The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is the objective winner of this comparison, securing victory in eleven out of sixteen measured specifications. While the Intel Core i3-12100F maintains a notable lead in affordability, the primary technical advantage belongs to the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K, which offers a 620% improvement in L2 cache capacity. This substantial architectural difference positions the latter as the superior choice for users prioritizing high-end hardware specifications and memory performance.

Choose the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K if your workload demands the significant L2 cache advantage provided by its advanced architecture. Conversely, the Intel Core i3-12100F is the appropriate selection for budget-conscious builders who prioritize the 75% better MSRP over the performance-oriented specifications found in the higher-tier model. Selecting between these two processors depends entirely on whether your priority is minimizing initial costs or maximizing the technical capacity of your system.