Whereas we right here at AnandTech are typically targeted on the high-end of Intel’s Core CPU product stacks, the corporate has a much more complete lineup than we sometimes have the time to try. There are the flagship fashions, after all, such because the Core i9-13900K and KS SKUs, which characteristic the best core counts, clockspeeds, and help for overclocking. In the meantime for customers requiring fewer cores however nonetheless need different efficiency, Intel additionally has its Core i7 and Core i5 sequence with many various SKUs, together with some enthusiast-aimed Ok-series components.

Getting away from these fanatic components although, Intel has a big variety of vanilla, non-Ok sequence chips. These components sometimes provide a greater stability of efficiency, energy consumption, and effectivity at each degree. That is additionally the place you may discover Intel’s most cost-effective components– which do not have fanatic variations – the Core i3 sequence. Aimed on the entry-level market, the i3 components are constructed round 4 Efficiency (P) cores, dropping the effectivity cores in change for providing entry-level customers a less expensive various for non-critical and fewer demanding duties.

For this era Intel technically solely gives a single i3 tier, the i3-13100, which is additional damaged up into three configurations: the bottom model, the 35W TDP sion (i3-13100T), and at last a model with out working built-in graphics, the i3-13100F. As we speak we’re looking on the latter of these chips, which at an MSRP of $109 is the only most cost-effective chip within the thirteenth era Core lineup, making it the true entry-level half for this era.

From a {hardware} perspective, the Core i3-13100F gives 4 P cores with a most turbo frequency of 4.5GHz, that are backed by 12 MB of L3 cache. As beforehand famous, the one characteristic distinction for this half is that the Core i3-13100F does not embrace the built-in graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 730) usually discovered on the i3-13100, and because of this it is meant to be used with discrete graphics.

As the most cost effective of Intel’s thirteenth era Core sequence SKUs, is there any actual worth to be discovered? And does the i3-13100F ship sufficient efficiency to justify it to customers on a funds? As we speak we’re digging in to see if the Core i3-13100F does sufficient to say the quad-core high crown, and decide the way it compares to the remainder of Intel and AMD’s entry to mid-range choices.

Earlier than we dive proper into the Core i3-13100F evaluate, beneath is a listing of our detailed Intel thirteenth gen Core/Raptor Lake protection:

Intel Core i3-13100F: Evaluating Apples to Apples, Alder Lake Refresh?

Intel and AMD have choices to cater to the entry-level market with their Core i3 and Ryzen 3/5 sequence. Whereas we have seen numerous these high-end and flagship SKUs from each events during the last couple of months, and the entry-level vary is probably the place the best ranges of worth could be had, particularly for customers and players on a good funds.

There’s, after all, a big hole in efficiency going from an i3 with 4 P cores to a 24-core (8P+16E) Core i9 processor by way of uncooked compute efficiency, and the upper Core i9/i7 sequence will undoubtedly munch by duties comparable to video rendering and encoding sooner. For any workload or process that may make the most of greater than 4 cores, it is seemingly extra advantageous for fanatics and professionals to go for the Core i9/i7 sequence, however, after all, not each person wants that a lot energy.

The Intel Core i3-13100F is an fascinating proposition for these sorts of customers that do not envisage doing hefty workloads, however require a purposeful system that also delivers strong efficiency at a decrease general value than Intel’s higher-end chips. It is based mostly round 4 efficiency cores based mostly on Intel’s Golden Cove microarchitecture, which is identical core as Intel’s twelfth Gen core sequence efficiency cores. 

Intel Core i3 Specs
AnandTech	Cores P+E/T	P-Core Base	P-Core Turbo	L3 Cache (MB)	iGPU	Base W	Turbo W	MSRP ($)
i3-13100	4+0/8	3400	4500	12	730	60	89	$134
i3-13100F	4+0/8	3400	4500	12	–	58	89	$109
i3-13100T	4+0/8	2500	4200	12	730	58	69	$134
i3-12300	4+0/8	3500	4400	12	730	60	89	$143
i3-12300T	4+0/8	2300	4200	12	730	35	69	$143
i3-12100	4+0/8	3300	4300	12	730	60	89	$122
i3-12100F	4+0/8	3300	4300	12	–	58	89	$97
i3-12100T	4+0/8	2200	4100	12	730	35	89	$122

The efficiency cores of the Core i3-13100F characteristic a base clock of three.5 GHz, with an all-core turbo of 4.5 GHz. Compared on to the Core i3-12300, we reviewed last year; the Core i3-13100/13100F has the identical cores, the identical 12 MB of Intel Sensible L3 cache, and the identical turbo energy score of 89 W. Essentially the most important distinction between the highest Intel twelfth Gen Core i3 and the most recent thirteenth Gen Core i3 is a 100 MHz variation in core frequency; -100 MHz on the bottom clock however a 100 MHz enhance within the turbo clock speeds. All of Intel’s thirteenth and twelfth Gen Core i3 sequence chips can help both DDR5-4800 or DDR4-3200 reminiscence, which provides some flexibility by way of platform help accessible, significantly for customers on a funds.

Given each the Core i3-13100F and the Core i3-12300 each have the identical Golden Cove cores, very comparable core clock speeds, and comparable TDPs, it will be truthful to suppose that the thirteenth Gen Core i3 sequence is principally a twelfth Gen refresh right here, and it is onerous to argue that time. However underpinning {hardware} apart, this additionally displays how Intel has compressed its i3 product stack for this era of chips. Intel’s earlier twelfth Gen Core i3 sequence had two variations – a (12)300 and (12)100 SKU – whereas Intel has rolled it down into only one main SKU line for the thirteenth Gen Core i3: the 13100 sequence. Which means the i3 household actually solely gives a single efficiency degree to select from for this era, although there are 3 variants in complete. These are the baseline Core i3-13100, the Core i3-13100T for lower-powered computing, and the ultra-budget Core i3-13100F with out built-in graphics, which we’re reviewing at the moment.

 

Whereas we do not anticipate there to be any efficiency variations between the Core i3-13100F and the Core i3-13100 – they’ve the identical cores, similar clock speeds, the identical all the things bar the iGPU– the Core i3-13100F presents a simple enchancment in Intel’s CPU stack, particularly at its current street price of $100. The Core i3-13100F all however replaces the $97 Core i3-12100F, providing 200 MHz extra turbo headroom for what’s primarily the identical road value. In any other case Intel’s official MSRPs not less than attempt to place the i3-13100F as a better tier chip, however particularly with the softening marketplace for client tech spending, the i3-13100F has little alternative however to fill in at $100 if it needs to extra rapidly transfer.

In any case, as with Intel’s twelfth Gen Core i3 processors, the retail variations of the thirteenth Gen Core i3 sequence CPUs additionally include Intel’s Laminar RM1 inventory cooler. This reduces the general system value as an aftermarket cooler is not required, nevertheless it’s additionally transfer as an 89 W CPU does not want an AIO or a full-tower cooler such because the Noctua NH-D15. Certain, the Intel Laminar RM1 cooler does not characteristic flashy LEDs or RGB. Nonetheless, the crux is that the Core i3 sequence is designed as a mainstream providing to ship proportionate ranges of compute efficiency for an entry-level value.

The Entry-Stage Phase: Core i3-13100F versus AMD Ryzen 3 5300G

Sizing up the competitors, what’s notable right here is Intel’s entry-level thirteenth Gen Core i3 components find yourself being in a less expensive product phase than what’s accessible below AMD’s flagship Ryzen 7000 lineup. AMD’s hasn’t launched any Ryzen 3-grade quad-core choices for his or her newest Ryzen 7000 sequence, so Intel is not even going up in opposition to a current-generation AMD chip as their direct competitor.

as a substitute, essentially the most just lately launched AMD Ryzen processor with 4 cores is the Ryzen 3 5300G processor, which was truly OEM solely when it launched again in 2021. The Zen 3-based processor is presently accessible at retailers comparable to Amazon for $100 as nicely, making it the anchor of AMD’s funds processor lineup and the direct competitor to the i3-13100F.

The excellent news for Intel right here is that this implies the thirteenth Gen i3 processors are going up in opposition to older Zen 3 designs, and never AMD’s improved Zen 4 {hardware} – so that is principally the Alder Lake versus Zen 3 quad core struggle yet again, a struggle Intel received final time. The not-as-good information for Intel is that it implies that AMD is providing an honest built-in GPU on their $100 chip when Intel is just not, a probably important benefit on a funds system.

Intel Core i3-13100F CPU-Z screenshot

In any other case, the following step up in AMD’s stack is the Ryzen 5 5500G ($138), the six core model of the identical die used within the 5300G. Two extra CPU cores are a big acquire amongst these funds processors, although the additional $38 can also be a equally massive leap in pricing, comparatively talking.

Previous that’s AMD’s most cost-effective Zen 4 processor, the Ryzen 5 7600 ($229). At over twice the value of the i3-13100F, there is a clear gulf between the components in value and anticipated efficiency. Nonetheless, with six Zen 4 CPU cores turboing as much as 5.1GHz, it is a chip that warrants a seat on the desk, if just for the potential spoiler impact.

The Core i3-13100F is an fascinating proposition for customers and players on a funds. The Core i3-13100F and the remainder of the thirteenth Gen Core sequence processors are supported by extra reasonably priced motherboards and a a lot cheaper price than the AMD Ryzen 7000 choices. For this evaluate and to create a degree taking part in discipline, we have examined the Core i3-13100F (in addition to all of Intel’s thirteenth Gen CPUs) with DDR5-4800 reminiscence as per the chip’s JEDEC specification.

The Present CPU Check Suite

For our Intel Core i3-13100F testing, we’re utilizing the next check system:

Intel thirteenth Gen Core System (DDR5)
CPU	Core i3-13100F ($109) 4 Cores, 8 Threads 58 W Base TDP 89 W Turbo TDP
Motherboard	MSI MPG Z790 Carbon WIFI
Reminiscence	SK Hynix 2×32 GB DDR5-4800 CL40
Cooling	EKWB EK-AIO Elite 360 D-RGB 360mm
Storage	SK Hynix Platinum P41 2TB PCIe 4.0 x4
Energy Provide	Corsair HX1000
GPUs	AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT, 31.0.12019
Working Methods	Home windows 11 22H2

Our up to date CPU suite for 2023 consists of numerous benchmarks, checks, and workloads designed to indicate variance in efficiency between completely different processors and architectures. These embrace UL’s newest Procyon suite with each workplace and photograph enhancing workloads simulated to measure efficiency in these duties, CineBench R23, Dwarf Fortress, Blender 3.3, and C-Ray 1.1.  

In the meantime, we have additionally carried over some older (however nonetheless related/enlightening) benchmarks from our CPU 2021 suite. This consists of benchmarks comparable to Dwarf Fortress, Factorio, and Dr. Ian Cutress’s 3DPMv2 benchmark.

We now have additionally up to date our pool of video games going ahead into 2023 and past, together with the most recent F1 2022 racing sport, the CPU-intensive RTS Whole Struggle: Warhammer 3, and the favored Hitman 3.