Intel Core i3-10100F Processor

The Intel Core i3-10100F Processor — 4 cores and 8 threads, 3.6 GHz base rising to 4.3 GHz with Turbo Boost, 6 MB Intel Smart Cache, 65 W processor base power, LGA1200. Supplied from stock with a 1-year warranty.

Eight threads at the lowest entry price on LGA1200

The i3-10100F is the graphics-free version of the 10100: four cores, eight threads, 3.60 GHz base, 4.30 GHz Turbo, 6 MB of cache, 65 W. It was the part that made eight threads affordable on a modern socket, and it remains the cheapest sensible starting point for a build that already has a graphics card.

There is no display engine, so the machine needs a discrete card and a board that will POST without integrated video. In exchange you get the full Comet Lake i3 compute package: eight threads, DDR4-2666 support at 41.6 GB/s, and instruction set coverage that includes AVX2 and AES-NI — enough for office, light content work and 1080p gaming with a mid-range card.

Technical specifications

Instruction set extensions: Intel SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX and AVX2. Security and virtualisation: AES-NI, Intel VT-x with EPT and VT-d.

Which systems take this processor

Anything on the LGA1200 socket with an Intel 400 or 500 series chipset: H410, B460, H470, Q470, Z490, W480, H510, B560 and Z590. 10th Generation Core parts run on both generations of chipset; 11th Generation support is chipset-dependent and does not apply to these processors.

• Business desktops and SFF machines — Dell OptiPlex 3080 / 5080 / 7080, HP EliteDesk 800 G6 / ProDesk 600 G6, Lenovo ThinkCentre M70t / M90t. The 65 W envelope is what these chassis were designed around.
• Entry workstations — HP Z1 G6, Dell Precision 3640, Lenovo ThinkStation P340, where four cores with Hyper-Threading cover office, CAD and light simulation work.
• Micro-server and NAS builds — W480 and Q470 boards accept Core i3 parts with ECC UDIMMs, and the integrated graphics keeps the platform usable without a discrete card.

One caveat when buying a board separately: 400 series boards may need a BIOS update before they recognise a later 10th Generation stepping. Tell us the board or the machine model when you enquire and we will confirm before you order.

How it compares across the i3 line

The 10100F and 10100 are the same processor with and without graphics. Against the 9100F on the older socket it adds Hyper-Threading — eight threads instead of four — which is the biggest single jump in this group and the reason the 10100F is worth a platform change if you are building fresh.

How each processor is tested before it ships

1. Visual inspection of the integrated heat spreader, substrate and contact pads; the sSpec laser marking (SRH8U on our i3-10100F stock) is verified against the Intel specification sheet.
2. Burn-in on a matched diagnostic board with a pair of memory modules of the correct type for this platform.
3. All populated memory channels and the primary PCIe lanes are validated, then the processor is identified in the BIOS and in the operating system.
4. A sustained multi-threaded load test at full core count, with the clock and thermal readings recorded.
5. Thermal paste cleaned off, final inspection, then packaging in an anti-static tray with foam — which is how it arrives to you.

Warranty and lead time

Every processor is covered by a 1-year warranty against defects in workmanship and function. If a part fails within the period we replace it or refund it, and we cover return shipping on a verified fault. Stock is held in our own warehouse and normally dispatches within three to seven working days; tracking is issued at dispatch.

Purchasing and volume enquiries

The minimum order quantity for this processor is 2 units. Price is quotation-based rather than listed, because CPU pricing moves with each incoming batch — send us the quantity you need and we will come back with a firm quote and the current lead time. Larger quantities ship from the same production batch so the sSpec and the stepping stay consistent across your order.