In January 2022, Intel expanded its 12th Gen Core Intel Processors lineup with the introduction of non-K processors. Consequently, new CPU coolers are introduced for non-K 12th Gen Intel Core processors. So which coolers can handle Core i5-12600, Core i7-12700, or higher? And what kind of cooler is recommended for non-K processors?

We have done several tests including content creation workloads and 3A games based on the environment temperature 25°C. We have found that the stock cooler thermal performance is decent for gaming with Core i5 or Core i7 processors. However, it’s not good enough for content creation workloads.

Firstly we used Cinebench R23 and Blender to find out the thermal performance between Intel Stock Cooler and MAG CORELIQUID C240, despite Intel Stock Cooler is able to control temperature on Core i5-12400, but the temperature is above 86°C in both software, therefore we are recommended used MAG CORELIQUID C240 for better thermal performance.

Followed by AIDA64 stress test to find out the thermal performance on Core i5-12600 with the Intel stock cooler. It comes out that the Intel stock cooler is able to handle CPU package power around 80~90W. However with the workload rises to near 100W, the CPU temperature hits 96°C and it’s very close to CPU throttling.

How does the Intel stock cooler perform with content creation workload and gaming on Core i5-12600 and above?

Here we tested several popular content creation benchmarks and games with Core i5-12600 and Core i7-12700 to see the thermal performance of the Intel stock cooler. We also conducted a test with an MSI MAG CORELIQUID C240 for comparison.

We conducted tests with popular content creation software including Cinebench R23, Blender, HandBrake, and Adobe Premiere Pro. The workload of Cinebench R23, Blender, and HandBrake exceeds 100W, and the stock cooler is not able to dissipate the heat from Core i5-12600 and Core i7-12700. As a result, the CPU throttles, and the performance is reduced.

When it comes to gaming, the performance of the stock cooler is acceptable. The peak CPU temperature is 50°C ~86°C for Core i5-12600 and Core i7-12700.

We also used the MAG CORELIQUID C240 for comparison and the thermal performance is much better. It keeps the Core i5-12600 and Core i7-12700 under 80°C for content creation and gaming.

Based on the tests, we recommend a premium cooler such as MAG CORELIQUID C240 for Core i5-12600 and above, especially when your system will be used for content creation.

Here we’ll take a look at the thermal performance of the stock cooler and the MAG CORELIQUID C240. HWiNFO64 is used to monitor the CPU temperature and CPU frequency. From the charts we can see the CPU temperature with MAG CORELIQUID C240 is much lower and the CPU is running at full speed. However, Core i5-12600 and Core i7-12700 throttle with the stock cooler and the CPU performance is reduced. Based on the results, we do not recommend the stock cooler for Core i5-12600 and higher models for content creation. A premium cooler such as MAG CORELIQUID C240 is suggested.

Let’s move on to gaming. We selected 4 games for testing including Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Battlefield 2042, Far Cry 6, and Cyberpunk 2077. Here's more information on the CPU temperature.

It suggests that the stock cooler is acceptable for keeping the CPU temperature under 90°C. However, with the more powerful C240 cooler, the temperature is nearly 20°C lower. Thus a powerful cooler such as MAG CORELIQUID C240 is recommended.

Some AIO coolers might have pressure distribution issues with Intel 12th Gen Core processors that impact the thermal performance. We’ve done several tests to see if MAG CORELIQUID C240 has good contact with the CPU, and the result is good. It has a good thermal paste spread and is fully capable of matching the performance of the processors.

• Rebellious and Distinct

• 2 x 120 mm Fan

• Large Surfaced ARGB lighting