SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core i5-12600K + NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation

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Build Configuration

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PROCESSOR (CPU)

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GRAPHICS CARD (GPU)

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93 Score

Top 7% Ranking

93 / 100

ULTIMATE READY

Apex Performer

Top 7% 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

88%

GPU

99%

PROCESSOR

Intel Core i5-12600K

27,578 Benchmark Score

Top 12% Market Ranking

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GRAPHICS CARD

NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation

117,088 Benchmark Score

Top 1% Market Ranking

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Market Position

How your build compares to others

Budget

0-30

Mid-Range

30-60

High-End

60-85

Enthusiast

85-100

Your Build

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Real-world 4K FPS in popular titles

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Performance Insights

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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.

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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

# CPU Analysis — Intel Core i5-12600K

The Intel Core i5-12600K is a 10-core, 16-thread desktop processor built on the Alder Lake architecture, fabricated on Intel's 10 nm process node. The die size is 215 mm², and the chip uses a hybrid design that combines performance and efficiency cores, though the FACT PACK does not break down the core types individually. Base clock is 3.70 GHz with a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, which is a substantial operating range for a mid-range desktop part. The CPU supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, giving builders flexibility in platform choice. It also includes UHD Graphics 770 integrated graphics, which provides a fallback display output and basic acceleration when a discrete GPU is not present or is being serviced.

The 125 W TDP is notable for a mainstream processor, indicating that sustained multi-core workloads will require a capable cooling solution. The CPU uses Intel Socket 1700 and provides PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU itself, which is adequate for a single high-end GPU and one or two NVMe drives. The L3 cache is 20 MB shared, with L1 at 80 KB per core and L2 at 1.25 MB per core. This cache hierarchy is typical for Alder Lake and supports the fast single-thread performance seen in benchmarks.

Benchmark results paint a clear picture. In Cinebench R23, the CPU scores 17491 multi-core and 1907 single-core. The multi-core result indicates strong sustained throughput for rendering and compilation tasks, while the single-core score is competitive for everyday responsiveness and lightly threaded applications. Geekbench scores are 12599 multi-core and 2190 single-core, which corroborates the Cinebench findings. The 3DMark results show scaling from 1016 single-thread to 7975 at 16 threads, with a max-thread score of 7966 — essentially flat after 16 threads, which is expected since the CPU has 16 threads total. The 4-thread score of 3794 and 8-thread score of 6144 show reasonable scaling as more cores are engaged.

PassMark results add depth. The multithread score is 27608, while integer math scores 87776 and floating-point math scores 67217. Extended instructions (SIMD) score 22002, which is relevant for scientific and engineering workloads. Data compression scores 344071, and data encryption scores 18485. The single-thread PassMark score is 3926. These numbers indicate a balanced processor that handles both integer-heavy and floating-point-heavy code well, though the encryption score suggests AES-NI performance is decent but not class-leading.

The CPU's percentile versus all CPUs is 79, meaning it outperforms roughly four out of five processors in the database. The average benchmark score is 27578. Nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X with a delta of 0%, meaning the i5-12600K and the 5700X are statistically tied in average score. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800 is 0.2% faster, the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X is 0.2% faster, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H is 0.3% faster. These deltas are within noise, so the i5-12600K sits in a highly competitive performance band. The data suggests that for multi-threaded workloads, this CPU is effectively equivalent to those rivals, and the choice between them should be driven by platform features, price, and power requirements rather than raw performance.

The release date is November 3, 2021, with a launch MSRP of $289. The multiplier is unlocked, allowing overclocking for users who want to push beyond the stock boost clock. The production status is Active, so this part remains available for new builds.

# Benchmark Performance

The combined picture for this CPU+GPU pairing is strong. The CPU's average benchmark score is 27578, and the GPU's average benchmark score is 117088. The combined percentile is 87, placing this pairing above the vast majority of desktop systems in the database. The CPU alone sits at the 79th percentile among all CPUs, while the GPU sits at the 95th percentile among all GPUs. This asymmetry is significant: the GPU is a top-5% component, while the CPU is merely above-average. The data implies that the GPU will be the primary driver of performance in graphics-bound workloads, while the CPU may be the limiting factor in highly threaded compute tasks.

The GPU's Geekbench OpenCL score is 124812, and its Vulkan score is 109364. These are compute-oriented benchmarks that exercise the GPU's raw throughput. The OpenCL score is notably higher than the Vulkan score, which is typical for NVIDIA workstation cards where OpenCL is well-optimized for professional applications. The average GPU benchmark score of 117088 is close to the OpenCL result, indicating that the OpenCL workload is representative of the card's overall compute capability.

Comparing to the CPU's nearest rivals, the i5-12600K matches the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X exactly (0% delta), which is a strong statement for Intel's 12th-gen architecture. The 0.2-0.3% deltas against the other rivals are negligible. The data shows that this CPU is not a performance outlier in either direction; it is squarely in the middle of a competitive pack. This means that in a system with a high-end GPU, the CPU will not embarrass itself in gaming or productivity, but it also will not provide a significant advantage over its direct competitors.

The GPU's nearest rivals are interesting. The NVIDIA GB10 is 0.3% faster, which is essentially a tie. The AMD Radeon PRO W7700 is 1.6% faster, which is a measurable but small gap. The NVIDIA Tesla V100 SXM2 16 GB is 2.4% slower, and the NVIDIA RTX A5500 Mobile is 2.8% slower. The RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation thus sits in a tight cluster with these professional cards, all within roughly 3% of each other. This indicates that for professional compute workloads, the RTX 4000 SFF is competitive with much larger and more power-hungry cards, which confirms the efficiency of the Ada Lovelace architecture.

The combined percentile of 87 is higher than the CPU's individual percentile of 79, which confirms that the GPU boosts the overall system tier. In workloads that are GPU-bound — which includes most gaming at high resolutions and many rendering tasks — this system will perform like a top-tier machine. In CPU-bound workloads, such as software compilation or heavy multi-threaded physics, the system will perform like a solid mid-range machine.

# GPU Analysis — NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation

The NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation is a professional workstation GPU built on the Ada Lovelace architecture, fabricated on TSMC's 5 nm process. The chip is AD104, with 35,800 million transistors on a 294 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 121.8 million per mm². This is a dense, modern chip that delivers high performance per watt. The GPU has 6144 shading units, 192 texture mapping units, and 64 raster output units. It includes 48 ray tracing cores and 192 tensor cores, making it well-equipped for both real-time ray tracing and AI-accelerated workloads.

Memory configuration is 20 GB of GDDR6 on a 160-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 280.0 GB/s. The memory clock is 1750 MHz, which translates to 14 Gbps effective. The 20 GB capacity is substantial for a small form factor card, allowing large datasets and high-resolution textures to fit in VRAM. The 160-bit bus width is narrower than some competitors, but the bandwidth is sufficient for the card's compute capabilities. The base clock is 720 MHz with a boost clock of 1560 MHz. The pixel rate is 99.84 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 299.5 GTexel/s. FP32 throughput is 19.17 TFLOPS, with FP16 also at 19.17 TFLOPS (1:1 ratio), which is unusual — many cards halve FP16 throughput. This makes the card particularly strong for workloads that use FP16, such as certain AI inference tasks.

The card's TDP is just 70 W, which is remarkably low for this level of performance. It requires no power connectors, drawing all power from the PCIe slot. The suggested PSU is 250 W, which means even modest power supplies can handle this card. The slot width is dual-slot, and the card is 168 mm (6.6 inches) long and 69 mm (2.7 inches) high. This small form factor (SFF) design allows it to fit in compact workstations where space is at a premium. Display outputs are 4x mini-DisplayPort 1.4a, supporting multi-monitor setups. The bus interface is PCIe 4.0 x16.

The GPU supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. This covers modern gaming APIs and professional graphics standards. The Geekbench OpenCL score of 124812 and Vulkan score of 109364 indicate strong compute performance. The average benchmark score is 117088, placing the card at the 95th percentile among all GPUs. This is a top-tier result, meaning the card outperforms 95% of GPUs in the database. The nearest rivals are all within 3%, as noted, which shows that the RTX 4000 SFF is competitive with much larger cards.

For rendering workloads, the 19.17 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, combined with 20 GB of VRAM, suggests strong capability for GPU-accelerated rendering in applications like Blender, Octane, or V-Ray. The 48 RT cores enable hardware-accelerated ray tracing, which can significantly speed up photorealistic rendering compared to older architectures. The 192 tensor cores provide acceleration for AI denoising and other neural network workloads. The 280 GB/s bandwidth is adequate for most rendering scenes, though it may be a bottleneck for extremely large textures. The card's low power draw is a significant advantage in multi-GPU systems or in workstations where heat and power are constrained.

# Gaming Performance

The FACT PACK contains no measured FPS rows for this exact CPU+GPU combination. Therefore, all FPS figures discussed here are estimates derived from the benchmark scores, not measured results. The data is explicitly marked as not measured, so these figures should be treated as approximations.

Given the GPU's 95th percentile ranking and the CPU's 79th percentile ranking, the gaming performance of this pairing should be strong at 1080p and 1440p resolutions. The GPU's 19.17 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 20 GB of VRAM suggest it can handle modern games at high settings. The CPU's single-thread score of 1907 in Cinebench R23 and 3926 in PassMark single-thread indicates good per-core performance, which is critical for gaming. The 10-core, 16-thread configuration provides ample headroom for background tasks while gaming.

At 1080p, the CPU is likely to be the limiting factor in many games, as the GPU has enough raw power to push very high frame rates. The CPU's 16-thread 3DMark score of 7975 suggests strong multi-threaded performance, but single-thread performance of 1016 in 3DMark may hold back frame rates in lightly threaded game engines. At 1440p, the balance shifts toward the GPU, and the system should deliver smooth gameplay in most titles. At 4K, the GPU will be the primary bottleneck, but the 20 GB VRAM and high compute throughput should allow high settings in many games.

The GPU's Vulkan score of 109364 is relevant for games that use Vulkan, which includes many modern AAA titles. The DirectX 12 Ultimate support ensures compatibility with the latest DirectX 12 games, including those with ray tracing. The 48 RT cores will enable ray-traced effects, though the 70 W power envelope means ray tracing performance may be lower than larger cards. The 280 GB/s memory bandwidth could be a limiting factor in games with very large textures or heavy memory streaming, but 20 GB of VRAM means the card is unlikely to run out of memory.

Estimated frame rates: in esports titles like Counter-Strike 2 or Valorant, the system should achieve well over 200 FPS at 1080p, likely over 150 FPS at 1440p. In AAA titles like Cyberpunk 2077 without ray tracing, expect 60-90 FPS at 1440p high settings, and 30-50 FPS at 4K high settings. With ray tracing enabled, expect a significant performance hit, potentially halving frame rates. These are estimates, and actual performance will vary by game and driver optimization.

# Balance and Bottleneck

The data shows a clear imbalance between the CPU and GPU. The GPU sits at the 95th percentile among all GPUs, while the CPU sits at the 79th percentile among all CPUs. The combined percentile is 87, which is between the two individual percentiles, confirming that the GPU is the stronger component. In GPU-bound workloads — which includes most gaming at 1440p and above, as well as GPU rendering — the system will perform near the level of the GPU's capabilities. In CPU-bound workloads — such as software compilation, physics simulations, or heavily threaded productivity tasks — the CPU will limit performance.

The FPS scaling evidence is indirect since no measured FPS data exists. However, the CPU's benchmark scores suggest it can feed the GPU adequately at 1080p in most games, but may struggle to maintain very high frame rates in CPU-intensive titles. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 7975 and 8-thread score of 6144 show that the CPU has solid multi-threaded performance, but the single-thread score of 1016 is modest. Games that rely heavily on a single thread will see lower performance than games that can use multiple threads.

The GPU's 280 GB/s bandwidth is relatively modest for a card with 19.17 TFLOPS of compute. This suggests that in memory-bandwidth-intensive workloads, such as certain rendering scenes or large matrix operations, the GPU may not reach its full compute potential. The 160-bit bus width is narrower than many high-end cards, which typically use 256-bit or wider buses. However, the 20 GB VRAM capacity is generous, and the low power draw (70 W) means the card can sustain boost clocks without thermal throttling in most cases.

For a balanced system, the CPU is the limiting factor in CPU-bound workloads, and the GPU is the limiting factor in GPU-bound workloads. The combined percentile of 87 indicates that the system is well above average, but a user who prioritizes CPU-heavy tasks may find the CPU to be the bottleneck. Conversely, a user who prioritizes gaming at high resolutions will find the GPU to be the primary performance driver, with the CPU being sufficient but not exceptional.

# FAQ

Q: What is the combined percentile of this CPU+GPU pairing?

A: The combined percentile is 87, meaning this system outperforms 87% of all desktop configurations in the database.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X?

A: The i5-12600K has an average benchmark score of 27578, which is exactly equal to the Ryzen 7 5700X's score of 27578, resulting in a 0% delta.

Q: What is the GPU's VRAM capacity and memory bandwidth?

A: The GPU has 20 GB of GDDR6 memory with a 160-bit bus and 280.0 GB/s of bandwidth.

Q: Does the CPU support overclocking?

A: Yes, the multiplier is unlocked, allowing overclocking on compatible motherboards.

Q: What is the GPU's power consumption and PSU requirement?

A: The GPU has a TDP of 70 W, requires no power connectors, and has a suggested PSU of 250 W.

Q: What are the GPU's nearest rivals and their performance deltas?

A: The NVIDIA GB10 is 0.3% faster, the AMD Radeon PRO W7700 is 1.6% faster, the NVIDIA Tesla V100 SXM2 16 GB is 2.4% slower, and the NVIDIA RTX A5500 Mobile is 2.8% slower.

Q: Is measured FPS data available for this exact combination?

A: No, the FACT PACK contains no measured FPS data for this CPU+GPU pairing; all FPS figures are estimates based on benchmark scores.

# Usage Scenarios

High-refresh gaming: The GPU's 95th percentile ranking and 19.17 TFLOPS of FP32 performance make this system capable of high-refresh gaming at 1080p and 1440p. The CPU's single-thread score of 1907 in Cinebench R23 and 3926 in PassMark single-thread should support frame rates above 144 FPS in esports titles, though the modest 3DMark single-thread score of 1016 may limit performance in the most CPU-bound games. At 1440p, the system should deliver smooth 100+ FPS in most AAA titles at high settings.

Streaming: The CPU's 10 cores and 16 threads, combined with a 3DMark 16-thread score of 7975, provide ample headroom for encoding and streaming while gaming. The GPU's 192 tensor cores could also accelerate AI-based encoding features like NVIDIA Broadcast, though the 70 W power envelope may limit sustained encoding performance. The 20 GB VRAM ensures that streaming overlays and capture buffers do not compete with game textures for memory.

Video editing: The CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 17491 and PassMark multithread score of 27608 indicate strong performance for video encoding and decoding. The GPU's 19.17 TFLOPS of FP32 and 20 GB of VRAM accelerate effects, color grading, and timeline rendering in applications like Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve. The 280 GB/s bandwidth is adequate for 4K timelines, though 8K may be challenging.

3D rendering: The GPU is the standout component here, with 48 RT cores and 192 tensor cores accelerating ray-traced rendering and AI denoising. The 20 GB VRAM allows large scenes and high-resolution textures. The CPU's 16 threads will handle geometry processing and scene setup, and the 17491 Cinebench R23 multi-core score ensures that CPU-side rendering is not a bottleneck for most scenes. This system is well-suited for Blender, Octane, and V-Ray workloads.

Software development: The CPU's 16 threads and 20 MB L3 cache support fast compilation of large codebases. The PassMark integer math score of 87776 indicates strong integer throughput, which is relevant for code compilation and interpretation. The 79th percentile CPU ranking means this system will compile code faster than most desktops, though not at the level of top-tier HEDT or workstation CPUs. The GPU is less relevant for development unless the workload includes GPU compute or testing.

Student and office work: This pairing is overkill for typical student and office tasks, but the integrated UHD Graphics 770 provides a fallback if the discrete GPU is not needed. The CPU's single-thread performance of 3926 in PassMark ensures snappy responsiveness in office applications. The 20 GB VRAM on the GPU is irrelevant for office work, but the system's overall speed means it will handle any productivity task without difficulty. The 70 W GPU power draw keeps the system efficient for prolonged use.

# Build Overview

This is a desktop build pairing the Intel Core i5-12600K with the NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation. The CPU is a 10-core, 16-thread Alder Lake processor with a 125 W TDP, released in November 2021 with a launch MSRP of $289. The GPU is a 70 W workstation card with 20 GB of GDDR6 memory, released in March 2023, with no launch MSRP listed. The build class is desktop, and the combined percentile is 87, placing it in the top 13% of all systems in the database.

The CPU sits at the 79th percentile among all CPUs, while the GPU sits at the 95th percentile among all GPUs. This asymmetry makes the GPU the dominant component in the pairing. The system is best described as a professional workstation with gaming capability: the GPU's workstation pedigree (SFF Ada Generation, 20 GB VRAM, 48 RT cores) makes it ideal for professional rendering and compute, while the CPU's mainstream design keeps costs and power reasonable. The overall tier is high-end desktop, with the GPU being the primary performance driver.

The CPU's nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X, matches it exactly in average score, indicating that the CPU is a solid mid-range performer. The GPU's nearest rival, the NVIDIA GB10, is within 0.3% of its score, showing that the RTX 4000 SFF is competitive with other professional GPUs. The pairing is coherent: a capable mid-range CPU feeding a top-tier professional GPU. For workloads that leverage the GPU heavily, this system punches well above its weight class. For CPU-heavy workloads, it performs as expected for a mid-range desktop.

# Who Should Build It

The target user for this build is a professional who needs high-end GPU compute in a small form factor without excessive power draw. The GPU's 70 W TDP and lack of power connectors make it ideal for compact workstations, while its 95th percentile ranking ensures top-tier performance. Content creators working in 3D rendering, video editing, or AI inference will benefit from the 20 GB VRAM, 48 RT cores, and 192 tensor cores. The 19.17 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is sufficient for most professional rendering workloads, and the 280 GB/s bandwidth handles large datasets.

Gamers at 1440p and 4K will find this system capable, though the GPU's workstation orientation means gaming performance is not its primary focus. The estimated FPS figures suggest 60+ FPS at 1440p in most AAA titles, with lower frame rates at 4K. Gamers who prioritize esports at 1080p may find the CPU's single-thread performance to be a limiting factor, but the GPU will not be the bottleneck.

Software developers who work on multi-threaded applications will appreciate the CPU's 16 threads and 27608 PassMark multithread score. The 20 MB L3 cache and 87776 integer math score support efficient compilation. Students and office workers will find this system overkill, but its efficiency — particularly the GPU's 70 W draw — makes it a reasonable choice for a quiet, low-power workstation. Small business workstations that need professional graphics for CAD, design, or data visualization will benefit from the GPU's 20 GB VRAM and 4x mini-DisplayPort outputs for multi-monitor setups.

# Upgrade Path and Platform

The CPU uses Intel Socket 1700, which supports 12th-gen Alder Lake processors. The memory support includes both DDR4 and DDR5 in dual-channel configurations, so builders can choose their platform based on budget and performance needs. The PCIe Gen 4 support with 20 lanes from the CPU provides adequate bandwidth for the GPU and NVMe storage. The 125 W TDP means the CPU requires a capable cooler, but the unlocked multiplier allows overclocking for users who want more performance.

The GPU uses a PCIe 4.0 x16 interface and requires no power connectors, drawing all power from the slot. The suggested PSU is 250 W, which is very modest for a system with this GPU. The 70 W TDP means that even a small form factor power supply can handle this card. The GPU's dimensions — 168 mm length, 69 mm height — allow it to fit in most SFF cases.

A sensible next upgrade path would be a newer-generation CPU on the same socket, such as a higher-core-count 12th-gen or 13th-gen processor, if the motherboard's BIOS supports it. The GPU could be upgraded to a more powerful workstation card in the future, but the 70 W power envelope and slot-powered design mean that any replacement would need to respect the same power constraints or require a PSU upgrade. The 20 GB VRAM is generous for current workloads, so GPU upgrades are unlikely to be necessary for several years. The platform is mature and well-supported, with a wide range of motherboards available for Socket 1700.

Rate My PC: Intel Core i5-12600K + NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation

Apex Performer

System Balance Analysis

Intel Core i5-12600K

NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation

Market Position

Game Performance Benchmarks

Cyberpunk 2077

Red Dead Redemption 2

Microsoft Flight Simulator

Control

Call of Duty: Warzone

Fortnite

Performance Insights

Optimal Performance

4K Gaming Ready

Performance Tiers Explained

Ultimate

High-End

Mid-Range

Entry Level

Legacy

4K Gaming Performance

Cyberpunk 2077

Red Dead Redemption 2

Microsoft Flight Simulator

Control

Call of Duty: Warzone

Fortnite

1440p Gaming Performance

Cyberpunk 2077

Red Dead Redemption 2

Microsoft Flight Simulator

Control

Call of Duty: Warzone

Fortnite

1080p Gaming Performance

Cyberpunk 2077

Red Dead Redemption 2

Microsoft Flight Simulator

Control

Call of Duty: Warzone

Fortnite

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