Core i3-12100E vs Core i9-9880H

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i9-9880H

#205

Core i9-9880H

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core i9-9880H leads in gaming performance. However, the Core i3-12100E is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Core i3-12100E	Core i9-9880H
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	✨ Modern (Alder Lake-S (2022) / 10 nm)	✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-HR (2019) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i3-12100E	Core i9-9880H
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core i3-12100E Benchmark Check

Core i9-9880H Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-12100E and Core i9-9880H

Core i3-12100E

The Core i3-12100E 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 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 60 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 13,535 points. Launch price was $149.

Core i9-9880H

The Core i9-9880H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-HR (2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 13,531 points. Launch price was $556.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i3-12100E packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Core i9-9880H offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i9-9880H has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Core i3-12100E versus 4.8 GHz on the Core i9-9880H — a 13.3% clock advantage for the Core i9-9880H (base: 3.2 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Core i3-12100E uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (10 nm), while the Core i9-9880H uses Coffee Lake-HR (2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-12100E scores 13,535 against the Core i9-9880H's 13,531 — a 0% lead for the Core i3-12100E. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i3-12100E vs 16 MB (total) on the Core i9-9880H.

Feature	Core i3-12100E	Core i9-9880H
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	8 / 16+100%
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz	4.8 GHz+14%
Base Clock	3.2 GHz+39%	2.3 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	16 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+400%	256K (per core)
Process	10 nm-29%	14 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Coffee Lake-HR (2019)
PassMark	13,535	13,531
Geekbench 6 Single	1,594	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-12100E uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i9-9880H uses BGA1440 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i3-12100E	Core i9-9880H
Socket	LGA1700	BGA1440
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	✅	—
PCIe Lanes	20	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i3-12100E) / not specified (Core i9-9880H). The Core i3-12100E includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 730), while the Core i9-9880H requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-12100E targets Embedded. Direct competitor: Core i3-12100E rivals Ryzen Embedded V3000 Series.