SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core i5-13500 + NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation

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

94 / 100
ULTIMATE READY

Apex Performer

Top 6% 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
89%
VS
GPU
99%
PROCESSOR

Intel Core i5-13500

31,510 Benchmark Score
Top 11% Market Ranking
View Full Specs →
GRAPHICS CARD

NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation

117,088 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
View All Games →

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

The Intel Core i5-13500 paired with the NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation is a study in contrasts: a mainstream desktop CPU with a high core count, matched with a low-profile, power-efficient workstation GPU. The data shows a combination that prioritizes compute density and multi-threaded throughput over raw gaming frame rates. This analysis relies exclusively on the provided benchmark results to interpret what this pairing means for real-world workloads, from software development to professional rendering.

CPU Analysis

The Intel Core i5-13500 is a 14-core, 20-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It features a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 24 MB L3 cache. It supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration and includes integrated UHD Graphics 770. With a launch MSRP of $242, it sits in the upper-midrange of Intel's desktop lineup.

Benchmark results indicate a processor with substantial multi-threading capability. In Cinebench R23, it scores 14573 in multi-core and 1780 in single-core. The 3DMark tests show strong scaling: the score increases from 1984 with 2 threads to 8309 with 16 threads, and reaches 9014 with max threads. This scaling pattern suggests that the processor efficiently utilizes its core count, making it well-suited for heavily threaded workloads like video encoding and 3D rendering. The Geekbench scores of 14116 multi-core and 2188 single-core reinforce this profile.

The PassMark suite provides further insight into specialized tasks. The processor achieves 108320 in integer math and 80198 in floating-point math, indicating strong general arithmetic performance. Data compression scores of 391249 and encryption scores of 22333 suggest it can handle data-intensive operations effectively. However, the score of 102 in find prime numbers is notably low, indicating that while the CPU excels at parallel throughput, it may not be optimized for certain types of single-threaded integer workloads. The average benchmark score of 31510 places it in the 82nd percentile of all CPUs, which is a strong showing for a mid-range desktop part.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the i5-13500 is essentially tied with the Intel Core Ultra 5 225H (deltaPct 0) and the AMD Ryzen 9 5980HX (deltaPct 0). It is 0.1% faster than the Intel Core 7 240H and the Intel Core Ultra 3 205. These are all high-performance mobile or desktop parts, indicating that the i5-13500's multi-threaded performance is competitive with much more expensive or power-hungry options.

Upgrade Path and Platform

The Intel Core i5-13500 uses the Intel Socket 1700 platform, which supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. This is a significant advantage for builders, as it allows for flexibility in memory choice based on budget and availability. The CPU provides Gen 5 PCIe lanes (16 lanes from the CPU), offering high bandwidth for modern GPUs and NVMe drives. With a TDP of 65 W, the CPU does not require an elaborate cooling solution; a capable air cooler is sufficient for most use cases.

The platform's memory support for both DDR4 and DDR5 is a key consideration. The data shows no memory bandwidth figures, but the dual-channel bus is standard for this class. ECC memory support is present, which is a boon for workstation users who require data integrity in compute-heavy tasks.

A sensible next upgrade path on this platform would involve upgrading to a higher-tier Raptor Lake processor, such as an i7 or i9, if more multi-threaded performance is needed. However, given that the i5-13500 already scores in the 82nd percentile, the gains may be modest for many workloads. The GPU is a more likely upgrade target for users who want to move beyond the RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation, though the 250 W suggested PSU for the GPU means the overall system power draw remains modest, leaving significant headroom in most PSUs for other components or future upgrades.

The platform's longevity is a consideration. Socket 1700 is a mature platform, and while it does not support the newest processor generations, it offers a stable and well-tested foundation. For a user building a new system today, this platform provides a solid base for a high-performance workstation without requiring the latest motherboard chipset.

GPU Analysis

The NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation is a workstation GPU based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, specifically the AD104 chip, built on TSMC's 5 nm process. It is a compact, dual-slot card with a length of 168 mm and a height of 69 mm, designed for small form factor (SFF) builds. The GPU has a base clock of 720 MHz and a boost clock of 1560 MHz. It features 20 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus, providing 280.0 GB/s of bandwidth.

The GPU's compute specifications are substantial. It has 6144 shading units, 192 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 64 render output units (ROPs). Critically for modern workloads, it includes 48 RT cores and 192 tensor cores. The FP32 performance is rated at 19.17 TFLOPS, with FP16 performance also at 19.17 TFLOPS (1:1 ratio). The pixel rate is 99.84 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 299.5 GTexel/s. With a TDP of only 70 W, it requires no external power connectors and has a suggested PSU of 250 W.

Benchmark results show strong compute performance. In Geekbench OpenCL, it scores 124812, and in Geekbench Vulkan, it scores 109364. These scores place the GPU in the 95th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 117088. This is an exceptionally high percentile, indicating that the GPU performs at the level of much larger and more power-hungry cards.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation is 0.3% faster than the NVIDIA GB10, 1.6% slower than the AMD Radeon PRO W7700, and 2.4% faster than the NVIDIA Tesla V100 SXM2 16 GB. It is also 2.8% faster than the NVIDIA RTX A5500 Mobile. These deltas show that the GPU is competitive with a range of high-end workstation and data center parts, despite its small size and low power draw.

The 20 GB VRAM is a standout feature, providing ample capacity for large datasets, complex 3D scenes, and multi-model AI inference. The 280.0 GB/s bandwidth, while not the highest available, is sufficient for the GPU's compute capabilities. The 48 RT cores and 192 tensor cores provide hardware acceleration for ray tracing and AI workloads, respectively, making this GPU a viable option for rendering and machine learning tasks on a desktop workstation.

Usage Scenarios

High-Refresh Gaming: The CPU's strong single-thread performance (1780 in Cinebench R23 single-core) is adequate for most games, but the GPU's focus on compute over rasterization, with a boost clock of 1560 MHz, limits its gaming prowess. The GPU's 95th percentile overall score is misleading for gaming, as it is driven by compute performance, not raw frame rates. Expect this pairing to be more suited to 1440p high-refresh gaming than 4K, but the GPU's workstation focus means it is not an optimal choice for a dedicated gaming rig.

Streaming: The CPU's 14 cores and 20 threads provide ample headroom for software encoding while gaming. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 8309 suggests the CPU can handle the encoding workload without bottlenecking the game. The GPU's NVENC encoder, implied by the Ada Lovelace architecture, would offload encoding tasks entirely, but the data does not provide specific encoding benchmarks. The CPU's high multi-threaded score makes this a capable streaming setup.

Video Editing: This is a strong use case. The CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14573 and the GPU's 19.17 TFLOPS FP32 performance combine to accelerate timeline processing and effects rendering. The 20 GB VRAM on the GPU is particularly beneficial for working with high-resolution footage and complex compositions. The PassMark data compression score of 391249 also indicates fast file handling, which is useful for media workflows.

3D Rendering: The combination excels here. The CPU's 14 cores handle scene preparation and physics, while the GPU's 48 RT cores and 6144 shading units accelerate ray-traced rendering. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14573 and the GPU's 124812 OpenCL score indicate that both components are highly capable in this domain. The 20 GB VRAM allows for rendering large scenes without memory swapping.

Software Development: The CPU is the star here. The high multi-threaded score (31285 in PassMark multithread) speeds up compilation times, and the 20 threads allow for parallel builds. The Geekbench multi-core score of 14116 confirms strong performance in this area. The GPU is less relevant for most development tasks, but its compute power would be useful for developers working on CUDA-accelerated applications.

Student and Office Work: This is overkill for basic tasks, but the system handles them with ease. The CPU's single-thread score of 3865 in PassMark single-thread ensures snappy application responsiveness. The low TDP of both components (65 W CPU and 70 W GPU) means the system runs cool and quiet, making it a pleasant machine for daily use. The 20 GB VRAM is irrelevant for office tasks, but the system's overall efficiency is a positive.

Gaming Performance

No measured FPS rows exist for this exact combination in the FACT PACK. Therefore, all frame rate discussions are estimates based on the benchmark scores, not measured results.

Given the CPU's strong single-core performance (1780 in Cinebench R23 single-core), it is unlikely to be a bottleneck in most games. However, the GPU's architecture is optimized for compute and professional workloads, not rasterization. The boost clock of 1560 MHz is modest, and the 160-bit memory bus, while providing 280.0 GB/s, is narrower than typical gaming GPUs. The GPU's 95th percentile overall score is driven by its compute capabilities (19.17 TFLOPS), which do not translate directly to gaming FPS.

Estimates suggest that this system would handle 1080p gaming well, achieving high frame rates in most titles. At 1440p, performance would be good, but might drop below the levels of dedicated gaming GPUs with higher clock speeds. At 4K, the system would likely struggle to maintain high refresh rates in demanding titles, as the GPU's memory bandwidth and shader clock are not optimized for extreme resolutions. For ray-traced gaming, the 48 RT cores would provide hardware acceleration, but the low clock speeds might limit overall ray-tracing performance. The 20 GB VRAM is a significant asset for games that use large textures, but it does not compensate for the GPU's modest rasterization throughput.

In summary, this is a capable gaming system for 1080p and 1440p, but it is not a high-refresh 4K gaming machine. Users prioritizing gaming should consider a different GPU with higher clock speeds and a wider memory bus.

Who Should Build It

This system is tailored for professionals and prosumers who need a compact yet powerful workstation. The primary target users are:

  • 3D Artists and Animators: The combination of the 14-core CPU and 20 GB VRAM GPU is ideal for rendering complex scenes and simulations. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14573 and the GPU's 124812 OpenCL score indicate strong performance in this area.
  • AI and Machine Learning Developers: The GPU's 192 tensor cores and 20 GB VRAM provide a capable platform for model training and inference. The Geekbench OpenCL score of 124812 suggests robust compute throughput for these tasks.
  • Video Editors: The high multi-threaded CPU score and large VRAM make this a solid choice for editing high-resolution footage. The PassMark data compression score of 391249 indicates fast media file handling.
  • Software Developers: The 20-thread CPU speeds up compilation and testing cycles. The Geekbench multi-core score of 14116 confirms strong performance for parallel code builds.
  • Small Business Workstations: The low power draw (65 W CPU, 70 W GPU) and small GPU footprint make this an efficient and space-saving option for office environments that occasionally need compute power.
  • Students in STEM Fields: For engineering or data science students, this system provides the necessary compute resources without a massive power bill. The combined percentile of 89 indicates a high-performing system overall.

This is not the ideal choice for a budget gaming PC, a high-refresh 4K gaming rig, or a system where extreme single-thread performance is the sole priority. The GPU's strengths are in compute, not gaming.

Balance and Bottleneck

The data shows a system balanced for compute-heavy tasks, but with a clear bottleneck for gaming. In CPU-centric workloads like compilation and video encoding, the CPU is the primary driver, and the GPU has minimal impact. The CPU's 82nd percentile score indicates it is a high performer, but it is not the absolute best. For tasks like 3D rendering, the workload is split; the CPU handles geometry and physics, while the GPU handles shading and ray tracing. Here, the balance is good, with both components scoring in the 80th-95th percentiles.

In gaming, the GPU is the clear bottleneck. The CPU's strong single-thread performance (1780 in Cinebench R23 single-core) is more than sufficient for most games, and its multi-threaded power is underutilized. The GPU's modest clock speeds (1560 MHz boost) and relatively narrow memory bus (160-bit) limit its frame rate output. The GPU's 95th percentile overall score is a result of its compute power, not its gaming rasterization, so the GPU will limit FPS in most titles. The 20 GB VRAM does not help if the GPU's shader cores cannot produce frames fast enough.

The FPS scaling, while not directly measured, can be inferred from the benchmark data. The GPU's low clock speeds suggest that performance will not scale well with resolution increases. At higher resolutions, the pixel rate of 99.84 GPixel/s becomes a limiting factor. The CPU, on the other hand, would scale well with more demanding game logic, but this is rarely the bottleneck in modern games. The imbalance is clear: for gaming, the GPU is the limiting component, while for compute, the system is well-balanced.

FAQ

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

A: The combined percentile for this build is 89, indicating that it performs better than 89% of all tested desktop configurations in the database.

Q: Does the RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation require external power connectors?

A: No. The GPU has a TDP of 70 W and its power connectors are listed as "None." It is designed to draw power entirely from the PCIe slot, and the suggested PSU is 250 W.

Q: What is the difference in performance between this CPU and the AMD Ryzen 9 5980HX?

A: The average benchmark scores are nearly identical, with a deltaPct of 0. The Intel Core i5-13500 has an average score of 31510, while the AMD Ryzen 9 5980HX has an average score of 31495.

Q: Is the GPU's 20 GB VRAM useful for gaming?

A: The 20 GB VRAM is more than enough for current games, even at high resolutions and texture settings. However, the GPU's compute-focused architecture, with a boost clock of 1560 MHz, means that having more VRAM does not translate to higher frame rates if the core is the limiting factor.

Q: Can this system be used for software development?

A: Yes. The CPU's 14 cores and 20 threads, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14573, are excellent for compiling code. The Geekbench multi-core score of 14116 supports this, making it a strong choice for developers.

Q: How does the GPU compare to the NVIDIA Tesla V100 SXM2 16 GB?

A: The RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation is 2.4% faster in average benchmark score (117088 vs 114395). This is notable given the RTX 4000's much lower power draw and compact size.

Q: What memory types are supported by the Intel Core i5-13500?

A: The CPU supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration. This provides flexibility in choosing memory based on motherboard and budget.

Benchmark Performance

The Intel Core i5-13500 achieves an average benchmark score of 31510, placing it in the 82nd percentile of all CPUs. The most significant scores include a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14573 and a single-core score of 1780. In 3DMark, it scores 9014 with max threads and 1005 in single-thread. Geekbench results show 14116 multi-core and 2188 single-core. PassMark tests show a multithread score of 31285 and a single-thread score of 3865. These scores indicate a processor that is strong in both multi-threaded and single-threaded tasks, with the multi-threaded performance being particularly impressive for a 65 W part.

The NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation achieves an average benchmark score of 117088, placing it in the 95th percentile of all GPUs. Its Geekbench OpenCL score is 124812, and its Vulkan score is 109364. These scores are exceptionally high, driven by the GPU's 6144 shading units and 19.17 TFLOPS FP32 performance. The GPU's 20 GB VRAM and 280.0 GB/s bandwidth further contribute to its high compute throughput.

The combined picture is one of a highly capable workstation. The CPU provides a strong foundation for multi-threaded tasks, while the GPU excels in compute-heavy applications. The combined percentile of 89 reflects a system that is well above average. The data shows that this is not a gaming-focused build, but rather a compact, power-efficient compute powerhouse. The CPU's performance is competitive with the best mobile and desktop parts from its generation, and the GPU's performance rivals that of much larger workstation cards. For users needing serious compute power in a small form factor, this is a compelling combination.