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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core 3 100HL

2024

Why buy it

✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-11600 across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (17,586 vs 17,912).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 57.5 vs 84.1 PassMark/$ ($306 MSRP vs $213 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-11600 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-11600.

Core i5-11600

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.8% higher average FPS across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $93 less on MSRP ($213 MSRP vs $306 MSRP).
✅Delivers 46.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 84.1 vs 57.5 PassMark/$ ($213 MSRP vs $306 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 750, while Core 3 100HL needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core 3 100HL moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Core 3 100HL

2024

Core i5-11600

2021

Why buy it

✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.8% higher average FPS across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $93 less on MSRP ($213 MSRP vs $306 MSRP).
✅Delivers 46.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 84.1 vs 57.5 PassMark/$ ($213 MSRP vs $306 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 750, while Core 3 100HL needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-11600 across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (17,586 vs 17,912).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 57.5 vs 84.1 PassMark/$ ($306 MSRP vs $213 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-11600 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-11600.

Trade-offs

❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core 3 100HL moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-11600 better than Core 3 100HL?

Yes. Core i5-11600 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 6.8% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data and 1.9% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-11600 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 6.8% more average FPS across 49 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-11600 is the better fit. You are getting 1.9% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i5-11600 is the smarter buy today. Core i5-11600 is $93 cheaper on MSRP at $213 MSRP versus $306 MSRP, and it gives you a 6.8% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 46.3% better value on MSRP (84.1 vs 57.5 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1700 + DDR5 setup, Core 3 100HL can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap, but on MSRP alone you would want to find it meaningfully cheaper in real-world listings before that path becomes easy to justify.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core 3 100HL is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2021) and a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA1200. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

Games Benchmarks

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 3 100HL Benchmark Check

Core i5-11600 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core 3 100HL	Core i5-11600
1080p
low	177 FPS	292 FPS
medium	144 FPS	258 FPS
high	119 FPS	217 FPS
ultra	97 FPS	186 FPS
1440p
low	144 FPS	239 FPS
medium	114 FPS	191 FPS
high	94 FPS	156 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	138 FPS
4K
low	79 FPS	166 FPS
medium	68 FPS	134 FPS
high	54 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	91 FPS

Open Core 3 100HL Open Core i5-11600

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core 3 100HL	Core i5-11600
1080p
low	201 FPS	448 FPS
medium	171 FPS	370 FPS
high	155 FPS	334 FPS
ultra	136 FPS	291 FPS
1440p
low	177 FPS	401 FPS
medium	155 FPS	325 FPS
high	143 FPS	296 FPS
ultra	123 FPS	257 FPS
4K
low	138 FPS	335 FPS
medium	125 FPS	275 FPS
high	118 FPS	252 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	211 FPS

Open Core 3 100HL Open Core i5-11600

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core 3 100HL	Core i5-11600
1080p
low	440 FPS	448 FPS
medium	440 FPS	448 FPS
high	440 FPS	448 FPS
ultra	440 FPS	448 FPS
1440p
low	440 FPS	448 FPS
medium	440 FPS	448 FPS
high	440 FPS	448 FPS
ultra	387 FPS	420 FPS
4K
low	439 FPS	448 FPS
medium	350 FPS	420 FPS
high	312 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	294 FPS

Open Core 3 100HL Open Core i5-11600

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core 3 100HL	Core i5-11600
1080p
low	440 FPS	448 FPS
medium	440 FPS	448 FPS
high	440 FPS	448 FPS
ultra	440 FPS	448 FPS
1440p
low	440 FPS	448 FPS
medium	440 FPS	448 FPS
high	440 FPS	448 FPS
ultra	440 FPS	448 FPS
4K
low	440 FPS	448 FPS
medium	440 FPS	448 FPS
high	440 FPS	448 FPS
ultra	391 FPS	426 FPS

Open Core 3 100HL Open Core i5-11600

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 3 100HL and Core i5-11600

Core 3 100HL

The Core 3 100HL is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 April 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-PS (2024) architecture. It features 8 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 17,586 points. Launch price was $299.

Core i5-11600

The Core i5-11600 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 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 17,912 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core 3 100HL packs 8 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i5-11600 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core 3 100HL has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core 3 100HL versus 4.8 GHz on the Core i5-11600 — a 4.3% clock advantage for the Core i5-11600 (base: 2.1 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Core 3 100HL uses the Raptor Lake-PS (2024) architecture (10 nm), while the Core i5-11600 uses Rocket Lake (2021) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core 3 100HL scores 17,586 against the Core i5-11600's 17,912 — a 1.8% lead for the Core i5-11600. Both processors carry 12 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core 3 100HL	Core i5-11600
Cores / Threads	8 / 12+33%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	4.8 GHz+4%
Base Clock	2.1 GHz	2.8 GHz+33%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	12 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+700%	256K (per core)
Process	10 nm-29%	14 nm
Architecture	Raptor Lake-PS (2024)	Rocket Lake (2021)
PassMark	17,586	17,912+2%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	10,500
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,130
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	8,000

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core 3 100HL uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i5-11600 uses LGA1200 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core 3 100HL	Core i5-11600
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1200
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	No
PCIe Lanes	—	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core 3 100HL) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-11600). The Core i5-11600 includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 750), while the Core 3 100HL requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-11600 targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-11600 rivals Ryzen 5 5600X.

Feature	Core 3 100HL	Core i5-11600
Integrated GPU	—	Yes
IGPU Model	—	UHD Graphics 750
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	Yes
Virtualization	—	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	—	Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

The Core 3 100HL launched at $306 MSRP, while the Core i5-11600 debuted at $213. On MSRP ($306 vs $213), the Core i5-11600 is $93 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core 3 100HL delivers 57.5 pts/$ vs 84.1 pts/$ for the Core i5-11600 — making the Core i5-11600 the 37.6% better value option.