FPSVersusCore i3-12100 vs Core i5-10500
Performance score
Core i3-12100 and Core i5-10500 are almost equally fast (under 3% apart) — choose by price, socket and platform.
Different sockets (LGA1700 and LGA1200) — switching between them needs a different motherboard.
The score is our own estimate from the specs (cores, threads, clocks, architecture generation), not a benchmark run. 100 = the fastest CPU in our database.
Real tests
What the test measures
Blender is a popular free 3D graphics program. The test makes the device render three ready-made 3D scenes (light, shadows, reflections) and counts how many render passes it finishes per minute. The higher the number, the faster the device handles heavy work: 3D, video editing, photo processing. On a CPU the test loads all cores at once, so it shows the chip's full power; on a graphics card it shows its compute strength.
Median of real test runs on users' computers. It does not show FPS in games. Data updated: 31.10.2026.
Overview
| Core i3-12100 | Core i5-10500 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score (0–100) | 25.88 | 25.26 |
| Ranking position | 363 | 375 |
| Power efficiency (0–100) | 22.54 | 20.31 |
| Type | Desktop | Desktop |
| Manufacturer | Intel | Intel |
| Architecture | Alder Lake | Comet Lake |
| Release date | Q1 2022 | Q2 2020 |
Specifications
| Core i3-12100 | Core i5-10500 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 4 | 6 |
| Threads | 8 | 12 |
| Base clock | no data | 3.1 GHz |
| Boost clock | 4.3 GHz | 4.5 GHz |
| L3 cache | 12 MB | 12 MB |
| Process node | Intel 7 | 14 nm |
| Unlocked multiplier | no | no |
| Integrated graphics | Intel UHD Graphics 730 | Intel UHD Graphics 630 |
| NPU (AI accelerator) | no | no |
Compatibility
| Core i3-12100 | Core i5-10500 | |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1700 | LGA1200 |
| TDP | 60 W | 65 W |
Memory and PCI Express
| Core i3-12100 | Core i5-10500 | |
|---|---|---|
| Memory type | DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 | DDR4-2666 |
| Memory channels | 2 | 2 |
| Max memory | 128 GB | 128 GB |
| PCI Express version | 5.0 | 3.0 |
| PCIe lanes | 20 | 16 |
Pros and cons
Core i3-12100
- 28% faster single core
- lower TDP: 60 W vs 65 W
- newer: released in 2022
Core i5-10500
- more cores: 6 vs 4
- more threads: 12 vs 8
Other comparisons
Visitor rating
Questions and comments
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