Intel Core i3-12100 vs Intel Core i7-1185G7 Comparison

The Intel Core i3-12100 is the clear performance winner over the Intel Core i7-1185G7 across every benchmark recorded. The data shows a 19-0 sweep in favor of the desktop i3, with margins ranging from a narrow 1.7% to a dominant 49.8%. While the i7-1185G7 is a mobile part designed for different priorities, the benchmark results leave no ambiguity about which CPU delivers more raw compute power.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most decisive victory for the Core i3-12100 comes in Geekbench multicore, where it scores 7214 against the i7-1185G7’s 4816, a 49.8% advantage. This near-50% gap highlights the fundamental throughput difference between the two CPUs, making the i3-12100 the obvious choice for heavily threaded workloads. In contrast, the smallest margins appear in PassMark physics and integer math, with the i3-12100 leading by just 1.7% (776 vs 763) and 4.3% (35678 vs 34211) respectively, suggesting that in certain lightly-threaded integer tasks, the two processors are nearly equivalent.

Across the Cinebench suite, the i3-12100 demonstrates consistent superiority. In Cinebench R23 multicore, it posts 10623 versus the i7-1185G7’s 8416, a 26.2% lead. The single-core R23 result tells a similar story: 1499 vs 1188, also a 26.2% gap. This uniformity across R15, R20, and R23 — with deltas of 26.1%, 26.2%, and 26.3% in single-core tests — suggests a consistent architectural advantage rather than a workload-specific anomaly. The i3-12100 also wins Geekbench single-core by 23.3% (1962 vs 1591), reinforcing that its per-thread performance is substantially better, not just its aggregate throughput.

In the PassMark suite, the i3-12100’s wins are broad but uneven. Its largest PassMark margin is in floating point math, where it scores 28015 against 20126, a 39.2% advantage. Data compression shows a 35.8% lead (142060 vs 104630), while extended instructions come in 31.2% ahead (9702 vs 7396). Data encryption shows a 29% gap (7222 vs 5598), and multithread performance is 20.3% higher (12170 vs 10115). The i3-12100 also leads in random string sorting by 11.7% (14286 vs 12792) and single-thread by 14.2% (3173 vs 2778). The narrowest PassMark win is in find prime numbers, where the i3-12100’s 49 edges out the i7-1185G7’s 47, a marginal 4.3% difference.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i3-12100 wins every single recorded benchmark, making it the superior choice for any user prioritizing compute performance. The 49.8% lead in Geekbench multicore and the 39.2% lead in floating-point math are decisive, and the consistent 26%+ margins across all Cinebench versions indicate a broad, architectural advantage. The i7-1185G7’s strengths lie elsewhere — it is a mobile processor with a 28 W TDP, designed for laptops — but on pure CPU benchmarks, it cannot compete with the i3-12100.

The i3-12100 is the pick for desktop users who need maximum performance per core and strong multi-threaded results. Its 67th percentile ranking among all CPUs and average benchmark score of 12054, compared to the i7-1185G7’s same 67th percentile but lower 11697 average, place it slightly ahead in the overall hierarchy. The i7-1185G7, being end-of-life and mobile-focused, should be chosen only when the requirement is for a low-power, integrated solution for a laptop form factor. For anyone building a desktop, the i3-12100 is the straightforward, data-backed recommendation.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster in single-core performance?

A: The Intel Core i3-12100 wins all single-core tests. It leads by 26.1% in Cinebench R15 (150 vs 119), 26.3% in Cinebench R20 (629 vs 498), 26.2% in Cinebench R23 (1499 vs 1188), 23.3% in Geekbench (1962 vs 1591), and 14.2% in PassMark (3173 vs 2778).

Q: How much better is the i3-12100 in multi-threaded workloads?

A: The i3-12100 is significantly ahead. It wins Cinebench R23 multicore by 26.2% (10623 vs 8416) and Geekbench multicore by 49.8% (7214 vs 4816), with PassMark multithread showing a 20.3% lead (12170 vs 10115).

Q: What is the closest benchmark result between the two?

A: The closest result is in PassMark physics, where the i3-12100 scores 776 versus the i7-1185G7’s 763, a margin of just 1.7%. PassMark find prime numbers is also close, with a 4.3% difference (49 vs 47).

Q: Are these CPUs in the same performance percentile?

A: Yes, both are ranked in the 67th percentile of all CPUs. However, the i3-12100 has a higher average benchmark score of 12054 compared to the i7-1185G7’s 11697.

Q: Which CPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i7-1185G7 has a higher boost clock of 4.80 GHz, compared to the Core i3-12100’s 4.30 GHz. Despite this, the i3-12100 still wins every benchmark.

Q: What is the release date difference?

A: The Core i7-1185G7 was released on 2020-09-01, while the Core i3-12100 launched later on 2022-01-03. The i7-1185G7 is marked as end-of-life, while the i3-12100 is still active.

Specification Differences

The two CPUs differ most notably in their target markets and physical specifications. The Core i3-12100 is a desktop processor using an Intel Socket 1700, while the Core i7-1185G7 is a mobile chip on Intel BGA 1449. The i3-12100 has a higher base clock at 3.30 GHz versus 3.00 GHz, but the i7-1185G7 boosts higher at 4.80 GHz versus 4.30 GHz. Power consumption differs substantially: the i3-12100 has a 60 W TDP, while the i7-1185G7 is rated at just 28 W.

Memory support also separates them. The i3-12100 supports DDR4 and DDR5, while the i7-1185G7 supports DDR4 and LPDDR4X. PCIe capabilities are different as well, with the i3-12100 offering Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only) versus the i7-1185G7’s Gen 4 with 4 lanes (CPU only). The integrated graphics differ, with the i3-12100 featuring UHD Graphics 730 and the i7-1185G7 featuring Iris Xe-LP Graphics G7 96EU. The die sizes are 163 mm² for the i3-12100 and 144 mm² for the i7-1185G7. The launch MSRP for the i3-12100 is $122, while the i7-1185G7 launched at $426.

Architecture Differences

The Core i3-12100 is built on Alder Lake architecture (codename Alder Lake-S), part of Intel’s Core 12th Gen series, while the Core i7-1185G7 uses Tiger Lake architecture (codename Tiger Lake-U), part of the Willow Cove generation. Both are fabricated on Intel’s 10 nm process, and both have 4 cores and 8 threads. Cache configurations are identical: 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3 cache. Neither chip supports ECC memory, and both are multiplier-unlocked.

The key architectural difference lies in the design goals. The i3-12100’s Alder Lake-S design is aimed at desktop performance with a higher TDP and support for newer DDR5 memory and PCIe Gen 5. The i7-1185G7’s Tiger Lake-U design is optimized for mobile efficiency, with a lower TDP, support for LPDDR4X memory, and a more power-conscious PCIe Gen 4 implementation. The i3-12100 has a production status of Active, while the i7-1185G7 is End-of-life, reflecting the newer platform of the former.

Where Each One Wins

From the benchmark data, the Core i3-12100 wins in every category, but the magnitude of its wins suggests different use cases. The i3-12100 is the clear choice for content creation and heavy multitasking, where its 49.8% Geekbench multicore lead and 39.2% floating-point math advantage translate directly to faster rendering and scientific computing. Its 35.8% lead in data compression and 29% lead in encryption make it better suited for file archiving and security tasks. The 26.2% Cinebench R23 multicore advantage reinforces its suitability for 3D rendering workloads.

The Core i7-1185G7, despite losing all benchmarks, has its place in constrained environments. Its 28 W TDP makes it far more suitable for thin-and-light laptops where battery life and thermal limits are paramount. While its PassMark physics score (763) is nearly identical to the i3-12100’s (776), the i7-1185G7’s 4.80 GHz boost clock suggests it can hold its own in short, bursty single-threaded tasks, even if sustained performance lags. For users who need an integrated solution with Iris Xe graphics and LPDDR4X memory support, the i7-1185G7 offers a mobile-optimized package that the desktop-bound i3-12100 cannot match in form factor. However, for any performance-first scenario, the i3-12100 is the definitive winner.