CPU Comparison

FAQ

Q: How do the average benchmark scores of the Intel Core i3-12300T and Intel Atom x7213RE compare?

A: The two are nearly identical in overall average score. The Core i3-12300T averages 3525, while the Atom x7213RE averages 3520, a difference of only 0.1%.

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i3-12300T has 4 cores and 8 threads. The Intel Atom x7213RE has 2 cores and 2 threads.

Q: What are the power consumption levels of these two chips?

A: The Core i3-12300T has a TDP of 35 watts. The Atom x7213RE has a TDP of 9 watts.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock speed?

A: The Core i3-12300T boosts up to 4.20 GHz. The Atom x7213RE boosts up to 3.40 GHz.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. Both the Core i3-12300T and the Atom x7213RE do not support ECC memory.

Q: What are the market segments for these two CPUs?

A: The Core i3-12300T is a Desktop processor. The Atom x7213RE is a Mobile processor.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data paints a stark picture of specialization. The Intel Core i3-12300T wins every single head-to-head benchmark in the data set, taking all 5 wins. The Intel Atom x7213RE does not win a single comparative test. This is not a close contest in raw performance; the Core i3-12300T is decisively faster in every measured workload.

However, the Atom x7213RE has its own domain where it dominates: power efficiency. With a TDP of 9 watts compared to the Core i3's 35 watts, the Atom is designed for fanless, passively cooled embedded systems and battery-conscious mobile applications. The Core i3-12300T, with its 35-watt TDP, is suited for compact desktop builds where performance is the priority and a modest cooling solution is acceptable.

The Core i3-12300T is the clear winner for any compute-heavy task. Its performance in Cinebench tests shows it is in a different league. The Atom x7213RE, by contrast, is for workloads where low power draw and thermal output are non-negotiable, and where the performance gap is acceptable in exchange for a 9-watt envelope. The Core i3's 4 cores and 8 threads provide a substantial advantage in multi-threaded applications, while its 4.20 GHz boost clock ensures strong single-threaded responsiveness. The Atom's 2 cores and 2 threads, with a maximum boost of 3.40 GHz, are sufficient for lightweight, low-power tasks but will struggle with demanding software.

Architecture Differences

These two processors represent fundamentally different design philosophies from Intel. The Core i3-12300T is built on the Alder Lake architecture with the codename Alder Lake-S, part of the Core 12th Gen series. This is a high-performance desktop design. The Atom x7213RE uses the Amston Lake architecture with the codename Amston Lake, falling under the Atom (Gracemont) generation. This is an efficiency-focused design for low-power mobile and embedded markets.

Both chips are fabricated on Intel's 10 nm process node, according to the data. However, the internal designs diverge sharply. The Core i3-12300T features 4 cores with 8 threads, while the Atom x7213RE has just 2 cores and 2 threads. This means the Core i3 supports simultaneous multithreading, effectively doubling its thread count, whereas the Atom does not.

The cache hierarchies are also different. The Core i3-12300T has 80 KB of L1 cache per core and 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core, plus a substantial 12 MB of shared L3 cache. The Atom x7213RE has 96 KB of L1 cache per core, 2 MB of shared L2 cache, and only 6 MB of shared L3 cache. The Core i3's larger L3 cache is a significant advantage for workloads that benefit from a large pool of shared data.

The integrated graphics differ as well. The Core i3-12300T includes UHD Graphics 730, while the Atom x7213RE has a much weaker UHD Graphics 16EU. This indicates a major gap in graphical capabilities, with the Core i3's iGPU being far more capable for display output and light media tasks.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every specification field. The Core i3-12300T has 4 cores and 8 threads, whereas the Atom x7213RE has 2 cores and 2 threads. Base clock speeds are 2.30 GHz for the Core i3 and 2.00 GHz for the Atom. Boost clocks are 4.20 GHz and 3.40 GHz, respectively.

Power consumption is a major differentiator: the Core i3-12300T has a TDP of 35 watts, while the Atom x7213RE has a TDP of just 9 watts. The Core i3 uses the Intel Socket 1700, while the Atom uses the Intel BGA 1264 socket, which is soldered to the motherboard. The Core i3 has a die size of 163 mm², while the Atom's die size is not listed in the data.

Memory support differs in bus width. The Core i3-12300T supports dual-channel memory, while the Atom x7213RE is limited to single-channel memory. The Atom does have a listed memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, which is not provided for the Core i3. Both support DDR4 and DDR5 memory.

PCIe capabilities are notably different. The Core i3-12300T supports PCIe Gen 5 with 20 lanes (CPU only). The Atom x7213RE supports PCIe Gen 3 with only 9 lanes (CPU only). This gives the Core i3 a massive advantage in expansion and data transfer speeds.

The market segments differ: the Core i3 is a Desktop chip, and the Atom is a Mobile chip. The Atom was released on 2024-04-07, while the Core i3's release date is not in the data. The launch MSRP for the Core i3-12300T is $97, and for the Atom x7213RE it is $42. Both processors have locked multipliers, and both are currently active in production. Their part numbers are SRL60 for the Core i3 and SRNEP for the Atom.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head benchmark results show an overwhelming victory for the Intel Core i3-12300T. In the Cinebench R15 multicore test, the Core i3 scores 1120 points against the Atom's 226 points, a delta of 395.6%. This pattern repeats across all Cinebench versions.

The Cinebench R20 multicore test shows the Core i3-12300T at 4669 points versus the Atom x7213RE's 942 points, again a 395.6% difference. The single-core R20 test is even more lopsided: the Core i3 scores 658, while the Atom manages only 132, a 398.5% delta. This indicates the Core i3's architecture provides an enormous per-core performance advantage, not just a multi-threaded one.

The Cinebench R23 results continue the trend. In multicore, the Core i3-12300T reaches 11118 points, while the Atom x7213RE trails at 2244 points, a 395.5% gap. The single-core R23 test shows the Core i3 at 1569 versus the Atom's 316, a 396.5% difference.

These scores are not incremental improvements; they represent a roughly 4x performance advantage for the Core i3-12300T across all tested workloads. The consistency of the deltaPct values, all hovering around 395-398%, suggests the performance gap is uniform across both single-threaded and multi-threaded tasks. This is a fundamental architectural superiority, not a workload-specific quirk.

The benchmark data also places both CPUs at the 55th percentile among all CPUs, meaning they are in the middle of the pack overall. However, this is misleading because the Atom's average score is buoyed by additional PassMark tests that are not part of the head-to-head comparison. In the tests where they directly compete, the Core i3-12300T is categorically faster.

The Core i3's nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon W-2135, the Intel Core i3-12300, and the Intel Xeon W-1290TE, all with average scores within 0.2% of its 3525. The Atom x7213RE's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 3800XT and the Intel Xeon W-2135, with scores within 0.3% of its 3520. This means that while the two chips are statistically close in aggregate benchmark averages, the specific tests where the Atom excels are entirely different from the Cinebench suite where the Core i3 dominates. In any workload represented by the head-to-head tests, the Core i3-12300T is the definitive choice.