The Core i3-12100 is a clear winner – it's at least 2x faster gaming CPU than the Core i7-3970X and it's also a much better value for money, as it's $82.89 cheaper!
Advantages of the Core i3-12100
- At least 2x faster CPU for gaming
- Up to 47% cheaper – $92.11 vs $175.00
- A much better value for money for gaming
- Consumes up to 60% less energy – 60 vs 150 Watts
- Can run games without a dedicated GPU as it has integrated graphics
Advantages of the Core i7-3970X
- Can execute more multi-threaded tasks simultaneously – 12 vs 8 threads
Core i3-12100 vs Core i7-3970X for Gaming
The CPU's performance in selected game and settings
Core i3-12100
Jan 4th, 2022
Average FPS
202
100%
Min 1% FPS
133
100%
Price, $
$92.11
100%
Value, $/FPS
$0.45/FPS
100%
Core i3-12100 vs Core i7-3970X in My Games
The FPS you'll get in saved games, click on a game to change it
The FPS you'll get in saved games, click on a game to change it
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Synthetic Benchmarks
The Core i3-12100 vs Core i7-3970X in synthetic CPU benchmarks
Performance Specifications
The Core i3-12100 vs Core i7-3970X in core CPU performance specifications
Core i3-12100
Jan 4th, 2022
Cores
4-core
67%
L3 Cache
12 MB
80%
Base Frequency
3.3 GHz
94%
Turbo Frequency
4.3 GHz
100%
Max. DDR5 RAM Speed
4800 MHz
100%
Core i7-3970X
Nov 1st, 2012
Cores
6-core
100%
L3 Cache
15 MB
100%
Base Frequency
3.5 GHz
100%
Turbo Frequency
4 GHz
93%
Max. DDR3 RAM Speed
1600 MHz
33%
Specifications
Comparison of all specifications
Core i3-12100 | SpecificationsComparison of all specifications | Core i7-3970X |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
Jan 4th, 2022 | Release Date | Nov 1st, 2012 |
$122.00 | MSRP | $990.00 |
Desktop | Segment | Desktop |
| Intel Socket 1700 | Socket | Intel Socket 2011 |
| Alder Lake | Codename | Sandy Bridge E |
60 W | Power Consumption | 150 W |
| Performance | ||
| 4 | Cores | 6 |
| 8 | Threads | 12 |
| 3.3 GHz | Base Frequency | 3.5 GHz |
4.3 GHz | Turbo Frequency | 4.0 GHz |
| 12 MB | L3 Cache | 15 MB |
| Other Features | ||
| DDR4 @ 3200 MHz, DDR5 @ 4800 MHz | RAM | DDR3 @ 1600 MHz |
UHD Graphics 730 | Integrated Graphics | No |
| No | Overclockable | Yes |
