All You Need to Know About Intel 12th Gen Alder Lake Chip: Delivering Powerful Performance and Efficient Optimization for Your Tasks

At CES 2022, Intel officially unveiled the lineup of 12th Gen Intel Core processors for devices such as laptops, tabletops, desktops,... featuring 14 cores, 20 threads, and a brand-new hybrid architecture. The 12th Gen Intel Core processors for laptops have just been introduced by Intel across various computer segments. So what's new with the 12th Gen Intel chip? Is the performance of the Intel Gen 12 chip strong enough?... Join me to find the answers in this article exploring the Intel 12th Gen chip!

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

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

Earlier, 24h Technology had a hands-on experience with the ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022), one of the first gaming laptops equipped with the 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 were truly impressive, and here are the details:

- 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.

From some referenced tests above, we can see that the performance of the Intel Core 12th Gen chip is indeed very strong, just as Intel claimed earlier. Currently, I am 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 Gen processors unveiled at CES 2022

At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2022, Intel officially introduced the lineup of 12th Gen Intel Core processors for devices such as laptops, tabletops, with 14 cores, 20 threads, and a brand-new hybrid architecture. The 12th Gen Intel Core processors for laptops were just unveiled by Intel, spanning across various computer segments, from high-end gaming laptops, mobile workstations to ultra-slim and lightweight Ultrabooks, and even foldable PC models set to debut later this year.

Essentially, the newly launched laptop processors cannot match the power of the 12th Gen Intel Core desktop processors - with the flagship Core i9-12900K being the prime example - unveiled by Intel earlier. However, the hybrid architecture combining high-performance (P) and high-efficiency (E) cores will provide optimized experiences for laptop users: adjusting performance levels for a range of tasks from heavy to light.

This combination principle is similar to how ARM operates, and all will run smoothly on Windows 11 thanks to Intel's Thread Director technology. Similar to previous years, Intel will introduce 3 lines of 12th Gen Intel Core processors with specific models as follows:

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

Details about each variant in the Intel Core 12th Gen chip lineups

Arrangement of new Intel processors on laptops will be as follows:

- H Series:

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

- P Series:

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

- U Series:

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

What's New in 12th Gen Intel Chips?

First introduced at CES 2021 and officially launched on October 27, 2021, the 12th Gen Intel chips, codenamed Alder Lake, represent an improvement in speed and performance with a combination of Efficient-cores (E-cores) and Performance cores (P-cores).

Intel's Performance-cores are the highest-performing CPU cores ever designed by Intel. These cores are engineered to maximize single-threaded performance and responsiveness for compute-intensive workloads such as gaming and 3D design. Efficient-cores deliver stronger multi-threaded performance, enabling tasks to run concurrently, such as image rendering, while reducing power consumption for background tasks. Intel claims that its Efficient-cores are the most power-efficient x86 CPU cores in the world, providing 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 embedded Intel Thread Director directly into the hardware. Enabling the Intel Gen 12 chip to autonomously monitor and analyze its operations, Intel Thread Director also instructs the operating system, ensuring that threads are placed on the correct cores at the right times. This new scheduling technology dynamically adjusts and guides operations based on actual computational needs, rather than relying on pre-set static rules.

With its unique architecture, Intel's 12th Gen CPU promises to deliver impressive performance while being more power-efficient than previous generations.

What sets Intel's 12th Gen chips apart on laptops?

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

Designed specifically for laptops and other smart devices, Intel's 12th Gen chip will be optimized in size and features to fit the form factor of laptops. The 12th Gen Intel chips for laptops will also be soldered onto the motherboard, unlike on PCs.

What versions of Intel's 12th Gen chips will be available for laptops?

Currently, Intel's focus is on the architecture of the 12th Gen chips, with detailed specifications yet to be announced. However, the manufacturer has revealed that there will be 3 chip versions:

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

For more details on the chips designed for laptops, Tech Advisor reports 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 divided into Core i3, i5, i7, i9 as in previous generations.

What are the advantages of Intel's 12th Gen chips?

By integrating the new scheduling technology called Intel Thread Director directly into the hardware, it efficiently routes tasks across high-performance and power-efficient cores based on priority and workload volume. This ensures tasks are completed with high efficiency while conserving energy.

Both laptop and PC versions of Intel Alder Lake chips are manufactured using the 10nm Enhanced SuperFin process, delivering a 10-15% improvement in performance per watt and greater energy efficiency compared to the previous SuperFin technology. Additionally, the 12th Gen Intel chip sees performance boosts from the Performance cores and DDR5 memory system for high-speed internal bandwidth. Moreover, the power-efficient Efficient-cores activate when the computer is not handling heavy tasks, running at around 1 GHz to save battery life for laptops and reduce overheating.

Furthermore, thanks to the hybrid architecture with high-performance and power-efficient cores, the Intel Gen 12 chip significantly enhances gaming performance. Support for high-speed new 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 ports available.

Conclusion

Here are some insights we've gathered about the Intel 12th generation chip - Alder Lake. With numerous new technologies and improvements from Intel, we hope to soon experience laptops powered by Alder Lake chips with powerful performance and optimal operation as advertised by the manufacturer. What about you? What are your evaluations and expectations for this chip? Don't forget to leave your comments below to let us know! We sincerely appreciate you reading through our article.

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