Intel Core i9-12900KS replaced with new packaging

Last March, Intel introduced the Core i9-12900KS processor, a product meticulously designed for high-end enthusiasts and overclocking aficionados, with a maximum turbo frequency reaching an impressive 5.5 GHz. It supports Intel Thermal Velocity Boost and incorporates Intel Adaptive Boost Technology (Intel ABT) to deliver the ultimate gaming experience.

Recently, Intel released a product change notification (PCN) for its flagship desktop processor, signaling an impending packaging makeover. The familiar yellow plastic wafer will be absent from the new packaging, which will also adopt a reduced footprint, more closely resembling the standard design of ordinary versions, although it still retains the “Special Edition” inscription.

Although the 13th generation Core processors have been widely available in the market, the Core i9-12900KS is far from obsolete. As a cherry-picked variant of the Core i9-12900K, it is equipped with eight performance cores based on the Golden Cove architecture and eight efficient cores based on the Gracemont architecture. It boasts 16 cores and 24 threads, a configuration that includes 30MB of L3 cache and 14MB of L2 cache, with PL1/PL2 at 150W and 241W respectively, and supports DDR4-3200 and DDR5-4800 memory.

Earlier this year, Intel released the Core i9-13900KS processor, marking a first in the PC industry as a processor capable of reaching 6GHz without overclocking. Its packaging design closely resembles that of the Core i9-12900KS, but it is considerably smaller and slimmer, with the yellow wafer replaced by a silver-like equivalent. This alteration enables distributors to transport more products in the same space, thereby potentially reducing transportation costs to a degree.