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Grand Theft Auto V
Overclocking has a big impact on the -8350K's performance, allowing it to jump ahead of our test pool.
The Core i3-8100 averages an impressive 83.3 FPS, which is way ahead of the Core i3-7100's 58.4 FPS. That ~43% generational leap is typically unheard of. But the -8100 still trails Intel's Core i3-8350K at stock settings, which has a much higher base frequency. The Ryzen processors lag Intel's Coffee Lake-based models, even after tuning.
Hitman (2016)
The Core i3-8350K redefines what we expect from a Core i3. Given its higher overall cost, though, this is really more like a Core i5.
Core i3-8100 yields surprisingly good performance in Hitman, even if it isn't as formidable as the K-series model. The average FPS line chart, which only includes price-equivalent CPUs, highlights two performance tiers: the Kaby Lake and Ryzen processors offer significantly less performance than the Coffee Lake-based chips.
Intel's Core i3-7100 encounters several frame time outliers during the benchmark, while the -8100's additional cores provide a smoother experience.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
This title is about as single-threaded as it gets, so clock rates and IPC throughput affect frame rates most.
We expected the Core i3-7100's higher clock rate to provide an advantage over the Core i3-8100 in this benchmark, similar to how a stock -7350K beats the -8350K. Surprisingly, the -8100 leads, albeit by a slim margin, while the Ryzen models coalesce at the bottom of the chart. But it's noteworthy that even the slowest processor averages 124.7 FPS.
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