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Intel Core i5-1230U vs Intel Core i5-12600H: Comparison
Core i5-1230U vs Core i5-12600H l3 cache compared
Start with l3 cache, because it is the widest measured gap between them: Core i5-1230U 12 MB against Core i5-12600H 18 MB, 33% in favour of Core i5-12600H. There is a split on e-core boost clock as well, 3.2 GHz on the Core i5-1230U versus 3.3 GHz on the Core i5-12600H. They differ on p-core base clock too, 1.0 GHz on the Core i5-1230U versus 2.7 GHz on the Core i5-12600H. E-core base clock is not the same on both, 0.7 GHz on the Core i5-1230U versus 2.0 GHz on the Core i5-12600H. Add pcie lanes to that, 10 on the Core i5-1230U versus 20 on the Core i5-12600H, and the pattern holds.
Who each one is for
Buy the Core i5-1230U for ultra-thin laptops and business laptops, though it is not built for gaming laptops and heavy sustained workloads. The Core i5-12600H suits mainstream laptops and everyday productivity, though it is the wrong buy 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 i5-12600H (8/10): the Intel Core i5-12600H is a well-rounded performance mobile chip for mainstream laptops balancing power and portability.
What Core i5-1230U and Core i5-12600H have in common
Where they agree, they agree completely, efficiency cores, integrated graphics, product line, form factor and release year included, so the decision does not turn on any of those. They match on 8 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the Core i5-1230U and Core i5-12600H differ on total cores?
Yes. Total Cores reads 10 on the Core i5-1230U versus 12 on the Core i5-12600H.
Is the iGPU the same on the Core i5-1230U and Core i5-12600H?
It is. Both are listed at Intel Iris Xe Graphics, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Product Line
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- Core
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- Core
Form Factor
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- Laptop
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- Laptop
Model Number
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- i5-1230U
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- i5-12600H
Codename
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- Alder Lake
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- Alder Lake
Release Year
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 2022
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- 2022
TDP
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 9 W
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- 45 W
iGPU
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Market Segment
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- Laptop
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- Laptop
Microarchitecture
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- Alder Lake
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- Alder Lake
Socket
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- FCBGA1781
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- FCBGA1744
Process Node
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 7 nm
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- 7 nm
Total Cores
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 10
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- 12Best
Performance Cores
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 2
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- 4Best
Efficiency Cores
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 8
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- 8
Total Threads
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 12
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- 16Best
SMT Enabled
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- Yes
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- Yes
P-Core Base Clock
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 1.0 GHz
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- 2.7 GHz
P-Core Boost Clock
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 4.4 GHz
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- 4.5 GHz
E-Core Base Clock
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 0.7 GHz
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- 2.0 GHz
E-Core Boost Clock
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 3.2 GHz
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- 3.3 GHz
L3 Cache
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 12 MB-33%
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- 18 MBBest
Base Power
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 9 W
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- 45 W
Max Turbo Power
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 29 W
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- 95 W
Configurable TDP Floor
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 9 W
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- 35 W
Memory Type
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- LPDDR5, LPDDR4x
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- DDR5, DDR4, LPDDR5, LPDDR4x
Max Memory Speed
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 4800 MT/s
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- 4800 MT/s
Memory Channels
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 2
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- 2
Max Memory Capacity
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 64 GB
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- 64 GB
Integrated Graphics
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- Yes
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- Yes
iGPU Model
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- Intel UHD Graphics
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- Intel Iris Xe Graphics
iGPU Compute Units
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 64
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- 80
PCIe Generation
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- PCIe 4.0
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- PCIe 4.0
PCIe Lanes
- Intel Core i5-1230U
- 10-50%
- Intel Core i5-12600H
- 20
Which one should you pick?
Choose 1230U if you want the higher memory channels (2 vs 2).
Choose 12600H if you want the higher L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB) and 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 i5-12600H
8 / 10 Expert Rating
The Intel Core i5-12600H is a well-rounded performance mobile chip for mainstream laptops balancing power and portability.