Intel Core i3-2120 Pro Reviews

The Intel Core i3 2120 is an interesting processor. It really doesn't bring too much to the table besides pushing the frequency to 3.3GHz, which is great as long as your targeted workload is more limited by raw clock speed rather than core count. In common Linux workloads, the Core i3 2120 was about 6~8% faster than the Core i3 2100, which is clocked at 3.10GHz and thus right in line with the elevated 6% frequency boost.

Sporting two physical cores with Hyper-Threading support, the i3 2120 has proven itself to be a potent little performer against its direct competition. As a low cost, low power solution, it offers improved performance in applications used every day for compressing data and editing pictures or movies. Having few faults, the i3 is able to perform all the tasks asked of a modern multimedia PC for a low cost of entry.

The Intel Core i3-2120 Sandy Bridge processor is ideal for consumers that are looking for a CPU that is good at X86 CPU tasks and aren't really worried about graphics.

Overall, Core i3-2120 and Core i3-2100 appear to be a good and inexpensive addition to the Core i7 and Core i5 LGA1155 series. If you are ready to settle for a dual-core CPU with Hyper-Threading support instead of a fully-functional quad-core, these Sandy Bridge products will be the best choice for almost any situation. The only weakness of the new Core i3-2120 and Core i3-2100 is complete unfitness for overclocking, which makes them very unappealing for computer enthusiasts. However, do not forget that these processors boast a pretty decent integrated graphics core – Intel HD Graphics 2000, which means that even though some enthusiasts may not want to have these processors in their everyday systems, they will still consider them eagerly for compact multimedia PCs.