Intel Core i7-12700K Desktop Processor 12 (8P+4E) Cores up to 5.0 GHz Unlocked  LGA1700 600 Series Chipset 125W

You wont find any DDR5 you have to spend on DDR4. No upgrade path if you want future CPU. Beware of the TDP it might be too much for a basic cooler.

The integrated graphics are still short of AMDs but with a gpu it should fare well. I was able to play esports title at 1080p but would not recommend. I paired it with a 3060 ti and a Noctua NH-D15 chromax black dual tower cooler and have had not issues with it. Staying cool and stable at 5.1Ghz on all cores and 3.9 on e-cores during overclocking. I did run it at 5.2 for a while but had a few crashes. I am very pleased with the performance.

CPU did not work

I undervolted the CPU -0.12 offset which lowered core package from 73c to 62c at 141W in Cinebench R23 for 22957 score (which is average for a 12700k). Watched videos from JayzTwoCents and The Tech Thing Guy on undervolting. One thing that you WILL run into if you plan on liquid cooling with any of the big brand AIOs is that they all say LGA 1700 compatible but none of them actually ship with the LGA 1700 bracket for some reason, you have to turn around and contact the company and theyll send you a free bracket in 2-6 weeks. Thats why I ended up getting the Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360 (which turned out to be amazingly great, check the review on Gamers Nexus), because you can buy the free LGA 1700 bracket for $7 here on Amazon and skip all the hassle/delay of getting one sent for free afterwards.

like the speed in tandem w m.2 drive

This cpu is amazing things I used to do that took me hours I now get done in seconds

Fast and seamless but needs a beefy cooler

This is the most anyone should need for a while as of 2022 (at least for gaming).

My last PC CPU was an intel 9700k and while gaming-wise the performance doesnt seem much higher. I obviously get a few more FPS, but it has not been so noticeable. I wouldnt be able to tell the difference on a blind test. However, this CPU is just amazing for every other task and overall I am happy with it.

The last time I was this happy with an Intel CPU in terms of performance-per-dollar was the 4770K.