Core i5-11500T vs Core i3-12100T

Core i5-11500T

6 Cores12 Thrd35 WWMax: 3.9 GHz2021

Core i3-12100T

4 Cores8 Thrd35 WWMax: 4.1 GHz2022

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-11500T

6 / 12

12,730

+1.9%

12,491

0.0%

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. 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 i5-11500T

#150

Ryzen 5 5500X3D

MSRP: $185|Avg: $180

106%

#151

Core Ultra 7 265T

MSRP: $384|Avg: $362

106%

#152

Ryzen 3 3200GE

MSRP: $85|Avg: $64

106%

#153

Core i3-9100T

MSRP: $122|Avg: $50

106%

#154

Ryzen 5 4600G

MSRP: $154|Avg: $143

105%

#155

Core i7-13700T

MSRP: $384|Avg: $250

105%

#156

Ryzen 9 5900X

MSRP: $549|Avg: $350

105%

#157

Core i7-13700F

MSRP: $359|Avg: $345

104%

#158

Core i5-13600T

MSRP: $255|Avg: $255

104%

#159

Ryzen 5 3400GE

MSRP: $149|Avg: $80

104%

#160

Core i7-12700F

MSRP: $314|Avg: $275

104%

#161

Core i5-9400

MSRP: $192|Avg: $85

104%

#162

Core i3-13100

MSRP: $134|Avg: $128

104%

#163

Core i9-10910

MSRP: $488|Avg: $200

101%

#164

Core i5-14600T

MSRP: $255|Avg: $255

101%

#165

Core i5-11500T

MSRP: $192|Avg: $120

100%

#166

Ryzen 7 5700X3D

MSRP: $249|Avg: $249

100%

#167

Ryzen 3 8300GE

MSRP: $129|Avg: $129

99%

#168

Core i3-13100T

MSRP: $134|Avg: $122

99%

#169

Core i5-10600T

MSRP: $213|Avg: $110

99%

#170

Ryzen 3 3200G

MSRP: $100|Avg: $67

98%

#171

Core Ultra 9 285

MSRP: $589|Avg: $550

98%

#172

Core i9-13900KS

MSRP: $699|Avg: $580

98%

#173

Ryzen 5 2400G

MSRP: $169|Avg: $84

98%

#174

Ryzen 9 9950X3D

MSRP: $699|Avg: $675

98%

#175

Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G

MSRP: $149|Avg: $105.5

98%

#176

Core i7-13700

MSRP: $384|Avg: $350

98%

#177

Athlon 200GE

MSRP: $55|Avg: $40

97%

#178

Core i5-13500E

MSRP: $235|Avg: $235

97%

#179

Core i5-12500E

MSRP: $225|Avg: $200

96%

#180

Core i9-11900

MSRP: $439|Avg: $220

96%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i3-12100T

#67

Ryzen 5 PRO 2600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $90

107%

#68

Ryzen 3 4100

MSRP: $99|Avg: $75

106%

#69

Ryzen 9 9900X

MSRP: $499|Avg: $370

106%

#70

Ryzen 5 7600

MSRP: $229|Avg: $185

105%

#71

Core i5-14490F

MSRP: $209|Avg: $190

105%

#72

Core i5-12600KF

MSRP: $264|Avg: $190

105%

#73

Core i5-13600KF

MSRP: $249|Avg: $258

105%

#74

Ryzen 5 5500GT

MSRP: $125|Avg: $130

104%

#75

Ryzen 7 1700

MSRP: $140|Avg: $185

76%

#75

Ryzen 7 PRO 4750G

MSRP: $309|Avg: $140

104%

#76

Ryzen 7 7700X

MSRP: $399|Avg: $249

103%

#77

Ryzen 9 5900XT

MSRP: $349|Avg: $311

102%

#78

Core i5-12500

MSRP: $212|Avg: $140

102%

#79

Core i5-14600K

MSRP: $329|Avg: $275

101%

#80

Ryzen 7 7700

MSRP: $329|Avg: $246

101%

#81

Core i5-13400F

MSRP: $196|Avg: $180

100%

#82

Core i3-12100T

MSRP: $125|Avg: $90

100%

#83

Core i7-11700F

MSRP: $298|Avg: $150

100%

#84

Core i3-10105F

MSRP: $97|Avg: $65

99%

#85

Core i5-9400T

MSRP: $182|Avg: $60

98%

#86

Core i7-12700KF

MSRP: $384|Avg: $250

98%

#87

Core i5-12490F

MSRP: $250|Avg: $150

98%

#88

Ryzen 5 5600GT

MSRP: $140|Avg: $150

98%

#89

Ryzen 5 PRO 5655G

MSRP: $146|Avg: $146

97%

#90

Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G

MSRP: $300|Avg: $180

97%

#91

Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G

MSRP: $209|Avg: $120

96%

#92

Ryzen 5 8600G

MSRP: $229|Avg: $190

96%

#93

Core i7-13700KF

MSRP: $384|Avg: $350

94%

#94

Ryzen 7 9700X

MSRP: $359|Avg: $285

94%

#95

Ryzen 9 7900

MSRP: $429|Avg: $370

94%

#96

Core Ultra 5 235T

MSRP: $247|Avg: $247

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core i3-12100T leads in gaming performance. However, the Core i5-11500T is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 1.9% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Core i5-11500T	Core i3-12100T
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($120)	✅ More affordable ($90)
Longevity	✨ Modern (Rocket Lake (2021) / 14 nm)	✨ Modern (Alder Lake-S (2022) / Intel 7 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: The Core i3-12100T leads not only in performance but also in value. It is effectively 25% cheaper ($90 vs $120) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Core i5-11500T	Core i3-12100T
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+31%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($120)	✅ More affordable ($90)

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 i5-11500T Benchmark Check

Core i3-12100T Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-11500T and Core i3-12100T

Core i5-11500T

The Core i5-11500T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 March 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Rocket Lake (2021) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 12,730 points. Launch price was $149.

Core i3-12100T

The Core i3-12100T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Janeiro 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 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): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 12,491 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-11500T packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i3-12100T offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i5-11500T has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.9 GHz on the Core i5-11500T versus 4.1 GHz on the Core i3-12100T — a 5% clock advantage for the Core i3-12100T (base: 1.5 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Core i5-11500T uses the Rocket Lake (2021) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i3-12100T uses Alder Lake-S (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-11500T scores 12,730 against the Core i3-12100T's 12,491 — a 1.9% lead for the Core i5-11500T. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,818 vs 2,102, a 14.5% lead for the Core i3-12100T that directly translates to higher frame rates. Both processors carry 12 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i5-11500T	Core i3-12100T
Cores / Threads	6 / 12+50%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.9 GHz	4.1 GHz+5%
Base Clock	1.5 GHz	2.2 GHz+47%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	12 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)+400%
Process	14 nm	Intel 7 nm-50%
Architecture	Rocket Lake (2021)	Alder Lake-S (2022)
PassMark	12,730+2%	12,491
Cinebench R23 Multi	9,500	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,818	2,102+16%
Geekbench 6 Multi	6,306	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-11500T uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Core i3-12100T uses LGA1700 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-11500T versus DDR5-4800 on the Core i3-12100T — the Core i3-12100T supports 22.2% 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. Both provide 20 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: H510,B560,Z590,Q570 (Core i5-11500T) and H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,Z790 (Core i3-12100T).

Feature	Core i5-11500T	Core i3-12100T
Socket	LGA1200	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR5-4800+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	❌	❌
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Only the Core i5-11500T supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support VT-x, VT-d, EPT virtualization. Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 750 (Core i5-11500T) and UHD Graphics 730 (Core i3-12100T) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-11500T targets Quiet Desktop / SFF, Core i3-12100T targets Low Power Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-11500T rivals Core i5-10500T; Core i3-12100T rivals Ryzen 3 5300GE.

Feature	Core i5-11500T	Core i3-12100T
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 750	UHD Graphics 730
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	Yes	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	Quiet Desktop / SFF	Low Power Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-11500T launched at $192 MSRP, while the Core i3-12100T debuted at $125. At current prices ($120 vs $90), the Core i3-12100T is $30 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-11500T delivers 106.1 pts/$ vs 138.8 pts/$ for the Core i3-12100T — making the Core i3-12100T the 26.7% better value option.