Thursday, July 15th 2021
Specs of Top Intel 12th Gen Core "Alder Lake-S" Processors Surface
Intel will debut its 12th Gen Core "Alder Lake-S" desktop processors either toward the end of 2021, or early 2022, introducing the LGA1700 socket, 600-series chipset, and more importantly, hybrid CPU core architecture to the desktop space. The 10 nm "Alder Lake-S" silicon features up to eight "Golden Cove" performance cores (P-cores), and up to eight "Gracemont" efficiency cores (E-cores), in a heterogenous CPU core setup rivaling Arm big.LITTLE. Specifications of the top Core i9, fairly-top Core i7, and mid-tier Core i5 parts were leaked to the web on Chinese social media.
The 12th Gen Core lineup will be led, predictably, by the Core i9-12900K, which succeeds the i9-11900K with a maxed out 8+8 (P+E) configuration, unlocked multipliers, the most cache, and the highest clock speeds. The P-cores ("Golden Cove" cores) are clocked up to 5.30 GHz (1-2 cores boost), and up to 5.00 GHz all-core / 8 cores; while the E-cores ("Gracemont" cores), are clocked up to 3.90 GHz (1-4 cores boost), with 3.70 GHz all-core / 8 cores boost. The total L3 cache on the silicon is 30 MB. The i9-12900K has a TDP of 125 W (PL1), with 228 W PL2. Intel will introduce several new overclocking features, including multiple memory gear ratios.The 12th Gen Core i7 processors will be 8+4 core (P+E), have slightly lower clock speeds than the Core i9 parts, and possibly miss certain boost features. The Core i7-12700K will be the top part in the Core i7 extension. The P-cores feature maximum boost frequency of 5.00 GHz, with 4.70 GHz all-core boost; while the E-cores 3.80 GHz max boost, with 3.60 GHz all-core. The chip has 25 MB of L3 cache, and identical PL1 and PL2 values to the i9-12900K.
The Core i5 series will be made up to 6+4 core (P+E) parts. The unlocked Core i5-12600K is runs the P cores at up to 4.90 GHz, with up to 4.50 GHz all-core; while the E-cores are run at up to 3.60 GHz, with up to 3.40 GHz all-core. 20 MB of L3 cache, and the same 125 W PL1 and 228 W PL2 values as the other two unlocked parts.
There could be variants of the three that lack iGPU, but have identical CPU specs—i9-12900KF, i7-12700KF, and i5-12600KF.
The 12th Gen Core lineup will be led, predictably, by the Core i9-12900K, which succeeds the i9-11900K with a maxed out 8+8 (P+E) configuration, unlocked multipliers, the most cache, and the highest clock speeds. The P-cores ("Golden Cove" cores) are clocked up to 5.30 GHz (1-2 cores boost), and up to 5.00 GHz all-core / 8 cores; while the E-cores ("Gracemont" cores), are clocked up to 3.90 GHz (1-4 cores boost), with 3.70 GHz all-core / 8 cores boost. The total L3 cache on the silicon is 30 MB. The i9-12900K has a TDP of 125 W (PL1), with 228 W PL2. Intel will introduce several new overclocking features, including multiple memory gear ratios.The 12th Gen Core i7 processors will be 8+4 core (P+E), have slightly lower clock speeds than the Core i9 parts, and possibly miss certain boost features. The Core i7-12700K will be the top part in the Core i7 extension. The P-cores feature maximum boost frequency of 5.00 GHz, with 4.70 GHz all-core boost; while the E-cores 3.80 GHz max boost, with 3.60 GHz all-core. The chip has 25 MB of L3 cache, and identical PL1 and PL2 values to the i9-12900K.
The Core i5 series will be made up to 6+4 core (P+E) parts. The unlocked Core i5-12600K is runs the P cores at up to 4.90 GHz, with up to 4.50 GHz all-core; while the E-cores are run at up to 3.60 GHz, with up to 3.40 GHz all-core. 20 MB of L3 cache, and the same 125 W PL1 and 228 W PL2 values as the other two unlocked parts.
There could be variants of the three that lack iGPU, but have identical CPU specs—i9-12900KF, i7-12700KF, and i5-12600KF.