Intel’s New 12th Gen CPU Has Boosted Aftershock’s Leadership Gain During Pandemic Era

It’s no secret that prices for PC parts have been on the rise for the past two years, through a combination of a massive increase in demand because of the pandemic, and an extended global chip shortage. But with the recent launch of the latest 12th generation Intel CPUs, PC enthusiasts have found a reason to bite the bullet and commit to a new rig – for the raw performance that they have been waiting for.

Tests show that Intel’s long-awaited processor is currently 30% or more faster than the previous generation, and that boost, together with a good graphics card, is enough to send gamers and power users back to Sim Lim Square to assemble their own machines.

“The numbers don’t lie. Based on our initial benchmarks, the new 12th gen has taken the lead , especially in the gaming segment,” notes Marcus Wee, co-founder of Aftershock PC, which has been building special, performance-based desktops and laptops for users in the region for the last nine years.

The launch of the new chip has seen more than double the inquiries for dedicated rigs, from gamers looking for a powerful upgrade in their hardware, to power users, such as video editors and designers, looking to future-proof their home or office set-up. 

It’s great to see such heated competition, with both market leaders AMD and Intel trying to outdo each other at every new launch, but at the end of the day, it’s the customers that win, says Wee, as the DIY market segment now offers more configuration options.

“One particular standout in this launch has been the i5 12600K which when combined with a mid-tier RTX graphics card like the 3060, offers serious QHD gaming and creator performance at a very sweet price point”

However, in an era where component prices constantly change and supply is always short, things can get tricky, and this is something Wee is cognizant of.

“Chip shortages have become part and parcel of this industry. It’s what we deal with everyday now and it’s the norm rather than the unexpected. The only thing it changes for the industry is price points as deeper shortages can sometimes cause component costs to spike.”

And at the end of the day, pricing is still remains a big consideration for Aftershock’s customers. But with the new 12th general Intel CPUs in the market, Wee feels that things are looking pretty bullish for the Intel blue camp against the red camp of AMD.

“AMD’s Ryzen 5000 was the clear winner last generation, with better performance and a more attractive CPU and motherboard bunk cost. I can’t share the exact split, but it was quite in favor of team red for the last year. We are expecting to see some changes with the new 12th gen now that both sides now have very attractive perks,” notes Wee.

And that love for competition is how the homegrown company is looking to tackle 2022, as the company is aware of the demand from the last two years, to properly stockpile enough for the rest of the year.

“We are doing good for stocks at the moment. 2022 is a very exciting year for Aftershock and we have some very exciting plans in the pipeline.”

While waiting for the free market to make its move, we pressed Wee to give us his best guess which range might see a big fight in the coming quarter. With price drops out of the picture, Wee took a moment before casting his prediction for the consumer’s favorite component for the generation.

“The 12600K and 5600X processors are my clear favourites and it will be interesting to see what customers pick!”

And it looks like, just like his customers, the Aftershock PC co-founder is hungry for more.