Intel Core i3-7100 vs Intel Core i7-10700

Processor comparisons   05-02-2023
   Let's say you can't decide which processor to buy, you can make a decision by looking at the Intel Core i3-7100 vs Intel Core i7-10700 tests and see which is better for games or normal use for programming, rendering, machine learning, streaming, video editing. Here you can find all information from real video editing and streaming tests or various benchmarks. A step-by-step analysis of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to read, is summarized in the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in synthetic type tests such as VeraCrypt, RealBench, AIDA64, WPrime, MATLAB, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Gears 5, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Prime95, PassMark, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), 3DMark, Furmark, SuperPi, 7zip, UserBenchmark, PCMark 10, Dolphin Emulator, Handbrake, Blender, Blender.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

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

After reading the results these benchmarks and videos, you already be able to figure out which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i7-10700 or Intel Core i3-7100.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i3-7100

51%

Core i7-10700

55%

This shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i7-10700 is 7% better than Core i3-7100. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i3-7100

51%

Core i7-10700

55%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor at the moment. 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. Therefore, if you think 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: Microsoft Flight Simulator, Forza Horizon 4, DOTA 2A, Half-Life: Alyx, Monster Hunter World, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), NBA 2K20, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Battlefield V, League of Legends (LOL), Horizon Zero Dawn, Ghostrunner, Control, Metro Exodus, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Hitman 3, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG).

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	90.6	97.3
Valorant	102.9	110.6
Cyberpunk 2077	57.6	61.9
Apex Legends	96.8	104.0
Call of Duty Warzone	77.2	83.0
Overwatch	83.4	89.6
Red Dead Redemption 2	71.0	76.3
DOOM Eternal	51.5	55.3
Warzone	80.3	86.3
Assassin's Creed	86.5	92.9
Valheim	85.4	91.8

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 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. 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 i3-7100

70%

Core i7-10700

67%

To make a finishing decision 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 i3-7100 is more energy efficient than the Core i7-10700 since it has less power consumption: 51W vs. 65W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, it will be useful to 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

If you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, video rendering or video editing, machine learning, streaming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the CPU includes all cores and threads that it has to the maximum to achieve maximum performance. You will find out 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 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 i3-7100	Intel Core i7-10700
Cinbench 15 Single-core	168	221
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	425	2356
Cinbench 20 Single-core	361	513
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	904	4971
Cinbench 23 Single-core	552	1290
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	2144	12595

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

	Intel Core i3-7100	Intel Core i7-10700
Single-Core	2310	3055
Multi-Core	4287	17916

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

	Intel Core i3-7100	Intel Core i7-10700
Single-Core	1082	1325
Multi-Core	2528	9163

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 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, increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS even in new games. The savings are obvious! It turns out that you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Intel Core i3-7100	Intel Core i7-10700
Announcement date	March 12, 2017	April 01, 2020
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1151	FCLGA1200
Core name	Kaby Lake	Comet Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	7	10
Turbo Frequency		4.8 MHz
Frequency	3.9 MHz	2.9 MHz
Cores	2	8
Threads	4	16
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	2460 millions	6800 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	51 W	65 W
Memory type	DDR4-2133/2400, DDR3L-1333/1600 @ 1.35V	DDR4-2933
Max. Memory	64 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth		45.8 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	3 MB	16 MB
Overclocking	No	Yes
Supports ECC	Yes	No
Part number	Expansion Options

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i3-7100 is 25% better than Core i7-10700 in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i7-10700 has 6 more core than Core i3-7100. 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 i3-7100 is better: 4
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i7-10700 is better: 30
Although it should be understood that all the number in the article above do not mean that taking them into account you should completely trust a simple quantitative comparison. Be sure to watch benchmarks video and read the opinion of of people who bought Intel Core i3-7100 and Intel Core i7-10700 before making a decision which of the processors to buy for gaming.

Intel Core i3-7100 - all data

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

• Intel Core i3-7100 specs and review.

• Intel Core i7-10700 specs and review.