Intel Core i3-12100 vs Intel Core i9-7900X

Processor comparisons   11-01-2022
   For example you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a choice by looking at the Intel Core i3-12100 vs Intel Core i9-7900X tests and understand which is better for games or normal use for streaming, programming, machine learning, video editing, rendering. Here is useful information from real streaming and video editing tests or various benchmarks. A thorough review of all the specifications, so that it can be easier to read, is made by the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of parallel examination in synthetic type tests such as DaVinci Resolve Studio, VeraCrypt, Blender, Blender, SuperPi, Handbrake, GeekBench 6, 5.2, WPrime, MATLAB, Prime95, AIDA64, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Dolphin Emulator, 3DMark, PCMark 10, 7zip, UserBenchmark, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, PassMark, RealBench, Furmark, Gears 5.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

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

After reading the results these benchmarks and videos, you already be able to know which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-7900X 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 i9-7900X

56%

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i3-12100

54%

Core i9-7900X

57%

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	96.0	100.3
Valorant	109.1	114.0
Cyberpunk 2077	61.1	63.8
Apex Legends	102.6	107.2
Call of Duty Warzone	81.8	85.5
Overwatch	88.4	92.3
Red Dead Redemption 2	75.3	78.7
DOOM Eternal	54.6	57.0
Warzone	85.1	88.9
Assassin's Creed	91.7	95.8
Valheim	90.6	94.6

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 computers participating in the comparisons not only were the equipped with different video cards and different amounts of RAM. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 4K, 2K or FullHD. Therefore, the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. You will get more accurate information about how powerful the processor will be in games, if you get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i3-12100

96%

Core i9-7900X

29%

To make a finishing choice 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 i3-12100 is more energy efficient than the Core i9-7900X as it consumes less power: 60W vs. 140W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you must know its TDP. It is necessary to calculate so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

Let's say you plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for video rendering or video editing, machine learning, programming, streaming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the CPU uses all cores and threads that it has to the maximum to reach maximum performance. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to find out whether the software 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 are unused.
Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Core i3-12100	Intel Core i9-7900X
Cinbench 15 Single-core	267	188
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1958	2194
Cinbench 20 Single-core	642	461
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	4447	5286
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1503	1222
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	14658	14998

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

	Intel Core i3-12100	Intel Core i9-7900X
Single-Core	3516	2579
Multi-Core	20521	21477

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

	Intel Core i3-12100	Intel Core i9-7900X
Single-Core	1740	1237
Multi-Core	7859	12083

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most helpful. The newer the processor, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, thereby increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in the newest games. Accordingly, 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 i9-7900X
Announcement date	January 07, 2022	April 01, 2017
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCBGA1744	FCLGA2066
Core name	Alder Lake-U	Skylake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	12	10
Turbo Frequency	4.3 MHz	4.3 MHz
Frequency	1 MHz	3.3 MHz
Cores	4	10
Threads	8	20
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	7 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	9800 millions	7800 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	60 W	140 W
Memory type	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s	DDR4-2666
Max. Memory	128 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	76.8 GB/s	85 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache	5 MB
L3 cache	12 MB	13.75 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 i9-7900X is 69% better than Core i3-12100 in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-7900X has 6 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: 11
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-7900X is better: 21
However, it should be realized that all the figures in the table above do not mean that taking them into account you should entirely trust a simple comparison of these figures. Be sure to watch the testing video and read the opinion of real owners of Intel Core i3-12100 and Intel Core i9-7900X before deciding which of the CPUs to buy for gaming.

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 i9-7900X - all data

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

• Intel Core i9-7900X specs and review.