Intel Announces 12th Gen Core Processors Intel 12th Gen Core Processors Alder Lake S

April 5, 2022 admin 0 Comments

Intel Core 12th Alder Lake

Intel has announced the Alder Lake-S processor SKUs for the first time today. The 12th generation BIG.little CPUs will be available in the very near future. The K and KF (no IGP) versions of the Core i5 12600K, Core i7 12700K, and Core i9 12900K processors were introduced today.

Alder Lake – Hybrid Computing Architecture
It hasn’t exactly been a secret that Intel has been putting in significant effort to re-take the CPU market. After numerous respins, it was time for a new architecture, created from the ground up with a hybrid design; meet Alder Lake, which you’ve probably already heard a lot about. They will also be the first to adopt a hybrid architecture, similar to ARM’s BIG.little, that combines high-performance cores combined with efficient ones, making them the first of their kind for Intel. Furthermore, this new generation is now proven to be the first to support DDR5 memory (DDR4 compatible memory controllers as well) and PCI-Express 5.0, making it the first generation to do so.

The flagship processor Core i9-12900K has 16 cores and 24 threads. 8 P-Core (16 threads) and 8 E-Core (with 8 threads). The CPU has 30 MB L3 cache, 3 MB per core (Golden Cove), and 3 MB per cluster (E-Core) (Gracemont). That’s 8 P-Cores for 24 MB and 6 MB from each of the two clusters of 4 E-Cores. The chip has 12.5 MB of L2 cache and 1.25 MB of L3 cache.

L2 cache 10MB (8x 1.25MB) + 2MB (8x 256kB)
L3 cache 30MB
It is noteworthy that Intel no longer provides a total design power (tdp), instead referring to a ‘processor base power’ of 125W and a ‘maximum turbo power’ that is significantly greater. Intel, at the very least for the overclockable K processors, has put an end to the confusion that the PL1 and PL2 power constraints produced in previous generations with this announcement. As of now, the current norm for these CPUs is that they can boost indefinitely unless the PC maker (or, in the case of self-build, the user) decides otherwise in order to keep within the limitations of the cooling and power supply systems.

USD price Euro price incl. VAT Difference From Core Series 11
Core i9 12900K $589 €615 + 67
Core i9 12900KF $564 €589 + 67
Core i7 12700K $409 €427 + 21
Core i7 12700KF $384 €401 + 21
Core i5 12600K $289 €301 + 35
Core i5 12600KF $264 €275 + 35

Core i9 12900K in the 12th Gen Core lineup series, and will succeed the i9-11900K with the maximum configuration of 8+8 (P+E), unlocked multipliers, the highest cache, and the fastest clock speed. The P (performance) core (“Golden Cove” core) is clocked at 5.30 GHz and the all-core core is clocked at 5.00 GHz / 8 cores. Its gracemont core (energy efficient) is clocked at 3.90 GHz (1 to 4 cores boost) with the all-core boot of 3.70 GHz / 8 cores. The silicon’s total L3 cache is 30 MB. The TDP is 125 W for the i9-12900K (PL1) and 228 W PL2 for this product.

Core i9 12900K costs $589
Core i9 12900KF costs $564
The 12th gen Core i7 is configured as 8+4 core (P+E), has somewhat lower clock rates than the i9 core, and some boost functions may be missing. The Core i7-12700K is the highest geared Core i7. The highest P-core boost frequency is 5.00 GHz and the all-core booster is 4.70 GHz, while the top boost for E-cores is 3.80 GHz with an all-core of 3.60. The chip contains 25 MB of L3 and is similar to the i9-12900K for PL1 and PL2 values.

Core i7 12700K costs $409
Core i7 12700KF costs $384
Up to 6+4 core (P+E) cores are supplied for the Core i5 series. The unlocked Core i5-12600K operates the P-cores to 4.90 GHz with an all Core of up to 4.50 GHz, while the E-cores are up to 3.60 GHz with an entire Core of up to 3.40 GHz. 20 MB of L3 cache, and the same 125 W PL1 and 228 W PL2 values as the other two unlocked parts.

Core i5 12600K costs $289
Core i5 12600KF costs $264
The KF model has its integrated graphics disabled.