The fact you're not taking into account regarding the 12100F is the frequency that CPU runs at: the optimal one.
Every chip, CPU and GPU has an optimal setting where it runs at the highest efficiency possible. If your chip doesn't reach that point, it can't maximise its full potential, but if the chip goes beyond that point, you get more performance at the cost of losing efficiency.
The 12100 is a low end CPU that Intel runs at its max efficiency setting, but the 14700 and 14900 parts are high end CPUs where every bit of extra performance matters, and Intel values raw performance more than efficiency. That's why those chips run beyond that peak efficiency point, making them a lot less efficient.
Don't get it wrong, AMD does the same because they need that extra bit of performance to beat the competition. Check their video running the 7950X at 65 and 105W Eco modes and you'll see how much more efficient that CPU is when not pushed at its limit.
That's why the ----X3Ds are so efficient, because the extra cache limits the amount of power those chips can be run at, resulting in lower frequencies, and that makes them run much closer to their most optimal setting.
Intel's biggest problem, then, is that even thought both companies run their chips beyond their peak efficiency point, Intel pushes their high end chips a lot further beyond that point than AMD does, which is why their CPUs suffer more in terms of efficiency.
Please excuse my bad English.
Currently gaming on a PC with an i5-4670k@stock (for now), 16Gb RAM 1600 MHz and a GTX 1070
Steam / Live / NNID : jonxiquet Add me if you want, but I'm a single player gamer.
