Intel Core i3-12100 vs Intel Core i7-4790K Comparison

The Intel Core i3-12100 and Intel Core i7-4790K represent two very different eras of desktop computing. The i7-4790K was a flagship quad-core from the Haswell generation, while the i3-12100 is a modern entry-level part from Alder Lake. Despite the i7's former flagship status, the benchmark data shows a decisive generational shift, with the i3-12100 winning 18 of 19 head-to-head comparisons. The only exception is a single memory-intensive workload, where the older i7 retains a narrow edge.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result in this comparison is the sheer scale of the i3-12100's victory in multi-threaded workloads. In Cinebench R23, the i3-12100 scores 10,623 points against the i7-4790K's 6,855, a 55% advantage. This pattern repeats across the Cinebench suite: the i3-12100 leads by 55.1% in R15 multi-core, 54.9% in R20 multi-core, and 55% in R20 single-core. The consistency of this margin suggests a fundamental architectural advantage rather than a workload-specific quirk.

Single-threaded performance tells a similar story, though with slightly different margins. The i3-12100 posts a 44.2% lead in Geekbench single-core, scoring 1,962 against 1,361. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the gap widens to exactly 55%, with the i3-12100 at 1,499 and the i7-4790K at 967. PassMark's single-thread test shows a more modest 28.7% advantage for the i3-12100, with scores of 3,173 versus 2,466. This indicates that while the i3-12100 is universally faster per core, some workloads respond more to its higher boost clock and newer architecture than others.

The most dramatic single result comes from PassMark's data encryption test. Here, the i3-12100 scores 7,222 against the i7-4790K's 2,264, representing a massive 219% improvement. This suggests the i3-12100 includes hardware acceleration features that the older Haswell architecture completely lacks. Floating-point math also shows a huge gap, with the i3-12100 at 28,015 versus 14,597, a 91.9% lead. These two tests highlight that the i3-12100 is not just faster clock-for-clock; it is fundamentally more efficient at certain types of calculations.

The i7-4790K's sole victory comes in PassMark's random string sorting test. It scores 16,431 against the i3-12100's 14,286, a 13.1% advantage. This particular benchmark is memory-latency sensitive, and the i7-4790K's lower-latency DDR3 memory may give it an edge in this specific workload. It is a notable result, but an isolated one. In every other test, including data compression (16.7% lead for i3), integer math (22.3% lead), and extended instructions (28% lead), the i3-12100 comes out ahead.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i3-12100 is the superior processor in nearly every measurable way. Its average benchmark score of 12,054 versus the i7-4790K's 11,745 places both in the 67th percentile of all CPUs, but the i3-12100 achieves this with a 60W TDP compared to the i7's 88W. For users building a new system, the i3-12100 is the clear choice, offering roughly 50% more multi-threaded performance and dramatically better encryption throughput.

The i7-4790K's only appeal lies in its single random string sorting win, which is too narrow a use case to recommend the platform. Combined with its end-of-life production status and DDR3 memory support, the i7-4790K is a legacy part that should only be considered by those already invested in the Socket 1150 ecosystem. For everyone else, the i3-12100's active production status, DDR4/DDR5 support, and PCIe Gen 5 connectivity make it the rational pick. The i7-4790K was a great CPU for its time, but the i3-12100 demonstrates how far entry-level silicon has come.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gulf between these two CPUs is vast. The i3-12100 is built on Intel's Alder Lake architecture using a 10 nm process, while the i7-4790K uses the Haswell architecture on a 22 nm process. This process shrink is a primary driver of the performance gap, allowing the i3-12100 to deliver comparable or better performance with a 60W TDP against the i7's 88W. The i7-4790K has a higher base clock of 4.00 GHz and boost clock of 4.40 GHz, but the i3-12100's lower 3.30 GHz base and 4.30 GHz boost clocks still produce far superior benchmark results, highlighting the IPC improvements made over nearly eight years.

Cache hierarchies differ significantly. The i3-12100 features 80 KB of L1 cache per core and 1.25 MB of L2 per core, with 12 MB of shared L3 cache. The i7-4790K has smaller 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core, plus 8 MB of shared L3. The i3-12100's larger caches directly contribute to its performance edge, particularly in single-threaded workloads. The i7-4790K's die size is 177 mm² with 1,400 million transistors, while the i3-12100 is smaller at 163 mm², though its transistor count is not specified in the data.

Memory support is another major divider. The i3-12100 supports both DDR4 and DDR5 in a dual-channel configuration, while the i7-4790K is limited to DDR3 with a memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s. The i3-12100 also features PCIe Gen 5 with 16 CPU lanes, compared to the i7-4790K's PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes. Integrated graphics differ as well, with the i3-12100 using UHD Graphics 730 and the i7-4790K using Intel HD 4600.

Other notable differences include the socket, with the i3-12100 on Intel Socket 1700 and the i7-4790K on Socket 1150. The i7-4790K has an unlocked multiplier, while the i3-12100 does not. The i3-12100 was released on 2022-01-03 with a launch MSRP of $122, while the i7-4790K launched on 2014-04-30 with a launch MSRP of $350. The i3-12100 remains in active production, whereas the i7-4790K is end-of-life.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i3-12100 faster than the i7-4790K in all benchmarks?

A: No. The i3-12100 wins 18 of 19 head-to-head comparisons, but the i7-4790K wins the PassMark random string sorting test with a score of 16,431 versus 14,286, a 13.1% advantage.

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

A: In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i3-12100 scores 10,623 against the i7-4790K's 6,855, a 55% lead. The margin is similar in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where the i3-12100 leads by 54.9%.

Q: Does the i7-4790K have any advantage in terms of clock speed?

A: Yes, the i7-4790K has a higher base clock of 4.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, compared to the i3-12100's 3.30 GHz base and 4.30 GHz boost. Despite this, the i3-12100 is significantly faster in single-threaded tests, such as a 44.2% lead in Geekbench single-core.

Q: What is the biggest performance difference between the two CPUs?

A: The largest gap is in PassMark data encryption, where the i3-12100 scores 7,222 against the i7-4790K's 2,264, a massive 219% difference.

Q: Which CPU has better memory support?

A: The i3-12100 supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, while the i7-4790K is limited to DDR3 with 25.6 GB/s of bandwidth. The i3-12100 also has larger caches, including 12 MB of L3 versus the i7's 8 MB.

Q: Are both CPUs still in production?

A: No. The i3-12100 is in active production, while the i7-4790K is end-of-life. The i3-12100 also supports PCIe Gen 5, whereas the i7-4790K is limited to PCIe Gen 3.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i3-12100 is the winner for virtually every modern use case. Its 55% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core makes it the obvious choice for video rendering, 3D modeling, and other heavily threaded creative workloads. Data compression tasks also favor the i3-12100, with a 16.7% lead in PassMark's compression test. The i3-12100's 219% advantage in data encryption makes it particularly well-suited for security-focused applications, VPN gateways, or any workload involving heavy cryptography. For general productivity, the i3-12100's 22.3% lead in integer math and 91.9% lead in floating-point math ensure it handles spreadsheets, databases, and scientific calculations with far greater ease. Gamers will also prefer the i3-12100, as its single-threaded performance leads in Geekbench by 44.2% and in PassMark single-thread by 28.7%, both of which are critical for gaming performance.

The Intel Core i7-4790K has exactly one niche: random string sorting. Its 13.1% win in this specific test suggests it may still be competitive in niche data-processing pipelines that rely heavily on this operation. However, this is an extremely narrow use case. The i7-4790K's higher base and boost clocks (4.00 GHz and 4.40 GHz respectively) offer no real-world benefit given its architectural age. The only other consideration is its unlocked multiplier, which allows overclocking, but the data does not include overclocked results. For users on a legacy Socket 1150 platform who already own DDR3 memory, the i7-4790K may still serve, but for anyone choosing between these two CPUs for a new build, the i3-12100 is the definitive winner across nearly every benchmark category.