Intel Core i9-12900K CPU

Intel Core i9-12900K

Brand
Intel
Model
Intel Core i9-12900K
$357–$394estimated range · from catalog price Oct 18, 2026Seen 10% off

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 26% 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
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Cores16
Threads24
SocketLGA1700
MemoryDDR4 / DDR5
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
  • 1440p gaming
  • 4K gaming
  • streaming
  • video editing
  • 3D rendering
Official product specifications

Compatible options ranked for this part's performance class. See all 16 →

Budget pairings6 lower-tier compatible options
Pairing fit

Compatible RAM kits

Compatible options ranked for this part's performance class.

Budget pairings6 lower-tier compatible options

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 88% of CPUs
Threads24
Higher than 85% of CPUs
Boost clock5.2 GHZ
Higher than 78% of CPUs
RAM speed4800 MHz
Higher than 78% 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, DDR5
Ram Speed
4800 MHz
Processor Generation
12