The first benchmark result of Intel's rumored Alder Lake-HX CPU for 'muscle' notebooks and small form-factor gaming desktops has been published. Although the listing in the UserBenchmark database discloses certain specifications for the Core i7-12650HX processor, the most important thing about the entry is essentially yet another confirmation that the CPU exists.
According to an entry in the UserBenchmark database discovered by @Tum_Apisak, the new Core i7-12650HX processor appears to have 14 cores capable of processing 20 threads (presumably six Golden Cove performance cores as well as eight Gracemont energy-efficient cores, though that is speculation).
The Alder Lake-HX CPU features a base clock of 2.30 GHz as well as an average turbo frequency of 4.05 GHz, which aren't very high clocks compared to Intel's Alder Lake-H CPUs, yet the key feature of higher-end HX processors is eight Performance-cores and usage of full-fat Alder Lake-S silicon with a 55W processor base power (and a very high maximum turbo power) in a BGA form-factor. Furthermore, the actual performance of Alder Lake-HX-powered systems will depend not only on the CPU base clock but also on such factors as the cooling system and voltage regulating modules (VRMs).
Speaking of performance, the Alder Lake-HX-based platform equipped with 40GB of DDR5-4800 memory and a Samsung SSD 970 Evo Plus drive is said to be an 'outstanding' desktop computer but a 'terrible' gaming PC as it relies on an entry-level Xe-LP-powered integrated GPU with up to 32 execution units (EU).
For now, we should take the Intel Core i7-12650HX's benchmarks with a grain of salt since the CPU has not been released officially. Meanwhile, their very release is proof that Alder Lake-HX processors are being tested, which probably means that the release is looming.
