Intel Processor N97 vs Intel Core i3-2120 Benchmark, comparison and differences


Intel Processor N97		Intel Core i3-2120
CPU comparison In this CPU comparison, we compare the Intel Processor N97 and the Intel Core i3-2120 and use benchmarks to check which processor is faster. We compare the Intel Processor N97 4 core processor released in Q1/2023 with the Intel Core i3-2120 which has 2 CPU cores and was introduced in Q1/2011.

Intel Processor N (5)	Family	Intel Core i3 (205)
Intel Processor N50/N100/N200 (5)	CPU group	Intel Core i 2000 (28)
13	Generation	2
Alder Lake N	Architecture	Sandy Bridge S
Mobile	Segment	Desktop / Server
--	Predecessor	--
--	Successor	--

CPU Cores and Base Frequency The Intel Processor N97 is a 4 core processor with a clock frequency of 2.00 GHz (3.60 GHz). The processor can compute 4 threads at the same time. The Intel Core i3-2120 clocks with 3.30 GHz, has 2 CPU cores and can calculate 4 threads in parallel.
Intel Processor N97	Characteristic	Intel Core i3-2120
4	Cores	2
4	Threads	4
normal	Core architecture	normal
No	Hyperthreading	Yes
No	Overclocking ?	No
2.00 GHz	Frequency	3.30 GHz
3.60 GHz	Turbo Frequency (1 Core)	--
3.40 GHz	Turbo Frequency (All Cores)	--

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Processors with the support of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) can process many calculations, especially audio, image and video processing, much faster than classic processors. Algorithms for ML improve their performance the more data they have collected via software. ML tasks can be processed up to 10,000 times faster than with a classic processor.
Intel Processor N97	Characteristic	Intel Core i3-2120
--	AI hardware	--
--	AI specifications	--

Internal Graphics Graphics (iGPU) integrated into the processor not only enable image output without having to rely on a dedicated graphics solution, but can also efficiently accelerate video playback.
Intel UHD Graphics 24 EUs (Alder Lake)	GPU	Intel HD Graphics 2000
1.20 GHz	GPU frequency	0.85 GHz
--	GPU (Turbo)	1.10 GHz
12	GPU Generation	6
10 nm	Technology	32 nm
3	Max. displays	2
24	Compute units	6
192	Shader	48
No	Hardware Raytracing	No
No	Frame Generation	No
8 GB	Max. GPU Memory	2 GB
12	DirectX Version	10.1

Hardware codec support A photo or video codec that is accelerated in hardware can greatly accelerate the working speed of a processor and extend the battery life of notebooks or smartphones when playing videos.
Intel UHD Graphics 24 EUs (Alder Lake)	GPU	Intel HD Graphics 2000
Decode / Encode	Codec h265 / HEVC (8 bit)	No
Decode / Encode	Codec h265 / HEVC (10 bit)	No
Decode / Encode	Codec h264	Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode	Codec VP9	No
Decode / Encode	Codec VP8	No
Decode	Codec AV1	No
Decode / Encode	Codec AVC	Decode / Encode
Decode	Codec VC-1	Decode
Decode / Encode	Codec JPEG	No

Memory & PCIe Up to 16 GB of memory in a maximum of 1 memory channels is supported by the Intel Processor N97, while the Intel Core i3-2120 supports a maximum of 32 GB of memory with a maximum memory bandwidth of 21.3 GB/s enabled.
Intel Processor N97	Characteristic	Intel Core i3-2120
LPDDR5-4800, DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	Memory	DDR3-1333
16 GB	Max. Memory	32 GB
1 (Single Channel)	Memory channels	2 (Dual Channel)
38.4 GB/s	Max. Bandwidth	21.3 GB/s
No	ECC	No
4.00 MB	L2 Cache	--
6.00 MB	L3 Cache	3.00 MB
3.0	PCIe version	2.0
9	PCIe lanes	16
8.9 GB/s	PCIe Bandwidth	8.0 GB/s
Thermal Management The Intel Processor N97 has a TDP of 12 W. The TDP of the Intel Core i3-2120 is 65 W. System integrators use the TDP of the processor as a guide when dimensioning the cooling solution.
Intel Processor N97	Characteristic	Intel Core i3-2120
12 W	TDP (PL1 / PBP)	65 W
--	TDP (PL2)	--
--	TDP up	--
--	TDP down	--
105 °C	Tjunction max.	--
Technical details The Intel Processor N97 has 10.00 MB cache and is manufactured in 10 nm. The cache of Intel Core i3-2120 is at 3.00 MB. The processor is manufactured in 32 nm.
Intel Processor N97	Characteristic	Intel Core i3-2120
10 nm	Technology	32 nm
Monolithic	Chip design	Monolithic
x86-64 (64 bit)	Instruction set (ISA)	x86-64 (64 bit)
SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX, AVX2	ISA extensions	SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX
BGA	Socket	LGA 1155
VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d	Virtualization	VT-x, VT-x EPT
Yes	AES-NI	Yes
Windows 10, Windows 11, Linux	Operating systems	Windows 10, Linux
Q1/2023	Release date	Q1/2011
--	Release price	120 $

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Intel Processor N97 4C 4T @ 2.00 GHz (3.60 GHz) buy now on Amazon and save! Intel Core i3-2120 2C 4T @ 3.30 GHz buy now on Amazon and save!

Rate these processors

Average performance in benchmarks

⌀ Single core performance in 1 CPU benchmarks

Intel Processor N97 (100%)

Intel Core i3-2120 (43%)

⌀ Multi core performance in 2 CPU benchmarks

Intel Processor N97 (100%)

Intel Core i3-2120 (35%)

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

Geekbench 6 is a benchmark for modern computers, notebooks and smartphones. What is new is an optimized utilization of newer CPU architectures, e.g. based on the big.LITTLE concept and combining CPU cores of different sizes. The single-core benchmark only evaluates the performance of the fastest CPU core, the number of CPU cores in a processor is irrelevant here.


	Intel Processor N97 4C 4T @ 3.60 GHz	1237 (100%)
	Intel Core i3-2120 2C 4T @ 3.30 GHz	534 (43%)

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

Geekbench 6 is a benchmark for modern computers, notebooks and smartphones. What is new is an optimized utilization of newer CPU architectures, e.g. based on the big.LITTLE concept and combining CPU cores of different sizes. The multi-core benchmark evaluates the performance of all of the processor's CPU cores. Virtual thread improvements such as AMD SMT or Intel's Hyper-Threading have a positive impact on the benchmark result.


	Intel Processor N97 4C 4T @ 3.40 GHz	3051 (100%)
	Intel Core i3-2120 2C 4T @ 3.30 GHz	1140 (37%)

iGPU - FP32 Performance (Single-precision GFLOPS)

The theoretical computing performance of the internal graphics unit of the processor with simple accuracy (32 bit) in GFLOPS. GFLOPS indicates how many billion floating point operations the iGPU can perform per second.


	Intel Processor N97 Intel UHD Graphics 24 EUs (Alder Lake) @ 1.20 GHz	461 (100%)
	Intel Core i3-2120 Intel HD Graphics 2000 @ 1.10 GHz	106 (23%)

Estimated results for PassMark CPU Mark

Some of the CPUs listed below have been benchmarked by CPU-monkey. However the majority of CPUs have not been tested and the results have been estimated by a CPU-monkey’s secret proprietary formula. As such they do not accurately reflect the actual Passmark CPU mark values and are not endorsed by PassMark Software Pty Ltd.


	Intel Processor N97 4C 4T @ 3.40 GHz	6057 (100%)
	Intel Core i3-2120 2C 4T @ 3.30 GHz	1945 (32%)

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Single-Core)

Geekbench 5 is a cross plattform benchmark that heavily uses the systems memory. A fast memory will push the result a lot. The single-core test only uses one CPU core, the amount of cores or hyperthreading ability doesn't count.


	Intel Processor N97 4C 4T @ 3.60 GHz	0 (0%)
	Intel Core i3-2120 2C 4T @ 3.30 GHz	668 (100%)

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Geekbench 5 is a cross plattform benchmark that heavily uses the systems memory. A fast memory will push the result a lot. The multi-core test involves all CPU cores and taks a big advantage of hyperthreading.


	Intel Processor N97 4C 4T @ 3.40 GHz	0 (0%)
	Intel Core i3-2120 2C 4T @ 3.30 GHz	1478 (100%)

CPU-Z Benchmark 17 (Single-Core)

The CPU-Z benchmark measures a processor's performance by measuring the time it takes the system to complete all benchmark calculations. The faster the benchmark is completed, the higher the score.


	Intel Processor N97 4C 4T @ 3.40 GHz	0 (0%)
	Intel Core i3-2120 2C 4T @ 3.30 GHz	268 (100%)

CPU-Z Benchmark 17 (Multi-Core)

The CPU-Z benchmark measures a processor's performance by measuring the time it takes the system to complete all benchmark calculations. The faster the benchmark is completed, the higher the score.


	Intel Processor N97 4C 4T @ 2.00 GHz	0 (0%)
	Intel Core i3-2120 2C 4T @ 3.30 GHz	783 (100%)

Devices using this processor
Intel Processor N97	Intel Core i3-2120
Unknown	Unknown


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Intel Processor N97 vs Intel Core i3-2120

CPU comparison with benchmarks

CPU comparison

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

Internal Graphics

Hardware codec support

Memory & PCIe

Thermal Management

Technical details