Intel Core i9-12900KF CPU

Intel Core i9-12900KF

Brand
Intel
Model
Intel Core i9-12900KF
$317–$351estimated range · from catalog price Sep 4, 2026

Intel Core i9-12900KF: 12th‑Gen Alder Lake, 16C/24T up to 5.2 GHz for LGA1700; enthusiast chip for 1440p/4K gaming and creation; no iGPU.

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.
Released2021
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Cores16
Threads24
SocketLGA1700
MemoryDDR4
Base clock2.40 GHz
Boost clock5.20 GHz
TDP241 W
Cache30 MB
GixCore Editorial

Product overview

Intel’s Core i9-12900KF is a 12th‑Gen Alder Lake desktop CPU launched in Q4 2021 for the LGA1700 platform. It combines 8 Performance cores and 8 Efficient cores (24 threads) with boost clocks up to 5.2 GHz, supports DDR4 or DDR5, and provides PCIe 5.0 lanes on 600‑series motherboards. Intel ARK lists it as “Launched,” not discontinued, as of July 2026.

Positioned in the enthusiast tier, it targets high‑end gaming and creation without paying for integrated graphics. It’s well‑suited to 1440p/4K gaming, streaming, video editing, and 3D rendering, and it’s unlocked for overclocking on compatible boards. Unique note: the F‑suffix means no iGPU, so a discrete GPU is required.

Best for
  • 1440p gaming
  • 4K gaming
  • streaming
  • video editing
  • 3D rendering
Official product specifications

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 93% of CPUs
Threads24
Higher than 93% of CPUs
Boost clock5.2 GHZ
Higher than 83% 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
No
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.

Budget pairings6 lower-tier compatible options