How do the scores compare?

AMD Ryzen 5 9600X scores 65.7/100 overall; Intel Core i3-12100F scores 41/100. AMD Ryzen 5 9600X wins 15 individual spec rows, Intel Core i3-12100F wins 3.

What are the main differences between the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X and the Intel Core i3-12100F?

AMD Ryzen 5 9600X advantages: Stronger single-core score: 85 vs 55; Stronger multi-core score: 53 vs 34; 167% higher L3 cache: 32 MB vs 12 MB; 113% higher PassMark: 30,047 vs 14,100; 100% higher Max memory: 256 GB vs 128 GB. Intel Core i3-12100F advantages: 11% lower Base TDP: 58 W vs 65 W; Has Cooler included — the other doesn't; Lower launch price: $97 vs $279.

Which is cheaper: AMD Ryzen 5 9600X or Intel Core i3-12100F?

Intel Core i3-12100F launched cheaper at $97, versus $279 for the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X.

AMD Ryzen 5 9600X vs Intel Core i3-12100F

WINNER

AMD

AMD Ryzen 5 9600X

$279

Intel

Intel Core i3-12100F

$97

84.7Single-core55.3

52.5Multi-core34.2

66.6Gamingspec-based36

15 spec wins — AMD Ryzen 5 9600X3 spec wins — Intel Core i3-12100F

InnoReviews verdict

AMD Ryzen 5 9600X wins this desktop processor face-off, 65.7 to 41, pulling ahead mainly in single-core (+29) and multi-core (+18). Intel Core i3-12100F still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.

Which would you pick?

Key differences

Reasons to pick the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X

Stronger single-core score: 85 vs 55
Stronger multi-core score: 53 vs 34
167% higher L3 cache: 32 MB vs 12 MB
113% higher PassMark: 30,047 vs 14,100
100% higher Max memory: 256 GB vs 128 GB

Reasons to pick the Intel Core i3-12100F

11% lower Base TDP: 58 W vs 65 W
Has Cooler included — the other doesn't
Lower launch price: $97 vs $279

General

General comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 9600X versus Intel Core i3-12100F
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 9600X	Intel Core i3-12100F
Announced	2024	2022
Socket	AM5	LGA1700
Process	4 nm+60%	10 nm
Base TDP	65 W	58 W+11%
Max turbo power	88 W	89 W+1%
Unlocked multiplier	Yes	No
Cooler included	No	Yes

Cores & Clocks

Cores & Clocks comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 9600X versus Intel Core i3-12100F
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 9600X	Intel Core i3-12100F
Cores	6+50%	4
Performance cores	6+50%	4
Efficiency cores	0	0
Threads	12+50%	8
Base clock	3.9 GHz+18%	3.3 GHz
Boost clock	5.4 GHz+26%	4.3 GHz
L2 cache	6 MB+20%	5 MB
L3 cache	32 MB+167%	12 MB

Integrated GPU

Integrated GPU comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 9600X versus Intel Core i3-12100F
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 9600X	Intel Core i3-12100F
iGPU	AMD Radeon Graphics (2 CU RDNA 2)	—
iGPU clock	2,200 MHz	—

Memory

Memory comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 9600X versus Intel Core i3-12100F
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 9600X	Intel Core i3-12100F
Memory support	DDR5-5600	DDR5-4800 / DDR4-3200
Max memory	256 GB+100%	128 GB
Memory channels	2	2

Platform

Platform comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 9600X versus Intel Core i3-12100F
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 9600X	Intel Core i3-12100F
PCIe version	5	5
CPU PCIe lanes	28+40%	20

Benchmarks

Benchmarks comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 9600X versus Intel Core i3-12100F
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 9600X	Intel Core i3-12100F
Geekbench 6 (single)	—	2,050Top 48%
Geekbench 6 (multi)	—	6,700Bottom 34%
Cinebench R23 (single)	2,180+30%Top 13%	1,680Top 45%
Cinebench R23 (multi)	17,176+97%Top 35%	8,700Bottom 29%
PassMark	30,047+113%Top 40%	14,100Bottom 24%

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