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 i3-12100

2022

Why buy it

✅+17.1% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen Z2 Go.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $122 MSRP, while Ryzen Z2 Go mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌2900% higher power demand at 60W vs 2W.

Ryzen Z2 Go

2025

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 60W, a 58W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,842 vs 2,157).
❌Lower PassMark (12,188 vs 12,315).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 12 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i3-12100.

Core i3-12100

2022

Ryzen Z2 Go

2025

Why buy it

✅+17.1% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen Z2 Go.

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 60W, a 58W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $122 MSRP, while Ryzen Z2 Go mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌2900% higher power demand at 60W vs 2W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,842 vs 2,157).
❌Lower PassMark (12,188 vs 12,315).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 12 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i3-12100.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i3-12100 better than Ryzen Z2 Go?

Yes. Core i3-12100 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 2.4% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data and 1% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i3-12100 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 2.4% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-12100 is the better fit. You are getting 1% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).

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

Core i3-12100 is the smarter buy today. Core i3-12100 is at an unclear MSRP at $122 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 2.4% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (100.9 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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

Ryzen Z2 Go is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2022). 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 i3-12100 Benchmark Check

Ryzen Z2 Go Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i3-12100	Ryzen Z2 Go
1080p
low	174 FPS	176 FPS
medium	151 FPS	139 FPS
high	121 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	101 FPS	89 FPS
1440p
low	149 FPS	145 FPS
medium	124 FPS	113 FPS
high	98 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	73 FPS
4K
low	80 FPS	77 FPS
medium	73 FPS	65 FPS
high	57 FPS	52 FPS
ultra	44 FPS	40 FPS

Open Core i3-12100 Open Ryzen Z2 Go

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i3-12100	Ryzen Z2 Go
1080p
low	278 FPS	286 FPS
medium	240 FPS	241 FPS
high	219 FPS	216 FPS
ultra	187 FPS	184 FPS
1440p
low	243 FPS	249 FPS
medium	213 FPS	213 FPS
high	198 FPS	194 FPS
ultra	168 FPS	163 FPS
4K
low	190 FPS	195 FPS
medium	171 FPS	172 FPS
high	145 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	120 FPS	119 FPS

Open Core i3-12100 Open Ryzen Z2 Go

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i3-12100	Ryzen Z2 Go
1080p
low	308 FPS	305 FPS
medium	308 FPS	305 FPS
high	308 FPS	305 FPS
ultra	308 FPS	305 FPS
1440p
low	308 FPS	305 FPS
medium	308 FPS	305 FPS
high	308 FPS	305 FPS
ultra	308 FPS	305 FPS
4K
low	308 FPS	305 FPS
medium	308 FPS	305 FPS
high	308 FPS	277 FPS
ultra	266 FPS	220 FPS

Open Core i3-12100 Open Ryzen Z2 Go

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i3-12100	Ryzen Z2 Go
1080p
low	308 FPS	305 FPS
medium	308 FPS	305 FPS
high	308 FPS	305 FPS
ultra	308 FPS	305 FPS
1440p
low	308 FPS	305 FPS
medium	308 FPS	305 FPS
high	308 FPS	305 FPS
ultra	308 FPS	305 FPS
4K
low	308 FPS	305 FPS
medium	308 FPS	305 FPS
high	308 FPS	305 FPS
ultra	308 FPS	305 FPS

Open Core i3-12100 Open Ryzen Z2 Go

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-12100 and Ryzen Z2 Go

Core i3-12100

The Core i3-12100 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 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 60 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 12,315 points. Launch price was $149.

Ryzen Z2 Go

The Ryzen Z2 Go is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Rembrandt R (2025) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 6 nm process technology. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB + 8 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 12,188 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i3-12100 and Ryzen Z2 Go share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i3-12100 versus 4.3 GHz on the Ryzen Z2 Go — identical boost frequencies (base: 3.3 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core i3-12100 uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen Z2 Go uses Rembrandt R (2025) (6 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-12100 scores 12,315 against the Ryzen Z2 Go's 12,188 — a 1% lead for the Core i3-12100. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,157 vs 1,842, a 15.8% lead for the Core i3-12100 that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i3-12100 vs 8 MB on the Ryzen Z2 Go.

Feature	Core i3-12100	Ryzen Z2 Go
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	4.3 GHz
Base Clock	3.3 GHz+10%	3 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)+50%	8 MB
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	2 MB+60%
Process	Intel 7 nm	6 nm-14%
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Rembrandt R (2025)
PassMark	12,315+1%	12,188
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	5,802
Geekbench 6 Single	2,157+17%	1,842
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	6,073

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both support up to DDR5-4800 memory speed. The Core i3-12100 supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i3-12100) vs 16 (Ryzen Z2 Go) — the Core i3-12100 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,Z790 (Core i3-12100) and Rembrandt-R (Ryzen Z2 Go).

Feature	Core i3-12100	Ryzen Z2 Go
Socket	LGA1700	—
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800	LPDDR5-6400
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+100%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20+25%	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i3-12100) vs SVM (Ryzen Z2 Go). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 730 (Core i3-12100) and Radeon 680M (Ryzen Z2 Go) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-12100 targets Budget Gaming Desktop, Ryzen Z2 Go targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core i3-12100 rivals Ryzen 5 5500; Ryzen Z2 Go rivals Core Ultra 5 135U.