Intel Core i3-7100 Review

Introducing the Core i3-7100! This Desktop processor is a marvel in Intel's entry-level range. Debuted in 2017, it's packed with 2 cores and 4 threads. It operates at a base clock speed of 3.9GHz, can ramp up to 3.9GHz, and has a power consumption of 51W, ready to supercharge your gaming system. The Core i3-7100 is built on the Kaby Lake-S 14nm platform and belongs to the esteemed Core i3 series.

And guess what? The Core i3-7100 is the ultimate successor to Intel's previous-gen gaming champion, the Core i3-6100. The Core i3-6100 was based on the legendary Skylake-S and 14nm process, and it made its grand entrance into the gaming scene back in 2015. But now, it's time for the Core i3-7100 to take the throne and conquer the gaming world!

The Intel Core i3-7100 launched on Jan 2017 for $117, which is pretty much the same price as the last-generation Core i3-6100. At least there's no crazy price hike this generation!

Heads up! If you already have a Core i3-6100, this new generation doesn't offer a huge jump in performance. You might be better off waiting a year to upgrade or spending more on a higher-end CPU.

Intel has been struggling lately to keep up with the new Ryzen 3 processors. This has forced them to get creative with their existing lineup. The Intel Core i3-7100 isn't exactly new - it's basically a Core i3-6100 with a higher clock speed. But there's one more twist...

For gamers, both the Ryzen 3 1200 and Core i3-7100 are great choices. They're neck and neck, with a slight edge to the AMD CPU if you don't overclock it. The Core i3-7100's base performance can be achieved with cheaper RAM (around $90), whereas the Ryzen 3 1200 needs faster RAM ($110-$120) to hit the frame rates we showed. The price difference is small though, and with anything less than an RTX 2070 or Vega 64 graphics card, your GPU will bottleneck your performance anyway. BottleneckAtPlay

One of the best things about the Intel Core i3-7100 is that it comes with a free CPU cooler! You can grab the Core i3-7100 for $117 without having to spend extra on cooling.

The Intel Core i3-7100 comes with a basic heatsink cooler, nothing fancy. But it gets the job done for this low-power CPU (TDP of 51W). You won't need a fancy aftermarket cooler unless you want to overclock it.

The gaming tests with an RTX 2080 Ti were surprising! The budget-friendly Intel Core i3-7100 (only 117)managedtooutperformthemoreexpensiveRyzen 3 1300X(129) in three games we tested. We know three games aren't everything, but it shows that even a 2 core CPU can still hold its own today. You can even play modern games and stream to Twitch on the Core i3-7100 (playable results, not amazing). As games get more demanding, a 2 core CPU might not be ideal, but the Core i3-7100 can hold its own for now in a pinch.

The Intel Core i3-7100 might not get a lot of hype, but it's a solid entry-level option that delivers a good experience for casual users.

Building on the success of mainstream Core i3 CPUs, Intel is now attacking the entry-level market with the Core i3-7100 processors, available since Jan 2017.