All About Intel 12th Gen Alder Lake: CPUs Delivering Powerful Performance and Efficient Optimization for Your Tasks

At CES 2022, Intel officially unveiled the lineup of 12th Generation Intel Core processors for devices like laptops, tabletops, desktops,... featuring 14 cores, 20 threads, and a brand-new hybrid architecture. The 12th Generation Intel Core processors for laptops have just been introduced by Intel across various computer segments. So, what's new with the Intel 12th Gen chip? Is the performance of Intel Gen 12 chips impressive?... Let's find out in this article exploring what the Intel 12th Gen chip is all about!

Note: This article references information from: Intel, Tech Advisor.

See more: 

• Intel 12th Generation Alder Lake CPU poses a challenge to many competitive rivals
• Hands-on with ASUS TUF Gaming F15: Elegant design, Intel Core Gen 12th

The performance of Intel Core 12th Gen chip is truly impressive! (updated: 01/24)

Previously, 24h Technology had an article on hands-on experience with ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022), one of the first gaming laptops equipped with 12th Gen Intel Core chip in the Vietnamese market. I also had the opportunity to experience and evaluate the performance of this laptop. The results are really impressive, and specifically as follows:

- PCMark 10: 6,745 points.

- 3DMark Time Spy:

• Graphics score: 8,437 points.
• CPU score: 13,021 points.

- Cinebench R20:

• Single-core score: 675 points.
• Multi-core score: 7,354 points.

Based on some referenced tests above, we can see that the performance of the Intel Core 12th generation chip is indeed very strong and matches what Intel previously announced. Currently, I'm still in the process of experiencing the ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) and will soon have a detailed review in the near future. Stay tuned to 24H Technology for the latest updates!

Intel 12th Generation Chip Lineup Unveiled at CES 2022

At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2022), Intel officially unveiled the lineup of 12th generation Intel Core processors for devices such as laptops, tabletops, featuring 14 cores, 20 threads, and a completely new hybrid architecture. The 12th generation Intel Core processors for laptops were recently introduced by Intel across various segments of computers, ranging from powerful gaming laptops, mobile workstations to ultra-compact Ultrabooks, and even PCs with foldable displays set to be released this year.

Essentially, the processors launched for laptops cannot match the power of the Intel Core 12th generation processors for desktops - with the flagship being the Core i9-12900K - introduced by Intel earlier. However, the hybrid architecture combining performance (P) and efficiency (E) cores will deliver optimized experiences for laptops: adjusting performance levels to provide just the right experience for various workloads.

This combination principle is similar to how ARM operates and everything will run smoothly on Windows 11 thanks to Intel's Thread Director technology. Not much different from previous years, Intel will launch 3 lines of 12th Generation Intel Core with specific models as follows:

• H Series (highest performance): Focused on high-performance laptops such as gaming computers, workstations...
• P Series (medium performance): Targeted at mainstream laptops like ultrabooks.
• U Series (power-saving): Optimized for thin and light devices, emphasizing aesthetics and unique features rather than performance like foldable devices, 2-in-1 laptops, or tabletops.

Details of each version within the Intel Core 12th Generation chip lines

The new Intel processors for laptops will be arranged as follows:

- H Series:

• i5-12450H (8 cores - 12 threads - 45 W): 12MB Cache, max frequency 4.4 GHz.
• i5-12500H (12 cores - 16 threads - 45 W): 18MB Cache, max frequency 4.5 GHz.
• i5-12600H (12 cores - 16 threads - 45 W).
• i7-12650H (10 cores - 16 threads - 45 W) 24MB, max frequency 4.7 GHz.
• i7-12700H (14 cores - 20 threads - 45 W).
• i7-12800H (14 cores - 20 threads - 45 W) 24MB, max frequency 4.8 GHz.
• i9-12900H, i9-12900HK (14 cores - 20 threads - 45 W), 24MB, max frequency 5.0 GHz.

- P Series:

• i3-1220P (10 cores - 12 threads - 28 W), 12 MB, max frequency 4.4 GHz.
• i5-1240P (12 cores - 16 threads - 28 W), max frequency 4.4 GHz.
• i5-1250P (12 cores - 16 threads - 28 W), max frequency 4.4 GHz.
• i7-1260P (12 cores - 16 threads - 28 W), max frequency 4.7 GHz.
• i7-1270P (12 cores - 16 threads - 28 W), max frequency 4.8 GHz.
• i7-1280P (14 cores - 20 threads - 28 W), max frequency 4.8 GHz.

- U Series:

• Celeron 7300 (5 cores - 6 threads - 9 W).
• Pentium 8500 (5 cores - 6 threads - 9 W), max frequency 4.4 GHz.
• i3-1220U (6 cores - 8 threads - 9 W), max frequency 4.4 GHz.
• i5-1230U, i5-1240U (10 cores - 12 threads - 9 W), max frequency 4.4 GHz.
• i7-1250U, i7-1260U (10 cores - 12 threads - 9 W), max frequency 4.7 GHz.

What's New with Intel 12th Generation Chips?

First introduced at CES 2021 and later officially launched on October 27, 2021, the Intel 12th generation chip, codenamed Alder Lake, is an improved version in terms of speed and performance, featuring a combination of power-efficient Efficient-cores (E-cores) and high-performance Performance cores (P-cores).

Intel's Performance-core is the highest-performing CPU core ever designed by Intel. It's optimized for maximizing single-thread performance and responsiveness for tasks like gaming and 3D design. The power-efficient Efficient-cores provide stronger multi-threaded performance, enabling tasks to run concurrently (such as image rendering) and reducing power consumption for background tasks. Intel claims that Efficient-cores are the most power-efficient x86 CPU cores in the world, delivering 40% higher performance while maintaining the same power consumption as a Skylake core when running single-threaded tasks.

To seamlessly integrate Performance and Efficient cores with the operating system, Intel has integrated Intel Thread Director directly into the hardware. By automatically monitoring and analyzing chip activity, Intel Thread Director instructs the operating system to schedule threads to the appropriate cores at the right times. This new scheduling technology dynamically adjusts and guides operations based on real-time computational needs, rather than relying on pre-set static rules.

With its unique architecture, the Intel 12th generation CPU promises to deliver impressive high performance while being more power-efficient compared to previous generations.

What will be different about Intel 12th generation chips on laptops?

With the 12th generation chips, Intel will merge the naming and underlying platform architectures of laptop and desktop chips, similar to what they did with Core 9th generation chips and earlier. Intel will use the name Alder Lake for all versions, but depending on the device, the manufacturer will still divide them into three separate die versions with different CPU core counts, iGPU sizes, and other integrated components on the die.

Tailored specifically for laptops or smart devices, the Intel 12th generation chip will be optimized in size and features to fit the dimensions of laptops. The Intel 12th generation chips for laptops will also be soldered onto the motherboard, unlike on PCs.

What versions of Intel 12th generation chips will be available for laptops?

Currently, Intel focuses on the architecture of the 12th generation chips while detailed specifications have not been disclosed at the current time. Manufacturers only revealed that there will be 3 chip versions:

• Desktop SoC with 8 high-performance cores, 8 power-efficient cores, integrated graphics, RAM.
• Laptop SoC with 6 high-performance cores, 8 power-efficient cores, integrated Intel Xe graphics, Thunderbolt 4 support, RAM.
• Ultra-mobile SoC with 2 high-performance cores, 8 power-efficient cores.

For more details on the chips designed for laptops, Tech Advisor reveals that the new lineup will consist of two versions: Intel Alder Lake-P for most laptop models and Alder Lake-M for devices like tablets or slim laptops with lower performance. Each chip line will still be categorized from Core i3, i5, i7, to i9 as in previous generations.

What are the advantages of Intel 12th generation chips?

Integrating a new scheduling technology called Intel Thread Director directly into the hardware, efficiently routing tasks for both cores and threads. Thread Director dynamically allocates tasks to high-performance and power-saving cores based on priority and workload to efficiently complete tasks while conserving energy.

Both laptop and PC versions of Intel Alder Lake chips are manufactured under the 10nm Enhanced SuperFin process. This results in a 10-15% performance improvement over watts and greater energy efficiency compared to the previous SuperFin technology. Additionally, the 12th gen Intel chips benefit from Performance cores and DDR5 memory systems for high-speed internal bandwidth. Moreover, the Efficient-cores operate at around 1 GHz when the computer is not handling heavy tasks, conserving laptop battery life and reducing heat buildup.

Furthermore, thanks to the hybrid architecture with high-performance cores and power-saving cores, the Intel Gen 12 chip significantly enhances gaming performance. Support for new high-speed standards like PCIe 5.0, Thunderbolt 4, USB4, Wi-Fi 6E (Gig+), and high-speed DDR5 memory will facilitate faster data exchange, provide high-speed Wi-Fi channels, and offer the most flexible and exclusive ports available.

Summary

Here are some insights we've gathered about the Intel 12th generation chip – Alder Lake. With numerous new technologies and enhancements from Intel, we hope to soon experience laptops powered by Alder Lake chips with powerful performance and optimal operation as advertised by the manufacturers. What are your thoughts and expectations about this chip? Feel free to leave your comments below! Thank you for reading through our article.

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