Core i3-12100E vs Ryzen 3 3300X

Core i3-12100E vs Ryzen 3 3300X Performance Spectrum

Core i3-12100E

4 / 8

13,535

+0.8%

13,425

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7945WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX

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 i3-12100E vs Ryzen 3 3300X 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 i3-12100E vs Ryzen 3 3300X: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i3-12100E

2022

Why buy it

✅+0.8% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 60W instead of 65W, a 5W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 730, while Ryzen 3 3300X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 3 3300X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).

Ryzen 3 3300X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (13,425 vs 13,535).
❌Launch MSRP is still $120 MSRP, while Core i3-12100E mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core i3-12100E moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i3-12100E can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i3-12100E better than Ryzen 3 3300X?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Ryzen 3 3300X is ahead with a 4.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-12100E pulls ahead with 0.8% better PassMark. Ryzen 3 3300X also has the bigger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-12100E is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads.

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

Core i3-12100E is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 3 3300X is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Core i3-12100E comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $120 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.8% better PassMark. The compromise is that Ryzen 3 3300X is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 4.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 3 3300X is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (111.9 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible AM4 + DDR4 setup, Ryzen 3 3300X can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap, but on MSRP alone you would want to find it meaningfully cheaper in real-world listings before that path becomes easy to justify.

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

Core i3-12100E makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2020), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of AM4, and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 8 threads instead of 4/8. That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Core i3-12100E vs Ryzen 3 3300X Technical Specifications

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

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.

Ryzen 3 3300X

The Ryzen 3 3300X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 24 April 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 13,425 points. Launch price was $120.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i3-12100E and Ryzen 3 3300X share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Core i3-12100E versus 4.3 GHz on the Ryzen 3 3300X — a 2.4% clock advantage for the Ryzen 3 3300X (base: 3.2 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The Core i3-12100E uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (10 nm), while the Ryzen 3 3300X uses Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-12100E scores 13,535 against the Ryzen 3 3300X's 13,425 — a 0.8% lead for the Core i3-12100E. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i3-12100E vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 3 3300X.

Feature	Core i3-12100E	Ryzen 3 3300X
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz	4.3 GHz+2%
Base Clock	3.2 GHz	3.8 GHz+19%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	16 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	512K (per core)+40860%
Process	10 nm	7 nm-30%
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020)
PassMark	13,535	13,425
Geekbench 6 Single	1,594	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i3-12100E uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 3 3300X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800 on the Core i3-12100E versus DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 3 3300X — the Core i3-12100E supports 50% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i3-12100E) vs 24 (Ryzen 3 3300X) — the Ryzen 3 3300X offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,W680,Q670,R680E (Core i3-12100E) and AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 3 3300X).

Feature	Core i3-12100E	Ryzen 3 3300X
Socket	LGA1700	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800+50%	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	20	24+20%

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i3-12100E) / not specified (Ryzen 3 3300X). The Core i3-12100E includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 730), while the Ryzen 3 3300X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-12100E targets Embedded. Direct competitor: Core i3-12100E rivals Ryzen Embedded V3000 Series.