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

Processor comparisons   28-09-2022
   If you can't decide which processor to buy, you can make a decision by looking at the Intel Core i9-12900KS vs Intel Core i3-12100T tests and decide which is better for games or simple use for video editing, programming, rendering, machine learning, streaming. Here is useful information from real video editing and streaming tests or many benchmarks. A step-by-step analysis of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to read, is made by the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in special test applications like UserBenchmark, GeekBench 6, 5.2, DaVinci Resolve Studio, WPrime, Blender, RealBench, Handbrake, PCMark 10, Blender, Prime95, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Furmark, Gears 5, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), 3DMark, 7zip, AIDA64, Dolphin Emulator, PassMark, SuperPi, VeraCrypt, MATLAB.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

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

After reading the results of parallel benchmarks and videos, you can already make an briefed decision about which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i3-12100T 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 i3-12100T

55%

This value shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-12900KS is 24% 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 i9-12900KS

61%

Core i3-12100T

54%

For the maximum in this test, the results of the most powerful processor in the site database are taken. And it is clear that 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. 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 summary table below.
List of less popular games in which processors were compared: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Monster Hunter World, NBA 2K20, Battlefield V, Horizon Zero Dawn, Ghostrunner, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Metro Exodus, League of Legends (LOL), Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Forza Horizon 4, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Control, DOTA 2A, Hitman 3, Half-Life: Alyx.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	108.6	95.7
Valorant	123.4	108.7
Cyberpunk 2077	69.1	60.9
Apex Legends	116.0	102.2
Call of Duty Warzone	92.6	81.6
Overwatch	100.0	88.1
Red Dead Redemption 2	85.1	75.0
DOOM Eternal	61.7	54.4
Warzone	96.3	84.8
Assassin's Creed	103.7	91.3
Valheim	102.4	90.3

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 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. To be sure exactly how much performance 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 i9-12900KS

48%

Core i3-12100T

159%

To make a finishing 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 i3-12100T is more energy efficient than the Core i9-12900KS since it has less power consumption: 150W vs. 35W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. And TDP should be taken into account when choosing a processor cooling system. 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

If you plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for video rendering or video editing, programming, machine learning, streaming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum performance, the processor uses all cores and threads that it has. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the software 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 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 i9-12900KS	Intel Core i3-12100T
Cinbench 15 Single-core	669	256
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	6984	1880
Cinbench 20 Single-core	1113	616
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	15520	4269
Cinbench 23 Single-core	3930	1443
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	44652	14072

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

	Intel Core i9-12900KS	Intel Core i3-12100T
Single-Core	4211	3375
Multi-Core	76561	19700

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

	Intel Core i9-12900KS	Intel Core i3-12100T
Single-Core	2187	1670
Multi-Core	20189	7545

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most useful. 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. When 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 economy are obvious!

	Intel Core i9-12900KS	Intel Core i3-12100T
Announcement date	March 27, 2022	January 07, 2022
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1700	FCLGA1700
Core name	Alder Lake	Alder Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	12	12
Turbo Frequency	5.5 MHz	4.1 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	35 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 i3-12100T in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-12900KS has 12 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 i9-12900KS is better: 32
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i3-12100T is better: 2
Although it should be understood that all the figures in the text above do not mean that taking them into account you should undividedly trust a simple comparison of these figures. Better to watch benchmarks video and read the reviews of of people who bought Intel Core i9-12900KS and Intel Core i3-12100T before making a decision which of the CPUs to buy for gaming.

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 i3-12100T - all data

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

• Intel Core i3-12100T specs and review.