Intel Core i3-12100F vs Intel Core i9-9900KF

Processor comparisons 11-01-2022

   If you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a decision after reading the full tests Intel Core i3-12100F vs Intel Core i9-9900KF and see which is better for games or simple use for rendering, programming, video editing, machine learning, streaming. Here is all information from real video editing and streaming tests or various benchmarks. A careful analysis of all the specifications, to make it easier to understand, is presented in the form of the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of parallel examination in software tests like AIDA64, 7zip, Furmark, Dolphin Emulator, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Prime95, Blender, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), DaVinci Resolve Studio, Blender, RealBench, WPrime, MATLAB, UserBenchmark, VeraCrypt, 3DMark, SuperPi, Gears 5, Handbrake, GeekBench 6, 5.2, PassMark, PCMark 10.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

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

After reading the results these benchmarks and videos, you can already make an informed decision about which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-9900KF or Intel Core i3-12100F.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i3-12100F

56%

Core i9-9900KF

55%

This shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i3-12100F is 1% better than Core i9-9900KF. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i3-12100F

53%

Core i9-9900KF

55%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor currently available. And of course, this is a server processor, on which no one will run 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 small 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 CPU comparisons were performed: NBA 2K20, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Control, Ghostrunner, Battlefield V, Forza Horizon 4, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Hitman 3, DOTA 2A, Metro Exodus, Half-Life: Alyx, Monster Hunter World, League of Legends (LOL), PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Horizon Zero Dawn.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	94.5	97.5
Valorant	107.3	110.8
Cyberpunk 2077	60.1	62.0
Apex Legends	100.9	104.1
Call of Duty Warzone	80.5	83.1
Overwatch	86.9	89.7
Red Dead Redemption 2	74.1	76.4
DOOM Eternal	53.7	55.4
Warzone	83.7	86.4
Assassin's Creed	90.2	93.1
Valheim	89.1	92.0

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 comparing 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. So 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 compare it in one assembly with the video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i3-12100F

99%

Core i9-9900KF

48%

To make a final decision on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. It is clear that the newer the generation, the better the performance of the processor in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i3-12100F is more energy efficient than the Core i9-9900KF since it has less power consumption: 58W vs. 95W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, it will be useful to know its TDP. You need to buy a cooler that has the TDP data specified in the specification was 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 machine learning, video rendering or video editing, streaming, programming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the CPU turns on all threads and cores that it has to the maximum to achieve maximum efficiency. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using 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 are unused.

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

	Intel Core i3-12100F	Intel Core i9-9900KF
Cinbench 15 Single-core	267	219
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1958	2245
Cinbench 20 Single-core	642	518
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	4447	4995
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1503	1284
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	14658	12450

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

	Intel Core i3-12100F	Intel Core i9-9900KF
Single-Core	3516	2970
Multi-Core	20521	18847

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

	Intel Core i3-12100F	Intel Core i9-9900KF
Single-Core	1729	1383
Multi-Core	6333	9304

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most helpful. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same can be said about overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS 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 i3-12100F	Intel Core i9-9900KF
Announcement date	January 07, 2022	April 01, 2019
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1700	FCLGA1151-2
Core name	Alder Lake-U	Coffee Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	12	9
Turbo Frequency	4.3 MHz	5 MHz
Frequency	1 MHz	3.6 MHz
Cores	4	8
Threads	8	16
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	7 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	9800 millions	8600 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	58 W	95 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	41.6 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache	5 MB
L3 cache	12 MB	16 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 i9-9900KF is 72% better than Core i3-12100F in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-9900KF has 4 more core than Core i3-12100F. 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 i3-12100F is better: 14
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-9900KF is better: 19
Although it should be realized that all the number in the text above do not mean that you should be guided entirely by them and trust a simple quantitative comparison. Be sure to watch benchmarks video and read the reviews of real owners of Intel Core i3-12100F and Intel Core i9-9900KF before making a decision which of the processors to buy for gaming.

Intel Core i3-12100F - all data

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

• Intel Core i3-12100F specs and review.

Intel Core i9-9900KF - all data

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

• Intel Core i9-9900KF specs and review.