The company positions the new flagship chip as “the fastest processor in the world.” It is a reference version of the Intel Core i9-12900K model with an even higher maximum clock speed – while the requirements for its cooling have increased.
The 16-core CPU, like its predecessor, has a hybrid architecture (8 performance + 8 power efficient cores) with 24 threads of execution and 30 MB of L3 cache. The chip is able to automatically increase the clock speed of two “large” cores to a record value of 5.5 GHz using Thermal Velocity Boost and Intel Adaptive Boost technologies. The TDP of the novelty has also increased compared to the K-version – from 125 to 150 watts.
“Intel continues to push the boundaries of desktop gaming with the new Intel Core i9-12900KS processor. Based on Intel’s 12th generation high-performance hybrid architecture, it can reach 5.5 GHz on two cores for the first time, giving the most extreme gamers the opportunity to maximize performance,” said Marcus Kennedy, Head of Gaming, Creative and Esports at Intel.