Intel Core i9-12900KS vs Intel Core i3-12100

Processor comparisons   28-09-2022
   Let's say you are thinking about choosing a CPU, you will be able to make a decision after reading the detailed tests Intel Core i9-12900KS vs Intel Core i3-12100 and understand which is better for games or normal use for machine learning, rendering, video editing, streaming, programming. Here you can find all information from real streaming and video editing tests or different benchmarks. A careful review of all the technical characteristics, so that it can be easier to understand, is presented in the form of the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of joint testing in software tests like 7zip, Furmark, WPrime, PCMark 10, Handbrake, 3DMark, Blender, SuperPi, Dolphin Emulator, Blender, UserBenchmark, GeekBench 6, 5.2, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Prime95, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), VeraCrypt, PassMark, AIDA64, RealBench, Gears 5, DaVinci Resolve Studio, MATLAB.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

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

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 i3-12100 or Intel Core i9-12900KS.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i9-12900KS

73%

Core i3-12100

56%

This parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-12900KS is 23% better than Core i3-12100. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i9-12900KS

61%

Core i3-12100

54%

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	108.6	96.0
Valorant	123.4	109.1
Cyberpunk 2077	69.1	61.1
Apex Legends	116.0	102.6
Call of Duty Warzone	92.6	81.8
Overwatch	100.0	88.4
Red Dead Redemption 2	85.1	75.3
DOOM Eternal	61.7	54.6
Warzone	96.3	85.1
Assassin's Creed	103.7	91.7
Valheim	102.4	90.6

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 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 i9-12900KS

48%

Core i3-12100

96%

To make a finishing 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 i3-12100 is more energy efficient than the Core i9-12900KS as it consumes less power: 150W vs. 60W. 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, machine learning, streaming, video editing or video rendering, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the processor uses all cores and threads that it has to the maximum to achieve maximum performance. 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. Since there are still many programs that can use only one core to work, 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 i9-12900KS	Intel Core i3-12100
Cinbench 15 Single-core	669	267
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	6984	1958
Cinbench 20 Single-core	1113	642
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	15520	4447
Cinbench 23 Single-core	3930	1503
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	44652	14658

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

	Intel Core i9-12900KS	Intel Core i3-12100
Single-Core	4211	3516
Multi-Core	76561	20521

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

	Intel Core i9-12900KS	Intel Core i3-12100
Single-Core	2187	1740
Multi-Core	20189	7859

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 newer the processor, the longer it will last you. 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 the newest games. It turns out that there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Intel Core i9-12900KS	Intel Core i3-12100
Announcement date	March 27, 2022	January 07, 2022
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1700	FCBGA1744
Core name	Alder Lake	Alder Lake-U
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	12	12
Turbo Frequency	5.5 MHz	4.3 MHz
Frequency	4 MHz	1 MHz
Cores	16	4
Threads	24	8
Bus rate	16 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	7 nm	7 nm
Transistors count	12400 millions	9800 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	150 W	60 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	6400
Memory bandwidth	76.8 GB/s	76.8 GB/s
L1 cache	2 MB
L2 cache	8 MB	5 MB
L3 cache	30 MB	12 MB
Overclocking	No	No
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 i9-12900KS is 75% better than Core i3-12100 in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-12900KS has 12 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 i9-12900KS is better: 32
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i3-12100 is better: 2
However, it should be understood that the summary data in the table above do not mean that taking them into account you should fully trust a simple quantitative comparison. Be sure to watch the testing video and read the opinion of of people who bought Intel Core i9-12900KS and Intel Core i3-12100 before making a choice which processor to buy for gaming and which not.

Intel Core i9-12900KS - all data

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

• Intel Core i9-12900KS specs and review.

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.