Ryzen 9 5900H
VS
Core i3-12100E

Ryzen 9 5900H vs Core i3-12100E

AMD

Ryzen 9 5900H

8 Cores16 Thrd45 WWMax: 4.6 GHz2021
VS
Intel

Core i3-12100E

4 Cores8 Thrd60 WWMax: 4.2 GHz2022

Performance Spectrum - CPU

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

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 Ryzen 9 5900H leads in gaming performance. However, the Core i3-12100E is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.2% greater multi-core processing power.
InsightRyzen 9 5900HCore 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 (Cezanne U (Zen 3) (2021−2022) / 7 nm)
✨ Modern (Alder Lake-S (2022) / 10 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

InsightRyzen 9 5900HCore 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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 9 5900H and Core i3-12100E

AMD

Ryzen 9 5900H

The Ryzen 9 5900H is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 January 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne U (Zen 3) (2021−2022) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 13,510 points. Launch price was $149.

Intel

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 Ryzen 9 5900H packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Core i3-12100E offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Ryzen 9 5900H has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5900H versus 4.2 GHz on the Core i3-12100E — a 9.1% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 5900H (base: 3.3 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Ryzen 9 5900H uses the Cezanne U (Zen 3) (2021−2022) architecture (7 nm), while the Core i3-12100E uses Alder Lake-S (2022) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 9 5900H scores 13,510 against the Core i3-12100E's 13,535 — a 0.2% lead for the Core i3-12100E. L3 cache: 16 MB on the Ryzen 9 5900H vs 12 MB (total) on the Core i3-12100E.

FeatureRyzen 9 5900HCore i3-12100E
Cores / Threads
8 / 16+100%
4 / 8
Boost Clock
4.6 GHz+10%
4.2 GHz
Base Clock
3.3 GHz+3%
3.2 GHz
L3 Cache
16 MB+33%
12 MB (total)
L2 Cache
4 MB+220%
1.25 MB (per core)
Process
7 nm-30%
10 nm
Architecture
Cezanne U (Zen 3) (2021−2022)
Alder Lake-S (2022)
PassMark
13,510
13,535
Geekbench 6 Single
1,594
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 9 5900H uses the FP6 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Core i3-12100E uses LGA1700 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureRyzen 9 5900HCore i3-12100E
Socket
FP6
LGA1700
PCIe Generation
PCIe 4.0
PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed
DDR5-4800
Max RAM Capacity
128 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
20
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Ryzen 9 5900H) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i3-12100E). The Core i3-12100E includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 730), while the Ryzen 9 5900H requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-12100E targets Embedded. Direct competitor: Core i3-12100E rivals Ryzen Embedded V3000 Series.

FeatureRyzen 9 5900HCore i3-12100E
Integrated GPU
Yes
IGPU Model
UHD Graphics 730
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use
Embedded