Intel Core i3-14100F vs Core i3-13100F: Which is the best gaming CPU?

Modified Jun 24, 2024 02:48 GMT

The Intel Core i3-14100F and the i3-13100F are capable gaming CPUs (Image via Amazon)

The Intel Core i3-14100F and the Core i3-13100F are two of the most cost-effective gaming CPUs on the market today. Both are available for less than $150 and pack some of the latest improvements in single as well as multi-core performance. Given how capable Intel's quad-core formula has gotten, these chips can handle any entry-level workload you have to throw at them, including video editing, 3D modeling, and more.

However, choosing between the Core i3s from the last couple of generations can be a bit of a headache. The processors are equal in terms of performance and their on-paper specs. This can make choosing between the 14100F and 13100F more difficult than it should be. To help you make an informed decision, this article presents a comparison between the two processors.

The Core i3-14100F and Core i3-13100F are some of the best entry-level CPUs

The latest Core i3 chips are superb deals for budget gamers (Image via Amazon)

The Core i3-13100F and i3-14100F are based on slightly different architectures. While the newer processor uses the refined Raptor Lake Refresh technology, the 13th-gen i3 is stuck with Raptor Lake. Fundamentally, not much has changed between these two generations, however.

Specs comparison

The Core i3 lineup has been Intel's quad-core offering for a while now. Both the 13100 and the 14100 pack four high-performance 'P' cores. These chips don't utilize the hybrid architecture that ships with every other offering.

The newer Core i3-14100F is 100 MHz faster than the 13th generation offering. Other than this, everything else is the same. You get the same 17 MB combined cache, 60W TDP, and the same UHD 730 graphics processors on the non-F variants.

The detailed specs comparison involving the two CPUs is as follows:

	Intel Core i3-14100	Intel Core i3-14100F	Intel Core i3-13100	Intel Core i3-13100F
Core count	4 (4P+0E)	4 (4P+0E)	4 (4P+0E)	4 (4P+0E)
Thread count	8	8	8	8
Base clock	3.5 GHz	3.5 GHz	3.4 GHz	3.4 GHz
Boost clock	4.7 GHz	4.7 GHz	4.5 GHz	4.5 GHz
Cache (L2+L3)	17 MB	17 MB	17 MB	17 MB
Memory support	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s, Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s, Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s, Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s, Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s
TDP	60W	60W	60W	60W
iGPU	Intel UHD Graphics 730	No	Intel UHD Graphics 730	No

The latest Core i3-14100F is available at $111 these days, while the 13100F can be purchased for $84. These prices are quite reasonable, however, the handsome discount on the 13th-generation offering makes it quite lucrative.

Performance comparison

Stock coolers are bundled with all Intel chips (Image via Amazon)

In terms of performance, the Core i3-13100 and the 14100 aren't quite far from each other. Both processors are based on nearly the same hardware and share similar specs. Although the new refreshed architecture delivers some gains, they aren't significant enough to make a considerable difference.

The performance metrics recorded by either chip in some synthetic benchmark software are presented below. Do note the 'F' variants beat their counterparts with iGPUs, and the newer chips are about 5% faster at best. The following data has been sourced from the benchmark aggregator website, Nanoreview.

	Intel Core i3-13100	Intel Core i3-13100F	Intel Core i3-14100	Intel Core i3-14100F
Cinebench R23 single-core	1681	1730	1746	1743
Cinebench R23 multi-core	8651	8807	8923	8831
Geekbench 6 single-core	2282	2375	2499	2429
Geekbench 6 multi-core	7814	8188	9092	8880

In video games, we see a similar story. The newer Core i3-14100F delivers about 5% extra framerates when paired with an RTX 4090. These gains will be slimmer when paired with a more modest graphics card. Some entry-level video cards might run the latest video games at similar framerates.

The detailed performance gains are as follows. The data has been sourced from the Testing Games YouTube channel.

	Core i3-13100F	Core i3-14100F
Cyberpunk 2077	88 FPS	92 FPS (+4.54%)
Hogwarts Legacy	54 FPS	56 FPS (+3.57%)
Microsoft Flight Simulator	66 FPS	69 FPS (+4.34%)
Forza Horizon 5	199 FPS	208 FPS (+4.32%)
Spider-Man Miles Morales	67 FPS	72 FPS (+6.94%)
The Witcher 3	64 FPS	66 FPS (+3.03%)

Core i3-14100F vs Core i3-13100F: Final verdict

I believe the Core i3-13100F is the better deal right now, given its affordability. The 14100 offers little improvement over the older processor despite costing about $30 more. If you have the money to spend, go for the costlier chip. At the entry level, every extra frame is valuable. However, for most gamers, the 13100F will do just fine.

Check out Sportskeeda's other CPU comparisons:

Edited by Soumyadyuti Ghosh