The Intel Core i9-14900 is the objective winner of this comparison, securing victory in seven of the fourteen evaluated specifications. Its most significant technical advantage is its L2 cache, which is 540% larger than that of the Intel Core i3-12100F. While the latter component holds its own in three categories, the superior cache capacity of the i9-14900 represents the most substantial performance-related difference between these two processors.

Users prioritizing budget efficiency should choose the Intel Core i3-12100F, as it offers an 82% advantage in MSRP compared to the alternative. Conversely, those who require the extensive L2 cache capacity provided by the Intel Core i9-14900 should select that model for their build. The choice between these two processors depends entirely on whether the user values the significant cost savings of the i3-12100F or the substantial cache-related technical superiority of the i9-14900.