SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core i5-13600K + AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT

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
91%
VS
GPU
97%
PROCESSOR

Intel Core i5-13600K

37,685 Benchmark Score
Top 9% Market Ranking
View Full Specs →
GRAPHICS CARD

AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT

58,392 Benchmark Score
Top 3% 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 i5-13600K and AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT pairing represents a high-performance desktop configuration that sits in the 87th percentile for combined performance. The CPU's 86th percentile ranking and the GPU's 88th percentile ranking indicate a well-matched duo where neither component dramatically overshadows the other. Benchmark data shows the processor delivering strong single-threaded performance with a Geekbench single-core score of 2297, while the graphics card produces a Passmark G3D score of 28070, positioning this build as a capable machine for demanding applications. The absence of measured FPS data for this exact combination means all gaming performance figures below are estimates derived from the component benchmark scores rather than direct testing.

Usage Scenarios

High-Refresh Gaming: The RX 6950 XT's 23.65 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power and 576.0 GB/s memory bandwidth provide substantial headroom for high-refresh gaming. The GPU's Passmark G3D score of 28070 places it in the 88th percentile of all GPUs, suggesting strong performance at high resolutions. The CPU's 3DMark single-thread score of 1085 and 3DMark 2-thread score of 2168 indicate the processor can keep up with the GPU's frame generation capabilities, making this pairing suitable for competitive titles where frame rates exceed typical 60 Hz displays. The data suggests the system maintains high frame rates at 1440p and can drive demanding titles at 4K with adjusted settings, though the lack of measured FPS data means these are projections.

Streaming: The i5-13600K's 14 cores and 20 threads provide sufficient parallel processing capacity for simultaneous gaming and encoding workloads. The Passmark multithread score of 37680 and Cinebench R23 multicore score of 24221 demonstrate that the CPU can handle the additional overhead of video encoding while maintaining gaming performance. The GPU's support for DirectX 12 Ultimate and Vulkan 1.4 ensures compatibility with modern streaming APIs and capture tools. The 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on the GPU provides ample buffer for game rendering while the CPU manages stream encoding, reducing the likelihood of frame drops during broadcast sessions.

Video Editing: The combination of strong CPU and GPU compute capabilities makes this build well-suited for video editing workflows. The CPU's Cinebench R20 multicore score of 13373 and Passmark data compression score of 476394 indicate fast timeline scrubbing and export times. The GPU's Passmark GPU compute score of 14199 and 47.31 TFLOPS of FP16 performance accelerate effects processing and rendering in supporting applications. The 24 MB of shared L3 cache on the CPU helps maintain responsiveness during multi-track editing sessions, while the GPU's 16 GB memory capacity handles large preview buffers and complex effects stacks without excessive swapping.

3D Rendering: For 3D rendering workloads, the CPU's 20 threads provide solid multi-threaded performance, evidenced by the 3DMark max threads score of 10157 and Passmark floating point math score of 90538. The GPU's 5120 shading units and 80 ray accelerators deliver hardware-accelerated ray tracing capabilities, while the 295.7 GPixel/s pixel rate and 739.2 GTexel/s texture rate ensure fast shading and texturing throughput. The 26,800 million transistors on the GPU's Navi 21 chip provide substantial compute resources for viewport rendering and final frame output. The CPU's Passmark integer math score of 122481 helps with tessellation and geometry processing tasks.

Software Development: The i5-13600K's balanced core configuration—combining performance cores with efficiency cores—provides responsive compilation times and smooth multitasking during development. The Passmark extended instructions score of 28805 and Passmark data encryption score of 27075 indicate strong performance for cryptographic operations and SIMD-heavy code. The CPU's 20 threads allow for parallel builds, while the 24 MB L3 cache reduces latency when working with large codebases. The GPU's compute capabilities can be leveraged for GPU-accelerated testing and machine learning workloads, with the 16 GB memory capacity accommodating large datasets.

Student and Office Work: This build exceeds the requirements for typical student and office workloads. The CPU's Passmark single-thread score of 4124 and Geekbench single-core score of 2297 ensure snappy application launches and responsive document editing. The 3DMark 4-thread score of 4283 indicates strong performance for spreadsheet calculations and database queries. The integrated UHD Graphics 770 provides a fallback display output, though the discrete GPU handles all graphically intensive tasks. The 16 GB GPU memory and 576.0 GB/s bandwidth allow for smooth multitasking across multiple monitors with various productivity applications running simultaneously.

FAQ

Q: How does the Core i5-13600K compare to its nearest rival in benchmark scores?

A: The CPU's average benchmark score of 37685 is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 435, which scores 37762, representing a delta of -0.2%. It also sits within 0.4% of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235H, which scores 37522.

Q: What is the GPU's performance percentile and how does it rank?

A: The RX 6950 XT ranks in the 88th percentile of all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 58392. Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA P102-100 at 58528, a delta of -0.2%, and it leads the AMD Radeon RX 5600 OEM by 0.5%.

Q: Does this build support ray tracing?

A: Yes, the GPU features 80 ray accelerators and supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), which includes hardware-accelerated ray tracing. The 23.65 TFLOPS FP32 compute power provides the raw throughput needed for ray-traced effects.

Q: What memory types does the CPU support?

A: The i5-13600K supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory through its dual-channel memory bus. This flexibility allows builders to choose between cost-effective DDR4 modules or higher-bandwidth DDR5 kits.

Q: Is the GPU still in production?

A: No, the AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT is marked as end-of-life, with its production status listed as "End-of-life". Its predecessor is Navi and its successor is Navi III.

Q: What is the power supply requirement for this GPU?

A: The RX 6950 XT has a TDP of 335 W and requires a suggested PSU of 700 W. It draws power through 2x 8-pin connectors.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-threaded performance compare to its single-threaded performance?

A: The CPU shows strong scaling, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 24221 versus a single-core score of 2000.5, representing roughly a 12x improvement. Similarly, the 3DMark max threads score of 10157 is about 9.4x higher than the single-thread score of 1085.

Balance and Bottleneck

The performance data indicates a well-balanced pairing where the CPU and GPU complement each other across different workload types. The CPU's 86th percentile and GPU's 88th percentile are close enough that neither component consistently acts as a limiting factor in mixed workloads. However, specific applications reveal where each component takes the lead.

In CPU-bound scenarios such as data compression, the i5-13600K's Passmark score of 476394 demonstrates its capability to process large datasets without GPU assistance. The processor's 20 threads allow it to handle heavily parallelized tasks, with the 3DMark 8-thread score of 7074 showing strong scaling from the 2-thread score of 2168. For workloads like physics simulation, the Passmark physics score of 2258 indicates the CPU handles real-time calculations effectively.

GPU-bound workloads show the RX 6950 XT taking the dominant role. The Passmark G3D score of 28070 versus the CPU's integrated graphics capabilities illustrates the discrete GPU's superiority in graphics rendering. The GPU's 5120 shading units and 128 ROPs provide massive parallel processing for pixel and vertex operations, while the CPU's role shifts to feeding geometry and draw calls. The 576.0 GB/s memory bandwidth ensures the GPU's compute units stay saturated with data.

The FPS scaling picture, while estimated, suggests that at lower resolutions the CPU becomes more relevant, while at higher resolutions the GPU dominates. The CPU's 3DMark single-thread score of 1085 and 2-thread score of 2168 indicate it can maintain high frame rates in less demanding titles, but the GPU's compute capabilities become the primary driver at 4K where pixel throughput is paramount. The combined percentile of 87 reflects this balance, indicating that in most gaming scenarios, the system operates without severe bottlenecking from either component.

Who Should Build It

Gamers targeting high refresh rates at 1440p resolution will find this build particularly well-suited. The GPU's 88th percentile ranking and 23.65 TFLOPS compute power provide the raw performance needed to drive modern titles at high settings, while the CPU's 4124 Passmark single-thread score ensures minimal frame time spikes. The 16 GB VRAM capacity allows for high-resolution texture packs and future game requirements without memory constraints.

Content creators working with 4K video editing and motion graphics will benefit from the combination of CPU multi-threading and GPU compute. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 24221 handles video encoding and rendering, while the GPU's 14199 Passmark compute score accelerates effects and color grading. The 80 ray accelerators provide hardware support for 3D rendering applications that utilize ray-traced output.

Software developers building large-scale applications will appreciate the CPU's 20 threads for parallel compilation and the 24 MB L3 cache for reducing memory latency. The Passmark extended instructions score of 28805 supports SIMD-optimized code and cryptography workloads. The GPU's compute capabilities enable local testing of GPU-accelerated libraries and machine learning models.

Students in engineering and computer science programs can leverage this build for coursework involving CAD, simulation, and programming. The CPU's balanced performance across single-threaded and multi-threaded tasks handles everything from MATLAB scripts to game development engines. Small business workstations requiring reliable performance for database management, virtualization, and office productivity will find the 86th percentile CPU ranking and 88th percentile GPU ranking more than sufficient for demanding business applications.

Benchmark Performance

The CPU's average benchmark score of 37685 places it in the 86th percentile of all CPUs, with an almost identical score to the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 435 at 37762. The 3DMark suite shows consistent scaling: single-thread at 1085, 2-thread at 2168, 4-thread at 4283, 8-thread at 7074, and max threads at 10157. Cinebench results reinforce this pattern, with R15 multicore at 3642 and single-core at 287.5, R20 multicore at 13373 and single-core at 1887, and R23 multicore at 24221 and single-core at 2000.5.

Geekbench scores show a multicore result of 15575 and single-core of 2297. Passmark tests reveal specialized strengths: data compression at 476394, data encryption at 27075, extended instructions at 28805, floating point math at 90538, integer math at 122481, multithread at 37680, physics at 2258, random string sorting at 51073, and single-thread at 4124.

The GPU's average benchmark score of 58392 places it in the 88th percentile, with a 0.3% lead over the Intel Arc A570M at 58239 and a 0.5% lead over the AMD Radeon RX 5600 OEM at 58085. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 4235 demonstrates modern API performance. Geekbench compute scores show Metal at 222653, OpenCL at 205998, and Vulkan at 165212. Passmark graphics tests show DirectX 10 at 164, DirectX 11 at 300, DirectX 12 at 114, DirectX 9 at 303, G2D at 1063, G3D at 28070, and GPU compute at 14199.

The combined picture shows a system ranking in the 87th percentile overall, indicating that the CPU and GPU perform at similar relative levels. The CPU's scores cluster around the 86th percentile while the GPU's scores sit at the 88th percentile, meaning the GPU is marginally stronger relative to its peers than the CPU is relative to its own competition.

Gaming Performance

No measured FPS data exists for this exact CPU-GPU combination. All gaming performance figures presented here are estimates based on the component benchmark scores, specifically the GPU's Passmark G3D score of 28070 and the CPU's single-thread and multi-thread benchmarks.

Based on the GPU's 23.65 TFLOPS FP32 compute and 576.0 GB/s memory bandwidth, estimated performance in esports titles at 1080p ultra settings would likely exceed 144 FPS, driven by the CPU's 1085 single-thread 3DMark score ensuring high frame rates in CPU-light scenarios. The GPU's 739.2 GTexel/s texture rate supports high-detail environments without texture streaming bottlenecks.

At 1440p ultra settings, demanding AAA titles would likely run between 80-120 FPS, with the GPU's 5120 shading units handling pixel shader workloads efficiently. The 16 GB VRAM capacity prevents capacity-related stutters in modern games with large texture packs. The CPU's 7074 3DMark 8-thread score provides enough processing power for game logic and physics at these frame rates.

At 4K ultra settings, performance would likely drop to 50-70 FPS in the most demanding titles, constrained primarily by the GPU's 295.7 GPixel/s pixel rate. The 576.0 GB/s memory bandwidth becomes a limiting factor at this resolution, though the 128 ROPs help maintain fill rate. The CPU's 4124 Passmark single-thread score is sufficient to avoid bottlenecking at these lower frame rates.

The estimated FPS figures assume no thermal throttling and that the 700 W suggested PSU provides adequate power delivery. The GPU's 1860 MHz base clock and 2310 MHz boost clock indicate the card can sustain high clocks during extended gaming sessions, while the triple-slot cooling solution manages the 335 W TDP. These estimates should be treated as approximations rather than guaranteed performance.

CPU Analysis

The Intel Core i5-13600K is a desktop processor from the Core 13th Gen series, built on the Raptor Lake architecture using Intel's 10 nm process node. It features 14 cores and 20 threads with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. The processor has a TDP of 125 W and occupies a 257 mm² die size. It supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory through a dual-channel memory bus, with ECC memory support available. The CPU includes UHD Graphics 770 integrated graphics and connects via PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes for CPU-only devices.

The cache hierarchy consists of 80 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. This cache configuration provides low-latency access to frequently used data, contributing to the strong single-threaded performance indicated by the Geekbench single-core score of 2297 and the 3DMark single-thread score of 1085. The Passmark single-thread score of 4124 confirms this processor excels in latency-sensitive applications.

Multi-threaded performance is substantial, with the 3DMark max threads score of 10157 demonstrating effective scaling across all 20 threads. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 24221 places this processor in the upper tier for content creation workloads. The Passmark multithread score of 37680 and integer math score of 122481 indicate strong performance in compute-heavy tasks like video encoding and scientific calculations. The processor was released on September 26, 2022, with a launch MSRP of $319, and remains in active production with an unlocked multiplier for overclocking.

Build Overview

This build pairs the Intel Core i5-13600K with the AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT in a desktop configuration. The CPU represents Intel's Raptor Lake generation, offering a hybrid architecture with 14 cores and 20 threads. The GPU is based on the RDNA 2.0 architecture with the Navi 21 chip, manufactured on TSMC's 7 nm process with 26,800 million transistors. The GPU is a triple-slot card measuring 267 mm in length, 120 mm in height, and 50 mm in width, requiring 2x 8-pin power connectors.

The combined performance percentile of 87 places this system in the upper tier of desktop builds. The CPU's 86th percentile and GPU's 88th percentile rankings indicate that both components are well above average, with the GPU holding a slight relative advantage. The system's overall tier is high-performance desktop, suitable for gaming at high resolutions, content creation, and demanding professional workloads. The GPU was released on May 9, 2022, with a launch MSRP of 1,099 USD, and is now end-of-life, succeeded by Navi III architecture.

The build's balance is reflected in the similar percentile rankings of its components. The CPU's average benchmark score of 37685 and the GPU's average benchmark score of 58392 demonstrate that both components deliver strong performance in their respective domains. The 87th combined percentile suggests this pairing is well-optimized for a wide range of applications, from gaming to productivity to content creation.

Upgrade Path and Platform

The Intel Core i5-13600K uses the Intel Socket 1700 platform, which supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. The dual-channel memory bus allows for either memory type, providing flexibility for builders. The CPU supports PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes for CPU-only devices, while the GPU uses a PCIe 4.0 x16 interface. This means the GPU connects at PCIe 4.0 speeds, which is fully compatible with the CPU's PCIe Gen 5 lanes.

The GPU requires a suggested PSU of 700 W, and with a TDP of 335 W, there is headroom for additional components. The CPU's TDP of 125 W means the combined power draw of CPU and GPU is approximately 460 W, leaving room for storage, cooling, and other peripherals within the 700 W recommendation. The GPU's power connectors are 2x 8-pin, which are standard on quality power supplies.

A sensible next upgrade path would involve increasing memory capacity or speed, as the CPU supports both DDR4 and DDR5. For users on DDR4, transitioning to DDR5 could provide bandwidth improvements, though the exact gains depend on the application. The platform also supports PCIe Gen 5 devices, so a future NVMe SSD utilizing Gen 5 speeds could be added. However, the CPU's 16 PCIe lanes are allocated to the primary GPU slot, and additional lanes come from the chipset.

The GPU, being end-of-life, would be the next component to upgrade for gaming performance. The successor is Navi III, which would provide better performance per watt and newer features. However, the current GPU's 16 GB VRAM and 576.0 GB/s bandwidth remain competitive for current games. The CPU's active production status and unlocked multiplier suggest it will remain supported for the foreseeable future, allowing for overclocking to extend its lifespan.