Intel Core i3-12100F 12th Gen Alder Lake Processor

Intel 12th Gen Core i3-12100F Alder Lake Processor

The latest Intel 12th Gen Core i3-12100F Processor comes with 4 cores and 8 threads. It has a base frequency of 3.30 GHz and a maximum boost frequency of up to 4.30 GHz. The i3-12100F Alder Lake Processor comes with a 12 MB Intel Smart Cache and it has a 5 MB L2 cache. It features a Processor Base Power of 58W and a maximum turbo power of 89W. The Intel Core i3-12100F comes with 2 memory channels and it supports 128GB of maximum memory. The maximum bandwidth is 76.8 GB/s.

Core Benefits of the Processor

The Intel Core i3-12100F Alder Lake CPU supports both DDR5 and DDR4 memory controllers. It is compatible with memory up to DDR5 4800 MT/s and DDR4 3200 MT/s. High-end motherboards will retain DDR5 while the more mainstream offerings will open up DDR4 support. This 12th Gen Core i3 comes with Socket LGA 1700, 64 Bit Width.

Intel Core i3-12100F Review

The value proposition is persuasive because the review chip is packaged with a cooler in the box. We plan to evaluate its credentials separately, but know the Laminar RM1 is designed for 65W chips, making it perfectly serviceable for the Core i3-12100F’s base 60W TDP. Speaking of which, Intel persists with two power ratings known as base and maximum power. The former is how the chip behaves when installed without any tinkering on the user’s part, and is configured in this 60W profile for bulk-volume OEM systems. The second is an optional higher-wattage tariff which enables the chip to maintain an enhanced all-core frequency, though sufficient cooling needs to be in place.

We observed minor performance differences between base and maximum power configurations. This is because the chip runs eight threads at an average 4.1GHz when in the default mode. Increasing power to 89W, or maximum in Intel speak, offers an extra 50MHz on top, rendering it mostly pointless whilst placing the capability of the supplied heatsink in thermal jeopardy.

Performance

A lack of high-end speed counts against the Core i3-12100F to some degree. Nevertheless, it’s instructive to see how Intel Golden Cove compares against AMD Zen 2 on an equal core-and-thread footing. A 4.3GHz maximum clock does little to dampen single-thread performance. That’s the power of Golden Cove right there. Multi-core performance is reasonably close to a 6C12T Zen 2 chip (Ryzen 5 3600X), intimating Intel’s architecture progress has been sound. Keys hot performance rises in linear fashion and continues to paint the Core i3-12100F in a good light.

Using an ASRock B660 Pro RS motherboard and DDR4 memory works well for latency but not for sheer bandwidth. Our previous examinations of DDR5 vs. DDR4 show the latter to still be a great choice for most applications.

This processor has 03 years warranty (no warranty for fan or cooler).