CPU minimum Intel® Core™ i5 (4th Generation) is stated in the requirements for Cubase 12. I have 3th Generation. Does anyone work on the third? What are the difficulties?
I think this is a difficult question to answer since so many of the variables depend on individual use.
If you download the trial you will be able to see how things work on your system with your types of projects.
Exactly - nothing like trying it hands-on.
Until recently, my spare machine was running CB 11 on a 2nd generation i7 without issues.
Just make sure you clean up your Windows installation, disable any useless “goodies” that may eat on your resources in the background (automatic updates or backups or cloud syncing, etc.).
I use an i5-4690K (standard o.c. at ~3.9kHz) and mostly VSTi. My buffer setting at 128 and I rarely rase buffers at 256.