This title is slightly misleading as it is around a $1 premium. Users in the STH forums (and here) found a quite amazing deal if you are in the market for an Intel Core i9-12900KF. On Amazon right now, you can purchase one of the CPUs and get a 280GB Intel Optane SSD included for about $1 more for a 0% premium. There is also a Core i9-12900K bundle for about $353 with the same SSD.
Free 280GB Optane SSD with Purchase of Intel Core i9-12900KF
The Intel Core i9-12900KF is an “Alder Lake” par that is currently on sale for around $398.99. That is for a high-clocked and overclockable 8 P-core and 8 E-core CPU (24 threads total.) The deal has the bundle for $399.99 or effectively the same price. The Core i9-12900K is a similar CPU with the integrated GPU and that is $353 and perhaps a better deal.
The SSD shown in the listing is an Intel Optane 900p 280GB PCIe add-in card. We have used the 900p/ 905p AIC and U.2 2.5” drives in the STH hosting cluster for years. If you have a database where you need low queue depth performance, this is still faster than PCIe Gen4 (non-Optane) SSDs. Likewise, these are the gold standard drives for things like ZFS ZIL devices.
These Intel Optane 900p/ 905p drives were known for being notoriously overbuilt as Intel wanted to ensure that the drives did not see premature failures in the field. They also have 10DWPD ratings for over 5PB of endurance so there are very few systems that will use even a significant fraction of that endurance rating.
Final Words
We normally do not post “Great Deals” on the STH main site. At the same time, this is one where the deal is super for the included storage. We probably have readers that will see the 280GB Optane drive and have a system to put it in immediately.
If you want to find the deal, you can find the listings on Amazon. Here is the Intel Core i9-12900K Affiliate Link and the Core i9-12900KF Affiliate Link), although they may sell out at some point. To be frank, we would pick the Core i9-12900K instead of the KF part because we prefer having the iGPU instead of the slightly higher over clocking headroom anyway.
Note: We may also earn a small commission if you choose to purchase using those links.
11:00AM Pacific and unavailable. Really tempting even without a Z690 system.
1:00PM Pacific and both deals are back.
Great find! This deal is definitely worth considering for anyone in the market for an Intel Core i9-12900KF. Getting a free 280GB Intel Optane SSD for just a minimal additional cost is quite a steal. The inclusion of the Intel Optane 900p 280GB PCIe add-in card is a significant bonus, especially for those who require low queue depth performance or need reliable endurance.
The Intel Optane 900p/905p drives are known for their durability and overbuilt design, making them a reliable choice for various applications. With a 10DWPD rating and over 5PB of endurance, these drives can handle heavy workloads without breaking a sweat.
While both the Core i9-12900KF and the Core i9-12900K are excellent options, I agree that opting for the Core i9-12900K might be a better choice due to the integrated GPU. Having the iGPU provides additional flexibility, and the slight sacrifice in overclocking headroom seems worth it.
Thanks for sharing the affiliate links to the listings on Amazon. I’m sure many readers will appreciate the opportunity to grab this deal before it sells out.
I want my QuickSync… 🙁
…12900K is $50 less than KF so just spend less…