Intel Core i3-12100F vs Intel Core i5-10400 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a clear generational divide. The Intel Core i3-12100F wins 19 of the 25 recorded head-to-head tests, while the Intel Core i5-10400 secures 6 wins. The most dramatic victories for the i3-12100F come in single-threaded and lightly threaded workloads. In Geekbench single-core, the i3-12100F scores 1932 against 1108 for the i5-10400, a 42.7% advantage. The Cinebench R23 single-core test shows a similar story, with the i3-12100F posting 1674 versus 1174, a 29.9% lead. 3DMark single-thread results reinforce this, with a 23% delta in favor of the newer chip.

The i3-12100F also dominates in multithreaded rendering workloads, despite having fewer cores. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 11860 compared to 8316 for the i5-10400, a 29.9% margin. The Geekbench multi-core test shows an even larger gap: 7252 versus 4790, a 33.9% difference. This pattern holds across Cinebench R15 and R20 multi-core tests, with the i3-12100F leading by 29.9% in both. The PassMark multithread score favors the i3-12100F at 14015 versus 12006, a 14.3% edge. The i3-12100F also excels in PassMark physics (985 versus 669, a 32.1% gain), floating point math (31977 versus 26080, an 18.4% gain), and data encryption (8071 versus 4078, a 49.5% gain). Prime number finding shows a 43.3% advantage for the i3-12100F.

The i5-10400's wins are narrower but concentrated in specific areas. Its largest victory is in PassMark random string sorting, where it scores 23206 against 15809, a 46.8% margin. It also leads in data compression (187207 versus 160452, 16.7%), extended instructions (12501 versus 10842, 15.3%), and integer math (41715 versus 40978, a slim 1.8% edge). In 3DMark multi-threaded scenarios, the i5-10400 wins the 16-thread test (4743 versus 4051, 17.1%) and the max-threads test (4715 versus 4023, 17.2%). The i5-10400's 6-core, 12-thread configuration provides an advantage when thread counts scale beyond what the i3-12100F's 4 cores and 8 threads can handle, but this advantage is limited to specific workloads.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher single-thread performance?

A: The Intel Core i3-12100F is significantly faster in single-thread tests. It leads by 42.7% in Geekbench single-core and by 29.9% in Cinebench R23 single-core.

Q: Does the i5-10400 win any benchmark categories?

A: Yes. The i5-10400 wins in PassMark integer math, data compression, extended instructions, random string sorting, and the 3DMark 16-thread and max-threads tests.

Q: How do the two processors compare in multi-core rendering?

A: Despite having fewer cores, the i3-12100F leads by 29.9% in Cinebench R23 multi-core and by 33.9% in Geekbench multi-core.

Q: What is the biggest performance gap between the two?

A: The largest difference is in PassMark data encryption, where the i3-12100F scores 8071 versus 4078, a 49.5% advantage.

Q: Do both processors share the same L3 cache size?

A: Yes, both have 12 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The i5-10400 has a slightly higher average benchmark score of 14037, compared to 13494 for the i3-12100F.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i3-12100F is the clear choice for workloads that depend on high single-thread performance and modern instruction efficiency. Its wins in Cinebench R23 single-core (1674 versus 1174) and Geekbench single-core (1932 versus 1108) make it well suited for everyday responsiveness, office productivity, and applications that rely on lightly threaded execution. The 29.9% lead in Cinebench multi-core tests also shows that its architectural efficiency can overcome its core count disadvantage in rendering tasks. For users prioritizing gaming, simulation, or general desktop snappiness, the i3-12100F's 23% lead in 3DMark single-thread and 32.1% lead in PassMark physics point to a strong fit.

The Intel Core i5-10400 retains relevance in workloads that exploit its additional cores and threads. Its wins in PassMark data compression (187207 versus 160452) and random string sorting (23206 versus 15809) suggest an edge in data manipulation tasks that scale with thread availability. The 3DMark 16-thread and max-threads wins (17.1% and 17.2% respectively) indicate that fully saturated multi-threaded scenarios still favor the i5-10400. Integer math also slightly favors the i5-10400 (41715 versus 40978), making it a reasonable option for compute tasks that are not heavily dependent on per-core speed.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across several fundamental specifications. The i5-10400 has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the i3-12100F has 4 cores and 8 threads. Base clocks differ: the i5-10400 runs at 2.90 GHz, while the i3-12100F runs at 3.30 GHz. Both boost to 4.30 GHz. The i5-10400 has a TDP of 65 watts, while the i3-12100F has a TDP of 58 watts. The i5-10400 uses Intel Socket 1200, and the i3-12100F uses Intel Socket 1700. Memory support differs as well: the i5-10400 supports DDR4, while the i3-12100F supports both DDR4 and DDR5. The i5-10400 has a recorded memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s, while no bandwidth figure is recorded for the i3-12100F. The i5-10400 features UHD Graphics 630 integrated graphics, while the i3-12100F has no integrated graphics. PCIe support also differs: the i5-10400 offers Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the i3-12100F offers Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only). The i3-12100F has a recorded die size of 163 mm², and its launch MSRP is $97.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two chips is substantial. The i5-10400 is built on Intel's Comet Lake architecture using a 14 nm process node. The i3-12100F uses the Alder Lake architecture, specifically Alder Lake-S, on a 10 nm process node. This node advantage contributes to the i3-12100F's superior single-thread performance and power efficiency, evidenced by its 42.7% lead in Geekbench single-core and lower TDP despite a higher base clock. Cache layouts also differ. The i5-10400 has 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core, while the i3-12100F has 80 KB of L1 cache per core and 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core. Both share 12 MB of L3 cache, but the larger per-core L2 cache on the i3-12100F likely contributes to its performance advantage in latency-sensitive workloads.

The i3-12100F's support for both DDR4 and DDR5 memory and PCIe Gen 5 connectivity represent a generational step forward in platform capabilities. The i5-10400 is limited to DDR4 and PCIe Gen 3. Neither processor supports ECC memory, and both are locked (multiplier-unlocked is false for both). The i5-10400 was released in April 2020, while no release date is recorded for the i3-12100F. Both processors are listed as active in production status and target the desktop market segment. The i5-10400's integrated graphics controller is present, while the i3-12100F relies on a discrete graphics solution. These architectural differences explain the i3-12100F's dominance in most benchmarks, particularly in single-thread and efficiency-sensitive workloads, while the i5-10400's extra cores and threads preserve its niche in heavily parallel tasks.