Intel i3 10th Gen in 2023, Still Worth Buying?

In 2023, quad-core processors may seem outdated, but Intel still believes they are worth releasing, while AMD has not released a new one since their 3000 Series lineup. The entry-level variant of Intel's quad-core CPU is the i3 10100f, which can be purchased for around $60 in the used market or $80 new. Although the i3's specifications are not strong, it can be justified for those looking to save money. The i3 has a base clock of 3.6 GHz and a boost of 4.3 GHz. It is a hyperthreaded quad-core CPU, meaning it is not suitable for workstations, but for gaming, it meets the minimum requirement for modern gaming PCs, according to at least 30% of the audience.

To test the i3's performance, the benchmark was conducted using an RTX 3060 TI for GPU testing, which represents what could be paired with a G processor, even though it might still be a stretch for comparison. An i5 12400f, a six-core modern processor that should not bottleneck the 3060 TI, was also included in the comparison. Several traditionally CPU-bound games were tested. 

Starting with CS:GO, which showed the i3 performed 22% worse than the I5 at 1080p. However, the i3 still maintained above 200 FPS consistently, which is more than enough for this game. Overwatch 2 performed significantly worse when running on the i3 10100f, with a 33% difference in average FPS compared to the i5, demonstrating how much Esports games tend to favor processor performance over GPU performance. Nonetheless, the i3 hit above a 144 FPS sweet spot for competitive gaming, making it a valid option.

For AAA title games, the test was run at medium settings to show a better comparison of CPU bottlenecking in each game. Doom Eternal showed that the i5 outperformed the i3 in average FPS at both resolutions. However, the i3 managed to get above 200 FPS on average at 1080p and nearly hit it at 1440p. Forza Horizon 5 is typically a GPU-bound game, but when the settings were cranked down to medium, it revealed a heavy CPU bottleneck. The i5 managed to hit above 180 FPS at 1080p, while the i3 could not hope to hit 100 FPS. Spider-Man Remastered showed a huge CPU bottleneck on the i3, struggling to hit 100 FPS on average at 1080p, while the i5 could do it with no problem. Lastly, Halo Infinite performed well on the i3 compared to the I5, coming close to its average at 1080p. Although it did not hit the 144 FPS average sweet spot, the performance was still good.

Overall, the i3 may not compare to a more modern i5, but it ran most games at playable frame rates, even at 1080p. Running the test at medium settings showed a very CPU-bound scenario, and at maximum settings, the i3 closed the gap with the I5 in terms of average FPS. The i3 can get even closer at 1440p or 4K. However, one significant negative is the longevity of the platform. The best-case scenario is running on a Z590 motherboard, which means you will only be able to upgrade two Intel's 11th gen processors.