Intel Core i3-13100 vs Intel Core i9-12900

Processor comparisons 12-10-2022

   You may have difficulties with the choice of a processor, you will solve them by reading the full tests Intel Core i3-13100 vs Intel Core i9-12900 and decide which is better for games or normal use for machine learning, rendering, video editing, programming, streaming. Here you can find all information from several benchmarks or real video editing and streaming tests. A step-by-step analysis of all the specifications, to make it easier to understand, is summarized in the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in special testing software like PassMark, Blender, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, 3DMark, UserBenchmark, Dolphin Emulator, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Furmark, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Prime95, Handbrake, PCMark 10, AIDA64, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), MATLAB, Blender, SuperPi, RealBench, Gears 5, VeraCrypt, 7zip, WPrime.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

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

After reading the results these benchmarks and videos, you already be able to figure out which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-12900 or Intel Core i3-13100.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i3-13100

57%

Core i9-12900

65%

This shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-12900 is 12% better than Core i3-13100. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i3-13100

54%

Core i9-12900

59%

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. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a low game result, look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the summary table below.
List of other games in which processors were compared: Horizon Zero Dawn, Metro Exodus, DOTA 2A, Forza Horizon 4, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), NBA 2K20, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Battlefield V, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Monster Hunter World, Hitman 3, League of Legends (LOL), The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Ghostrunner, Control, Half-Life: Alyx, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO).

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	95.3	104.3
Valorant	108.3	118.6
Cyberpunk 2077	60.7	66.4
Apex Legends	101.8	111.5
Call of Duty Warzone	81.2	88.9
Overwatch	87.7	96.0
Red Dead Redemption 2	74.7	81.8
DOOM Eternal	54.2	59.3
Warzone	84.5	92.5
Assassin's Creed	91.0	99.6
Valheim	89.9	98.4

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 amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, 4K 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 compare it in one assembly with the video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i3-13100

88%

Core i9-12900

96%

To make a final resolution 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 i9-12900 is more energy efficient than the Core i3-13100 since it has less power consumption: 65W vs. 65W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. And TDP should be taken into account when choosing a processor cooling system. 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 plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, video rendering or video editing, 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 performance, the CPU includes all cores and threads that it has. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the program you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that can use only one core to work, and all the benefit 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 i3-13100	Intel Core i9-12900
Cinbench 15 Single-core	231	445
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	2369	4687
Cinbench 20 Single-core	383	743
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	5259	10420
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1336	2635
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	15117	29985

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

	Intel Core i3-13100	Intel Core i9-12900
Single-Core	1221	6867
Multi-Core	25763	51262

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

	Intel Core i3-13100	Intel Core i9-12900
Single-Core	1718	1885
Multi-Core	7178	16028

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 newer the processor, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system in the future. 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 in the newest games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Intel Core i3-13100	Intel Core i9-12900
Announcement date	October 11, 2022	July 21, 2021
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1700	FCLGA1700
Core name	Raptor Lake	Alder Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	13	12
Turbo Frequency	4.5 MHz	5.1 MHz
Frequency	3.4 MHz	3.8 MHz
Cores	4	16
Threads	8	24
Bus rate	14 GT/s	16 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	7 nm	7 nm
Transistors count	12400 millions	12600 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	65 W	65 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
Max. Memory	128 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency	4800	6400
Memory bandwidth	68 GB/s	76.8 GB/s
L1 cache	1 MB	2 MB
L2 cache	4 MB	12 MB
L3 cache	12 MB	30 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 i9-12900 is 10% better than Core i3-13100 in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-12900 has 12 more core than Core i3-13100. 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 i3-13100 is better: 3
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-12900 is better: 31
However, it should be understood that all the data in the article above do not mean that you should be guided entirely by them and trust a simple comparison of these numbers. Better to watch the video tests and read the reviews of real owners of Intel Core i3-13100 and Intel Core i9-12900 before making a selection which of the processors to buy for gaming.

Intel Core i3-13100 - all data

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

• Intel Core i3-13100 specs and review.

Intel Core i9-12900 - all data

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

• Intel Core i9-12900 specs and review.