Intel Core i3-13100 vs Intel Core i5-12400 Comparison

The Intel Core i5-12400 and Intel Core i3-13100 are both Socket 1700 desktop processors, but they target different tiers of the market. The data shows a clear hierarchy: the i5-12400 wins 15 of the 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons, with the i3-13100 taking only 2 narrow victories. However, the magnitude of those wins and the specific workload types matter significantly for buyer decisions, as the i3-13100 counters with a slight single-thread advantage and a notably lower launch MSRP.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking pattern in the data is the consistency of the i5-12400’s victory margin. Across all Cinebench tests, the i5-12400 leads by exactly 33.4% or 33.5%. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i5-12400 scores 15989 against the i3-13100’s 11986, a 33.4% gap. The single-core R23 test shows the same story: 2257 versus 1692, again a 33.4% delta. This uniformity suggests the performance difference is structural—stemming from core count and cache size—rather than clock-speed dependent.

The Passmark suite reveals even larger deltas in specific compute tasks. The i5-12400’s lead expands to 41.9% in data encryption (11418 vs 8049), 41.3% in integer math (58366 vs 41313), and 40.7% in floating-point math (45494 vs 32325). Data compression shows a 40.6% advantage (226908 vs 161424), while extended instructions come in at 39.3% (15399 vs 11053). These are not marginal differences; they represent a full performance tier gap in heavily threaded workloads.

The multi-threaded Passmark score reinforces this: the i5-12400 posts 18747 versus 13726, a 36.6% lead. Physics simulation shows a 27% advantage (1105 vs 870), which is the smallest multi-core delta recorded. Even the prime number finding test, often sensitive to single-thread efficiency, shows a 30.8% lead for the i5-12400 (68 vs 52). The i5-12400’s 6 cores and 12 threads simply overpower the i3-13100’s 4 cores and 8 threads in every parallel workload captured.

The i3-13100’s only wins come in the Passmark single-thread tests, and they are razor-thin. It scores 3460 versus 3456, a 0.1% advantage. This is within measurement noise, but it appears in two separate test entries (passmark_single_thread and passmark_singlethread), so it is a reproducible edge. The i3-13100’s higher boost clock of 4.50 GHz against 4.40 GHz likely explains this marginal single-core superiority, though the effect is negligible in real-world terms.

Notably, the head-to-head data lacks 3DMark and Geekbench results for the i3-13100, so those comparisons cannot be made. The available data shows the i5-12400 averaging 18683 in its benchmark suite, while the i3-13100 averages 18380. Both CPUs sit at the 72nd percentile among all CPUs, meaning they occupy a similar overall performance stratum despite the i5’s dominance in multi-core tasks.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous for multi-threaded workloads: the Intel Core i5-12400 is the superior processor by a wide margin. Any user running Cinebench, data compression, encryption, or math-heavy applications should choose the i5-12400. The 33.4% to 41.9% advantages across these tests mean rendering, video encoding, and scientific computing will finish substantially faster on the i5-12400.

The i3-13100 is only defensible in a narrow scenario: pure single-threaded workloads where its 0.1% lead could matter, and even then the difference is statistically insignificant. Its lower launch MSRP of $134 versus the i5-12400’s $199 makes it a cost-saving option, but the performance penalty in multi-core tasks is severe. The i5-12400 also offers a larger 18 MB L3 cache versus 12 MB, which partially explains its consistent multi-core advantage.

For a system built primarily for gaming, the single-thread scores are close enough that the i3-13100’s small lead might not translate to a perceptible difference. However, the i5-12400’s 12 threads provide future-proofing for games that increasingly use more cores. For any productivity or content-creation use case, the i5-12400 is the only rational choice based on the benchmark data. The i3-13100 serves as an entry-level desktop part, but the data shows it leaves significant performance on the table.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU wins more head-to-head benchmark comparisons?

A: The Intel Core i5-12400 wins 15 of the 17 comparisons, with the Intel Core i3-13100 winning 2.

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

A: The i5-12400 scores 15989, while the i3-13100 scores 11986, giving the i5-12400 a 33.4% lead.

Q: Does the i3-13100 have any advantage over the i5-12400?

A: Yes, in the Passmark single-thread test, the i3-13100 scores 3460 versus 3456, a 0.1% advantage. It also has a higher boost clock of 4.50 GHz versus 4.40 GHz.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare?

A: The i5-12400 has an average benchmark score of 18683, while the i3-13100 averages 18380. Both CPUs are in the 72nd percentile of all CPUs.

Q: Which CPU has more cores and threads?

A: The i5-12400 has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the i3-13100 has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two chips?

A: The largest gap is in Passmark data encryption, where the i5-12400 leads by 41.9% (11418 vs 8049).

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several core specifications. The i5-12400 features 6 cores and 12 threads, while the i3-13100 has 4 cores and 8 threads. Base clocks differ: the i5-12400 runs at 2.50 GHz, and the i3-13100 at 3.40 GHz. Boost clocks are closer, with the i5-12400 at 4.40 GHz and the i3-13100 at 4.50 GHz. Thermal design power (TDP) is 65W for the i5-12400 and 60W for the i3-13100. The L3 cache is 18 MB (shared) on the i5-12400 versus 12 MB (shared) on the i3-13100. Launch MSRP is $199 for the i5-12400 and $134 for the i3-13100. The release dates are January 2022 for the i5-12400 and January 2023 for the i3-13100. The part numbers are SRL4VSRL5Y for the i5-12400 and SRMBU for the i3-13100.

Architecture Differences

Architecturally, the i5-12400 is built on Alder Lake (Alder Lake-S), while the i3-13100 uses Raptor Lake (Raptor Lake-S). Both are fabricated on a 10 nm process at Intel, and both have a die size of 163 mm². The L1 cache is identical at 80 KB per core, and L2 cache is also the same at 1.25 MB per core. Both support DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, and both lack ECC memory support. They share the same PCIe implementation: Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only). Integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 730 on both chips. Both processors are locked (multiplier not unlocked) and are actively in production. The generation labels differ: the i5-12400 is listed as "Core i5 (Alder Lake-S)" and the i3-13100 as "Core i3 (Raptor Lake)". The key architectural differentiator is the core count and L3 cache size, which drive the i5-12400’s significant multi-threaded performance advantage.