Alder Lake is here. More than nine months after it began teasing them at CES, Intel has finally announced the first CPUs in its 12th-gen range.
The six new chips are all for desktop PCs, ranging from the mid-spec Core i5-12600KF to the high-end Core i9-12900K.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Intel has confirmed that there will be 60 Alder Lake CPUs in total, including those designed for laptops and other portable computers. Throughout the PC sector, more than 500 different devices will use these processors.
The release of all these CPUs (and the devices they power) is expected to take many months. However, you’ll be able to get your hands on this first batch as soon as 4 November, with pre-orders live now. Here’s everything you need to know.
How much do Intel Alder Lake CPUs cost?
As you might expect, how much you’ll pay for an Alder Lake processor depends on how much power you need. Remember, these are just Intel’s recommended prices in the US – it may vary by region and manufacturer:
Core i9-12900K – $589 (approx. £430)
Core i9-12900KF – $564 (approx. £410)
Core i7- 12700K – $409 (approx. £300)
Core i7-12700KF – $384 (approx. £280)
Core i5-12600K – $289 (approx. £210)
Core i5-12600KF – $264 (approx. £190)
Where to pre-order Intel Alder Lake in the UK
You can’t buy CPUs directly from Intel, so you’ll have to go via a third-party retailer. In the UK, pre-orders are live at the following:
Overclockers UK – all six available to pre-order
Currys – all except i9-12900KF available to pre-order
Ebuyer – all six available to pre-order
Box and Amazon both sell Rocket Lake, so expect Alder Lake to be available too once they go on sale.
Where to pre-order Intel Alder Lake in the US
In the US, here’s where you can pre-order the CPUs now:
Newegg – only i5-12600K and i7-12700K in stock
Micro Center – i5-12600K, i7-12700K and i9-12900K all ‘coming soon’, no other availability
B&H Photo Video – only i5-12600K and i7-12700K in stock, others ‘coming soon’
Again, Rocket Lake’s availability at Amazon, Best Buy and Walmart suggests it’ll be a similar story once Alder Lake is on sale.
Patchy availability in the UK and US shouldn’t come as a surprise. The ongoing global chip shortage had affected the supply of many tech products. It’s expected to continue for many months, so we’d encourage you to get in early if you’re serious about picking up an Alder Lake CPU.
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