Intel Core i5-12490F socket: LGA 1700

What the Core i5-12490F is

Intel Core i5-12490F, launched in 2022 for LGA 1700, pairs 6 Performance-cores alone for 12 threads. Clocks run 3.0 GHz base with up to 4.6 GHz boost, backed by 20 MB of Smart Cache. The 65 W rating, rising to 117 W in turbo, sets cooler and board choice.

Memory support covers DDR5 up to 4800 MT/s or DDR4 up to 3200 MT/s, two channels, up to 128 GB. The board memory type is fixed at purchase, so DDR4 and DDR5 boards are separate designs. Twenty CPU lanes split as Gen5 x16 plus Gen4 x4 wire a graphics card and NVMe storage. None (no integrated graphics) is absent on this F SKU, so every build needs a discrete card. The CPU cooler compatibility by socket guide explains board choice.

The F suffix means no integrated graphics, so a discrete card is required. Gaming and workstation builds pair it with a discrete card from the start, and the purchase price reflects the missing graphics block. Office PCs without a card should pick the matching non-F SKU such as Intel Core i7-12700 on the same LGA 1700. Power and board choice match the standard 65 W desktop band.

Socket and motherboard compatibility

The 12490F fits LGA 1700 on single-socket desktop or embedded boards with LGA 1700 retention and desktop power delivery. Board lists must name the Intel Core i5-12490F part for qualification, including the suffix for T, E and TE low-power variants.

600 series boards accept the chip with a shipping BIOS, and 700 series boards cover it as well per the socket compatibility table. Check the board CPU list before mixing this SKU with other steppings, and confirm that embedded E and TE support is listed separately from desktop T support. The CPU cooler compatibility by socket guide shows how chipset series map to generations.

Memory, PCIe and cooling

DDR5 up to 4800 MT/s or DDR4 up to 3200 MT/s, two channels, up to 128 GB feeds the cores, and matched DIMMs hold the rated speed. The board memory type is fixed at purchase, so DDR4 and DDR5 boards are separate designs with different slots.

Twenty CPU lanes as Gen5 x16 plus Gen4 x4 wire a graphics card and NVMe, with the exact split fixed per board. Boards that need more than the CPU lanes use chipset lanes for SATA, USB and extra slots.

Cooling is the Intel Laminar RM1 in the retail box, which covers the 65 W load with headroom for 117 W turbo. The 45.0 × 37.5 mm FCLGA1700 package uses standard LGA retention with even mounting pressure. The How to find your CPU socket type guide covers mounting patterns.

Upgrade paths

On LGA 1700 the upward moves are higher-core Alder Lake and Raptor Lake parts where thread counts grow, up to i7 and i9 SKUs on boards with power delivery for them. For this 6-core SKU, memory growth and a discrete graphics card often help more than clocks alone.

Outside this SKU, Intel Core i7-12700 on LGA 1700 trims or adds cores for lighter or denser builds. A move to LGA 1851 needs a new board with DDR5, so socket-local growth comes first. The How to find your CPU socket type guide explains when a board change pays off.