How Does Intel’s Performance Hybrid Architecture Make This Possible?
To better understand what makes 12th Gen Intel Core i9 processors special when it comes to laptop gaming and content creation, it’s helpful to review how CPUs typically handle multitasking scenarios.
Multi-core CPUs — such as 12th Gen Intel Core processors — divide workloads across multiple software threads, each of which can be processed by a different core. Generally speaking, the larger your system’s workload, the more your CPU will rely on the parallelization of tasks across multiple cores to cut down on the time it takes to complete it. As a result, CPUs with more cores generally possess better multitasking capability.
12th Gen Intel Core processors use two different kinds of cores: P-cores and E-cores.
- P-cores (or Performance-cores) boast higher clock speeds and drive workflows that rely on single-threaded processes. Physics engines and gaming AI performance are often tied to single-threaded processing speed.
- E-cores (or Efficient-cores) are designed for multitasking performance. They are responsible for background processes and workflows that can be parallelized. Certain elements of graphics rendering might scale better when delegated across more cores, for instance.
Intel Thread Director manages the processor’s overall workflow.3 It intelligently delegates tasks to the processor’s P-cores and E-cores according to the system’s current workload.
The result is a processor capable of running demanding programs simultaneously without compromising performance. The more cores a 12th Gen Intel Core processor has, the more capable it can be when multitasking, and 12th Gen Intel Core i9 mobile processors represent Intel’s most performant CPUs for users interested in using their laptop for more than just gaming. For example, the i9-12900HX can contain up to eight P-cores and eight E-cores, for a total of 16 cores, making it one of Intel’s most powerful and flexible mobile processors to date.
Gaming, Streaming, and Creating Content with an Intel Core i9 Mobile Processor
Intel’s hybrid performance architecture allows 12th Gen Intel Core i9 processors to tackle a versatile amount of workloads, making them perfect companions to any gaming laptop or creative workstation. In addition to boasting high multitasking efficiency, 12th Gen Intel Core i9 processors also demonstrate a stride in gen-over-gen performance across a number of demanding content creation applications.
As mentioned above, running multiple applications at once can be taxing on your system, and metrics like frame rate can suffer if your laptop isn’t equipped to handle running any other demanding applications while playing a game.
12th Gen Intel Core i9 mobile processors excel in this regard, however, and are more capable than the competition. For example, the i9-12900HK achieves up to 52% higher FPS4 5 than the AMD Ryzen™ 9 5900HX when playing, streaming, and recording The Riftbreaker at the same time.6
Game, Stream, and Record Performance4 5
Benchmark data also shows that Intel’s hybrid performance architecture is ideal for demanding content creation workflows using industry standard software. For example, the i9-12900HX exhibits superior performance when using the latest Autodesk suite of content creation programs.
Autodesk Content Creation Performance4 5
The 12th Gen Intel Core i9-12900HX outpaces the AMD Ryzen™ 9 6900HX in a number of Autodesk programs, performing 31% faster4 5 while using AutoCAD, 36% faster4 5 while using Revit, and 21% faster4 5 while using Inventor. The i9-12900HK also outperforms the Intel Core i9-11980HK by a significant margin across these programs, representing a leap in gen-over-gen performance.
Adobe Content Creation Performance4 5
Other entries in the 12th Gen Intel Core i9 mobile line also perform better when compared to competitors, especially when it comes to programs in the Adobe Creative Suite. When comparing the i9-12900HK and the AMD Ryzen™ 9 5900HX, the i9-12900H performs up to 80% faster4 5 when running Adobe Premiere Pro, up to 28% faster4 5 when running Adobe After Effects, and up to 23% faster4 5 when running Adobe Lightroom.
Resource-intensive programs like these often need to calculate physical and optical effects for every pixel on the display. On a 4K display, that could mean calculating 8 megapixels worth of lighting and color information every time you adjust a global setting.
Some of these tasks are better suited to parallelized processes, while others need intense single-threaded performance. It’s easy to see how distributing tasks efficiently between P-cores and E-cores can lead to double-digit gains on content creation workflows.
Professional Speed and Flexibility in a Mobile form Factor
Whether working at home or on the go, content creation applications are typically intensive and can require highly performant hardware to complete tasks at productive speeds. This is especially true for gaming content creators who must fold streaming and gameplay capture into the host of activities they do regularly. Performing all of this work on a mobile system might sound like a tall order.
With Intel’s newest processors, however, content creation is no longer confined to a studio or bedroom. The latest performance hybrid architecture allow Intel’s 12th Generation i9 mobile processors to bridge the gap between desktop performance and mobile portability by efficiently delegating workloads to different cores. Now you can play, build, develop, and collaborate from anywhere in the world without compromise.
You can learn more about how the latest performance hybrid architecture works over at our guide.