Intel Core i5-12600K review: Intel's new hybrid core design shines in the mid-range

Intel 12th Gen Corei5 Chip Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Primal

AMD has stolen the testify from Intel since 2022 with the launch of Ryzen. The company's mid-range processors but offered far better value than what Intel had out there, even though the Core i5 family of CPUs won in single-cadre performance tests. Intel is fighting back with the launch of the Core i5-12600K, a twelfth Gen processor with enough to write home most.

Alder Lake is the codename for this generation of Intel processor architecture and information technology has immune the company to motion into the realm of 10nm design, squeeze out more than performance per watt, and bring down the price to entice AMD customers. The Core i5-12600K may exist considered a mid-range processor, simply information technology has a whopping x cores and xvi threads.

Nosotros're going to look at how this new processor performs in a diverseness of tests compared confronting its predecessor, the Intel Core i5-11600K, and make up one's mind if it's worth the price for those considering a new CPU. Spoiler: the Cadre i9-12900K may not be the star of this show.

12th Gen Intel Core i5

Intel Cadre i5-12600K

Bottom line: The Intel Core i5-12600K is a worthy successor to the family of pop gaming processors. If you want to build or upgrade a battle station, this is all you'll need for the latest PC titles.

The Good

Smashing gaming performance
Decent TDP and thermals
Can be overclocked
Offers excellent value
Supports DDR5 RAM and PCIe 5.0

The Bad

No included cooler
Requires new motherboard

Intel Cadre i5-12600K: Price and availability

Intel Core i9-12900K Source: Rich Edmonds / Windows Primal

Intel launched the Core i5-12600K alongside other 12th Gen processors on October 27. These new processors are available at full MSRP and you should expect to pay around $289 for the Core i5. This is an ambitious price for a brand new processor with 10 cores and sixteen threads, largely in response to the success of AMD'due south Ryzen range of CPUs.

You lot will require a new motherboard to savor the benefits of going with a 12th Gen Intel processor. The Core i5-12600K besides supports DDR5 RAM, which will likely be considerably more expensive than DDr4 counterparts, though current-gen Intel motherboards can support either DIMM generation.

All-new core design

Intel Cadre i5-12600K: Alder Lake

Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central

Alder Lake is the codename for Intel's 12th Gen Core processors. The Intel Core i5-12600K is part of this generation, offering 10 cores and 16 threads for fantastic mid-range operation on paper. Alder Lake processors are the outset from Intel to utilize a hybrid cadre pattern for desktop PCs, allowing for non merely notable performance boosts but also better efficiency.

Intel has a new core design and it promises considerable gains across the lath.

Instead of using the same cores, Intel has installed six performance and four efficiency cores onto the Core i5-12600K. The former is reserved for enervating tasks whilst the more efficient cores are reserved for background tasks. Intel has a new Thread Director that works with Windows 11 to efficiently motion tasks to specific cores.

It'due south much like what Apple and other companies are doing with ARM processors like the M1 Pro and M1 Max. More details on the twelfth Gen architecture tin can be found in our in-depth Intel Cadre i9-12900K review.

The results speak for themselves

Intel Core i5-12600K: Benchmarks and performance

Intel 12th Gen Corei5 Chip Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Key

Certain, it'southward possible to go and purchase a Core i7 or even a Core i9 for a truly powerful gaming PC, only that wouldn't do your wallet any favors, which is precisely where the Core i5 range comes into play. We're now at a point where a ten cadre and 16 thread processor is considered mid-range and is priced as such. You'd be hard-pressed to fifty-fifty find a x-cadre CPU just five years ago.

It's not all about the number of cores and threads, which AMD's FX range of processors showcased to the industry. Thankfully, Intel has managed to bring down its manufacturing process to just 10nm, which is notwithstanding behind TSMC's 7nm used for AMD Ryzen CPUs but is far better than 14nm to which 11th Gen Core processors were built on.

Category	Intel Core i5-12600K	Intel Core i5-11600K	AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
Cores/Threads	10/16	half-dozen/12	8/sixteen
Base Frequency	P: iii.7GHz E: two.8GHz	three.9GHz	iii.8GHz
Boost	P: 4.9GHz Eastward: 3.6GHz	four.9GHz	4.7GHz
Turbo Boost Max 3.0	❌	❌	❌
Retentiveness	DDR4-3200/DDR5-4800 Up to 128GB	DDR4-3200 Upwardly to 128GB	DDR4-3200 Upwards to 128GB
L3 Cache	20MB	12MB	32MB
Integrated Graphics	Intel UHD Graphics 770	Intel UHD Graphics 750	❌
PCIe	PCIe Gen 5.0 10 20	PCIe Gen 4.0 x 20	PCIe Gen 4.0 x 20
TDP	125W	125W	105W
Manufacturing Node	10nm	14nm	7nm
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1200	AM4
Price	$289	$262	$449

Intel'due south Cadre i5-12600K is able to overtake the older i9-11900K, equally well every bit Apple's M1.

The Core i5-12600K doesn't lose out on specifications. It comes with total support for the latest DDR5 RAM (also equally DDR4 if y'all'd prefer), PCIe v.0 for more than GPU bandwidth, and the latest UHD Graphics from Intel. Cache has also seen a considerable boost to better suit the new core assortment, which should give it an fifty-fifty greater border confronting its predecessor and competition.

So how does all this translate to performance? We installed the Core i5 onto the same MSI motherboard used for our Cadre i9 tests so the setup is almost identical included using DDR5 RAM. The results speak for themselves. The 10-cadre i5-12600K is able to overtake the older Core i9-11900K, too as Apple's M1 processors that accept seemingly dominated the news bicycle these past weeks.

For gaming, Time Spy shows (using the same RAM and GPU) that you lot won't lose much in terms of performance for saving a considerable amount of money. The Core i5 is a full $300 more than affordable than the Core i9, which is a fantastic deal when you look at how well this little processor performs.

When paired with an NVIDIA RTX 3080, the Core i5 had no bug playing Doom Eternal at 3840x1600 resolution with graphics set to Ultra Nightmare (the highest) with DLSS (Quality), ray tracing enabled, and adaptive refresh — basically maxed out. Specifically, we consistently hit 144 frames-per-2nd (FPS), which seemingly makes the GPU the clogging here, not the CPU.

And that'southward if you pair it up with a GPU. Intel still ships processors with integrated graphics and the 12600K is no exception. At present sporting Intel's UHD Graphics 770, yous tin easily get abroad with playing numerous PC games without a discrete carte installed. The previous-gen UHD Graphics 750 was no slouch, and this latest iteration turns everything upwardly a notch further.

The Core i5-12600K may also be a better pick if you don't desire to invest in an AIO solution or wish to use the most compact all-time PC case you can find. Compared to the Cadre i9, nosotros're looking at a skillful 10C driblet while gaming to around 33C (91F), while idling and stress testing were nigh the aforementioned.

Your turn, AMD

Intel Core i5-12600K: Competition

AMD Ryzen 9 5950X Source: Rich Edmonds / Windows Key

AMD rocked the processor market with Ryzen back in 2022, but the company had to do something since Intel was so far out alee. The tables have turned since and now information technology'south Intel on the backfoot, merely Alder Lake and the 12th Gen family of Intel Cadre CPUs are set to take the fight back to AMD. The closest competition from Team Cherry for the Core i5-12600K would be the Ryzen 5 5600X.

Intel once over again offers the best desktop processor for performance and value.

Interestingly, it's Intel that has more cores and threads. The Core i5-12600K has 10 physical cores and 16 threads compared to the AMD Ryzen v 5600X's 6 and 12 core and thread setup. What likewise sets these processors apart is what cores are used. Intel has gone full hybrid with its twelfth Gen desktop processors, which should offer ameliorate results allowing the Bone to divert background tasks to specific energy-efficient cores.

This frees upwardly the high-operation cores, of which there are 6 on the Core i5-12600K (the same as the six-cadre Ryzen 5 5600X), to ramp up and focus on treatment games or software. Intel has largely been the ameliorate choice for unmarried-core performance and that doesn't modify with this generation, but how the company has congenital the Core i5-12600K means information technology's also way out in front for multi-core applications.

In fact, you could likewise say the Core i5-12600K is a amend buy than AMD's Ryzen 7 5800X.

Intel Core i5-12600K: Should you buy it?

Intel 12th Gen Corei5 Chip Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central

You should purchase this if ...

You lot want a powerful gaming CPU
You don't want to spend more than $300
You want to do some overclocking

You shouldn't buy this if ...

You plan to game and stream on the aforementioned PC
You're looking for the best multi-core operation for heavy workloads

We liked the Cadre i5-11600K, but Intel has something totally different in the course of the 12th Gen Core i5. Designed for an all-around good gaming PC, the Cadre i5-12600K is a superb choice. It'southward unlocked, assuasive you to push the processor farther if allowed past the motherboard and cooling capacity.

And it's now more difficult to recommend AMD for multi-core applications alone. The Core i5-12600K will easily give the Ryzen 7 5800X a run for its money across a variety of criterion tests, leaving it in dust for gaming. Intel has turned itself around for 2022 with an answer for all of AMD'southward processor offerings and the Cadre i5-12600K is a fine choice for mid-range PC builds.

Yous volition need to factor in the price of a new motherboard, particularly if upgrading. But upgrade y'all should if notwithstanding using a 10th or older Cadre i5 processor. The operation gains are impressive, and then also is the price. This is now 1 of the best CPUs for PC.

12th Gen Intel Core i5

Intel Core i5-12600K

Bottom line: You probable don't crave a Cadre i7 or Core i9 unless you're doing serious work or streaming. For games and other PC use, the Core i5-12600K is an excellent processor with impressive numbers for the price.

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Best motherboard

Best motherboards for Intel Core i7-12700K 2022

The Core i7-12700K tin can brand good use of the best motherboards with a Z690 chipset. Connect DDR5 RAM and the latest GPUs, and you've got 1 amazing gaming machine. Here are some of our favorite boards.

Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/intel-core-i5-12600k-review

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