Honestly, I don't care that much about desktop models, mobile in my opinion is more interesting.
I always wondered why Intel stopped at 2+8 config for 9 and 15W TDP. I always thought 4+8 config would be better at least for 15W, but that may not be necessarily true.
For example Core i7-1185G7 4C8T has
Base Frequency at 12 W | 1200 MHz |
Base Frequency at 15 W | 1800 MHz |
Base Frequency at 28 W | 3000 MHz |
Let's say at full load 10W is used only by cores from 12W TDP, that means 2.5W per core including HT and 1.2Ghz base frequency. Actually It should be less, If we consider a 3W higher TDP increases the base frequency by 50%, but let's ignore It, It's not that important.
Now let's apply It to Alder Lake, and It's 2+8 cores, which would mean 1W per core(10W for all cores) at 12W TDP.
I don't think Golden Cove core using 1W can clock at 1GHz, I think 800Mhz should be more realistic.
Now the question is how high can Gracemont clock using only 1W.
I think 1.2Ghz is not unrealistic, and that's 50% more than Golden Cove!
What would It mean for performance?
Let's say Golden Cove has 50% more IPC and HT brings another 20% performance. So Golden Cove would have 80% higher throughput per core than Gracemont at the same frequency.
Golden Cove 100*1,5*1,2 = 180 points
On the other hand Gracemont can clock 50% higher.
Gracemont 100*1.5 = 150 points
The difference in now only 20%.
Maybe the IPC difference is only 40% and Gracemont can clock to 1300Mhz, that would mean 1C2T Golden Cove performs as 1C1T Gracemont.