Intel Core i7-8700K vs Intel Core i3-12100F

The Intel Core i7-8700K, based on the Coffee Lake S architecture, was introduced in late 2017 and targeted enthusiasts, gamers, and content creators who sought high performance in their applications.

It is manufactured using a 14 nm fabrication process and features 6 physical cores and 12 threads, giving it solid multitasking capabilities. With 12 MB of Level 3 cache and support for PCIe 3.0, it offers a maximum memory bandwidth of 43 GB/s. The processor is also equipped with an integrated graphics unit, the Intel UHD Graphics 630, which enables basic video output.

The Intel Core i3-12100F, a representative of the newer Alder Lake S architecture, was launched in early 2022 and is aimed at the mainstream market as well as budget-conscious gamers.

Manufactured using the more advanced 10 nm (Intel 7) process, this processor has 4 cores and 8 threads. Although it has fewer physical cores, it benefits from the modern architecture and integrates 5 MB of Level 2 and 12 MB of Level 3 cache. It supports the faster PCIe 5.0, achieves a maximum memory bandwidth of 77 GB/s, and thus offers better future-proofing.

This F-processor does not have an integrated graphics unit. In single-core performance, the Intel Core i3-12100F significantly surpasses the Intel Core i7-8700K, with performance more than 10 percent higher. In multi-core performance, the picture is mixed: while the Intel Core i7-8700K achieves more than 10 percent higher performance in some scenarios, the Intel Core i3-12100F can catch up or even surpass it by more than 10 percent in other newer benchmarks.

For gaming, the Intel Core i3-12100F is the better choice due to its higher single-core performance and more modern architecture with PCIe 5.0. Regarding energy efficiency, the Intel Core i3-12100F is significantly more economical with a 58 Watt base TDP compared to the 95 Watt of the Intel Core i7-8700K.

The price-performance ratio of the new Intel Core i3-12100F surpasses that of the older, available used Intel Core i7-8700K.