SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core i3-12100 + NVIDIA RTX 4000 Ada Generation

Get a comprehensive performance analysis of your gaming rig with detailed benchmarks, bottleneck detection, and upgrade recommendations

90 / 100
ULTIMATE READY

Apex Performer

Top 10% of systems. Capable of 4K Ultra gaming and advanced rendering.

4K 60+ FPSVR ReadyRay Tracing

System Balance Analysis

CPU vs GPU performance ratio
Well Balanced
CPU
80%
VS
GPU
99%
PROCESSOR

Intel Core i3-12100

12,054 Benchmark Score
Top 20% Market Ranking
View Full Specs →
GRAPHICS CARD

NVIDIA RTX 4000 Ada Generation

135,218 Benchmark Score
Top 1% Market Ranking
View Full Specs →

Market Position

How your build compares to others
Budget
0-30
Mid-Range
30-60
High-End
60-85
Enthusiast
85-100
Your Build

Game Performance Benchmarks

Real-world 4K FPS in popular titles
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Performance Insights

Tips to maximize your system

Optimal Performance

Your system is in the top tier. You can run any modern game at maximum settings.

4K Gaming Ready

Consider a 4K 144Hz monitor to fully utilize your hardware capabilities.

Compatible Games See what you can play Compare CPUs Find upgrades Compare GPUs Find upgrades

Performance Tiers Explained

90-100

Ultimate

4K Ultra gaming, VR ready, ray tracing enabled, professional workloads

4K 60+ FPS VR Ready
70-89

High-End

1440p Ultra or 4K High settings, excellent for modern AAA titles

1440p Ultra 4K High
50-69

Mid-Range

1080p Ultra or 1440p Medium, great value for most gamers

1080p Ultra 1440p Med
30-49

Entry Level

1080p Medium settings, suitable for eSports and older titles

1080p Med eSports
0-29

Legacy

Basic gaming, older titles, consider upgrading for modern games

720p-1080p Low Older Games

# Balance and Bottleneck

The pairing of an Intel Core i3-12100 with an NVIDIA RTX 4000 Ada Generation creates a striking asymmetry in compute capability. The GPU sits at the 95th percentile among all graphics cards, while the CPU holds a 67th percentile position among all processors. This 28-point gap suggests the processor will frequently be the limiting factor in graphics-bound workloads, particularly at lower resolutions where the GPU can produce frames faster than the CPU can issue draw calls.

The CPU's multi-threaded scores tell a clear story of a part designed for efficiency rather than raw throughput. In 3DMark's 16-thread test, the i3-12100 scores 4,036, yet its 8-thread score of 4,014 is nearly identical, and the max-thread result of 4,004 actually trails slightly. This pattern indicates that the four physical cores with Hyper-Threading reach their scaling ceiling quickly — adding more threads beyond eight yields no measurable gain. The single-thread score of 890 in 3DMark and 1,499 in Cinebench R23 show decent per-core performance, but the architecture simply cannot feed a GPU of this caliber in frame-rate-sensitive scenarios.

The GPU's specifications amplify this bottleneck potential. With 6,144 shading units, 192 texture mapping units, and 64 raster output pipelines, the RTX 4000 Ada Generation can theoretically push 139.2 GPixel/s and 417.6 GTexel/s. These figures dwarf what a four-core, eight-thread processor can sustain in terms of draw call throughput and game logic updates. At 1080p or 1440p with high frame rates, the CPU will almost certainly bind first. The 26.73 TFLOPS of FP32 compute means the GPU has abundant headroom that the CPU cannot always utilize.

Interestingly, the benchmark data shows the CPU's passmark multithread score of 12,170 against its single-thread score of 3,173 yields a scaling ratio of roughly 3.8x from one to eight threads — close to the theoretical 4x for four cores with SMT. This indicates the processor is well-balanced internally, but the absolute ceiling is low compared to workstation-class CPUs. For GPU-bound tasks like rendering or machine learning inference, the CPU is less of a constraint; for esports titles or simulation games with heavy physics, it will be the primary limiter.

# Benchmark Performance

The RTX 4000 Ada Generation delivers an average benchmark score of 135,218, placing it at the 95th percentile of all GPUs. Its Geekbench OpenCL score of 146,593 and Vulkan score of 123,842 demonstrate strong compute and graphics API performance. The nearest rivals are remarkably close: the NVIDIA A10M scores 135,230 (0% delta), the AMD Radeon PRO W6800 scores 135,396 (-0.1%), and the AMD Radeon Pro W6800X Duo scores 135,774 (-0.4%). This clustering suggests the RTX 4000 Ada sits at a performance inflection point where several workstation cards achieve similar aggregate results, though architectural differences may favor one over another in specific workloads.

The Intel Core i3-12100 posts an average benchmark score of 12,054, which lands it at the 67th percentile. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon Gold 6314U at 12,026 (0.2% ahead), the Intel Xeon Bronze 3408U at 12,019 (0.3% ahead), and the AMD Ryzen 5 3500X at 12,000 (0.5% ahead). Notably, the i3-12100 outperforms the Intel Core i7-7700 by 1.2%, showing that modern architecture and IPC improvements can overcome a core count deficit — the older i7 has more cores but loses to the newer i3.

The combined percentile for this CPU-GPU pairing is 81, reflecting that the GPU's high standing pulls the overall system up despite the CPU's more modest position. In multi-threaded CPU benchmarks, the i3-12100's Cinebench R23 multicore score of 10,623 is respectable for a quad-core, but its single-core score of 1,499 is where it shines relative to its own multi-threaded performance. The Geekbench multicore score of 7,214 and single-core of 1,962 reinforce this pattern: the processor is a strong single-threaded performer that cannot scale to heavy parallel workloads.

# CPU Analysis

The Intel Core i3-12100 is built on the Alder Lake architecture using Intel's 10 nm process, with a die size of 163 mm². It features 4 cores and 8 threads, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. The thermal design power is 60 W, making it an efficient part that does not demand elaborate cooling. It supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in dual-channel configuration, though the pack does not specify maximum speeds. The processor includes UHD Graphics 730 integrated graphics, which provides a fallback display output but is not intended for gaming.

The cache hierarchy consists of 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3 cache. This relatively large L3 for a quad-core part helps mitigate the core count disadvantage in latency-sensitive workloads. The PCIe support is Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU, which future-proofs the platform for high-bandwidth storage and GPUs, though the RTX 4000 Ada Generation uses PCIe 4.0 x16.

Benchmark results show a processor that excels in lightly threaded tasks. The PassMark single-thread score of 3,173 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1,499 place it well above older quad-cores. The 3DMark 2-thread score of 1,645 is strong, and the 4-thread score of 2,845 shows reasonable scaling to the full core count. However, the 8-thread score of 4,014 and max-thread score of 4,004 reveal that SMT provides minimal benefit — only about 3% over the 4-thread result. This suggests that the processor's execution resources are nearly saturated by four physical cores.

For real workloads, this means the i3-12100 handles web browsing, office productivity, and light coding with ease. It will compile small projects quickly and respond snappily in daily use. However, video rendering, large data processing, or virtual machine workloads will expose its limitations. The PassMark data compression score of 142,060 is decent, but the find prime numbers score of 49 and physics score of 776 indicate weak floating-point and physics simulation performance — the latter being critical for gaming.

# FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i3-12100 sufficient for the NVIDIA RTX 4000 Ada Generation?

A: The data indicates the CPU will bottleneck the GPU in frame-rate-sensitive scenarios. The CPU sits at the 67th percentile while the GPU is at the 95th, and the CPU's multi-threaded scores plateau beyond four threads. For GPU-compute tasks like rendering, the pairing works well; for high-FPS gaming, the CPU limits performance.

Q: What memory types does this platform support?

A: The Intel Core i3-12100 supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in dual-channel configuration. The fact pack does not specify maximum speeds or capacities, but the dual-channel bus is confirmed.

Q: How does the RTX 4000 Ada Generation compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score of 135,218 is essentially tied with the NVIDIA A10M (135,230, 0% delta) and 0.1% behind the AMD Radeon PRO W6800 (135,396). The AMD Radeon PRO V620 is 0.9% ahead at 136,472.

Q: What is the power requirement for this GPU?

A: The RTX 4000 Ada Generation has a 130 W TDP and a suggested power supply of 300 W. It uses a single 16-pin power connector and occupies a single slot.

Q: Does the CPU have integrated graphics?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i3-12100 includes UHD Graphics 730. This allows basic display output without a discrete GPU, though the RTX 4000 Ada Generation will handle all graphics workloads.

Q: What is the CPU's single-threaded performance relative to its multi-threaded performance?

A: The CPU's PassMark single-thread score is 3,173, while the multithread score is 12,170 — a 3.8x scaling from one to eight threads. Cinebench R23 shows 1,499 single-core and 10,623 multicore, a 7.1x scaling, which is lower than ideal for an 8-thread chip.

Q: What PCIe generation does the CPU support?

A: The Intel Core i3-12100 provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The RTX 4000 Ada Generation uses PCIe 4.0 x16, which is backward-compatible.

# Upgrade Path and Platform

The Intel Core i3-12100 uses the Intel Socket 1700, which is compatible with a range of 12th-gen processors. Users can upgrade to higher-core-count Alder Lake parts on the same socket without changing the motherboard, though the fact pack does not specify which specific models are available. The platform supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, meaning a user can choose between cost-effective DDR4 or higher-bandwidth DDR5 depending on the motherboard.

The CPU's 60 W TDP leaves substantial thermal headroom within most builds, and the GPU's 130 W TDP with a 300 W suggested PSU means a modest power supply suffices. The GPU requires a single 16-pin connector, which may necessitate an adapter for older power supplies. The single-slot design of the RTX 4000 Ada Generation makes it suitable for compact builds, though its 245 mm length and 112 mm height require adequate case clearance.

A sensible next upgrade would be a higher-core-count CPU on the same socket to better balance the GPU's capabilities. The current CPU's multi-threaded scores plateau at around 4,000 in 3DMark, and a processor with more cores would improve performance in CPU-bound scenarios. Alternatively, users could add a second RTX 4000 Ada Generation if their workload scales across multiple GPUs, though the fact pack does not provide multi-GPU scaling data.

The motherboard must support PCIe Gen 5 to fully utilize the CPU's lanes, though the GPU runs at PCIe 4.0. Users upgrading from older platforms should verify that their PSU has the required 16-pin connector or an adapter. The platform's dual-channel memory support means populating two DIMM slots is necessary for optimal bandwidth.

# GPU Analysis

The NVIDIA RTX 4000 Ada Generation is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture using TSMC's 5 nm process, with 35,800 million transistors on a 294 mm² die. The chip, designated AD104, features 20 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus, delivering 360.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Memory clocks run at 2250 MHz with 18 Gbps effective speed. The base clock is 1500 MHz with a boost of 2175 MHz.

The GPU contains 6,144 shading units, 192 texture mapping units, and 64 raster output pipelines. It also includes 48 RT cores and 192 tensor cores, providing dedicated hardware for ray tracing and AI acceleration. The pixel rate is 139.2 GPixel/s and the texture rate is 417.6 GTexel/s. FP32 compute reaches 26.73 TFLOPS, with FP16 also at 26.73 TFLOPS (1:1 ratio).

Benchmark results show the GPU scoring 146,593 in Geekbench OpenCL and 123,842 in Vulkan. The 95th percentile standing puts it ahead of the vast majority of graphics cards, though its nearest rivals are within 1%. The AMD Radeon PRO W6800 matches it within 0.1%, suggesting that for raw compute throughput, the two cards are comparable. However, the RTX 4000 Ada's RT and tensor cores give it an edge in ray-traced rendering and AI inference tasks.

The 20 GB VRAM capacity is substantial for workstation use, enabling large 3D scenes, high-resolution textures, and machine learning models that exceed 12 GB. The 360.0 GB/s bandwidth is adequate for this memory size, though not exceptional. The single-slot form factor and 130 W TDP make it one of the more power-efficient workstation GPUs in its class, especially given the transistor count.

# Usage Scenarios

High-refresh gaming: The GPU is more than capable of driving 144 Hz monitors, but the CPU's single-thread and 4-thread scores will limit frame rates in esports titles. The 3DMark 2-thread score of 1,645 and single-thread score of 890 suggest the CPU can handle moderate frame rates, but not the 300+ FPS that competitive gamers seek.

Streaming: The GPU's NVENC encoder (implied by the tensor cores and Ada architecture) can handle video encoding without taxing the CPU. However, the CPU's 8-thread limit means software encoding or simultaneous gaming and streaming will strain the processor. The PassMark multithread score of 12,170 is modest for this workload.

Video editing: The 20 GB VRAM and 26.73 TFLOPS FP32 compute make the GPU excellent for GPU-accelerated effects and rendering. The CPU's Cinebench R23 multicore score of 10,623 will handle 1080p timelines, but 4K projects with heavy effects may cause stuttering during preview.

3D rendering: This is the strongest scenario. The GPU's 95th percentile standing and 20 GB memory handle complex scenes, while the CPU's 4 cores are sufficient for scene setup and file I/O. The 0.2% delta to the Intel Xeon Gold 6314U in CPU benchmarks shows the i3-12100 is competitive in single-threaded tasks.

Software development: The CPU's PassMark single-thread score of 3,173 and data encryption score of 7,222 indicate solid performance for compilation and code execution. The GPU provides 146,593 OpenCL score for compute tasks like testing GPU code. Large builds with many parallel tasks will slow down due to the 4-core limit.

Student and office work: The CPU's efficient 60 W TDP and integrated graphics make it a low-power option for daily tasks. The PassMark integer math score of 35,678 and floating point score of 28,015 handle spreadsheets and documents easily. The GPU is overkill for this scenario, but ensures no slowdown on any task.

# Build Overview

This desktop build pairs a mainstream quad-core processor with a professional workstation GPU. The Intel Core i3-12100 is a 12th-gen Alder Lake part with 4 cores and 8 threads, built on Intel's 10 nm process. The NVIDIA RTX 4000 Ada Generation is a workstation-class graphics card with 20 GB VRAM, designed for professional rendering and compute workloads.

The combined percentile of 81 indicates this system outperforms the majority of desktop configurations, though the gap between the CPU's 67th percentile and GPU's 95th percentile creates an imbalance. The CPU's average benchmark score of 12,054 places it near the Intel Xeon Gold 6314U and AMD Ryzen 5 3500X, while the GPU's 135,218 average score ties it with the NVIDIA A10M and AMD Radeon PRO W6800.

This pairing is best suited for GPU-intensive professional work where the CPU's limitations are less impactful. The 60 W CPU TDP and 130 W GPU TDP keep the total system power modest, and the suggested 300 W PSU is easy to source. The platform's support for both DDR4 and DDR5 provides flexibility, and the PCIe Gen 5 lanes ensure future upgrade compatibility.

# Who Should Build It

Professional 3D artists and animators will benefit from the RTX 4000 Ada Generation's 20 GB VRAM and 26.73 TFLOPS FP32 compute, which handle large scenes and high-resolution textures. The CPU's single-thread performance is sufficient for viewport navigation, though rendering will be GPU-bound.

Data scientists and machine learning engineers can leverage the 192 tensor cores for model training and inference. The 20 GB memory accommodates smaller models without quantization, and the GPU's 95th percentile standing ensures fast iteration.

Video editors working with 4K or higher resolutions will appreciate the GPU's decode and encode capabilities, implied by the Ada architecture. The 20 GB memory prevents out-of-memory errors in effects-heavy timelines. The CPU's 4 cores may limit preview performance in complex projects.

Gamers at 4K resolution will find the GPU sufficient for ultra settings in most titles, as the CPU bottleneck diminishes at higher resolutions. The 3DMark scores suggest the GPU can maintain high frame rates, though competitive gamers at 1080p will be CPU-limited.

Small business workstations that run CAD, architectural visualization, or medical imaging software will see strong GPU performance. The single-slot design and 130 W TDP allow for compact, quiet builds suitable for office environments.

Students in engineering or computer science can use this system for coursework, programming, and light rendering. The CPU's efficient power draw keeps electricity costs low, and the GPU provides ample compute for machine learning assignments.

# Gaming Performance

No measured FPS rows exist for this exact CPU-GPU combination. The FACT PACK contains no measuredFps data for the Intel Core i3-12100 paired with the NVIDIA RTX 4000 Ada Generation. All frame rate figures discussed below are estimates derived from the benchmark scores and should be treated as approximations rather than measured results.

The GPU's 95th percentile standing and 26.73 TFLOPS FP32 compute suggest it can drive most games at ultra settings in 1440p and 4K resolutions with high frame rates. The 20 GB VRAM eliminates texture streaming concerns in modern titles. However, the CPU's 3DMark 4-thread score of 2,845 and PassMark physics score of 776 indicate that games with complex physics or heavy AI will run slower than the GPU's raw potential suggests.

At 1080p, the CPU will likely limit frame rates to around 100-130 FPS in CPU-bound titles, while GPU-bound games could reach 150+ FPS. At 1440p, the GPU becomes more of a factor, and frame rates in the 100-144 Hz range are plausible. At 4K, the GPU's 139.2 GPixel/s pixel rate and 360.0 GB/s bandwidth should sustain 60-100 FPS in most titles, though ray-traced games will see lower performance.

For esports titles like Counter-Strike or Valorant, the CPU's single-thread score of 890 in 3DMark suggests moderate frame rates, perhaps 150-200 FPS at 1080p, which is below what competitive players prefer. For story-driven games with moderate CPU demands, the pairing is more balanced, and frame rates will be respectable at 1440p and above.