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Intel Core i5 12400 2.5GHz 6-Core Alder Lake Desktop Processor w/ Cooler Expired

$170
$219.99
+ Free Curbside Pickup Only
+36 Deal Score
23,733 Views
MicroCenter has Intel Core i5 12400 2.5GHz 6-Core Alder Lake Desktop Processor w/ Cooler (BX8071512400) on sale for $169.99 when you click on the 'Reserve Now' button to reserve your product for pickup.

Thanks to community member agoldenbb for finding this deal

Note, curbside pickup may vary depending on location and may not be available at all locations

About the Product
  • 2.5GHz Operating Frequency
  • 4.4GGHz Turbo Speed
  • Six-Core Processor
  • 12-Processing Threads
  • LGA 1700 Socket Type
  • 65W Thermal Power
  • Intel UHD Graphics 730
  • CPU + Intel Heatsink included
Warranty
  • Includes a 3-year manufacturer limited warranty w/ purchase
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Original Post

Written by
Edited February 4, 2022 at 12:56 PM by
My local microcenter is showing 20 in stock. This is the version with integrated graphics. The i5 12400 seems to be the new sweet spot for budget builds and budget gaming. It is faster than AMD 5600g (the closest direct competitor) and 5600x. From reports, the bundled cooler is a big improvement from previous stock coolers so it is not necessary to spend money on that either. With a ASUS Prime B660 it would be about $300 out the door for a CPU/MB combo with graphics and a cooler or even cheaper if you can get one of the $25 off coupons that was posted on here for uploading a build.

CPU Core - Alder Lake
Processor - Core i5 12400
Operating Frequency - 2.50GHz
Turbo Speed - 4.4GHz
Cores - Six-Core
Number of Threads - 12 Processing Threads
Socket Type - LGA 1700
Level 2 Cache - 7.5MB
Level 3 Cache - 18MB


https://www.microcenter.com/produ...r-included
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Featured Comments

Pairing this solid CPU with a B660 chipset motherboard isn't a bad choice, but considering the marketplace there's at least one more "extreme" option that may represent a more optimal choice depending upon your personal preference (and one option on the other end you should probably avoid).

If you're looking for the cheapest build option you can find a near-$100 B660 chipset board paired it with the cheapest DDR4 you can find (or some you already have if you're upgrading a more modern system) would get you up and running. That could keep your total bill of materials (incl. RAM) around $300-350 and provide a functioning system with solid performance. You'd have plenty of CPU upgrade path, but unless you're willing to upgrade the stock cooler you're probably leaving a lot of performance locked away inside the CPU.

Do try to avoid motherboards built around the H610 chipset as the pricing seems to overlap with the B660 in the retail channel. The H610 chipset is positioned at the bottom end, and will probably be built into plenty of OEM systems, but there's no obvious value pricing on it available to regular consumers that I've seen (vs. more full-featured chipsets like B660 motherboards).

The next best investment to mention might be a solid air-cooler for $40-60. However, if you want to build the best platform to get every bit of performance out of the CPU you'd have to track down the cheapest Z690 chipset motherboard you can find, which probably adds another $60 or more to the bill for the H610 configuration. There are a lot of CPU tweaking and support features available in that chipset which could help with the current CPU choice or any future CPU upgrades. This is a key feature of the newest CPUs from Intel that could justify the upgrade, though obviously cheaper boards don't always implement this functionality as easily as more properly high-end motherboard manufacturers.

Good luck!
Jon
·
Tbh it's probably a good time to wait for the next amd apu if the graphics are the make or break in your purchase today
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Kraken09
02-03-2022 at 12:45 PM.
02-03-2022 at 12:45 PM.
Quote from dirtyb :
I was looking at this the other day, unfortunately all the mobos are overpriced, especially the ITX boards.

I think that's why the price keeps being lowered and promos are coming up at retailers. I settled on a 11400 to avoid the high priced motherboards.
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The_Love_Spud
02-03-2022 at 01:03 PM.
02-03-2022 at 01:03 PM.
Quote from agoldenbb :
This is a 'locked' processor that isn't meant for overclocking (even though some people have been able to get it to 5+ghz on all 6 cores using specific motherboards). A bigger/better cooler isn't going to help a lot performance wise at stock speed.
You're absolutely right that although this CPU isn't necessarily a top choice for overclockers, it is still an option with this CPU with the right motherboard. This is fundamentally true for all Alder Lake CPUs, which is exactly why I wanted to mention the value of the Z690 chipset. Contrast this with earlier Intel platforms where such CPU performance optimization features were only meaningful with specific unlocked (K-series) CPUs.

However, your statement about stock speed might fail to highlight for some readers the way modern Intel CPUs switch between their base clock speed (2.5GHz for this CPU) and their boost clock speed (4.4GHz single core; 4.0 GHz all cores): the only limiting factor for how long and how fast an Intel CPU can boost are CPU thermals. A better cooler ensures that more cores stay at a boosted speed when required/tasked. Additionally, better cooling also allows that boost to keep the speeds at the highest possible frequency. (Assuming the motherboard also remains cool and stable to supply the CPU power)
Quote from agoldenbb :
I saw one review say temps maxed out on the stock cooler at 81°c during stress testing.
Pretty sure that came from an early video here [youtube.com] that did indeed show the good news that may not be obvious to some readers on this thread: even with "only" the stock cooler the CPU didn't hit its upper temperature limit during testing (which would have lead to thermal throttling, where the CPU is slowed to allow cooling). This resulted in the CPU remaining boosted above the base clock during the entirety of the testing runs. However, consider that this CPU might perform differently in a closed system (the case in that test was open) and with a computer with a GPU installed. The channel owner noted the configuration in the comments as follows:
Quote :
The case's glass and top panels WERE REMOVED for this test. Unlikely a large difference considering huge case fans and no GPU usage. Sorry for the confusion.
This isn't a big deal for a large number of users, but it does highlight the distinction between the configuration in the video above and the kind of PC many users might actually build around this CPU.
Quote from agoldenbb :
You could get a quieter cool if the stock one is too loud for you but with this being a new socket from Intel, a lot of coolers do not come with the appropriate mount out of the box and will charge you a few more dollars for that mount.
I think your last point might be the most important regarding cost-effectiveness, since a premium cooler with compatible mounting hardware might add some cost. Given the reasonable performance with the stock cooler, that added cost might reduce the price performance of such an upgrade for now. Hopefully in the future that premium would diminish.
Please

Good luck!
Jon
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Dealer_Of_Slickness
02-03-2022 at 01:27 PM.
02-03-2022 at 01:27 PM.
Quote from digipimp75 :
I just got back from Micro Center. The $20 combo discount does stack with the $25 build coupon, but the employee had a hard time ringing it up and needed help. So I got the i5 12400 with the Asus B660-Plus Prime D4 board, and total came to $280.88 after tax. Not bad! https://static.slickdealscdn.com/ima...lies/smile.gif
That is awesome. I may plan a trip to my local MC soon.. but 180 miles round trip and a few hours of my day to save even $50 doesn't sound worth it. Maybe if I can make a day trip out it..
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The_Love_Spud
02-03-2022 at 01:36 PM.
02-03-2022 at 01:36 PM.
Quote from loxpp :
i struggle to see any fundamental difference between h610 and b660.
Memory overclocking is not available on h610 but i will buy DDR4 3200 to go with cheap build anyway, so what's the big deal?
The biggest difference comes in part for the OEM building the motherboard. The compromises relative to the B660 are essentially simplifications for the motherboard manufacturer. As such, H610 chipsets will be value-oriented boards while B660 will be more mainstream. Since the hot PC components market has largely put both in the same retail price range, why not get additional functionality (and potentially higher quality) for the same retail price? (Since in part component selection might be better for a mainstream device vs. a low-margin value device)

Good luck!
Jon
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AqifP
02-03-2022 at 02:02 PM.
02-03-2022 at 02:02 PM.
Quote from agoldenbb :
Isn't B&M the same thing?

No it is not
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snowcrash
02-03-2022 at 02:14 PM.
02-03-2022 at 02:14 PM.
Is there a cheap itx mobo I can buy to pair with this cpu? Looking for a slim build with a case from in-win.
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dirtyb
02-03-2022 at 02:57 PM.
02-03-2022 at 02:57 PM.
Quote from snowcrash :
Is there a cheap itx mobo I can buy to pair with this cpu? Looking for a slim build with a case from in-win.
That's the problem I'm having. The ITX boards at microcenter are all $300-$500 for Z series and I don't see any B series. You have to go micro-ATX to get something reasonable.
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2deal
02-03-2022 at 05:18 PM.
02-03-2022 at 05:18 PM.
Quote from bargainleecher :
I have been looking checking several sites and there seems to be conflicting answers but which processor has a better iGPU, this one or 5600G?
The Vega 8 5000 graphics in Ryzen 5 5600G is up to twice as fast as UHD 730 (in both i5-11400 and i5-12400).

https://www.tomshardware.com/revi...g-review/3

That website keeps reloading on my phone. AMD did not give their integrated graphics a fancy name, but it's much faster than UHD 730 and still faster than Intel Xe.

Ryzen 5 5600G is better overall when you consider how much better the integrated graphics are. And i5-12400 at 65 watts is only 10% faster on average than Ryzen 5 5600G so not a huge difference there.
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Last edited by 2deal February 3, 2022 at 05:37 PM.
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Gameross
02-04-2022 at 12:54 AM.
02-04-2022 at 12:54 AM.
Quote from Marlin1975 :
The 5600g will have a much better GPU.
The 12400 uses the lower tier 730, not the 770 the higher end alder lake chips use.
So does that mean the 770 is better than what is in the 5600g?
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Marlin1975
02-04-2022 at 04:26 AM.
02-04-2022 at 04:26 AM.
Quote from Gameross :
So does that mean the 770 is better than what is in the 5600g?

They should be close depending on the rest of the system specs and games being played. The 5700G has a better GPU than the 5600G.
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2deal
02-04-2022 at 06:34 AM.
02-04-2022 at 06:34 AM.
Quote from Gameross :
So does that mean the 770 is better than what is in the 5600g?
No. UHD 770 is only as fast as 5600G if you are using DDR5, which is currently expensive. Consider the extra cost for DDR5 and incompatibilities with Alder Lake and it's only as good as 5600G in terms of iGPU, not better. 5600G iGPU performance is close to 5700G.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rrZS71U1nXI
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Last edited by 2deal February 4, 2022 at 07:00 AM.
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tiGGG
02-04-2022 at 06:42 AM.
02-04-2022 at 06:42 AM.
Quote from snowcrash :
Is there a cheap itx mobo I can buy to pair with this cpu? Looking for a slim build with a case from in-win.
Quote from dirtyb :
That's the problem I'm having. The ITX boards at microcenter are all $300-$500 for Z series and I don't see any B series. You have to go micro-ATX to get something reasonable.
I'm in the exact same boat. I want a cheap B series ITX board but can't seem to find one with this socket yet.. I have parts I bought nearly a year now waiting to put something in my ITX case..
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radzer0
02-05-2022 at 11:43 AM.
02-05-2022 at 11:43 AM.
Quote from liunit92 :
that new cooler still looks like the one that came with my i5-4690k. without overclocking, my cpu would get up to 99 celsius with that fan while gaming in an airflow tower

We run some k series on the copper slug oem cooler. Fan does get loud but max load we see in the mid 80s.

Don't want to overclock for sure tho.
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puddnhead
02-07-2022 at 05:34 AM.
02-07-2022 at 05:34 AM.
Quote from Geburtenfresser :
Glad to see more components become widely available, and some decent bang for your buck options as well. Still fondly remembering my i5-2500k.
Seems like this summer I will have to build a new system!
I'm still running my i7-3770.​ Heck of a value! Think I'm on my 3rd GPU paired with it now.

It's really time to move on, but ... OMG, is it taking forever for more "mid-price" boards for Alder Lake to show up (obviously someone content to run Ivy Bridge for nearly a decade isn't gonna pay top $ for a MB). Starting to look like I may be waiting til summer too Frown
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darkmeridian
02-07-2022 at 05:42 AM.
02-07-2022 at 05:42 AM.
Quote from ListedGuru :
Looking to build a new pc (would be my first build) to replace a 6ish year old Dell Inspiron 3847 with a 4th generation I-5. This would be a work pc (not a gamer). My current pc still does the job fine I just want something newer that'll do 4k@60hz. It seem like this I5-12400 processor and the AsusB660-Plus motherboard mentioned here would be a great combo for me.

As an added bonus it looks like the ASUS B660-Plus motherboard also has a 2.5g ethernet connection which will help with my 1gb+ internet connection going forward. Like I mentioned I've never build a pc before so I'm thinking 16gb of ram (currently have 8gb) and a decent SSD. Does anyone have any recommendations for the ram and a SSD along with a case? What else am I missing for the build?

I have access to a Microcenter but am willing to buy components elsewhere if cost effective.

Thanks,

-Guru

For work, get 2x8GB 3200MHz of whatever RAM is on sale. Western Digital SN550 Blue is more than enough.
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