With the introduction of Intel 12th Gen CPUs, code name Alder Lake, comes a change once again to the CPU and socket form factor. The good news is that whilst the CPU IHS size has increased and become rectangular, it is still compatible with the existing Streacom CPU mount that has been included with all current cases. There is however an important distinction in the way TDP is classified and this will be the key consideration when choosing a compatible CPU for our fanless cases.
The chart above shows examples of the currently available (at time of writing this article) 12th Gen CPUs that would typically be suitable for use with our fanless cases. It is important to note that even the lower base power ‘T’ model CPUs can boost significantly higher and can potentially push them over the recommended TDP of the case.
This distinction between base power and turbo power is important and must be properly accounted for when choosing the case and CPU combination.
Fortunately, with the appropriate PL1 (Long Duration Package Power Limit) and PL2 (Short Duration Package Power Limit) settings in the BIOS, it is possible to ensure that even CPUs with excessive TURBO TDPs can safely be used with our fanless cases. These setting combined with the package power time window allow a granular adjustment to suit both the case TDP limit and the usage.