Core i9-9880H vs Core i3-12100E

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 i9-9880H

#205

Core i9-9880H

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar

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

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i9-9880H	Core i3-12100E
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 i9-9880H Benchmark Check

Core i3-12100E Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

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

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.

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.

⚡

Processing Power

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

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

🧠

Memory & Platform

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

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

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i9-9880H) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i3-12100E). 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.