Intel Core i3-12100E vs Intel Core i7-10850H Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data splits this comparison into a clear majority and two notable exceptions. The Intel Core i3-12100E wins 17 of the 19 recorded head-to-head tests, while the Intel Core i7-10850H takes only 2. That asymmetry defines the use-case story.

The i7-10850H’s two victories are in compression and sorting workloads. It leads by 3.6% in PassMark data compression (165882 versus 160112) and by a substantial 33.9% in PassMark random string sorting (21537 versus 16089). These are memory-latency-sensitive, pointer-chasing type workloads where the older mobile chip’s larger per-core cache arrangement appears to help. If the workload is compressing archives or shuffling large strings, the i7-10850H is the pick.

Everywhere else, the i3-12100E dominates. The smallest margins are in integer math (2.4% ahead), extended instructions (4% ahead), and data encryption aside, the i3 wins by double digits in most tests. The i3-12100E is the choice for single-threaded responsiveness, multi-core rendering, encryption, floating-point math, prime number finding, and physics simulation. Its 22.4% lead in PassMark single-thread and 34.8% lead in Geekbench multi-core show a generational gap that raw core count cannot close.

For a laptop user, the i7-10850H’s wins matter only in niche compression tasks. For a desktop user running general productivity, content creation, or scientific workloads, the i3-12100E is the stronger performer in nearly every measured category.

Architecture Differences

These two processors come from different Intel generations with contrasting design philosophies. The i7-10850H is a Comet Lake-H mobile chip, built on Intel’s 14 nm process. It uses 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 2.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. Its TDP is 45 watts, and it fits the Intel BGA 1440 socket. The i3-12100E is an Alder Lake-S desktop part, built on Intel’s 10 nm process. It uses 4 cores and 8 threads, with a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. Its TDP is 60 watts, and it uses the Intel Socket 1700.

The cache layouts differ significantly. The i7-10850H has 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3. The i3-12100E has 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and also 12 MB of shared L3. The i3’s larger per-core L1 and L2 caches are a direct result of the newer architecture and help explain its single-thread advantage. Both chips have the same total L3, but the i3 serves only 4 cores with it, meaning each core gets more L3 headroom in practice.

Memory support also differs. The i7-10850H supports only DDR4 with dual-channel memory, and its recorded memory bandwidth is 46.9 GB/s. The i3-12100E supports both DDR4 and DDR5, also dual-channel, but no memory bandwidth figure is recorded in the database. PCIe connectivity is another split: the i7 offers Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes, while the i3 offers Gen 5 with 20 CPU lanes. Integrated graphics are UHD Graphics on the i7 versus UHD Graphics 730 on the i3.

The die size is only recorded for the i3-12100E at 163 mm². The i7’s die size is not in the database. The i7 was released in April 2020, while the i3 arrived in January 2022. Both are active in production, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single win for the i3-12100E is in PassMark data encryption, where it scores 8069 versus 3890, a 51.8% lead. That is the most decisive margin in the entire comparison. The i3 also wins Geekbench single-core by 39.7% (2202 versus 1327) and PassMark physics by 39.4% (1185 versus 718). These three results show the i3’s architectural efficiency in both encryption and single-threaded scalar work.

Cinebench results are consistent across all three versions. The i3 leads by 15.3% in R15 multi-core (1164 versus 986), R15 single-core (164 versus 139), R20 multi-core (4854 versus 4110), R20 single-core (685 versus 580), R23 multi-core (11559 versus 9786), and R23 single-core (1631 versus 1381). The uniformity of the 15.3% delta across all six Cinebench tests suggests a fixed clock-and-IPC advantage rather than a workload-specific quirk.

Geekbench shows the i3 with a 34.8% multi-core lead (7661 versus 4997). That is a larger multi-core margin than Cinebench, likely because Geekbench’s workload mix favors the i3’s newer instruction execution. PassMark multi-thread also favors the i3 by 18.4% (14271 versus 11643), while PassMark floating-point math shows a 21% lead (31919 versus 25216). Integer math is closer, with the i3 ahead by only 2.4% (40885 versus 39919). PassMark extended instructions are similarly tight, with the i3 ahead by 4% (10814 versus 10381). PassMark find prime numbers favors the i3 by 34.9% (63 versus 41).

The i7-10850H’s wins are narrow in compression (3.6%) but massive in random string sorting (33.9%). That sorting result is the i7’s best case, and it is the only test where the i7 beats the i3 by more than a few percent. The data shows the i7’s strength is in workloads that rely on memory access patterns and pointer chasing, not raw compute throughput.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i7-10850H has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel Core i3-12100E has 4 cores and 8 threads. Despite the i7’s core advantage, the i3 wins the majority of multi-threaded benchmarks.

Q: Why does the i3-12100E win multi-core tests despite having fewer cores?

A: The i3-12100E uses Intel’s 10 nm Alder Lake architecture, which provides higher per-core performance. Its 3.20 GHz base clock and 4.20 GHz boost clock, combined with larger per-core L1 and L2 caches, overcome the i7-10850H’s two extra cores in most workloads.

Q: What is the i7-10850H actually better at?

A: The i7-10850H wins PassMark data compression (165882 versus 160112) and PassMark random string sorting (21537 versus 16089). These are the only two recorded tests where it beats the i3-12100E, with the sorting win being a 33.9% margin.

Q: How big is the single-thread performance gap?

A: The i3-12100E leads by 39.7% in Geekbench single-core (2202 versus 1327), by 22.4% in PassMark single-thread (3438 versus 2668), and by 15.3% in Cinebench R23 single-core (1631 versus 1381). The gap is consistent across different benchmark suites.

Q: Do these CPUs support ECC memory?

A: No. Both the i7-10850H and the i3-12100E have ECC memory support marked as false in the database.

Q: What are the socket and platform differences?

A: The i7-10850H uses the Intel BGA 1440 socket and is a mobile processor, while the i3-12100E uses the Intel Socket 1700 and is a desktop processor. The i7 has PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes, while the i3 has PCIe Gen 5 with 20 lanes.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i7-10850H | Intel Core i3-12100E |

|---|---|---|

| Series | Core 10th Gen | Core 12th Gen |

| Cores | 6 | 4 |

| Threads | 12 | 8 |

| Base Clock | 2.70 GHz | 3.20 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.10 GHz | 4.20 GHz |

| TDP | 45 W | 60 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1440 | Intel Socket 1700 |

| Architecture | Comet Lake | Alder Lake |

| Codename | Comet Lake-H | Alder Lake-S |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 10 nm |

| Die Size | Not recorded | 163 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 64 KB (per core) | 80 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 256 KB (per core) | 1.25 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 12 MB (shared) | 12 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR4 | DDR4, DDR5 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 46.9 GB/s | Not recorded |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 5, 20 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | UHD Graphics | UHD Graphics 730 |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Release Date | 2020-04-01 | 2022-01-03 |

| Launch MSRP | Not recorded | $125 |

| Part Number | SRH8P | SRL6U |