What you need to know about the 12th Gen Intel CPU socket
Best answer: Intel’s 12th Gen Core “Alder Lake” processors (CPU) use a new LGA 1700 socket. This is a replacement for the previous LGA 1200 socket that was used for 10th and 11th Gen Intel CPUs. There is so far just one Z690 chipset available for motherboards with the LGA 1700 socket.
What’s new with the LGA 1700 CPU socket?
Intel processors and motherboards link up through a socket with protruding pins that make contact with the bottom of a CPU. Each CPU has a certain number of flat connectors that corresponds to the number of pins in the socket. When a CPU manufacturer like Intel changes up the number of pins and the shape of the chip, sockets must also change to accommodate these CPUs.
Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central
The redesign also means most CPU coolers designed for previous Intel chips won’t work properly with the new hardware. You might get lucky and find an LGA 1700 adapter kit for your specific cooler. Notably, Noctua was one of the first companies to announce a free upgrade for the new socket.
Which 12th Gen Intel Core CPUs can you buy now?
Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central
The Intel Core i7-12700K and Core i7-12700KF (without integrated graphics) are a decent step up for those who need extra cores for heavier multitasking workloads. They come with 12 cores and 20 threads. And the Intel Core i9-12900K and i9-12900KF (without integrated GPU) are for ultimate performance. They have 16 cores and 24 threads. It can be a bit tricky to figure out which CPU is best for your specific needs, but our guide on how to pick the right 12th Gen Intel Core CPU can help.
And since you’re no doubt going to need a new motherboard for your 12th Gen Intel Core CPU, we’ve also rounded up the best motherboards for Core i5-12600K, best motherboards for Core i7-12700K, and best motherboards for Core i9-12900K to help ensure you get exactly what you need.
Intel Core i5-12600K
The Core i5-12600K is a great value processor from Intel, offering 10 cores and 16 threads for less than $300. It’s strange to consider this level of performance as “mid-range.”
Intel Core i9-12900K
You likely don’t need something like the Core i9-12900K, but it would be amazing to have one installed inside your PC. These monsters have 16 cores and 24 threads, and can turbo boost all the way up to 5.2GHz.
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Check out the best RAM for your new 12th Gen Intel Core CPU
Intel’s 12th Gen Intel Core desktop CPUs are here. They come with a new socket and chipset, with support for DDR4 or DDR5 RAM depending on the motherboard. We’ve rounded up a bunch of great RAM right here to help you with your new build.
Best motherboards for Intel Core i7-12700K 2021
The Core i7-12700K can make good use of the best motherboards with a Z690 chipset. Connect DDR5 RAM and the latest GPUs, and you’ve got one amazing gaming machine. Here are some of our favorite boards.