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Intel Core i5-1230U vs Intel Core i5-12450H: Comparison
What is the difference between Core i5-1230U and Core i5-12450H?
Expect a near tie. The closest thing to a difference is total cores, Core i5-1230U 10 against Core i5-12450H 8. They differ on e-core base clock too, 0.7 GHz on the Core i5-1230U versus 1.4 GHz on the Core i5-12450H. Add pcie lanes to that, 10 on the Core i5-1230U versus 20 on the Core i5-12450H, and the pattern holds. There is a split on tdp as well, 9 W on the Core i5-1230U versus 45 W on the Core i5-12450H. They differ on configurable tdp floor too, 9 W on the Core i5-1230U versus 35 W on the Core i5-12450H.
Who each one is for
Buy the Core i5-1230U for ultra-thin laptops and business laptops, though it is the wrong buy for gaming laptops and heavy sustained workloads. The Core i5-12450H is the one to take for mainstream laptops and everyday productivity, though it is not built for ultra-thin fanless laptops and maximum battery life. Our rating of the Core i5-1230U (7.7/10): the Intel Core i5-1230U prioritizes battery life and portability, fitting thin business and everyday laptops. Our rating of the Core i5-12450H (8/10): the Intel Core i5-12450H is a well-rounded performance mobile chip for mainstream laptops balancing power and portability.
Where the two are identical
Everything else lines up. Total threads, p-core boost clock, l3 cache, integrated graphics and socket status read the same on both, so those are not worth weighing. They match on 13 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the Core i5-1230U and Core i5-12450H differ on performance cores?
Yes. Performance Cores reads 2 on the Core i5-1230U versus 4 on the Core i5-12450H.
Is the Product Line the same on the Core i5-1230U and Core i5-12450H?
It is. Both are listed at Core, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- Intel
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- Intel
Product Line
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- Core
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- Core
Form Factor
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- Laptop
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- Laptop
Model Number
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- i5-1230U
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- i5-12450H
Codename
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- Alder Lake
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- Alder Lake
Release Year
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 2022
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- 2022
TDP
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 9 W
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- 45 W
iGPU
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- Intel UHD Graphics for 12th Gen Intel Processors
Market Segment
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- Laptop
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- Laptop
Microarchitecture
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- Alder Lake
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- Alder Lake
Socket
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- FCBGA1781
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- FCBGA1744
Socket Status
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- Mature
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- Mature
Process Node
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 7 nm
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- 7 nm
Total Cores
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 10Best
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- 8
Performance Cores
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 2
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- 4Best
Efficiency Cores
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 8Best
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- 4
Total Threads
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 12
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- 12
SMT Enabled
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- Yes
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- Yes
P-Core Base Clock
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 1.0 GHz
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- 2.0 GHz
P-Core Boost Clock
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 4.4 GHz
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- 4.4 GHz
E-Core Base Clock
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 0.7 GHz
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- 1.4 GHz
E-Core Boost Clock
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 3.2 GHz
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- 3.3 GHz
L3 Cache
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 12 MB
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- 12 MB
Base Power
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 9 W
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- 45 W
Max Turbo Power
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 29 W
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- 95 W
Configurable TDP Floor
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 9 W
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- 35 W
Memory Type
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- LPDDR5, LPDDR4x
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- DDR5, DDR4, LPDDR5, LPDDR4x
Max Memory Speed
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 4800 MT/s
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- 4800 MT/s
Memory Channels
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 2
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- 2
Max Memory Capacity
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 64 GB
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- 64 GB
ECC Support
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- No
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- No
Integrated Graphics
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- Yes
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- Yes
iGPU Model
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- Intel UHD Graphics
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- Intel UHD Graphics
iGPU Compute Units
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 64
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- 48
PCIe Generation
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- PCIe 4.0
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- PCIe 4.0
PCIe Lanes
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 10-50%
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- 20
Retail Availability
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- Soldered Only
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- Soldered Only
Which one should you pick?
Choose 1230U if you want the higher L3 cache (12 MB vs 12 MB) and the higher memory channels (2 vs 2).
Choose 12450H if you want the higher PCIe lanes (20 vs 10).
Verdict
Intel Core i5-1230U
7.7 / 10 Expert Rating
The Intel Core i5-1230U prioritizes battery life and portability, fitting thin business and everyday laptops.
Intel Core i5-12450H
8 / 10 Expert Rating
The Intel Core i5-12450H is a well-rounded performance mobile chip for mainstream laptops balancing power and portability.