Intel Core i3-12100 vs Intel Xeon Gold 6348 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data presents a remarkably one-sided picture. Across all six shared Cinebench tests, the Intel Xeon Gold 6348 wins outright. The smallest margin is in Cinebench R20 single-core, where the Xeon scores 2612 against the Core i3-12100's 629, a delta of 315.3%. The largest single-core gap appears in Cinebench R15, with the Xeon at 626 versus 150, a 317.3% advantage. These are not close contests; the Xeon leads by roughly three hundred percent in every measured discipline.

Multi-core results follow the same pattern. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Xeon Gold 6348 posts 44066, while the Core i3-12100 manages 10623, a 314.8% difference. Cinebench R20 multi-core shows 18507 against 4461, a 314.9% delta. The R15 multi-core run gives 4441 versus 1070, a 315% gap. Every one of the six head-to-head benchmarks lands between 314.8% and 317.3% in favor of the Xeon. The consistency of these margins suggests the difference is structural, not workload-specific.

The average benchmark scores in the database tell a similar story, though with less drama. The Xeon Gold 6348 has an average benchmark score of 12746, placing it at the 67th percentile of all CPUs. The Core i3-12100 averages 12054, also at the 67th percentile. Despite the massive Cinebench deltas, the overall averages are only about 5.7% apart. This is because the Core i3-12100 has a much broader benchmark portfolio recorded, including 3DMark and Passmark tests where the Xeon has no entries. The Xeon's average is computed from just six Cinebench results, all of which are extremely high, while the i3's average includes many mid-range scores.

The nearest rival data places each chip in context. The Xeon Gold 6348 sits within 0.3% of the AMD EPYC 7502 and within 0.2% of the Intel Core i5-8400 in average score. The Core i3-12100 is 0.2% ahead of the Intel Xeon Gold 6314U and 1.2% ahead of the Intel Core i7-7700. Both chips occupy the same percentile rank, which indicates that the database's aggregate scoring treats them as peers, even though the head-to-head Cinebench results show a dominant Xeon.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design lineages. The Xeon Gold 6348 uses the Ice Lake architecture, specifically Ice Lake-SP, built on Intel's 10 nm process. The Core i3-12100 uses Alder Lake, specifically Alder Lake-S, also on a 10 nm node. Both are Intel foundry parts, so the process generation is nominally the same, but the core designs differ substantially.

Core counts diverge sharply. The Xeon packs 28 cores and 56 threads. The Core i3 has 4 cores and 8 threads. That is a 7x difference in cores and threads, which explains the multi-core benchmark deltas. Clock speeds tell the opposite story in part: the i3 has a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost of 4.30 GHz, while the Xeon runs at 2.60 GHz base and 3.50 GHz boost. The i3 is clocked higher, yet it still loses single-core Cinebench by over 300%. This indicates that the Xeon's Ice Lake cores are significantly more efficient per clock in these workloads, or that the benchmark environment favors the server platform.

Cache configurations differ in scale and organization. The Xeon has 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 42 MB of shared L3. The i3 has 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3. Per-core cache is actually larger on the i3, but the Xeon's total L3 is 3.5 times bigger at 42 MB versus 12 MB. The die size is recorded only for the i3 at 163 mm²; no die size is listed for the Xeon.

Memory support separates the two clearly. The Xeon uses DDR4 with an eight-channel memory bus and a recorded memory bandwidth of 204.8 GB/s. The i3 supports both DDR4 and DDR5, but only has a dual-channel bus, and no memory bandwidth figure is listed in the database. ECC memory is supported by the Xeon but not by the i3. PCIe lanes also differ: the Xeon provides Gen 4 with 64 lanes (CPU only), while the i3 provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only). The i3 includes integrated graphics, UHD Graphics 730, while the Xeon has none listed.

The release dates are about nine months apart. The Xeon Gold 6348 launched on 2021-04-05, and the Core i3-12100 launched on 2022-01-03. Both are listed as Active in production status. The Xeon belongs to the Xeon Gold (Ice Lake-SP) generation, while the i3 is part of the Core i3 (Alder Lake-S) generation. The sockets are incompatible: the Xeon uses Intel Socket 4189, the i3 uses Intel Socket 1700. The Xeon's part number is SRKHPCD8068904572204, the i3's is SRL62.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear division of purpose. The Xeon Gold 6348 is the choice for workloads that scale with core count and memory bandwidth. Its 28 cores, 56 threads, and eight-channel DDR4 with 204.8 GB/s bandwidth align with server and workstation tasks. The Core i3-12100, with 4 cores and 8 threads, dual-channel memory, and no ECC support, targets desktop use. The recorded benchmarks show the Xeon dominating Cinebench across the board, but the i3 has a wider benchmark footprint that includes 3DMark and Passmark tests, which the Xeon does not have in the database.

The launch MSRP of the Core i3-12100 is $122. The Xeon Gold 6348 has no launch MSRP recorded. The i3 includes integrated graphics, which may matter for systems without a discrete GPU. The Xeon requires a server platform with Socket 4189 and likely a separate graphics solution. The Xeon's TDP is 235 W, while the i3's is 60 W, a difference that implies cooling and power delivery requirements, though the database does not provide wattage figures beyond these TDP values.

For buyers who need massive parallel throughput, the Xeon is the only choice between the two. For desktop responsiveness, the i3's higher clocks and integrated graphics make it the practical option. Neither chip is unlocked for overclocking. The percentile ranks are identical at 67, but the average scores differ by 692 points in favor of the Xeon.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every recorded specification. Core count: 28 versus 4. Threads: 56 versus 8. Base clock: 2.60 GHz versus 3.30 GHz. Boost clock: 3.50 GHz versus 4.30 GHz. TDP: 235 W versus 60 W. Socket: Intel Socket 4189 versus Intel Socket 1700. Architecture: Ice Lake versus Alder Lake. Codename: Ice Lake-SP versus Alder Lake-S. Generation: Xeon Gold (Ice Lake-SP) versus Core i3 (Alder Lake-S). Process node: both are 10 nm, so no difference there. Die size: not listed for the Xeon, 163 mm² for the i3.

Cache: L1 is 64 KB per core on the Xeon, 80 KB per core on the i3. L2 is 1 MB per core on the Xeon, 1.25 MB per core on the i3. L3 is 42 MB shared on the Xeon, 12 MB shared on the i3. Memory support: DDR4 on the Xeon, DDR4 and DDR5 on the i3. Memory bus: eight-channel versus dual-channel. Memory bandwidth: 204.8 GB/s on the Xeon, not listed on the i3. ECC memory: true on the Xeon, false on the i3. PCIe: Gen 4 with 64 lanes on the Xeon, Gen 5 with 16 lanes on the i3. Integrated graphics: none on the Xeon, UHD Graphics 730 on the i3. Market segment: Server/Workstation versus Desktop. Release date: 2021-04-05 versus 2022-01-03. Launch MSRP: not listed for the Xeon, $122 for the i3. Multiplier unlocked: false for both. Part number: SRKHPCD8068904572204 versus SRL62.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Xeon Gold 6348 has 28 cores and 56 threads. The Intel Core i3-12100 has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: What is the single-core performance difference in Cinebench R23?

A: The Xeon Gold 6348 scores 6221, while the Core i3-12100 scores 1499. The Xeon leads by 315%.

Q: Does the Core i3-12100 support ECC memory?

A: No. The database records ECC memory support as false for the Core i3-12100. The Xeon Gold 6348 supports ECC memory.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth of the Xeon Gold 6348?

A: The Xeon Gold 6348 has a recorded memory bandwidth of 204.8 GB/s over an eight-channel DDR4 bus. The Core i3-12100 has a dual-channel bus and no bandwidth figure recorded.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: The Core i3-12100 includes UHD Graphics 730. The Xeon Gold 6348 has no integrated graphics listed.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each processor?

A: The Xeon Gold 6348 has an average benchmark score of 12746. The Core i3-12100 has an average benchmark score of 12054. Both are at the 67th percentile of all CPUs.

Where Each One Wins

The Xeon Gold 6348 wins in every shared benchmark. Its six recorded Cinebench results all exceed the i3's corresponding scores by roughly 315%. The largest absolute margin is in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the Xeon scores 44066 versus 10623. The smallest absolute margin is in Cinebench R15 single-core, 626 versus 150. The Xeon also wins in memory-related advantages: eight-channel DDR4 with 204.8 GB/s bandwidth, ECC support, and 64 PCIe Gen 4 lanes. Its 42 MB of L3 cache is 3.5 times larger than the i3's 12 MB.

The Core i3-12100 wins in areas not covered by the head-to-head benchmarks. It has recorded scores in 3DMark tests, including 890 in single-thread and 4036 in 16-thread runs. It also has Passmark results, including 3173 in single-thread and 12170 in multithread. The Xeon has no entries for these tests. The i3 has a higher base clock (3.30 GHz versus 2.60 GHz) and boost clock (4.30 GHz versus 3.50 GHz). It supports DDR5 in addition to DDR4, offers PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes, and includes integrated graphics. Its TDP of 60 W is far lower than the Xeon's 235 W. The i3's launch MSRP of $122 is recorded, while the Xeon has no launch MSRP.

The use-case split is therefore straightforward. The Xeon dominates sustained multi-threaded rendering and server-class workloads, as shown by Cinebench. The i3 offers a broader feature set for desktop use: integrated graphics, DDR5 support, higher clocks, and a much lower TDP. The database shows both at the same percentile, but the workloads they serve barely overlap. The Xeon is for throughput, the i3 for versatility.