90.0
Red Dead Redemption 2	75.3	76.7
DOOM Eternal	54.6	55.6
Warzone	85.1	86.7
Assassin's Creed	91.7	93.3
Valheim	90.6	92.2

The numbers in this table indicate the maximum FPS that was received on the device with the corresponding processor. Depending on the configuration of the computer (RAM size and Video Card) and graphics quality settings (Ultra, Medium, Normal), the results may differ quite significantly. We recommend that you better study the results of the Cinebench, GeekBench and Passmark becnmarks.
The tested computers not only did they have different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, FullHD or 4K. So the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. To be sure exactly how much performance the processor will be in games, if you compare it in one assembly with the video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i3-12100

96%

Core i7-1260P

211%

To make a final resolution on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. The newer the processor generation, the better its performance in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i7-1260P is more energy efficient than the Core i3-12100 as it consumes less power: 60W vs. 28W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you need to know its TDP. It is necessary to count so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

For example you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, machine learning, video editing or video rendering, streaming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to reach maximum performance, the processor includes all cores and threads that it has. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account the data from these tests, be sure to make sure that the program that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Since there are still many programs that use only one core to run, and all the advantages of multi-core mode turns out to be unnecessary.

Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Core i3-12100	Intel Core i7-1260P
Cinbench 15 Single-core	267	280
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1958	2053
Cinbench 20 Single-core	642	673
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	4447	4661
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1503	1574
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	14658	15365

Passmark
This popular benchmark displays Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i3-12100	Intel Core i7-1260P
Single-Core	3516	3685
Multi-Core	20521	21511

GeekBench 6, 5.2
This benchmark shows Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i3-12100	Intel Core i7-1260P
Single-Core	1740	1773
Multi-Core	7859	9600

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most useful will be the release date of the processor and the possibility of overclocking it. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last in your computer. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same can be said about overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, thereby increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS even in new games. It turns out that you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The economy are obvious!

	Intel Core i3-12100	Intel Core i7-1260P
Announcement date	January 07, 2022	January 07, 2022
Type	Desktop	Laptop
Socket	FCBGA1744	FCBGA1744
Core name	Alder Lake-U	Alder Lake-P
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	12	12
Turbo Frequency	4.3 MHz	4.7 MHz
Frequency	1 MHz	2.1 MHz
Cores	4	12
Threads	8	16
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	7 nm	10 nm
Transistors count	9800 millions	9800 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	60 W	28 W
Memory type	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s Up to LPDDR5 5200 MT/s Up to LPDDR4x 4267 MT/s
Max. Memory	128 Gb	64 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	76.8 GB/s	45.8 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache	5 MB
L3 cache	12 MB	24 MB
Overclocking	No	No
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i7-1260P is 52% better than Core i3-12100 in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i7-1260P has 8 more core than Core i3-12100. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i3-12100 is better: 4
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i7-1260P is better: 27
However, it should be understood that the summary data in the article above do not mean that taking them into account you should totally trust a simple comparison of these figures. Be sure to watch benchmarks video and read the reviews of of people who bought Intel Core i3-12100 and Intel Core i7-1260P before deciding which processor to buy for gaming and which not.

Intel Core i3-12100 - all data

• Cinebench r15 score
• Cinebench r20 score
• Cinebench r23 score
• GeekBench 6, 5.2 score

• Intel Core i3-12100 specs and review.

Intel Core i7-1260P - all data

• Cinebench r15 score
• Cinebench r20 score
• Cinebench r23 score
• GeekBench 6, 5.2 score

• Intel Core i7-1260P specs and review.