Intel’s i5-12600K is every PC gamer’s dream CPU
Top-notch performance at a killer price puts this chip on top.
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Intel used to be the CPU king of price-to-performance gaming value, but that all changed in 2017 when AMD introduced Ryzen processors to the market. Though Intel (usually) held onto its crown when it came to maximum single-core performance, AMD’s Ryzen offerings ultimately stole the show since they offered performance that nearly matched Intel’s processors for a fraction of the price. AMD has continued to dominate the PC gaming landscape in recent years, and when it released itsRyzen 5000 processorsin 2020, benchmarks showed chips like theRyzen 7 5800Xoutperforming 10th and 11th Gen Intel CPUs in nearlyallmetrics — including single-core performance.
Ultimately, if you needed a powerful gaming processor, Ryzen was the clear choice. That has changed with the arrival ofIntel’s 12th Gen Alder Lake desktop processors, though, as Intel is finally fighting back with new chips that pair industry-leading performance with fiercely competitive prices. And if you’re a PC gamer in need of a CPU upgrade, theIntel Core i5-12600Kis about as close to perfection as it gets for gaming.
Above all else, the gaming performance of the i5-12600K is what truly makes it a standout. Based on benchmark testsconducted by Windows Centralas well as other reviewers likeLinus Tech Tips, the i5-12600K confidently outperforms the entirety of Intel’s previous 11th Gen lineup as well as most Ryzen 5000 chips (it even surpasses the beastlyRyzen 9 5950Xin many cases). This is one of the biggest generational performance leaps that Intel has offered in a long,longtime.
The i5-12600K offers fantastic performance for a killer price.
The i5-12600K’s performance is stellar, but that’s only half of the reason why it’s such an attractive piece of silicon. Intel has priced it incredibly competitively at $320, which is only $10 more expensive than the similarly priced Ryzen 5 5600X that it destroys in benchmarks. It’s also several hundred dollarslessexpensive than other CPUs it outperforms, like Intel’s i9-11900K and the Ryzen 7 5900X. At the end of the day, that’s value that you simply can’t ignore, especially in an era wherebuilding your own PCis generally more expensive than ever thanks to scalpers and the ongoing global chip shortage.
It’s important to note that therearesome reasons why you might not want to get an i5-12600K, at least for the time being. One of them is that the i5-12600K, like all Alder Lake chips, aren’t compatible with motherboards from previous generations. This means that you’ll need to pay for a new motherboard, and right now, thebest motherboards for the Intel Core i5-12600Kdon’t come cheap. The pricewillcome down at some point — new motherboards don’t usually stay pricey for long — but it’s a valid concern that’s worth mentioning regardless.
Another reason it might be a good idea to wait before pulling the trigger is that according to aretrospective video from AMDregarding Ryzen processors, the company is planning to launch new CPUs in early 2022 that will outperform the Ryzen 5000 series and compete with Intel’s Alder Lake line. It’s possible that we’ll see a “Ryzen 5 6600X” that one-ups the i5-12600K.
Even with these considerations, the i5-12600K is still a fantastic CPU that represents the best of what Intel can do when a challenger like AMD forces it to dig its heels in and compete fiercely. Between its superb performance capabilities and its excellent pricing, the i5-12600K is a dream CPU for any PC gamer who needs an upgrade.
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With enough performance for even the most demanding games and a killer price to match, the Intel Core i5-12600K is pretty much everything you could want out of a CPU for gaming.
Brendan Lowry is a Windows Central writer and Oakland University graduate with a burning passion for video games, of which he’s been an avid fan since childhood. He’s been writing for Team WC since the summer of 2017, and you’ll find him doing news, editorials, reviews, and general coverage on everything gaming, Xbox, and Windows PC. His favorite game of all time is probably NieR: Automata, though Elden Ring, Fallout: New Vegas, and Team Fortress 2 are in the running, too. When he’s not writing or gaming, there’s a good chance he’s either watching an interesting new movie or TV show or actually going outside for once.Follow him on X(Twitter).
