$1300 12th Gen Delight

What can we get from Intel’s 12th-gen mid-range chip?

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FROM INTEL’S NEW 12th-generation line-up of chips, the i5-12400 doesn’t initially appear to be the pick of the bunch. Following our recent i9-12900K build, it doesn’t quite have the credentials to match that model. But does it have enough oomph to push out solid 1080p gaming with the sliders cranked up? Building inside Corsair’s impressive 275R Airflow case should help show it off—we may be overdoing the white cases of late, but we’ve had some slick ones we just couldn’t ignore.

For this build, we have more than doubled our previous $600 budget. With the bar now set at $1300, we are looking for the best performance we can get from one of Intel’s latest budget CPUs. We also have some cash spare for a fairly decent GPU, so we have opted for the RTX 3050, which matched up well in the mid to high-end budget range.

Choosing parts is always the most timeintensive section of any build. With so many different combinations of components, there are an almost endless amount of possibilities. Of course, we have to check for compatibility which isn’t always as simple as checking PC Part Picker, and we also have to stick to our budget. This is always a challenge as most builds have these two targets in mind.

So, with a 12th-gen processor, a capable GPU, a Corsair case, and the rest of the $1300 budget to play with, this should be an intriguing build. Hopefully, at the end of it all, we should be left with some comfortable numbers and a 1080p gaming beast.