CPU Comparison
Intel Core i3-8100F vs Intel Core i3-9000
A side-by-side comparison of specs, performance and value. The Intel Core i3-8100F is a notoriously short-lived 4-core, 4-thread desktop processor that lacked integrated graphics, launched and then abruptly cancelled before wide distribution.
The Bottom Line
Overview & Launch
Specifications Compared
Performance Compared
Productivity
Functions identically to an i3-8100 for desktop tasks.
Can handle single applications well due to the high 3.7 GHz clock, but multitasking is severely hindered by 4 threads.
Gaming
The fixed 3.6 GHz clock and 4 threads provide a very baseline experience, similar to the i3-8100 but with no iGPU fallback.
Even with a dedicated GPU, the lack of Hyper-Threading will cause severe stuttering in modern CPU-bound games.
Virtualization
4 threads with no SMT is the absolute minimum for any modern OS.
4 threads are the absolute minimum for a host OS, leaving no room for a useful virtual machine.
Efficiency
Draws a constant 65W because there is no Turbo Boost power state cycling.
The 14nm process is power-hungry compared to modern alternatives, drawing 65W for mediocre performance.
Specialized Performance
AI / ML
- No AI hardware.
- 4 threads are insufficient.
- Lacks AVX-512 and any modern AI acceleration capabilities
Content Creation
Gaming
- Requires a discrete GPU.
- Fixed 3.6 GHz is too low for modern AAA games.
- Lacks the burst performance of even cheaper Pentium chips that have Turbo Boost.
- Modern games require at least 8 threads to avoid stuttering
- The fixed 3.7 GHz clock prevents the CPU from boosting during heavy gaming loads
Industry Impact
Best CPU by Use Case
Target Audience
Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros
- Historical novelty value
- Functions as a standard Coffee Lake i3 if you have a GPU
- Fixed 3.6 GHz is higher than the T-series chips
- Supports ECC memory
Cons
- Cancelled by Intel, no support
- Extremely rare and hard to find
- No integrated graphics
- No Hyper-Threading
- No Turbo Boost
- Overpriced on the secondary market due to rarity
Pros
- High fixed 3.7 GHz clock provides consistent single-thread performance
- 65W TDP is easy to cool
- 16 PCIe 3.0 lanes are sufficient for basic add-in cards
- Uses mature, inexpensive LGA 1151 motherboard chipsets
Cons
- No Hyper-Threading limits it to 4 threads, which is unacceptable today
- No integrated graphics means a dead system if the dGPU fails
- No Turbo Boost technology
- Locked to DDR4-2666 memory speeds
- Dead-end LGA 1151 platform with no upgrade path
Competitors & Alternatives
Intel Core i3-8100F
- AMD Ryzen 3 2200Rival
Budget Desktop
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i3-8100Rival
Standard Desktop
- Intel Pentium Gold G5400Rival
Entry Desktop
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200Rival
Budget Desktop
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i3-9100FRival
Next-Gen Budget
- Intel Core i5-8400FAlt
A massively better F-series option with 6 cores.
- Intel Core i3-10100FAlt
A modern, easily available budget gaming option.
Intel Core i3-9000
- AMD Ryzen 3 2200GRival
Budget Desktop APU
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200Rival
Budget AM4
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i3-8100Rival
Better 8th-Gen i3
- Intel Pentium Gold G5600Rival
Budget 2-Core
- AMD Ryzen 5 1600Rival
Used Market King
A drop-in upgrade for LGA 1200 systems that offers HT, higher clocks, and an iGPU.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 3 3200GAlt
A budget AMD alternative with strong integrated graphics and 4 cores/4 threads.
The logical OEM upgrade with 6 cores, providing much better multitasking.
Compare head-to-head
Our Verdict on Each
A historically bizarre chip that lacked both Hyper-Threading and integrated graphics. Its abrupt cancellation means it is practically irrelevant for any practical computing today.
Best for: Only as a collector's piece if found in its original box for a reasonable price.
Read the full reviewThe i3-9000 is a heavily segmented OEM chip that removed Hyper-Threading and integrated graphics. It has no place in the modern computing landscape.
Best for: The only acceptable scenario for the i3-9000 is if you inherit a pre-built office PC for free and need a basic machine to run a legacy piece of software or act as a home file server. Because it lacks an iGPU, you must ensure it has a dedicated graphics card installed, or it will not output video. Do not spend money acquiring this processor.
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Intel Core i3-8100F or Intel Core i3-9000?
Based on our editorial ratings, the Intel Core i3-8100F comes out ahead with a score of 3/10. That said, the best choice depends on your workload — check the spec and performance breakdown above for gaming, productivity and efficiency differences.
Which is faster for gaming, Intel Core i3-8100F or Intel Core i3-9000?
For gaming, the Intel Core i3-9000 leads with a gaming performance score of 30/100 among Intel Core i3-8100F and Intel Core i3-9000.
Do Intel Core i3-8100F and Intel Core i3-9000 use the same socket?
Yes — all of these CPUs use the LGA 1151 socket, so they share compatible motherboards.
Which is faster in multi-core benchmarks?
The Intel Core i3-9000 posts the highest multi-core benchmark score. Multi-core results: Intel Core i3-9000 (0). Benchmark figures are approximate and workload-dependent.