Intel Core i5-12600K vs Intel Core i5-10600K vs Intel Core i9-12900

Intel Core i5-12600K

The Intel Core i5-12600K is a mid-range CPU for desktops based on the Alder Lake architecture. It was first announced in November 2021 and offers 6 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores. The performance cores (P-cores) support HyperThreading, leading to 16 Threads that can be processed at once. The performance cores can clock with up to 4.9 GHz, the efficiency cores can clock with up to 3.6 GHz. All cores can use 20 MB Smart Cache. The integrated memory controller supports up to 128 GB DDR5 with 4800 MT/s (dual channel).

Thread Director (in hardware) can support the operating system to decide which thread to use on the performance or efficiency cores for the best performance.

The integrated graphics adapter is based on the Xe-architecture and called Intel UHD Graphics 770. It clocks between 300 and 1.45 GHz.

For AI tasks, the CPU also integrates GNA 3.0 and DL Boost. Quick Sync in version 8 is the same as in the Rocket Lake CPUs and supports MPEG-2, AVC, VC-1 decode, JPEG, VP8 decode, VP9, HEVC and AV1 decode in hardware.

Performance

The average 12600K in our database is way ahead of the Ryzen 9 3900 and the Core i9-10900K, as far as multi-thread benchmark scores are concerned. This is a very fast CPU that should have no trouble running triple-A games for at least a couple of years.

Power consumption

This Core i5 series chip has a Base power consumption of 125 W, with its maximum Intel-recommended Turbo power consumption sitting at 150 W.

The i5-12600K is built with Intel's fourth generation 10 nm process marketed as Intel 7 for lower-than-average, as of mid 2023, energy efficiency.

Intel Core i5-10600K

The Intel Core i5-10600K is a mid-range processor for desktops with six cores based on the Comet Lake architecture (CML-S, 4th generation of Skylake). The processor clocks at between 4.1 and 4.8 GHz and can execute up to twelfe threads simultaneously thanks to Hyper-Threading. 

The processor is still manufactured in the old 14nm (14nm++) process. Thanks to the free multiplicator, the CPU can also be easily overclocked (but may not have much headroom).

The Comet Lake architecture is similar to Coffee Lake and offers the same features and is produced in the same 14nm process. Other than the improved clock rates, the memory controller now also supports faster DDR4-2933 RAM. More information on Comet Lake and all the models and articles on it can be found here.

Performance

Thanks to the high clock speeds (and possible TDP settings with most mainboards), the Core i5-10600K offers a similar speed than the old Core i7-9700K quad core. Compared to current AMD offerings, the multi-core performance is on par with a Ryzen 5 3600, single core and gaming performance with a faster Ryzen 9 3900.

Graphics

The integrated Intel UHD Graphics 630 iGPU is supposed to offer a similar performance as the UHD630 in the Core i7-9900K. As a  low-end solution it will only run current games smoothly at reduced details - if at all.

Power Consumption

Intel specifies the TDP with 125 Watts (PL1) but under full load up to 250 Watt are consumed (PL2). In default mode these 250 Watt and therefore high clock speeds can be maintained for up to 56 seconds, however, all boards offer the option to alter these settings.

Intel Core i9-12900

The Intel Core i9-12900 is a high end CPU for desktops based on the Alder Lake architecture. It was first announced in November 2021 and offers 8 performance cores and 8 efficiency cores. The performance cores (P-cores) support HyperThreading, leading to 24 Threads that can be processed at once. The performance cores can clock with up to 5.1 GHz, the efficiency cores can clock with up to 3.8 GHz. All cores can use 30 MB Smart Cache. The integrated memory controller supports up to 128 GB DDR5 with 4800 MT/s (dual channel).

The Thread Director (in hardware) can support the operating system to decide which thread to use on the performance or efficiency cores for the best performance.

For AI tasks, the CPU also integrates GNA 3.0 and DL Boost (most likely only using AVX2). Quick Sync in version 8 is the same as in the Rocket Lake CPUs and supports MPEG-2, AVC, VC-1 decode, JPEG, VP8 decode, VP9, HEVC and AV1 decode in hardware.

The integrated graphics card is based on the Xe-architecture and called Intel UHD Graphics 770. It clocks between 300 and 1.55 GHz.

The CPU is rated at 65 W base power and 202 Watt maximum Turbo power. It is manufactured in 10nm, called Intel 7, process at Intel.