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Intel Core i9-12900K FAQ – Cooler, Overclocking and More

Case & Components

Intel Core i9-12900K adopts the new hybrid architecture and the performance is impressive. However its power consumption and thermal may scare people away. Many of you may have questions about this new Intel flagship. In this article, we’ll provide information on the frequently asked questions about overclocking, power and thermals of Core i9-12900K.

Q: What CPU cooler is recommended for Core i9-12900K?

Core i9-12900K temperature can hit 100°C easily with core-heavy workload. To dissipate the heat efficiently, a powerful CPU cooler is necessary, especially if you plan to overclock.

A stock Core i9-12900K consumes 220~256W power with multi-threaded workload such as Blender and Cinebench. For gaming, the CPU package power is much less. It sits around 100~150W, depending on the games.

If your Core i9-12900K system is used mainly for gaming, a premium air cooler might meet the demand. But if your system is for content creation, a 360mm AIO cooler such as MSI MEG CoreLiquid S360 is strongly recommended. MEG CoreLiquid S360 can keep Core i9-12900K temperature under 88°C with core-heavy workload. And the temperature is around 50°C when playing games.

Core i9-12900K temperature can hit 100°C easily with core-heavy workload

*The result may vary depending on the system configurations.

MEG CoreLiquid S360 Features:
- LGA 1700 Ready
- 2.4" Customizable IPS Display -
- Silent Gale P12 fans provide sufficient airflow to the radiator for cooling while maintaining low noise levels.
- A 60mm fan is placed within the water block to help dissipate heat for the M.2 SSD, CPU VRMs.

Q: What’s the recommended CPU voltage / CPU frequency for overclocking Core i9-12900K?

It depends on the CPU cooler used. With a 360mm AIO cooler, the recommended CPU voltage is 1.25v~1.30v. Start with 1.30v and 5000MHz and do a stress test to test the system stability. If it’s stable, then try with higher CPU frequency to find the max stable frequency. And then try with lower CPU voltage until the minimum stable voltage is found. Here is the recommended CPU core voltage.

MEG CoreLiquid S360

Q: What’s the safe CPU voltage for Core i9-12900K?

It depends on the CPU cooler you use. We suggest to keep your CPU temperature under 90°C for a 24/7 overclock. With a 360mm AIO cooler, the suggested CPU core voltage is 1.25v~1.30v, depending on the workload. If your system is for gaming or medium workload, you can try with higher voltage.

What’s the recommended CPU voltage

Q: How to overclock P-core & E-core?

The ways to overclock P-cores and E-cores are similar to how you overclock a Core i9-11900K. It’s not complicated, just get into the BIOS and navigate to the “P-core Ratio” and “E-core Ratio” option. Then enter your target P-core/ E-core Ratio and the desired CPU Core Voltage. Then press “F10” to save the settings and exit BIOS.

What’s the safe CPU voltage for Core i9-12900K

How to overclock P-core

Q: Do other voltages help with CPU overclocking?

No. CPU core voltage plays an important role in overclocking P-core, E-core and Ring frequency. But other voltages don’t affect the overclocking or stability. We suggest focusing on CPU core voltage, and keep other voltages auto.

Q: Can I undervolt the CPU for lower temperatures?

Yes, you can try with the VF (Voltage/ Frequency) curve. The VF curve determines the CPU voltage offered to a certain CPU frequency. You can try to lower the CPU voltage and make the CPU cooler.

Can I undervolt the CPU for lower temperatures

Get into the BIOS and you can find the VF in “OC\ CPU Core Voltage Mode\ Advanced Offset Mode”. Several VF points are accessible, such as CPU Ratio 40x, 42x, 48x, 53x.

Core i9-12900K is running 4.9GHz (49x 100MHz) with all-core workload. It’ll make sense to alter the voltage for 48x Ratio.

OC\ CPU Core Voltage Mode\ Advanced Offset Mode

Plus (+) offset increases the voltage while minus (-) decreases the voltage. Let’s start with offset -0.05v and run some benchmarks to test the stability and CPU temperature. Try with lower voltage if it’s stable. After several runs you will find the minimum stable voltage for your system. Please note if you offset the voltage too far, the CPU may become unstable. Here you can see the CPU temperature is 10°C lower with -0.10v offset.

The result may vary depending on the system configurations
*The result may vary depending on the system configurations.

Q: What software do you suggest testing system stability?

We recommend running benchmarks or software that you often use. If your system is for gaming, run 3DMark or games to test the stability. If the system is for content creation, test with Blender or Cinebench. Or you can run AIDA64 System Stability Test to test your system.

TWhat software do you suggest testing system stability

Trun 3DMark or games to test the stability

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