Intel Core i3-7100

Intel's Core i3-7100 is a desktop CPU built on the Kaby Lake architecture at Intel's 14 nm process, with 2 cores, 4 threads, and a 3.90 GHz base clock with no boost clock. It fits Intel Socket 1151, includes Intel HD 630 graphics, and supports DDR4 memory through a dual-channel interface with 38.4 GB/s of bandwidth. Its average benchmark score is 1061, putting it in the 29th percentile of all CPUs in the database.

Who Should Consider It

The Core i3-7100 is a part for workloads that do not require many cores. With 2 cores and 4 threads, the processor is best suited to everyday tasks such as office productivity, web browsing, and document work. The 3.90 GHz base clock is a fixed frequency, so these serial workloads have a stable clock to work with. The production status is Active, meaning the chip remains available in the database as a desktop option.

Users looking at creation workloads need to weigh the threaded results carefully. In Cinebench R15, the multi-core score is 369; in R20, it is 1540; in R23, it is 3668. These are relatively modest numbers for heavy render work, and the 4-thread limit means sustained multi-threaded exports will not gain the scaling of CPUs with more threads. The average benchmark score of 1061, alongside a 29th-percentile ranking, indicates this is not a processor for a primary render node or high-end video production system.

For gaming, the integrated Intel HD 630 and the single-core results frame the expectations. The R23 single-core score is 517, and the R20 single-core score is 217. Those numbers suggest that light and older titles are the realistic workload for a system built around this processor. Modern multi-threaded game engines will be constrained by the 2-core/4-thread architecture, and the low overall percentile reinforces that the CPU is not designed for high-end gaming.

The platform itself includes useful entry-level features. The memory controller supports DDR4 with a dual-channel bus at 38.4 GB/s, and the chip provides PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes. That allows a discrete graphics card to be installed, although the processor's composite score suggests the CPU, not the GPU, will be the limiting factor in demanding tasks. The cache layout is 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 3 MB of shared L3, which is a small pool by modern standards.

Single-Thread vs Multi-Thread Behavior

The benchmark data shows a clear split between single-thread and multi-thread behavior. In every Cinebench version, the multi-core result is much larger than the single-core result: R15 multi-core is 369 against single-core 52, R20 multi-core is 1540 against single-core 217, and R23 multi-core is 3668 against single-core 517. The CPU is therefore able to produce far more aggregate throughput when all four threads are engaged than when a single thread is running.

The absence of a boost clock matters here. The base clock is 3.90 GHz, and there is no boost clock listed, so the processor cannot temporarily raise a single core's frequency for latency-sensitive work. That keeps the single-core scores at the level indicated by the data, rather than allowing a short frequency spike to improve response times. The R23 single-core score of 517 is the relevant data point for serial tasks that depend on one thread, such as application launches or spreadsheet calculations.

Because the chip has only 2 physical cores and 4 threads, the difference between the multi-core and single-core scores should not be read as evidence of strong scaling beyond the available threads. Instead, it shows that render workloads in Cinebench are able to use all four threads effectively, while single-core tests expose the processor's more modest per-thread position. The dual-channel DDR4 interface, with 38.4 GB/s of memory bandwidth, can feed the four threads, but it does not change the fundamental limitation of a 2-core/4-thread design.

Power and Thermals

The Core i3-7100 has a TDP of 51 W. That places it in a low-power class for desktop processors, especially when paired with the 14 nm Kaby Lake process. A conventional air cooler is sufficient for this thermal envelope; the chip does not need a large liquid cooler or an aggressive thermal solution. The lack of an unlocked multiplier, with multiplierUnlocked set to false, means overclocking is not an option, so users cannot raise clocks beyond the fixed 3.90 GHz base clock.

The absence of a boost clock also keeps power behavior steady. The CPU does not have a separate boost frequency to jump to, so the maximum single-thread and multi-thread frequency are the same. This makes the thermal behavior predictable across different workload types. The integrated Intel HD 630 is included on the processor, and a system that relies on that graphics block will cool both the CPU and the graphics logic with the same cooler. For compact desktop cases, the 51 W TDP is a modest burden, and the PCIe Gen 3 implementation with 16 CPU lanes leaves room for a discrete GPU without reducing the CPU's lane allocation.

FAQ

Q: How many cores and threads does the Intel Core i3-7100 have?

A: It has 2 cores and 4 threads.

Q: What is the base clock and is there a boost clock?

A: The base clock is 3.90 GHz, and there is no boost clock listed.

Q: What memory configuration does it support?

A: It supports DDR4 with a dual-channel memory bus and 38.4 GB/s of bandwidth. ECC memory is not supported.

Q: What integrated graphics does it include?

A: It includes Intel HD 630 graphics.

Q: Is the multiplier unlocked for overclocking?

A: No, the multiplierUnlocked field is false, so overclocking through the multiplier is not available.

Q: What is the CPU's average benchmark score and percentile ranking?

A: The average benchmark score is 1061, and it sits in the 29th percentile of all CPUs.

Benchmark Performance

The average benchmark score of 1061 places the Core i3-7100 in a very tight cluster of rivals. It matches the AMD Opteron 4376 HE exactly, with a deltaPct of 0. It is 0.1% ahead of the Intel Core i3-4360, which has an average score of 1060. It is 0.1% behind the Intel Core i7-2675QM, which averages 1063. It is also 0.2% ahead of the Intel Xeon E5620, which averages 1059. The total spread among these nearest rivals is only 0.2 percentage points, so the composite performance of the i3-7100 is effectively interchangeable with all four CPUs.

The Cinebench results reinforce that position. In R15, the i3-7100 records a multi-core score of 369 and a single-core score of 52. In R20, the multi-core score is 1540 and the single-core score is 217. In R23, the multi-core score is 3668 and the single-core score is 517. These numbers show a processor that produces its best output in threaded workloads, but with absolute scores that do not separate it from the closest comparison points in the database.

The 29th percentile ranking is the broader context. It means the i3-7100 ranks below the majority of CPUs in the database, while the rival cluster around 1061 shows just how concentrated the closest competition is. The 0.1% and 0.2% deltas to the i3-4360 and Xeon E5620 are small enough that application-specific behavior will matter more than aggregate performance differences. The identical score with the Opteron 4376 HE is a notable result because it places a Kaby Lake desktop chip at the same level as a very different server-oriented processor in this dataset.

Overall, the benchmark performance of the Core i3-7100 is defined by a narrow performance band. It is not a chip that leaps ahead of its nearest rivals, and it is not a chip that falls far behind them. The data shows an entry-level desktop processor whose composite score is tightly grouped with two Intel CPUs, one AMD server CPU, and one older mobile Intel processor. The Cinebench scores, the 29th-percentile rank, and the near-zero deltas to all four nearest rivals all point to the same conclusion: this is a processor for light, mostly single-threaded workloads, with only modest multi-threaded capability.