Intel® Core™ i3-2100
The Intel Core i3-2100 is a desktop processor released in Feb 2011, built on the Sandy Bridge architecture using a 32 nm process. It has 2 cores and 4 threads, a base clock of 3.10 GHz, 3 MB of L3 cache, a 65 W TDP and the FCLGA1155 socket.
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Overview
SummaryThe Intel Core i3-2100 is a desktop processor with 2 cores and 4 threads, built on the Sandy Bridge architecture (32 nm process). It launched in Feb 2011. A 3-MB L3 cache backs the cores (1.8 MB per core). The chip drops into the FCLGA1155 socket and exposes PCIe 2.0 (16 lanes). Rated TDP is 65 W. Feex currently counts 2 machines in its hardware fleet with exactly this processor.
Performance
12 metricsThe Intel Core i3-2100 scores 1,409 in single-core performance and 1,864 in multi-core performance (PassMark CPU Mark ratings). From those two ratings Feex computes 1,621 for overall performance, 3,184 for productivity performance, 3,561 for creator performance, 1,736 for engineering performance and 4,693 for gaming performance. Its multi-core throughput works out to 932 per core, 466 per thread and 29 per watt. Its computed efficiency index is 201. Its performance index is 20, so its overall performance is 80% below the Intel Core i5-12400 (index 100). Each bar shows the score as a share of a reference ceiling, which is the larger of the 99th-percentile score across the Feex CPU database and a fixed baseline.
How these scores are computed
Single-core and multi-core performance are PassMark CPU Mark single-thread and multi-thread ratings. Every other figure on this page's performance section is computed by Feex from those two ratings plus core count, thread count and TDP, so it is a derived value and not a separate benchmark run.
- Overall performance is the geometric mean of the two ratings: the square root of single-core times multi-core.
- Productivity performance is 0.65 times multi-core plus 1.4 times single-core.
- Creator performance is 0.55 times multi-core plus 1.8 times single-core.
- Engineering performance is multi-core times the smaller of 1.4 and (0.9 plus cores divided by 64).
- Gaming performance is 3 times single-core plus 0.25 times multi-core.
- Performance per core, per thread and per watt divide the multi-core rating by physical cores, logical threads and TDP in watts.
- The efficiency index is the square root of single-core times multi-core, divided by the square root of TDP.
- The performance index is overall performance divided by the overall performance of the Intel Core i5-12400 (8,069), times 100.
Workload Benchmarks
8 workloadsScores for individual PassMark CPU Mark test categories. Higher is better. These are measured test scores, not computed from the single-core and multi-core ratings.
In the individual workload tests the Intel Core i3-2100 scores 8,919 in integer math, 3,390 in floating-point math, 39,094 in compression, 329 in cryptography, 231 in physics simulation, 1,742 in vector SIMD, 12 in the prime sieve and 5,725 in sorting. Higher is better. Compared with the Intel Core i5-12400, it is 85% below in integer math, 93% below in floating-point math, 83% below in compression, 97% below in cryptography, 79% below in physics simulation, 89% below in vector SIMD, 82% below in the prime sieve and 75% below in sorting. Each bar shows the score as a share of that workload's reference ceiling, the larger of the 99th-percentile score across CPUs with a recorded value and a fixed baseline.
Core Configuration
6 specsThe Intel Core i3-2100 has 2 physical cores and runs 4 logical threads. It does not use a hybrid performance and efficiency core layout. It runs 2 threads per core. It runs at a base clock of 3.10 GHz.
Architecture & Generation
8 specsThe Intel Core i3-2100 is a desktop processor, belongs to the Intel Core i3 family, uses the Sandy Bridge architecture, carries the codename Sandy Bridge and is manufactured on a 32 nm process. It launched in Feb 2011.
Cache
6 specsThe Intel Core i3-2100 has 128 KB of L1 cache, 512 KB of L2 cache and 3 MB of L3 cache. That adds up to about 3.6 MB of cache, or 1.81 MB per core. Each core has 256 KB of private L2 cache.
Cache Hierarchy
3 levelsThe Intel Core i3-2100 has a 3-level cache hierarchy: L1 at 128 KB, L2 at 512 KB and L3 at 3 MB. L3 is the largest level and makes up about 83% of the cache listed here.
Graphics
4 specsThe Intel Core i3-2100 includes integrated graphics (HD 2000) and clocks the graphics up to 1.10 GHz.
Platform & Compatibility
3 specsThe Intel Core i3-2100 uses the FCLGA1155 socket, supports PCI Express 2.0 and provides up to 16 PCIe lanes.
Power & Thermals
1 specThe Intel Core i3-2100 has a rated TDP of 65 W.
Platform Capabilities
9 supported, 1 not supportedInstruction sets, security, virtualization, AI acceleration and OS readiness. Features are listed as supported, explicitly not supported, or not recorded; a feature that is not recorded is not the same as unsupported.
Instruction Sets
9 supportedSecurity and Reliability
0 supportedVirtualization
0 supportedOS Compatibility
0 supportedThe Intel Core i3-2100 supports AVX, 64-bit (x86-64), SSE4.1, SSE4.2, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3 and MMX among its instruction set features. Feex has no record for AES-NI, AMX, AVX-512, AVX2, AVX-VNNI and CET, which is different from being unsupported.
Feex has no record for AES-NI, Control-flow Enforcement (CET), Execute Disable (NX), Boot Guard, Hardware RNG and Hardware Shield, which is different from being unsupported.
Feex has no record for Extended Page Tables (EPT), VT-d (DMA Remapping), VT-x (Hardware Virtualization), VT-x with EPT, IOMMU and Second-Level Address Translation, which is different from being unsupported.
Feex records these as not true for the Intel Core i3-2100: Windows 11 eligible.
Physical & Manufacturing
1 specThe Intel Core i3-2100 is manufactured by Intel. It launched at a price of $117.
Naming & Aliases
3 specsReal-world compute in the Feex fleet
2 machinesAcross 1 Feex machine with the Intel Core i3-2100, the busiest minute reached 10.7 FCU/s; 95 percent of recorded minutes stayed under 3.97 FCU/s (32.0% of its 12.4 FCU/s capacity), over 10,287 machine-minutes from September 30, 2026 to October 26, 2026. Over the longer hour-resolution record (September 4, 2026 to October 26, 2026), the busiest minute reached 12.1 FCU/s.
Minute resolution
10,287 valid machine-minutes from 1 Feex machine (0 fully idle, 0 rejected as over 102 percent), September 30, 2026 to October 26, 2026.
Hour resolution
353 valid machine-hours from 2 Feex machines, September 4, 2026 to October 26, 2026. Hourly peak is the busiest minute of each hour; 0 hours were excluded from peak statistics as over 102 percent, and 34 hours with fewer than 30 reported minutes were left out.
Average compute by hour of day
Withheld: an hour-of-day curve is shown once at least 3 Feex machines with this processor contribute, so no individual's daily schedule can be read from it.
Top programs by measured compute
Withheld: program names are shown once at least 3 Feex machines with this processor ran them, so no individual's app usage can be read from this page.
Tier 3 estimate: FCU/s = whole-machine CPU utilization x logical threads x base clock x reference IPC 1.0 (1 FCU = one billion instructions). Boost clocks and real IPC are not measured, so this describes how hard these machines were driven, not a benchmark. Data through October 26, 2026. Because fewer than 3 machines contribute, these figures cover whole days (UTC) and are updated once per day.
Data Coverage
54% recordedFeex has recorded 54% of the specifications it tracks for the Intel Core i3-2100. Values Feex does not hold are shown as "Not recorded" rather than estimated.
Not recorded: Core Configuration: Efficiency Cores, All-Core Boost and Unlocked Multiplier. Architecture & Generation: ISA Family and Market Status. Cache: L4 Cache. Memory Support: Max Memory, Memory Channels, Memory Bandwidth, Memory Types, DDR5 Support, DDR4 Support, LPDDR Support, ECC Memory and Max Memory Speed. Graphics: Execution Units, Display Outputs and Max Video Memory. Platform & Compatibility: Package and Package Size. Power & Thermals: Base Power, Maximum Turbo Power, Configurable TDP (Min), Configurable TDP (Max), Max Junction Temperature and Tcase. Physical & Manufacturing: Transistor Count, Die Size, Die Count and Foundry. Naming & Aliases: SKU, Model Number, Processor Number and Part Number.
Common questions
9 answeredHow many cores and threads does the Intel Core i3-2100 have?
The Intel Core i3-2100 has 2 cores and 4 threads.
What architecture does the Intel Core i3-2100 use?
The Intel Core i3-2100 is built on the Sandy Bridge architecture on a 32 nm process.
Does the Intel Core i3-2100 have integrated graphics?
Yes. The Intel Core i3-2100 includes integrated graphics: HD 2000.
What socket does the Intel Core i3-2100 use?
The Intel Core i3-2100 uses the FCLGA1155 socket.
What is the TDP of the Intel Core i3-2100?
The Intel Core i3-2100 has a TDP of 65 W.
How does the Intel Core i3-2100 perform?
In the Feex normalized performance dataset, the Intel Core i3-2100 scores 1,864 multi-core and 1,409 single-core.
What is the Intel Core i3-2100 best for?
Based on its specifications, the Intel Core i3-2100 is well suited for Mini PCs and graphics-included builds.
How much cache does the Intel Core i3-2100 have?
The Intel Core i3-2100 has 128 KB of L1 cache, 512 KB of L2 cache and 3 MB of L3 cache.
How does the Intel Core i3-2100 compare with the Intel Core i5-12400?
The Intel Core i3-2100 has a computed performance index of 20, which is 80% below the Intel Core i5-12400 (index 100). The index is derived from the single-core and multi-core ratings.