MSI Mainstream
Check on Amazon PRO B760-P WiFi DDR4
$152–$168
B760 platform match
Intel Core i9-12900K
- Brand
- Intel
- Model
- Intel Core i9-12900K
Intel Core i9‑12900K: 12th‑gen Alder Lake 16‑core unlocked LGA1700 CPU with UHD 770, ideal for high‑refresh 1440p/4K gaming and creator workloads.
Compute rankTop 17% of CPUs
TierEnthusiast?GixCore tierWhat a part was built to do — not what it costs.EntryBudgetMainstreamHigh endEnthusiastFlagship A part can be cheap because it is an ageing flagship, or because it is a current entry-level model. The tier tells you which.
ReleasedNov 2021
As an Amazon Associate, GixCore earns from qualifying purchases.Pricing note?This range is based on our last recorded catalog price and is not a quote. Check Amazon for the current price.
Cores16
Threads24
SocketLGA1700
MemoryDDR4
Base clock2.40 GHz
Boost clock5.20 GHz
TDP241 W
Cache30 MB
GixCore Editorial
Product overview
Released November 4, 2021, the Core i9-12900K is part of Intel’s 12th‑gen “Alder Lake” family on Intel 7, combining 8 Performance cores with 8 Efficient cores for 16 cores/24 threads. It drops into the LGA1700 platform (600‑series chipsets) and includes Intel UHD Graphics 770.
Positioned in the enthusiast tier, it exists to drive high‑end gaming and creator workloads with high boost clocks (up to 5.2 GHz), strong multi‑thread throughput, and support for either DDR4 or DDR5 plus PCIe 5.0. It’s a solid fit for 1440p/4K gaming, streaming, video editing, and 3D rendering. Unique note: unlocked multiplier for overclocking.
Best for
Official product specifications - 1440p gaming
- 4K gaming
- streaming
- video editing
- 3D rendering
Specifications
At a glance iEach dot represents a catalog model. Farther right means a higher measured value, not necessarily a better fit.Measured against the CPUs catalog
Current modelCatalog models
Cores16
Higher than 92% of CPUs
Threads24
Higher than 92% of CPUs
Boost clock5.2 GHZ
Higher than 82% of CPUs
RAM speed4800 MHz
Higher than 84% of CPUs
- Cores
- 16
- Threads
- 24
- Base clock
- 2.4 GHZ
- Boost clock
- 5.2 GHZ
- TDP
- 241 W
- Cache
- 30 MB
- Max Memory Size
- 128 GB
- ECC Support
- Yes
- Hyper Threading
- Yes
- Turbo Boost
- Yes
- Socket
- LGA1700
- Memory
- DDR4
- Ram Speed
- 4800 MHz
- Processor Generation
- 12
Pairing fit
Compatible Motherboards
Compatible options ranked for this part's performance class.
Pairing fit
Compatible RAM kits
Compatible options ranked for this part's performance class.
PNY Enthusiast
Check on Amazon XLR8 Gaming 16GB (2x8GB)
$114–$126
DDR4-4600 memory matchPNY Enthusiast
Check on Amazon XLR8 Gaming 16GB (2x8GB)
$114–$126
DDR4-4400 memory matchPNY Enthusiast
Check on Amazon XLR8 Gaming 16GB (2x8GB)
$142–$157
DDR4-4200 memory match
PNY High end
Check on Amazon XLR8 Gaming 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 DRAM 4000MHz
$114–$126
DDR4-4000 memory matchBudget pairings6 lower-tier compatible options
G.SKILL Mainstream
Check on Amazon Trident Z Neo DDR4 3600MT/s 64GB (4x16GB)
$598–$661
DDR4-3600 memory match
SILICON POWER Mainstream
Check on Amazon Gaming Series DDR4 32GB (16GBx2) 3200MHz
$189–$209
DDR4-3200 memory match
G.Skill Mainstream
Check on Amazon RipJaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB)
$87–$97
DDR4-3200 memory match
TEAMGROUP Mainstream
Check on Amazon T-Force Delta RGB
$157–$173
DDR4-3200 memory match
SILICON POWER Mainstream
Check on Amazon Value Gaming DDR4 RAM 16GB (8GBx2) 3200MHz
$114–$126
DDR4-3200 memory match
Corsair Mainstream
Check on Amazon Vengeance LPX DDR4 RAM 16GB (2x8GB)
$152–$168
DDR4-3200 memory match