Core i3-12100 vs Ryzen 5 7235HS

Core i3-12100 vs Ryzen 5 7235HS Performance Spectrum

Core i3-12100

4 / 8

12,315

0.0%

12,379

+0.5%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

About PassMark

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Core i3-12100 vs Ryzen 5 7235HS FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core i3-12100 vs Ryzen 5 7235HS: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core i3-12100

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +19.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 730, while Ryzen 5 7235HS needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 5 7235HS.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (12,315 vs 12,379).
❌Launch MSRP is still $122 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 7235HS mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌33.3% higher power demand at 60W vs 45W.

Ryzen 5 7235HS

2023

Why buy it

✅+0.5% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 45W instead of 60W, a 15W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i3-12100 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 12 MB).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i3-12100 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i3-12100.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 7235HS better than Core i3-12100?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i3-12100 is ahead with a 19.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 7235HS pulls ahead with 0.5% better PassMark. Core i3-12100 also has the bigger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 7235HS is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Ryzen 5 7235HS is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i3-12100 is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Ryzen 5 7235HS comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $122 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.5% better PassMark. The compromise is that Core i3-12100 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 19.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i3-12100 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (100.9 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen 5 7235HS makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 8 threads instead of 4/8. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i3-12100 vs Ryzen 5 7235HS Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Core i3-12100

The Core i3-12100 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 60 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 12,315 points. Launch price was $149.

Ryzen 5 7235HS

The Ryzen 5 7235HS is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Rembrandt-R (2023−2025) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 6 nm process technology. Socket: FP7. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 12,379 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i3-12100 and Ryzen 5 7235HS share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i3-12100 versus 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 7235HS — a 2.4% clock advantage for the Core i3-12100 (base: 3.3 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Core i3-12100 uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 5 7235HS uses Rembrandt-R (2023−2025) (6 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-12100 scores 12,315 against the Ryzen 5 7235HS's 12,379 — a 0.5% lead for the Ryzen 5 7235HS. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i3-12100 vs 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 7235HS.

Feature	Core i3-12100	Ryzen 5 7235HS
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz+2%	4.2 GHz
Base Clock	3.3 GHz+3%	3.2 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)+50%	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+150%	512 kB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	6 nm-14%
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Rembrandt-R (2023−2025)
PassMark	12,315	12,379
Geekbench 6 Single	2,157	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i3-12100 uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 5 7235HS uses FP7 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i3-12100	Ryzen 5 7235HS
Socket	LGA1700	FP7
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	20	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i3-12100) / not specified (Ryzen 5 7235HS). The Core i3-12100 includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 730), while the Ryzen 5 7235HS requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-12100 targets Budget Gaming Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i3-12100 rivals Ryzen 5 5500.