SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core i5-13500HX + Intel Arc A550M

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

Build Configuration

Select your components

PROCESSOR (CPU)

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GRAPHICS CARD (GPU)

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92 Score

Top 8% Ranking

92 / 100

ULTIMATE READY

Apex Performer

Top 8% 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%

GPU

96%

PROCESSOR

Intel Core i5-13500HX

29,270 Benchmark Score

Top 11% Market Ranking

View Full Specs →

GRAPHICS CARD

Intel Arc A550M

49,737 Benchmark Score

Top 4% 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 i5-13500HX and Intel Arc A550M form a mobile pairing that places itself in the upper echelon of laptop performance, with a combined percentile of 84 against all possible CPU and GPU combinations. The data indicates a system built around a 14-core Raptor Lake-HX processor and an Alchemist-generation discrete GPU, targeting users who need serious compute power in a portable chassis. Because the FACT PACK contains no measured FPS data for this exact combination, all gaming frame rate discussions are estimates derived from synthetic benchmark scores and component specifications.

Upgrade Path and Platform

The platform is anchored by the Intel BGA 1964 socket, a ball-grid array design that is soldered to the motherboard, meaning the CPU is not a user-serviceable component in the traditional sense. Memory support extends to both DDR4 and DDR5, operating in a dual-channel configuration, which offers builders and buyers flexibility depending on the laptop manufacturer's implementation, though the lack of a memory bandwidth figure in the data leaves the practical throughput difference between the two memory types unquantified. The CPU supports ECC memory, a feature typically associated with workstation-class reliability, and its presence in a mobile HX-series chip suggests the platform can handle error-sensitive workloads without requiring a separate workstation chipset.

PCIe connectivity is listed as Gen 5 with 20 lanes from the CPU alone, which is a substantial amount of bandwidth for a mobile platform. This allows for the connection of the discrete GPU, which itself uses a PCIe 4.0 x16 interface, alongside high-speed NVMe storage. The 20 Gen 5 lanes provide ample headroom for future peripherals or storage upgrades that can exploit the newer standard's bandwidth, though the GPU's adherence to Gen 4 means it will not be the primary beneficiary of the CPU's Gen 5 capability. The power delivery situation is defined by a 55 W TDP for the CPU and a 60 W TDP for the GPU, totaling 115 W of component power draw before accounting for the rest of the system.

There is no suggested PSU figure available in the data, and given the laptop form factor, the power supply is typically an external brick whose capacity is fixed by the manufacturer. A sensible next upgrade for this platform would involve increasing system memory to the maximum supported by the motherboard, likely 64 GB or more given the CPU's capabilities, and ensuring storage is on the PCIe Gen 5 bus to leverage the available lanes. The CPU's active production status and unlocked multiplier suggest that in some laptop implementations, overclocking may be possible, though thermal constraints in a mobile chassis would likely limit the practical gains. The platform's longevity is tied to the BGA socket, which effectively caps the upgrade path at the system level rather than the component level.

Benchmark Performance

The CPU's benchmark results paint a picture of a processor that excels in multi-threaded tasks while maintaining respectable single-core performance. In Cinebench R23, the multi-core score of 18334 places it in a strong position for content creation, while the single-core score of 1730.5 indicates solid responsiveness for everyday tasks. The 3DMark synthetic suite shows a scaling pattern from 972 in single-thread to 7885 in max threads, with a notable jump to 7307 in the 16-thread test, suggesting that the 20-thread configuration is well-utilized in heavily parallel workloads. PassMark results reinforce this, with a multithread score of 27753 and a single-thread score of 3582, while specialized tests like data compression at 331896 and floating-point math at 70885 highlight the CPU's strength in scientific and data-heavy applications.

The CPU's average benchmark score is 29270, which places it at the 81st percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X, which scores 29123 and trails the i5-13500HX by 0.5%, and the AMD EPYC 9654, which scores 29409 and leads by 0.5%. This grouping indicates that the mobile i5 is performing on par with a previous-generation desktop Ryzen 7, a notable achievement for a laptop processor. The Intel Xeon Phi 7210 scores 29245, a 0.1% delta, and the Ryzen 7 3800X scores 29447, a -0.6% delta, further cementing the CPU's position as a high-performing mobile part.

The GPU, Intel Arc A550M, delivers a Geekbench OpenCL score of 49894 and a Vulkan score of 49580, averaging 49737 and placing it at the 86th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, which scores 49957 and leads by 0.4%, while the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT scores 50951 and leads by 2.4%. The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT trails with a score of 48477, a 2.6% deficit. This positions the A550M as a GPU that can compete with high-end desktop cards from previous generations, though the data suggests it is slightly behind the very top tier.

Usage Scenarios

For high-refresh gaming, the CPU and GPU combination is estimated to handle 1080p and 1440p gaming well, though 4K gaming may strain the GPU. The CPU's single-thread score of 972 in 3DMark and 3582 in PassMark indicates it can feed frames to the GPU without becoming a bottleneck in most titles. The GPU's 8.397 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 16 RT cores suggest it can handle modern games with ray tracing enabled at moderate settings, though the lack of measured FPS data means these expectations are based on the synthetic scores relative to desktop rivals.

Streaming and content creation benefit from the CPU's 14 cores and 20 threads, with Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 18334 showing strong encoding capability. The PassMark data encryption score of 19267 and extended instructions score of 20200 further support the CPU's ability to handle simultaneous gameplay and stream encoding. Video editing workflows will see good performance in rendering and export tasks, as the multi-threaded scores in Cinebench R20 (9792) and R15 (2863) indicate efficient scaling across the core count.

3D rendering is a primary strength of this pairing, as the CPU's 7885 3DMark max-thread score and 27753 PassMark multithread score indicate it can handle complex scenes and physics simulations. The GPU's 2048 shading units and 128 TMUs provide substantial rasterization power, though the 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus may limit texture-heavy scenes at higher resolutions. Software development workloads will see strong performance in compilation tasks, given the CPU's high integer math score of 96195, while the GPU's compute capability can accelerate certain development tasks like shader compilation.

Student and office work is handled with ease, as the CPU's single-thread performance and the GPU's idle efficiency ensure responsive application usage. The PassMark physics score of 1634 and random string sorting score of 36373 indicate smooth multitasking and data manipulation, making this a system that never feels sluggish in productivity applications.

Who Should Build It

Gamers targeting high refresh rates at 1080p or 1440p resolutions will find this pairing suitable, as the GPU's percentile ranking at 86 places it above the majority of mobile GPUs. Content creators working with video or 3D rendering will benefit from the CPU's multi-core performance, which ranks at the 81st percentile and competes with desktop Ryzen 7 processors. Developers who compile large codebases or run virtual machines will appreciate the 20 threads and 24 MB of L3 cache, which supports parallel workloads efficiently.

Students in engineering or computer science programs will find the system capable of running simulation software and development environments, while small business workstations can leverage the ECC memory support for data integrity in financial or database applications. The laptop form factor means this is a system for professionals who need performance on the go, not for desktop builders seeking component-level upgrades. The combined 84th percentile ranking across all CPU-GPU pairings indicates this is a top-tier mobile solution for demanding workloads.

FAQ

Q: What is the CPU's socket type and can it be upgraded?

A: The CPU uses Intel BGA 1964, a soldered socket, so it cannot be upgraded independently; the entire laptop would need replacement for a CPU upgrade.

Q: How does the CPU compare to desktop processors?

A: Its average benchmark score of 29270 places it within 0.5% of the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X and 0.6% of the Ryzen 7 3800X, indicating parity with previous-generation desktop parts.

Q: What is the GPU's memory configuration?

A: The Arc A550M has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth.

Q: Does the platform support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the CPU supports ECC memory, which is a feature typically found in workstation-class systems.

Q: What API features does the GPU support?

A: The GPU supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, including 16 RT cores for ray tracing.

Q: How does the GPU compare to desktop graphics cards?

A: Its average score of 49737 is within 0.4% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti and 2.4% of the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT.

Q: What is the total power draw of the CPU and GPU?

A: The CPU has a TDP of 55 W and the GPU has a TDP of 60 W, totaling 115 W before other system components.

Gaming Performance

The FACT PACK contains no measured FPS data for this exact CPU-GPU combination, so all frame rate expectations are estimates derived from the benchmark scores. The GPU's Geekbench OpenCL score of 49894 and 8.397 TFLOPS FP32 performance suggest it can handle modern titles at 1080p with high settings, potentially reaching 60-100 FPS in most games. At 1440p, the 8 GB VRAM and 224.0 GB/s bandwidth may become limiting factors for texture-heavy games, with frame rates dropping to the 40-70 FPS range depending on the title.

The CPU's single-thread performance, measured at 972 in 3DMark and 3582 in PassMark, is sufficient to avoid bottlenecking the GPU in most gaming scenarios. The 16 RT cores provide ray tracing capability, though the 8.397 TFLOPS FP32 figure suggests that enabling ray tracing will significantly impact frame rates, likely reducing them by 30-50% in supported titles. Esports titles like competitive shooters and MOBAs will run at very high frame rates, potentially exceeding 144 FPS at 1080p, given the CPU's strong single-thread score and the GPU's overall capability.

Balance and Bottleneck

The data indicates a well-balanced pairing where the CPU and GPU complement each other across different workload types. The CPU's 81st percentile ranking and the GPU's 86th percentile ranking are closely aligned, suggesting that neither component dramatically outclasses the other in overall capability. In gaming, the GPU is likely the limiting factor at higher resolutions, as the 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus constrain texture uploads and high-resolution rendering, while the CPU's 14 cores provide ample headroom for game logic and physics.

In multi-threaded workloads like 3D rendering, the CPU's 7885 3DMark max-thread score indicates it can dominate the workload, with the GPU's compute capabilities providing acceleration for specific tasks like ray tracing. The CPU's PassMark integer math score of 96195 shows it can handle complex simulations without bottlenecking, while the GPU's 8.397 TFLOPS FP32 performance is sufficient for real-time graphics but may lag in pure compute tasks compared to the CPU's multi-core throughput. The memory bandwidth, shared between the CPU's dual-channel DDR4/DDR5 support and the GPU's 224.0 GB/s, could become a bottleneck in mixed workloads where both components are accessing memory simultaneously.

Build Overview

This is a laptop-class build combining the Intel Core i5-13500HX processor with the Intel Arc A550M discrete GPU. The CPU is a 14-core, 20-thread Raptor Lake-HX part with a 55 W TDP, while the GPU is an Alchemist-generation Xe-HPG chip with a 60 W TDP. The combined percentile ranking of 84 places this pairing in the top 16% of all CPU-GPU combinations, making it a high-tier mobile solution.

The architecture represents Intel's first-generation discrete GPU effort, with the A550M using the DG2-512 chip on a 6 nm TSMC process. The system is designed for users who need desktop-class performance in a portable form factor, with the CPU's multi-core strength and the GPU's competitive rasterization power providing a balanced platform for gaming and content creation.

CPU Analysis

The Intel Core i5-13500HX features 14 cores and 20 threads, a configuration that combines performance and efficiency cores in the Raptor Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, with 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU is manufactured on Intel's 10 nm process with a die size of 257 mm², and it supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration.

The benchmark scores reveal a processor that scales well with thread count, as evidenced by the 3DMark results increasing from 972 in single-thread to 7885 in max threads. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 18334 is strong for a mobile part, and the PassMark multithread score of 27753 confirms its capability in parallel workloads. The CPU's average benchmark score of 29270 places it at the 81st percentile, with nearest rivals including the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X and EPYC 9654, indicating it performs at a level comparable to desktop processors from a previous generation.

GPU Analysis

The Intel Arc A550M features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth. It has 2048 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, with 16 RT cores for ray tracing. The GPU operates at a base clock of 900 MHz and boosts to 2050 MHz, with memory running at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective). It is built on TSMC's 6 nm process with 21,700 million transistors on a 406 mm² die.

The GPU's benchmark results show a Geekbench OpenCL score of 49894 and a Vulkan score of 49580, averaging 49737 and placing it at the 86th percentile. Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, which leads by 0.4%, while the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT leads by 2.4%. The 8.397 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 16.79 TFLOPS FP16 performance indicate strong compute capability, and the DirectX 12 Ultimate support ensures compatibility with modern graphics features.

Rate My PC: Intel Core i5-13500HX + Intel Arc A550M

Apex Performer

System Balance Analysis

Intel Core i5-13500HX

Intel Arc A550M

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

Upgrade Path and Platform

Benchmark Performance

Usage Scenarios

Who Should Build It

FAQ

Gaming Performance

Balance and Bottleneck

Build Overview

CPU Analysis

GPU Analysis

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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