Intel Core i3-12100T vs Intel Core i5-11600K

Processor comparisons   11-01-2022
   Let's say you can't decide which processor to buy, you can make a decision after reading the detailed tests Intel Core i3-12100T vs Intel Core i5-11600K and see which is better for games or simple use for rendering, streaming, programming, machine learning, video editing. Here is all information from many benchmarks or real video editing and streaming tests. A careful review of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to read, is summarized in the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of joint testing in synthetic type tests such as Cinebench 23 (20, 15), UserBenchmark, WPrime, SuperPi, Dolphin Emulator, GeekBench 6, 5.2, AIDA64, Handbrake, Prime95, 3DMark, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Gears 5, Blender, Blender, Furmark, PCMark 10, PassMark, MATLAB, VeraCrypt, DaVinci Resolve Studio, 7zip, RealBench.
   And how good the CPUs are in games:

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

After looking at the data of parallel benchmarks and videos, you can already make an informed decision about which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i5-11600K or Intel Core i3-12100T.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i3-12100T

55%

Core i5-11600K

56%

This value shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i5-11600K is 1% better than Core i3-12100T. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i3-12100T

54%

Core i5-11600K

54%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor currently available. And it is clear that this is a server processor, on which no one will run games. Because this processor costs several tens of thousands of dollars. Therefore, if you think that the selected CPU has a little game result, just look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the final table below.
List of other games in which processors were compared: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Control, Metro Exodus, League of Legends (LOL), Hitman 3, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, DOTA 2A, NBA 2K20, Monster Hunter World, Half-Life: Alyx, Horizon Zero Dawn, Battlefield V, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Ghostrunner, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Forza Horizon 4, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	95.7	95.2
Valorant	108.7	108.1
Cyberpunk 2077	60.9	60.6
Apex Legends	102.2	101.6
Call of Duty Warzone	81.6	81.1
Overwatch	88.1	87.6
Red Dead Redemption 2	75.0	74.6
DOOM Eternal	54.4	54.1
Warzone	84.8	84.3
Assassin's Creed	91.3	90.8
Valheim	90.3	89.7

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 video cards and different amounts of RAM. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: FullHD, 2K or 4K. Therefore, 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 get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i3-12100T

159%

Core i5-11600K

43%

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 i3-12100T is more energy efficient than the Core i5-11600K as it consumes less power: 35W vs. 125W. 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

For example you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, video editing or video rendering, machine learning, streaming, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum efficiency, the processor includes all threads and cores that it has. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to find out whether 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 work, 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 i3-12100T	Intel Core i5-11600K
Cinbench 15 Single-core	256	199
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1880	1905
Cinbench 20 Single-core	616	465
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	4269	4270
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1443	1213
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	14072	11302

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

	Intel Core i3-12100T	Intel Core i5-11600K
Single-Core	3375	2707
Multi-Core	19700	20616

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

	Intel Core i3-12100T	Intel Core i5-11600K
Single-Core	1670	1621
Multi-Core	7545	7012

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most helpful 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 in the future. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. When the processor can be overclocked, thereby increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in new games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Intel Core i3-12100T	Intel Core i5-11600K
Announcement date	January 07, 2022	January 20, 2021
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1700	FCLGA1200
Core name	Alder Lake	Rocket Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	12	11
Turbo Frequency	4.1 MHz	4.9 MHz
Frequency	1 MHz	3.9 MHz
Cores	4	6
Threads	8	12
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	7 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	9800 millions	5400 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	35 W	125 W
Memory type	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s	DDR4-3200
Max. Memory	128 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency		3200
Memory bandwidth	76.8 GB/s	50 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache	5 MB	3 MB
L3 cache	12 MB	12 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 i5-11600K is 74% better than Core i3-12100T in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i5-11600K has 2 more core than Core i3-12100T. 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 i3-12100T is better: 25
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-11600K is better: 8
Although it should be realized that all the data in the text above do not mean that taking them into account you should entirely trust a simple comparison of these figures. Better to watch benchmarks video and read the reviews of real owners of Intel Core i3-12100T and Intel Core i5-11600K before deciding which CPU to buy for gaming and which not.

Intel Core i3-12100T - all data

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

• Intel Core i3-12100T specs and review.

• Intel Core i5-11600K specs and review.