Intel has released their 12th generation Alder Lake processors. We have an up-to-date news piece for you, complete with details like when it will be available and how much it will cost.
It wasn’t until Intel released its 10th-generation Comet Lake processor in 2019 that AMD had any significant competition. That entails expensive central processing units with a high frequency and core count, good thermals, and reasonable prices.
Rocket Lake (11th gen), released in 2021, was a little improvement over 10th gen processors.
But Intel’s 12th generation Alder Lake is a totally different beast.
This marks the first time Intel has moved from the 14nm++ technology to its newer 10nm Super Fin process for its desktop processors. As a result, Intel’s processors gain a great deal in productivity and speed.
Further, Intel employs a unique processing architecture stylebig.
LITTLE.
Let’s examine the latest data regarding Alder Lake in further detail.
Release Date
Intel’s Alder Lake was scheduled for release on November 4, 2021. This was disclosed at the ON conference hosted by Intel on October 27–28, 2021.
The release of Alder Lake was unusual in that only the most powerful K and KF processors were made available. The 12400 and the non-K version of the 12600K, both lower-end processors, were not available.
Motherboards were similarly affected. Initially, only high-end chipsets were offered (Z690), but additional motherboards were available in January 2022.
In January, we also saw the release of low-end processors. The Intel Core i5-12400, i5-12500T, and i3-12100F swiftly became the greatest affordable central processing units in the world.
Specifications And Pricing
Switching to the 10nm Super Fin process resulted in significant upgrades over earlier generations. Intel can fit more cores at higher frequencies and lower temperatures thanks to the shrinking size of the process.
The transition to a hybrid design will boost performance while simultaneously cutting energy consumption.
To do so, let’s examine the term “large” in greater detail.
LITTLE.
big.LITTLE
Intel has made a significant change to the architecture of its central processing units (CPUs). That means abandoning the norm in favour of a massive. Minimal attempts at a hybrid design.
This is the first desktop platform to employ this design. The M1 chip included in Apple’s devices is the only currently available central processing unit (CPU) that makes use of large. STANDARD MINIMUM SETUP
So, what exactly is big.LITTLE?
It’s a hybrid die that combines two different kinds of cores (CPU). The cores cooperate to give the user optimal performance while minimising power consumption.
To ensure the highest possible single-thread performance, the Performance-cores (P-cores) are fine-tuned to maximise boost as much as feasible. These processors can be used to run games and programmes on your computer.
In contrast, Efficient-cores (E-cores) excel at processing tasks that involve several threads. These can be used even when the P-cores are busy, reducing the likelihood of delays, hiccups, and so on.
Bringing together these two microarchitectures has the potential to vastly enhance the PC experience for everyone.
The E-cores do all the work in the background while the P-cores handle the tasks that demand the most processing power (games, editors, etc.).
You can see an example of this in action here. What game are you now engaged in? Also, you’re keen on chatting with your pals, so you’ve got Discord running in the background.
When working, you could also be listening to music on YouTube. Having so many additional tasks running in the background consumes a lot of energy.
On the other hand, Intel’s hybrid design will have the E-cores handle all of those tasks invisibly in the background so that they won’t bother the P-cores when they’re playing Apex Legends. Additional force will be channelled in one direction or another as required.
The fact that not all Alder Lake CPU cores will support hyper-threading is another key distinction. Unlike the standard two threads found in Golden Cove P-cores, the smaller Gracemont E-cores only feature one.
Desktop SKUs
Here is a specification table of Alder Lake’s current processors.
| CPU | Price | P-Cores | E-Cores | Cores/Threads | P-Core Clock Speeds | E-core Clock Speeds | Integrated Graphics | Cache | Processor Base Power | Maximum Turbo Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intel i9-12900K | $589 | 8 | 8 | 16/24 | 3.2-5.2 GHz | 2.4-3.9 GHz | Intel UHD Graphics 770 | 30MB | 125W | 241W |
| Intel i9-12900 | $529 | 8 | 8 | 16/24 | 3.2-5.2 GHz | 2.4-3.9 GHz | Intel UHD Graphics 770 | 30MB | 125W | 200W |
| Intel i9-12900F | $509 | 8 | 8 | 16/24 | 2.4-5.1 GHz | ? | N/A | 30MB | 65W | TBA |
| Intel i7-12700K | $409 | 8 | 4 | 12/20 | 3.6-5.0 GHz | 2.7-3.8 GHz | Intel UHD Graphics 770 | 25MB | 125W | 190W |
| Intel i7-12700KF | $389 | 8 | 4 | 12/20 | 3.6-5.0 GHz | 2.7-3.8 GHz | N/A | 25MB | 125W | 190W |
| Intel i7-12700 | $359 | 8 | 4 | 12/20 | 2.1-4.9 Ghz | ? | Intel UHD Graphics 770 | 25MB | 65W | 190W |
| Intel i7-12700F | $329 | 8 | 4 | 12/20 | 2.1-4.9 Ghz | ? | N/A | 25MB | 65W | TBA |
| Intel i5-12600K | $289 | 6 | 4 | 10/16 | 3.7-4.9 GHz | 2.8-3.6 GHz | Intel UHD Graphics 770 | 20MB | 125W | 150W |
| Intel i5-12600 | $239 | 6 | 0 | 6/12 | 3.3-4.8 GHz | N/A | Intel UHD Graphics 770 | 18MB | 65W | 200W |
| Intel i5-12500 | $219 | 6 | 0 | 6/12 | 3.0-4.6 GHz | N/A | Intel UHD Graphics 770 | 18MB | 65W | TBA |
| Intel i5-12400 | $209 | 6 | 0 | 6/12 | 2.5-4.4 GHz | N/A | Intel UHD Graphics 730 | 18MB | 65W | ~150W |
| Intel i5-12400F | $179 | 6 | 0 | 6/12 | 2.5-4.4 GHz | N/A | N/A | 18MB | 65W | TBA |
| Intel i3-12100 | $139 | 4 | 0 | 4/8 | 3.3-4.3 GHz | N/A | Intel UHD Graphics 730 | 12MB | 60W | ~100 |
| Intel i3-12100F | $109 | 4 | 0 | 4/8 | 3.3-4.3 GHz | N/A | N/A | 12MB | 58W | TBA |
| Intel Celeron G6900 | $79 | 2 | 0 | 2/4 | 3.7 GHz | N/A | Intel UHD Graphics 710 | 6MB | 46W | TBA |
| Intel Celeron G6900 | $59 | 2 | 0 | 2/4 | 3.4 GHz | N/A | Intel UHD Graphics 710 | 4MB | 46W | TBA |
Although Intel’s whole lineup of Alder Lake central processing units is far more extensive, we’ve narrowed it down to some of the most popular options.
However, the Alder Lake T-suffix chips should be singled out for special recognition. Nimbus v5, a fanless tiny PC powered by an Intel i9-12900T, was recently released by Cirrus7.
The i9’s low TDP of 35W makes it possible to fit such a powerful processor into a compact PC without the need for fans.
Desktop Alder Lake Performance
See below for a comparison of the 12900K to earlier AMD and Intel processors.
The 12900K is clearly 3 percent quicker than the 5950X. Lows in the top 1% are around 8% more favourable. Not great, however the 12900K is less expensive thus it’s hard to complain.
When compared to the 5900X and the 5800X, the i7-12700K is only somewhat more powerful when playing games. In any case, this is a very small distinction. Truth be told, there is little difference in performance between any of these premium chips.
The i5-12600K is comparable to the 5600X in terms of performance.
It’s not just about raw performance anymore; there are additional considerations to make when shopping for a CPU. Take into account the cost of the central processing unit, the amount of RAM (DDR4 or DDR5), and the motherboard.
Lower-end chips like the 12400/F will be what most people buy, despite the fact that the high-end chips in the Alder Lake series are impressive in both performance and aesthetics.
As an alternative to AMD’s 5600X, this 65W TDP CPU may be purchased for about $200.
From the folks over at Gamers Nexus, here’s a 1080p/medium version of Cyberpunk 2077.
The i5-12400 outperforms the 5600X in this specific game, as seen by this benchmark. While the performance gap of less than 1% between the two processors is negligible, it does demonstrate that Intel’s $200 i5 can compete with AMD’s $300 Ryzen.
The Ryzen 5600X produces much more frames per second (FPS) in CPU-intensive competitive games like CS: GO, Rainbow Six Siege, and Valorant.
The i5 clearly provides superior performance for the money in both gaming and productivity tasks.
The Intel Core i3-12100F is a great choice for a low-cost gaming PC.
Mobile Alder Lake
It makes likely that mobile Alder Lake would have a larger proportion of LITTLE cores than big cores, in contrast to the desktop SKUs. Laptops and other mobile devices greatly benefit from the decreased power consumption that is possible with LITTLE cores, despite their slower processing speeds.
For the initial wave of Alder Lake mobile, we will receive H-class processors. Some stock keeping units are listed below.
Core count may be the most immediately noticeable upgrade from previous mobile CPU generations. As was predicted, the i9s have 14 cores and 20 threads.
The i5-12600H and i5-12500H, however, will feature 12C (4P and 8E) and 16T, and they’ll be able to turbo up to 4.5 GHz. The technical parameters are unquestionably outstanding.
Some reviewers have gotten their hands on Alder Lake computers, despite their not yet being offered to the general public. Let’s test these out and see how they do.
According to a recent review by Tech Spot, the i7-12700H coupled with an RTX 3080 Ti is far superior to the competition.
Some Cinebench R23 snapshots are displayed below.
Even at 45W, the 12700H outperforms the M1 Pro from Apple, the Ryzen 7 5800H from AMD, and any CPU from Intel.
It makes the distance between the two processors much larger after unlocking the CPU to use 75W of electricity. It’s 35% quicker than its predecessor and over 30% quicker than the Ryzen 7 5800H.
What we’re seeing here are really insane improvements in efficiency.
Will the same level of performance seen in artificial benchmarks be seen in games?
That’s right, without a doubt! Check this out:
In Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, the Alder Lake i7 is roughly 20% quicker than the 11th generation i7. Big jump in terms of generations. In addition, the 5900HX laptop’s FPS drops by around 25% in Hitman 3.
Important to note is that this Alder Lake laptop has an RTX 3080 Ti GPU, which is significantly quicker than AMD’s RX 6800M.
Keep in mind that there is a price to pay for such impressive performance statistics.
To put it another way, the use of electricity comes with a price. Tech Spot reports that the i7-12700H consumes up to 150W of power whereas the i5-8600K uses only 70W. That could entail poor heat dissipation, short battery life, etc.
The i7-performance 12700H’s deficit to AMD’s new Ryzen mobile series has been much reduced.
The Blender 2.9x benchmark shows that the Ryzen 9 6900HS is only around 3% slower than the i7. This information comes from Hardware Unboxed. Take note that the TDP of the Ryzen CPU is 35W, whereas that of the 12700H is 45W.
Until a laptop sporting the 6900HX becomes available, it will be impossible to fairly evaluate Alder Lake’s top-tier products against AMD’s offerings.
New Alder Lake-M SKUs with reduced thermal design power (TDP) will be available later in 2022. Typically, M-class SKUs will be employed in devices that demand the highest possible levels of battery efficiency.
Multiple mobile processors using Intel’s Alder Lake architecture were recently discovered to have been leaked on the benchmarking website Geekbench 5. So, let’s check over the mobile offerings that Intel has to offer.
| CPU | P-Cores | E-Cores | Threads | Single-threaded score | Multi-threaded score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core i5-1240P | 4 | 8 | 16 | 1149 | 3060 |
| Core i7-1260P | 4 | 8 | 16 | 1721 | 9697 |
| Core i7-1280P | 6 | 8 | 20 | 1602 | 6369 |
| Core i5-12500H | 4 | 8 | 16 | 1602 | 8367 |
| Core i7-12650H | 6 | 4 | 16 | 1738 | 10016 |
| Core i7-12700H | 6 | 8 | 20 | 1758 | 12164 |
| Core i7-12800H | 6 | 8 | 20 | 1654 | 9618 |
| Core i9-12900HK | 6 | 8 | 20 | 751 | 6438 |
The sum of the single-threaded and multi-threaded scores is encouraging. The increases from the previous generation range from five percent to twenty percent, and possibly even more.
iGPU
This is the new big thing. Adding LITTLE technology isn’t the only thing Intel has done to improve their CPUs. New integrated GPUs are also on the road, which is exciting. New generation of Intel Xe graphics processors (Gen12) with the codenames GT1 (desktop) and GT2 (mobile).
The 36 EU GPU (at 1.5GHz) included in all of the desktop CPUs isn’t significantly more powerful than the UHD 750’s 32 EUs. However, GT1 is likely adequate given that desktop users typically employ dedicated GPUs.
While most mobile SKUs include an Intel UHD or Intel Xe iGPU, certain laptops equipped with an i7-12700H will instead feature a much speedier Intel Arc A350M or A370M GPU.
These new Intel Arc graphics processing units (GPUs) may be a game-changer for portable PC users. And I mean that in a literal and figurative sense.
The remaining mobile GPUs will be made available later in Q2 2022. The A550M, A730M, and A770M are all in this category, and they are expected to offer significantly better performance than the A370M.
With its 16GB of GDDR6 VRAM, the A770M should be fast enough to challenge the top mobile offerings from AMD and Nvidia.
Creators of media will be pleased to know that the new mobile Arc GPUs will support AV1 in full. Which means it’s useful for doing both decoding and encoding.
These GPUs will be quite quick in productivity tasks, what with the speed of AV1 encoding and Intel’s new Deep Link function.
New Socket, RAM, And Features
Intel switched over from LGA 1200 to LGA 1700 for Alder Lake.
This LGA 1700 socket can be found on the new 600-series motherboards.
Intel’s upcoming 13th-generation Raptor Lake processors will also be built on this architecture. Do different Intel CPU families coexist on the same socket? It remains to be seen.
Compared to Intel, AMD has taken a far more reasonable approach, with compatibility for four or five generations of CPUs on the AM4 platform, provided that the user has the corresponding BIOS version installed.
There is some good news associated with upgrading to this new socket. In fact, Alder Lake’s support for DDR5 RAM and PCIe 5.0 bodes well. These two updates represent substantial advancements for the personal computer market.
Since only Z690 motherboards were available at launch, 12th-Gen computers were more expensive than they should have been. Thankfully, Intel produced B660 and H610 motherboards with comparable functionality at a significantly lower price later on.
DDR5
DDR5 gives a lot of potential for progress in the future. It’s always nice to have more RAM, therefore it’s great that this newer version is faster than DDR4. DDR5 memory sticks will eventually have lower CAS latency at higher frequencies, although it will take some time (6600MHz).
Memory controllers in Alder Lake CPUs can handle either DDR4 or DDR5 memory, which is an interesting development. That is, customers can upgrade to 12th gen Intel without having to shell out for expensive DDR5 RAM sticks (and DDR5 motherboards).
Keep in mind that motherboards can only handle one of them. Those people are either for or against both.
XMP 3.0
Intel has also included XMP 3.0 in their latest chipset. The XMP standard, short for Extreme Memory Profiles, automates the process of setting up your RAM sticks. A system’s performance can be improved by enabling XMP because it increases the RAM’s frequency and decreases latency.
The new version of XMP is 3.0. An additional vendor profile (for a total of three) is available alongside two rewritable profiles and the ability to alter the names of existing profiles. More frequency possibilities are available to them, and they can adjust the rewritable profiles to their liking.
PCIE 5.0
An additional major feature of LGA1700 is PCIe 5.0, which is less interesting but still useful. Although PCIe 5.0 will double the speed of PCIe 4.0 (from 16 GT/s to 32 GT/s) when it is released in 2019, no hardware supports it at this time.
If gaming is your primary concern, upgrading to PCIe 5.0 won’t change much. This is because even the most powerful GPUs of today, like the RTX 3090, don’t fully utilise PCIe 3.0’s maximum bandwidth, let alone PCIe 4.0’s.
Until Microsoft’s Direct Storage API is made public, though, the boosted frame rates won’t do much for gameplay.
There would be no more texture pop-in or other streaming issues with PCIe 5.0-enabled games.
New IHS
Before Alder Lake, Intel’s IHS had not been updated for a long time.
The newer iteration of the IHS is marginally taller than its predecessors.
Final Words
Recent releases of Intel’s processors have been very well received. Customers and even the most critical critics give Alder Lake high marks.
The central processing units are quick, effective, competitive, and inexpensive.
What’s left is for AMD to launch the upgraded Ryzen 5000 series with 3D V-Cache, and for Intel to offer more affordable SKUs.
