Core i3-4100E vs Core i5-12400F

Core i3-4100E

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 2.4 GHz2013

Core i5-12400F

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2022

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i3-4100E

2 / 4

1,848

0.0%

19,532

+956.9%

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. The Core i3-4100E is positioned at rank #1127 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. 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 Core i3-4100E

#1114

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

3574%

#1115

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

3521%

#1116

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

3233%

#1117

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

3218%

#1118

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

3189%

#1120

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

3079%

#1121

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

2952%

#1122

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

2948%

#1123

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

2868%

#1126

Pentium Dual Core T4300

MSRP: $150|Avg: $99

100%

#1127

Core i3-4100E

MSRP: $225|Avg: $30

100%

#1128

Core i7-3520M

MSRP: $346|Avg: N/A

100%

#1129

Core i3-2310E

MSRP: $225|Avg: $20

100%

#1130

Core i5-2510E

MSRP: $230|Avg: $30

100%

#1131

Core m5-6Y54

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

99%

#1133

Core i3-2330E

MSRP: $225|Avg: $10

99%

#1134

Core i5-4288U

MSRP: $342|Avg: N/A

95%

#1135

Core m3-6Y30

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

95%

#1136

Core i3-2340UE

MSRP: $200|Avg: $200

94%

#1137

Core i7-2820QM

MSRP: $568|Avg: N/A

94%

#1138

Core i5-520M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

94%

#1140

Celeron 807

MSRP: $70|Avg: $10

93%

#1141

Pentium B950

MSRP: $134|Avg: $35

93%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-12400F

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

121%

#16

Core Ultra 5 225F

MSRP: $231|Avg: $150

118%

#17

Core Ultra 7 265K

MSRP: $309|Avg: $285

116%

#18

Ryzen 9 3900

MSRP: $499|Avg: $150

115%

#19

Ryzen 5 3600X

MSRP: $249|Avg: $90

113%

#20

Core i7-14700KF

MSRP: $384|Avg: $260

113%

#21

Core i7-14700K

MSRP: $409|Avg: $270

109%

#22

Ryzen 5 4500

MSRP: $129|Avg: $85

106%

#23

Ryzen 5 5600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $115

106%

#24

Celeron G5925

MSRP: $62|Avg: $15

105%

#25

Ryzen 5 7500F

MSRP: $179|Avg: $145

104%

#26

Core Ultra 5 245

MSRP: $319|Avg: $220

103%

#27

Ryzen 7 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $86

102%

#28

Core Ultra 7 265KF

MSRP: $379|Avg: $323

102%

#29

Core Ultra 7 265F

MSRP: $369|Avg: $276

100%

#30

Core i5-12400F

MSRP: $174|Avg: $110

100%

#31

Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G

MSRP: $130|Avg: $80

99%

#32

Ryzen 7 2700X

MSRP: $329|Avg: $100

98%

#33

Core i3-10100F

MSRP: $88|Avg: $50

98%

#34

Ryzen 5 7400F

MSRP: $150|Avg: $147

98%

#35

Ryzen 5 9600X

MSRP: $279|Avg: $178

95%

#36

Ryzen 7 3800X

MSRP: $399|Avg: $140

93%

#37

Ryzen 3 5300G

MSRP: $130|Avg: $80

92%

#38

Ryzen 9 7900X

MSRP: $549|Avg: $316

91%

#39

Ryzen 5 5600X

MSRP: $299|Avg: $135

91%

#40

Core i5-14600KF

MSRP: $304|Avg: $239

91%

#41

Ryzen 7 5800

MSRP: $349|Avg: $160

91%

#42

Core i3-14100F

MSRP: $109|Avg: $96

90%

#43

Ryzen 7 3700X

MSRP: $329|Avg: $140

90%

#44

Ryzen 5 7600X

MSRP: $299|Avg: $178

90%

#45

Ryzen 3 3100

MSRP: $99|Avg: $75

90%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Core i5-12400F (2022) utilizes Intel 7 nm technology and DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Core i3-4100E	Core i5-12400F
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	✅ More affordable ($30)	⚠️ Higher cost ($110)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm)	✨ Modern (Alder Lake-S (2022) / Intel 7 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i3-4100E (2013) relies on 22 nm technology and DDR3, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Core i3-4100E	Core i5-12400F
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+188%)
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($30)	⚠️ Higher cost ($110)

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 i3-4100E Benchmark Check

Core i5-12400F Benchmark Check

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-4100E and Core i5-12400F

Core i3-4100E

The Core i3-4100E is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1364. Thermal design power (TDP): 512 kB + 3 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,848 points. Launch price was $225.

Core i5-12400F

The Core i5-12400F 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 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 19,532 points. Launch price was $180.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i3-4100E packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i5-12400F offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i5-12400F has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the Core i3-4100E versus 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F — a 58.8% clock advantage for the Core i5-12400F (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Core i3-4100E uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i5-12400F uses Alder Lake-S (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-4100E scores 1,848 against the Core i5-12400F's 19,532 — a 165.4% lead for the Core i5-12400F. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 550 vs 1,700, a 102.2% lead for the Core i5-12400F that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-4100E vs 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F.

Feature	Core i3-4100E	Core i5-12400F
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	6 / 12+200%
Boost Clock	2.4 GHz	4.4 GHz+83%
Base Clock	2.4 GHz	2.5 GHz+4%
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)	18 MB (total)+500%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)+400%
Process	22 nm	Intel 7 nm-68%
Architecture	Haswell (2013−2015)	Alder Lake-S (2022)
PassMark	1,848	19,532+957%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	12,380
Geekbench 6 Single	550	1,700+209%
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	657

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-4100E uses the BGA1364 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-12400F uses LGA1700 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3L-1600 on the Core i3-4100E versus DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-12400F — the Core i5-12400F supports 50% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i5-12400F supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 155.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i3-4100E) vs 20 (Core i5-12400F) — the Core i5-12400F offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: QM87,HM86,HM87 (Core i3-4100E) and H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F).

Feature	Core i3-4100E	Core i5-12400F
Socket	BGA1364	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3L-1600	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200+67%
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	128 GB+700%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	✅	❌
PCIe Lanes	16	20+25%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both support VT-x, VT-d, EPT virtualization. The Core i3-4100E includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 4600), while the Core i5-12400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-4100E targets Embedded, Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i3-4100E rivals Embedded R-Series; Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i3-4100E	Core i5-12400F
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	HD Graphics 4600	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	Embedded	Gaming Performance/Value

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i3-4100E launched at $225 MSRP, while the Core i5-12400F debuted at $174. At current prices ($30 vs $110), the Core i3-4100E is $80 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i3-4100E delivers 61.6 pts/$ vs 177.6 pts/$ for the Core i5-12400F — making the Core i5-12400F the 97% better value option.