The latest version of popular hardware monitoring software AIDA64 (via HXL) supports Intel's Core i9-12900KS. The new update lends credibility to the recent rumor that the chipmaker is preparing a highly-binned Core i9-12900K.
It's been a couple of generations since Intel released a KS-series processor. We last saw one in the Coffee Lake days with the Core i9-9900KS. However, Intel is willing to give the current Alder Lake flagship a similar treatment, which seems fitting since the microarchitecture has put the chipmaker back on the map again and on the best CPUs list.
The Core i9-12900KS will most likely retain the same 8 + 8 configuration as the Core i9-12900K with eight Golden Cove cores and eight Gracemont cores. As the "S" suffix implies, the Core i9-12900KS is a special-edition SKU, meaning it'll come with higher clock speeds than the vanilla Core i9-12900K. The previous Core i9-9900KS boosted to 5 GHz on all cores, 300 MHz higher than the typical all-core boost clock speed for the regular Core i9-9900K. We can expect the Core i9-12900KS to arrive with a similar uplift.
Intel Core i9-12900KS Specifications
| Processor | Pricing | Configuration | Cores / Threads | P-Core All-Core Boost (GHz) | P-Core Base / Boost (GHz) | L3 Cache (MB) | Graphics | PBP / PBP (W) | Part Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core i9-12900KS* | ? | 8P + 8E | 16 / 24 | 5.2 | ? / ? | 30 | UHD Graphics 770 | ? / ? | ? |
| Core i9-12900K | $599 | 8P + 8E | 16 / 24 | 5.0 | 3.2 / 5.2 | 30 | UHD Graphics 770 | 125 / 241 | BX8071512900K |
| Core i9-12900KF | $574 | 8P + 8E | 16 / 24 | 5.0 | 3.2 / 5.2 | 30 | N/A | 125 / 241 | BX8071512900KF |
| Core i9-12900 | $529.99 | 8P + 8E | 16 / 24 | ? | 2.4 / 5.1 | 30 | UHD Graphics 770 | 65 / ? | BX8071512900 |
| Core i9-12900F | $509.99 | 8P + 8E | 16 / 24 | ? | 2.4 / 5.1 | 30 | N/A | 65 / ? | BX8071512900F |
*Specifications are unconfirmed.
According to VideoCardz's sources, the Core i9-12900KS reportedly features a 5.2 GHz boost clock across all eight Golden Cove cores. Depending on the workload, that's approximately a 200 MHz increase over the standard Core i9-12900K with a 5 GHz all-core boost clock. The Core i9-12900K often boosts to between 4.8 GHz and 4.9 GHz, whether the workload includes AVX or AVX2 or just SSE. So it's feasible that the Core i9-12900KS will have no problems breaking the 5 GHz barrier right off the bat.
A higher boost clock speed also means higher power consumption. The Core i9-12900K already has a 241W PBP (Processor Boost Power) rating, Intel's fancy term for PL2. The Core i9-12900KS may push this value closer to the 300W range.
Being a "KS" chip, the Core i9-12900KS will unquestionably present a slight premium over the Core i9-12900K. The Core i9-9900KS costs 5% more than the Core i9-9900K at launch time. If we use the same margin, the Core i9-12900KS may end up selling for around $629 since the Core i9-12900K already retails for $599.
Of course, it's arguable that you can overclock the Core i9-12900KS to match the Core i9-12900K regarding the all-core boost clock. However, not everyone likes overclocking, and mileage varies from chip to chip. Therefore, the Core i9-12900KS will be a suitable option for consumers who want the fastest Alder Lake processor out of the box.
