Intel Core i9-129000KS Unveiled
The Intel Core i9-12900KS CPU comes as a premium, high-performance 12th-Gen Intel processor for desktops with up to 5.5GHz max turbo frequency. The CPU can hit its max frequency on up to two cores for the first time to deliver extreme gaming performance.
The processor has 16 cores (eight Performance-cores and eight Efficiency-cores) and 24 threads. It also comes with a 150W base power and 30MB Intel Smart Cache.
In addition, the i9-12900KS also comes with Intel’s Thermal Velocity Boost and Adaptive Boost technologies to tackle thermal issues and provide extra power. It also supports up to DDR5 4800 MT/s and DDR4 3200 MT/s RAM, PCIe Gen 4.0 and 5.0, and is also compatible with existing Z690 motherboards.
Comparing it to the Intel Core i9-12900HK, which was released earlier this year at CES 2022 and delivers up to 5GHz max frequency with 14 cores, the i9-12900KS is clearly the superior one with more cores and a higher max frequency. It also has an edge over rival chips from AMD, including the Ryzen 9 5900X, which comes with a base clock speed of 4.8GHz.
Price and Availability
Now, coming to the price of the 12th-Gen Intel Core i9-12900KS, the company has set the “recommended customer price” to $739 (~Rs 56,159). Intel states that the CPU will be available to retailers across the world as a “boxed processor” from Intel’s official channels and OEM partners.
