Intel Core i3-12300 Review

Entry-level Desktop processor released in 2022 with 4 cores and 8 threads. With base clock at 3.5GHz, max speed at 4.4GHz, and a 60W power rating. Core i3-12300 is based on the Alder Lake-S 10nm family and part of the Core i3 series.
Price 85.4%
Speed 70%
Productivity 46%
Gaming 91%
Category Desktop
Target entry-level
Socket Compatibility 1700
Integrated Graphics UHD Graphics 730
Cooler Included Yes
Overclock Potential 0 %
Year 2022 Model
Price 143 USD
Number of Cores 4 Cores
Number of Threads 8 Threads
Core Frequency 3.5 GHz
Boost Frequency 4.4 GHz
Max Stable Overclock 4.5 GHz
Power Consumption 60 W
Manufacturing Process 10 nm
L3 Cache 12 MB
Maximum Supported Memory 128 GB
Price-Value Score 85.4 %
Speed Score 70 %
Productivity Score 46 %
Gaming Score 91 %
Max 1080p Bottleneck 23.3 %
Max 1440p Bottleneck 11.6 %
Max 4K Bottleneck 5.8 %
Overall Score 49/100

Introducing the Core i3-12300! This Desktop processor is part of Intel's high-performance entry-level range. Released in 2022, it features 4 cores and 8 threads. It has a base clock speed of 3.5GHz, can boost up to 4.4GHz, and has a power rating of 60W, making it a perfect fit for your gaming rig. The Core i3-12300 is based on the robust Alder Lake-S 10nm architecture and is part of the acclaimed Core i3 series.

And guess what? The Core i3-12300 is the ultimate successor to Intel's previous-gen gaming champion, the Core i3-11300. The Core i3-11300 was based on the legendary Comet Lake Refresh and 14nm process, and it made its grand entrance into the gaming scene back in 2021. But now, it's time for the Core i3-12300 to take the throne and conquer the gaming world!

The best CPUs are the ones that slay frames at a price that won't make you ragequit. The Core i3-12300 totally wins this game.

Can the Intel Core i3-12300 finally dethrone the king of mainstream CPUs, the Ryzen 3 3200G? It's a maybe. The Core i3-12300 doesn't quite reach the same single-core performance as its rival, but more games are starting to use all those threads, so who cares!

The Intel Core i3 12th Generation boasts the Alder Lake-S architecture, which brings 10nm processors to the mainstream for the first time. But there's more to this story than just a smaller size. Get ready for some serious performance upgrades!

But for most gamers who also do other stuff on their PC besides gaming, the Core i3-12300 is a better overall choice. It offers double the threads compared to the similarly priced Ryzen 3 3200G, and those extra threads come in handy for tasks like editing and encoding videos. The Core i3 chips have always been great for these workloads, and Intel's recent improvements to AVX performance are super impressive.

The wait is finally over! The Intel Core i3 12 Gen is here, and the Intel Core i3-12300 might just be the perfect example of what this new generation brings to the table. It keeps the same core and thread count (4 cores and 8 threads) as its predecessor, the Core i3-11300. But thanks to the new, smaller 10nm manufacturing process, it delivers significantly better performance while using less power.

The Intel Core i3-12300 is pretty much the best CPU for most gamers on a budget. It won't beat the Core i5-12400, especially for stuff that uses all the cores (multi-threaded workloads), but it's way cheaper and doesn't need a super beefy cooler. Most gamers will be very happy with the Core i3-12300, especially considering there are bound to be some sweet deals on it soon.

The Intel Core i3-12300 launched on Jan 2022 for $143, which is pretty much the same price as the last-generation Core i3-11300. At least there's no crazy price hike this generation!

Shrinking down to a 10nm process gives the Core i3-12300 a whopping 15% boost in IPC (instructions per clock). Basically, compared to a similar CPU from the last generation (Core i3 11 Gen) clocked at the same speed, you'll get 15% better performance. It might not be a huge difference in everyday tasks, but it's still something.

The high number of threads (over 7!) in the Intel Core i3-12300 makes it a monster for tasks that use all the cores at once (multi-threaded workloads), especially for the price. If you edit a lot of videos or work with giant spreadsheets, the Core i3-12300 will give you a noticeable performance boost.

For 143, the 12−Gen Alder Lake-S Core i3-12300 is a very tempting option. The clock speeds are impressive on paper too, with a base clock of 3.5GHz, which is almost 25% 143. This means the Core i3-12300 should outperform its older siblings with more cores in tasks that only use one or a few cores (single-threaded or lightly threaded applications).

One of the best things about the Intel Core i3-12300 is that it comes with a free CPU cooler! You can grab the Core i3-12300 for $143 without having to spend extra on cooling.

The Intel Core i3-12300 comes with a basic heatsink cooler, nothing fancy. But it gets the job done for this low-power CPU (TDP of 60W). You won't need a fancy aftermarket cooler unless you want to overclock it.

The Intel Core i3-12300 is a decent performing chip for $143. The main competitor at this price point is the Ryzen 3 3200G, a 4-core unlocked processor with integrated graphics, which costs $89.

The Intel Core i3-12300 might not get a lot of hype, but it's a solid entry-level option that delivers a good experience for casual users.

With Core i3, Intel brings new innovation with its new architecture and a 10nm manufacturing process. Similar to Core i5, Core i3 is built for the 1700 platform with support for all the latest features like DDR4 RAM, super-fast NVMe SSDs, and Thunderbolt 3 ports.

Can you game on Intel's Core i3 CPU? Absolutely! We got a solid 91% score in our gaming benchmarks.

Looking for an affordable powerhouse CPU for work and play? Look no further than the Core i3-12300!

Building on the success of mainstream Core i3 CPUs, Intel is now attacking the entry-level market with the Core i3-12300 processors, available since Jan 2022.

Which GPU to Pick for Intel Core i3-12300

Below is a comparison of all graphics cards average FPS performance (using an average of 80+ games at ultra quality settings), combined with the Intel Core i3-12300.

Graphics Card Price Cost Per Frame Avg 1080p Avg 1440p Avg 4K
AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT 8GB $ 399 $ 3.2 123.3 FPS
106.8 FPS
67.1 FPS
AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT 16GB $ 1,099 $ 4.9 226.3 FPS
196 FPS
120.4 FPS
AMD Radeon RX 7600 8GB $ 269 $ 2.2 122.4 FPS
106.1 FPS
66.5 FPS
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT 20GB $ 899 $ 3.6 249 FPS
215.6 FPS
132.4 FPS
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX 24GB $ 999 $ 3.6 273.9 FPS
237.1 FPS
145.8 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti 24GB $ 1,999 $ 9 222.5 FPS
196.1 FPS
132.5 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 8GB $ 200 $ 1.9 106.7 FPS
92.5 FPS
60.6 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 8GB $ 299 $ 2.4 122.5 FPS
107.3 FPS
70.2 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 8 GB 8GB $ 399 $ 2.9 136.8 FPS
119.1 FPS
78.1 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 12GB $ 599 $ 3 198.9 FPS
171 FPS
114.1 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti 12GB $ 799 $ 3.2 252.7 FPS
222.7 FPS
150.3 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 16GB $ 1,199 $ 4.6 263 FPS
231.8 FPS
156.6 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Ti 20GB $ 799 $ 2.8 283.2 FPS
249.8 FPS
168.7 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 24GB $ 1,599 $ 5.3 303.5 FPS
267.7 FPS
180.8 FPS
AMD Radeon R7 265 2GB $ 149 $ 5.8 25.9 FPS
19.7 FPS
12.7 FPS
AMD Radeon R9 280 3GB $ 279 $ 8.2 34.1 FPS
28.7 FPS
16.9 FPS
AMD Radeon R9 285 2GB $ 249 $ 7.1 35.2 FPS
29.4 FPS
17.6 FPS
AMD Radeon R9 295X2 4GB $ 1,499 $ 16.6 90.2 FPS
74.9 FPS
49.9 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB $ 149 $ 6.5 23.1 FPS
16.9 FPS
10.9 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN BLACK 6GB $ 999 $ 16.5 60.4 FPS
49.7 FPS
32.6 FPS
AMD Radeon R7 370 2GB $ 149 $ 5.7 26.1 FPS
20.4 FPS
13.1 FPS
AMD Radeon R9 380 2GB $ 199 $ 5.7 34.9 FPS
29.1 FPS
17.6 FPS
AMD Radeon R9 380X 4GB $ 229 $ 5.8 39.2 FPS
32.6 FPS
20.7 FPS
AMD Radeon R9 390 8GB $ 329 $ 6.2 52.9 FPS
44.3 FPS
26.4 FPS
AMD Radeon R9 390X 8GB $ 429 $ 7.6 56.7 FPS
48.5 FPS
30.7 FPS
AMD Radeon R9 FURY 4GB $ 549 $ 9.3 58.9 FPS
50.6 FPS
31.8 FPS
AMD Radeon R9 FURY X 4GB $ 649 $ 9.5 68.5 FPS
60.1 FPS
38.5 FPS
AMD Radeon R9 Nano 4GB $ 649 $ 10.4 62.3 FPS
53.7 FPS
34.2 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950 2GB $ 159 $ 6 26.6 FPS
21.7 FPS
13.8 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 2GB $ 199 $ 5.9 33.7 FPS
27.9 FPS
17.2 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 4GB $ 329 $ 6 54.8 FPS
44.8 FPS
29.1 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 4GB $ 549 $ 8.5 64.7 FPS
53.6 FPS
33.7 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB $ 649 $ 8.6 75.4 FPS
63.3 FPS
39.5 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN X 12GB $ 999 $ 11.5 86.7 FPS
72.2 FPS
45.1 FPS
AMD Radeon RX 460 4GB $ 140 $ 5.9 23.9 FPS
19.6 FPS
12.1 FPS
AMD Radeon RX 470 4GB $ 179 $ 3.8 46.6 FPS
39.2 FPS
24.4 FPS
AMD Radeon RX 480 8GB $ 400 $ 7.5 53.3 FPS
45.2 FPS
28.9 FPS
AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 8GB $ 399 $ 4.7 84.3 FPS
72 FPS
44.9 FPS
AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 8GB $ 499 $ 5.6 89.9 FPS
77 FPS
47.9 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce GT 1030 2GB $ 79 $ 4.4 18.1 FPS
14.8 FPS
8.8 FPS
NVIDIA TITAN V 12GB $ 2,999 $ 24.5 122.5 FPS
107.7 FPS
70.2 FPS
NVIDIA TITAN Xp 12GB $ 1,199 $ 10.8 111 FPS
95.8 FPS
62.3 FPS
AMD Radeon RX 550 2GB $ 79 $ 4.2 18.9 FPS
15.6 FPS
9.5 FPS
AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT 8GB 8GB $ 199 $ 3.1 64.9 FPS
53.1 FPS
32.3 FPS
AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT 4GB 4GB $ 169 $ 2.9 58.2 FPS
47.7 FPS
29 FPS
AMD Radeon RX 560 4GB $ 99 $ 3.7 27.1 FPS
22.2 FPS
13.6 FPS
AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT 6GB $ 279 $ 3 93.5 FPS
79.4 FPS
49.4 FPS
AMD Radeon RX 570 4GB $ 169 $ 3.2 52.2 FPS
43.7 FPS
26.7 FPS
AMD Radeon RX 5700 8GB $ 349 $ 3.5 99.1 FPS
84.9 FPS
53 FPS
AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 8GB $ 399 $ 3.7 108.1 FPS
92.5 FPS
57.8 FPS
AMD Radeon RX 580 8GB $ 229 $ 3.6 63.3 FPS
51.8 FPS
31.4 FPS
AMD Radeon RX 590 8GB $ 279 $ 3.9 71.4 FPS
58.4 FPS
35.7 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 3GB $ 169 $ 5.8 29.3 FPS
24.3 FPS
14.9 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB $ 169 $ 4.9 34.4 FPS
28.8 FPS
17.9 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB 6GB $ 254 $ 4.3 58.7 FPS
48.4 FPS
30.2 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3GB 3GB $ 170 $ 3.1 55.7 FPS
46.1 FPS
28.8 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB $ 399 $ 4.9 82.1 FPS
68.6 FPS
42.5 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Ti 8GB $ 409 $ 4.6 89.1 FPS
75.1 FPS
46.9 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 8GB $ 499 $ 5.2 96.2 FPS
81.1 FPS
50.8 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti 11GB $ 759 $ 6.7 113.3 FPS
99.2 FPS
63.1 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB $ 149 $ 3 49.9 FPS
41.7 FPS
26 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER 4GB $ 160 $ 2.4 65.5 FPS
55.1 FPS
34.3 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 6GB $ 220 $ 2.9 75.3 FPS
63.5 FPS
39.6 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER 6GB $ 229 $ 2.9 79.9 FPS
67.5 FPS
42.2 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti 6GB $ 279 $ 3.3 84.8 FPS
71.5 FPS
44.6 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 6GB $ 350 $ 3.7 95 FPS
76.6 FPS
47.5 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER 8GB $ 400 $ 4 101 FPS
83.3 FPS
52.6 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 8GB $ 499 $ 4.7 106.7 FPS
89.5 FPS
57.6 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8GB $ 499 $ 4.4 112.6 FPS
95.8 FPS
60.8 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 8GB $ 699 $ 5.8 120.8 FPS
104 FPS
65.6 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER 8GB $ 699 $ 5.5 127.8 FPS
111.2 FPS
70.8 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti 11GB $ 1,299 $ 9.2 140.9 FPS
123.8 FPS
79.1 FPS
NVIDIA TITAN RTX 24GB $ 2,499 $ 17.3 144.7 FPS
127.1 FPS
81.3 FPS
AMD Radeon VII 16GB $ 699 $ 6.3 111 FPS
95.1 FPS
59.5 FPS
AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT 8GB $ 379 $ 3.3 115.7 FPS
99.7 FPS
62.3 FPS
AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT 12GB $ 479 $ 3.4 139.1 FPS
119.8 FPS
73.9 FPS
AMD Radeon RX 6800 16GB $ 579 $ 3.5 165.2 FPS
141.3 FPS
88.3 FPS
AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT 16GB $ 649 $ 3.1 208.6 FPS
178.5 FPS
111.6 FPS
AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT 16GB $ 999 $ 4.5 221.6 FPS
189.6 FPS
118.5 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti 6GB $ 249 $ 2.9 87.2 FPS
73 FPS
46.4 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 12GB $ 329 $ 3.1 105.9 FPS
90.4 FPS
58 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti 8GB $ 399 $ 3.1 129.1 FPS
112.8 FPS
73.1 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8GB $ 499 $ 3.2 157.6 FPS
134.1 FPS
85.2 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti 10GB $ 599 $ 3.4 176.8 FPS
151.6 FPS
98.1 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 10GB $ 699 $ 3.4 206 FPS
175.2 FPS
111.4 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 20GB $ 799 $ 3.9 206.1 FPS
178.8 FPS
117.9 FPS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 24GB $ 1,499 $ 6.3 236.4 FPS
201.1 FPS
127.8 FPS
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