The Intel Core i3-12100F is the objective winner of this comparison, securing victories in eight of the fourteen evaluated categories. Its most significant technical advantage is its L2 cache, which is 233% larger than that found in the Intel Core i7-8700K. This substantial cache capacity serves as the primary driver for the superior performance profile of the newer processor, establishing it as the more efficient option across the majority of the measured specifications.

Users prioritizing modern architecture and the efficiency of a larger L2 cache should select the Intel Core i3-12100F for their build. Conversely, the Intel Core i7-8700K remains the appropriate choice for tasks that specifically require a higher total core count, as it maintains a 50% advantage in that category. Choosing between these two components depends entirely on whether your workload benefits more from the cache-heavy design of the newer model or the higher core density of the older unit.