Discussion Alder Lake - Builders Thread

[AdamK47]

This thread is for those of us that own or are looking to get an Alder Lake CPU.

Bought mine on release day. 12900K. Memory selection was limited to only Crucial DDR5 4800 at the Micro Center I went to. Bought two 2 x 8GB kits. Motherboard is a Gigabyte Z690 Aorus Master. I did buy a 360mm Lian Li Galahad 360mm AIO. Ended up returning it since the Lian Li Socket 1700 backplate that I bought separately worked well with my NZXT Kraken X73.

 

[pcmax]

I have 12700k on it's way with Asus Z690 Prime DDR4. I've noticed that almost all DDR5 boards got cheaper this week, cheaper than DDR4 equivalents, but saving £30 on a mobo is nowhere near enough to cover almost tripple the price of RAM ...

Looking forward to testing this setup and adding results to my Cinebench 2000 and R9.5 database 🙂

That's my setup and so far very happy with it as an upgrade from a i7-7700K. I'm a speed junkie especially when it comes to storage performance and this coupled with an WD SN850 PCIe Gen4 Nvme it's "almost" as responsive a system as I have ever longed for. My RTX 3060 benches went up 15% as seems usual with chipset upgrades so happy about that too.

 

[Aikouka]

I went through and setup Unraid with the i5-12400 and ASUS Z690 Prime D4 over the weekend. Overall... it wasn't too bad, but there were definitely a few Unraid-related hiccups that I ran into. Fortunately, I was able to quickly find resources to help me fix the problems since I am a bit of a 'Nix Newbie.

Unsurprisingly, I ran into an issue with the drivers for the CPU's integrated graphics. What I saw at first was that the screen hooked up to my server just displayed a flashing cursor at the top left instead of a login screen. I was able to use any remote, web-based connection (like normal) to access it. From what I saw, I needed to either manually enable the iGPU's drivers or use the Intel GPU TOP plug-in to do it for me. I went with the latter as it also enabled me to use the GPU Statistics plug-in. However, a post on the forums noted that I would also have to update an i985 config file, which I believe tells Unraid to not load the driver, and allows the plug-in to load the driver?

I also upgraded to 6.10 RC2 from 6.09. I don't think that was necessarily required, but given that I'm using new hardware, I figured upgrading back-end components to the latest would probably help with compatibility.

In regard to the ASUS Z690 Prime D4, this is going to sound kind of negative, but I think this board really represents how I've seen people complain that Z690 boards seem more expensive than prior generations. I have the non-WiFi version, which costs about $210, but when working with the board... it felt more like a $160 board from earlier generations. With the cheap looking I/O shield and how there are mounting points for a bottom M.2 heatsink, it definitely seems like choices were made to cut features from this board to reduce its cost. As a personal preference, I usually prefer motherboards that reach the third set of ATX stand-offs. This board goes up close to them, but does not actually reach nor have mounting holes for them.

As for the build itself, I didn't really have any problems. Although, there is one thing that I didn't consider in regard to the expansion slots. I'm currently using an older LSI RAID card, which is only PCI-E 2.0 x8, but while the Z690 Prime D4 has four x16 slots, only the first one is actually x16; the rest are all x4. So, I believe this means the card is limited to PCI-E 2.0 x4 speeds? Digging a bit deeper, the SFP+ card is only an x4 card, so I should probably move it to the other slot and let the 8x RAID card get a bit more bandwidth.

 

[igor_kavinski]

Last weekend, installed the i5-12400 into the Asus H610 mobo I got for a friend. It booted up fine, just took longer to display the splash screen than I'm used to (almost 30 seconds or more). It gave a message saying that this is the first time this CPU has booted up. Is this info stored in some NVRAM on the CPU? So Intel knows if a CPU has been used or not?

 

[coercitiv]

It gave a message saying that this is the first time this CPU has booted up.

This is the type of situation when one should not relate their interpretation of the message, but accurately reproduce the message instead.

Was the message very similar to this?

New CPU installed! Please enter setup to configure your system.

 

[igor_kavinski]

This is the type of situation when one should not relate their interpretation of the message, but accurately reproduce the message instead.

Was the message very similar to this?

I think so but don't really remember. So the mobo is identifying the CPU based on some unique serial etc.? How does the mobo know it's new? Or it will give that message with any CPU if the mobo is new?

 

[coercitiv]

Or it will give that message with any CPU if the mobo is new?

Pretty much, it's a message displayed when the CPU is changed on the motherboard. The wording is a bit misleading though.

I think that on other boards the message sound more like "The CPU has changed...", which is harder to interpret the wrong way, though it still makes little sense on the first run.

 

[igor_kavinski]

Why do the instructions in the Intel CPU manual call for installing the CPU BEFORE removing the black plastic cover on the mobo CPU socket? What kind of damage is that supposed to protect users from? I didn't do that coz it didn't make sense to me and also I couldn't see how I was supposed to install the CPU without removing the plastic cover.

 

[OlyAR15]

Why do the instructions in the Intel CPU manual call for installing the CPU BEFORE removing the black plastic cover on the mobo CPU socket? What kind of damage is that supposed to protect users from? I didn't do that coz it didn't make sense to me and also I couldn't see how I was supposed to install the CPU without removing the plastic cover.

I think it's just to protect the pins on the mobo. If they're bent, bad things can happen. You don't have to remove the plastic cover. Once you lift the latching mechanism and place the CPU in the socket, the plastic lid will snap off once you lower the latching mechanism.

I guess you haven't built an intel machine in quite a while. They've used this mechanism for the past several years.

 

[igor_kavinski]

I guess you haven't built an intel machine in quite a while. They've used this mechanism for the past several years.

Yep. Built Sandy Bridge brand new, then a used Broadwell and now Alder Lake. Need to see a youtube video to understand the process, but glad that not following it didn't ruin the pins.

 

[Zucker2k]

Yep. Built Sandy Bridge brand new, then a used Broadwell and now Alder Lake. Need to see a youtube video to understand the process, but glad that not following it didn't ruin the pins.

Which Alder Lake chip did you get?

 

[igor_kavinski]

Which Alder Lake chip did you get?

It's not mine. Bought it for my friend, tested it and sent it off to him in another country, everything except chassis so he can choose whatever he likes. He just got it yesterday. He's going to attempt the build himself despite no prior experience. I wish him every success!

I got i5-12400 with Asus H610 mobo and CL15 DDR4-3000 Kingston RAM. Geekbench ST score exceeded 1600. But it felt crazy fast. Windows setup's second phase where it detects devices and installs drivers, I've never seen that go so fast. Also, typical software like Winrar or other utilities, I hardly saw their installation progress bar. I clicked Next and in the blink of an eye, I was looking at the Finish button. This is a groundbreaking generation for Intel, much like the Core architecture was after the P4 debacle.

 

[Markfw]

It's not mine. Bought it for my friend, tested it and sent it off to him in another country, everything except chassis so he can choose whatever he likes. He just got it yesterday. He's going to attempt the build himself despite no prior experience. I wish him every success!

I got i5-12400 with Asus H610 mobo and CL15 DDR4-3000 Kingston RAM. Geekbench ST score exceeded 1600. But it felt crazy fast. Windows setup's second phase where it detects devices and installs drivers, I've never seen that go so fast. Also, typical software like Winrar or other utilities, I hardly saw their installation progress bar. I clicked Next and in the blink of an eye, I was looking at the Finish button. This is a groundbreaking generation for Intel, much like the Core architecture was after the P4 debacle.

I have seen the same speed for Zen 3. Have you done one of those ? I don't want to deride anything you have said about Alder lake, but the same thing can be said about Zen3. One-sided feedback does nothing to help people decide what to buy. I installed the entire linux mint distro in about 2 minutes.

Edit: To be clear, this post was meant to point out that modern systems have much more advanced IO, and that has WAY more to do with what he is seeing than the CPU BY ANY MANUFACTURER. NVME drives in particular are light years faster than a spinning drive, and much faster even than a fast SSD.

 

[igor_kavinski]

I have seen the same speed for Zen 3. Have you done one of those ? I don't want to deride anything you have said about Alder lake, but the same thing can be said about Zen3. One-sided feedback does nothing to help people decide what to buy. I installed the entire linux mint distro in about 2 minutes.

I don't doubt that. I'm on Broadwell and my daily drivers at work are a Sandy Bridge and a Haswell, and an Ivy Bridge that I use through Remote Admin. My friend was on an Ivy Bridge. I wanted to get him something that would last him at least 5 years for his workloads (mostly web development, with a bit of gaming). If AMD had a competing V-cache part right now for the same price as the i5-12400, I would have gone with that because that has better longevity, much like how Broadwell still doesn't suck that much at gaming despite being years old. Or I would have gotten him an AMD 6000 series laptop. AMD's late to the party. I simply wanted my friend to have the best for his particular workloads and that happens to be Intel right now. If I could have gotten him a system last year, no way I would have gone with Core 10th gen or 11th gen for him. It would have been a Zen 3.

 

[Zucker2k]

I don't want to deride anything you have said about Alder lake, but the same thing can be said about Zen3.

And so what? Go post that in the Zen 3 Builders thread. Your partisanship is sickening at this point!

 

[Markfw]

And so what? Go post that in the Zen 3 Builders thread. Your partisanship is sickening at this point!

I was only pointing out that ANY modern system has IO that fast. He made it sound like Alder lake was some super speed demon. This was verified by his reply, that he had only used skylake and older systems before this. Insulting someone who is contributing valid feedback is not good behavior on these forums. And there is plenty of Alder lake in Zen threads as well.

 

[Zucker2k]

I was only pointing out that ANY modern system has IO that fast. He made it sound like Alder lake was some super speed demon. This was verified by his reply, that he had only used skylake and older systems before this. Insulting someone who is contributing valid feedback is not good behavior on these forums. And there is plenty of Alder lake in Zen threads as well.

It's not an insult. It's advice. You're in every Intel thread talking about AMD. Meanwhile, you're not as tolerant when the shoe's on the other foot. Just give it a break already.

 

[Markfw]

It's not an insult. It's advice. You're in every Intel thread talking about AMD. Meanwhile, you're not as tolerant when the shoe's on the other foot. Just give it a break already.

This had nothing to do with AMD vs Intel. He said it was fast, and every recent (as in the last 2 years or so) system has fast IO, usually though an NVME hard drive. How many times do I have to say it ? And saying "Your partisanship is sickening at this point! " is an insult.

 

[lilo777]

I have seen the same speed for Zen 3. Have you done one of those ? I don't want to deride anything you have said about Alder lake, but the same thing can be said about Zen3. One-sided feedback does nothing to help people decide what to buy. I installed the entire linux mint distro in about 2 minutes.

That's quite a ridiculous take. The OP shared his experience with his build and you demand that he also state that Zen is also fast? He has no first hand experience with Zen why would he (or anyone in his position) do that? To validate your buying choice? Are you that insecure?

 

[Markfw]

That's quite a ridiculous take. The OP shared his experience with his build and you demand that he also state that Zen is also fast? He has no first hand experience with Zen why would he (or anyone in his position) do that? To validate your buying choice? Are you that insecure?

Your insults are quite ridiculous. I have already explained several times that was only an example, and that any recent CPU would also be fast. See post 190 and 192. The author of the post even agreed. Its the IO, not the CPU.

And since I also own Intel, what does my buying choice have to do with it. ? Do you have to insult everybody here ?

 

[lilo777]

Your insults are quite ridiculous. I have already explained several times that was only an example, and that any recent CPU would also be fast. See post 190 and 192. The author of the post even agreed. Its the IO, not the CPU.

And since I also own Intel, what does my buying choice have to do with it. ? Do you have to insult everybody here ?

It's perfectly fine for you to mention that Zen is also fast (maybe not that relevant in this particular thread) but not to accuse the OP in one sided feedback. By virtue of having first hand experience only with one system, his feedback has to be "one sided".

 

[Markfw]

It's perfectly fine for you to mention that Zen is also fast (maybe not that relevant in this particular thread) but not to accuse the OP in one sided feedback. By virtue of having first hand experience only with one system, his feedback has to be "one sided".

This is a more reasonable post. I am going to edit the original post to make it clear that he was seeing fast IO on a modern system, nothing to do directly with Alder lake.

 

[coercitiv]

Its the IO, not the CPU.

Not interested to join the pointless quarrel, but it's both the CPU and the IO subsystem, in the sense that a modern NVME drive may actually be CPU limited on many older platforms.

Whether it's Zen3, Alder Lake, or even Rocket Lake, fast SSDs are seeing an increase in 4K random read/write performance over the older generations, even over late Skylake based gens. That obviously translates into better system speed and responsiveness in IO bound scenarios (installing and running apps, installing or updating the OS etc).

 

[Markfw]

Not interested to join the pointless quarrel, but it's both the CPU and the IO subsystem, in the sense that a modern NVME drive may actually be CPU limited on many older platforms.

Whether it's Zen3, Alder Lake, or even Rocket Lake, fast SSDs are seeing an increase in 4K random read/write performance over the older generations, even over late Skylake based gens. That obviously translates into better system speed and responsiveness in IO bound scenarios (installing and running apps, installing or updating the OS etc).

Well, that is also true, but MOST of the reason he saw fast speed was the entire IO platform, and the CPU did help. Good point.

 

[Aikouka]

I think so but don't really remember. So the mobo is identifying the CPU based on some unique serial etc.? How does the mobo know it's new? Or it will give that message with any CPU if the mobo is new?

I've seen it on every single ASUS board that I've used (as noted, I've used three different ones with Alder Lake right now). It's most likely stored in the BIOS similar to how it stores all the settings. In regard to a new board, it would likely fail a "Is the CPU the same?" check because No CPU != Your CPU. Also, it could have stored information on whatever was used to test the board at the factory, and that wouldn't be equivalent either.

 

[igor_kavinski]

I've seen it on every single ASUS board that I've used (as noted, I've used three different ones with Alder Lake right now).

Does it show the same "new CPU" message if you put in a different used CPU?