SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core i5-14500HX + Intel Arc A550M

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
96%
PROCESSOR

Intel Core i5-14500HX

35,094 Benchmark Score
Top 9% 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 i5-14500HX and Intel Arc A550M represent a high-performance mobile pairing designed for demanding laptops. The data indicates a strong CPU-GPU balance, placing the system in the 85th percentile for combined performance, though it is crucial to note that no measured FPS rows exist for this exact combination. All gaming performance discussions must therefore be framed as estimates derived from the underlying benchmark scores rather than empirical results.

Upgrade Path and Platform

The foundation of this platform is the Intel BGA 1964 socket, which is a soldered, non-upgradeable mobile interface. This means the CPU is permanently attached to the motherboard, making any processor-level upgrade impossible without replacing the entire laptop. The platform is built around Intel's Raptor Lake-HX architecture, specifically the Raptor Lake-HX Refresh generation, which is part of the Core 14th Gen series. This is a mobile-specific design, so users are locked into the laptop form factor for the life of the system.

Memory support is flexible, accommodating both DDR4 and DDR5 modules across a dual-channel bus. This provides a significant upgrade path for the user, as increasing memory capacity or switching between memory generations can yield noticeable performance gains in multi-threaded workloads. The CPU also supports ECC memory, a feature typically reserved for workstation-class hardware, which adds a layer of data integrity for professional use cases. For expansion, the CPU provides PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes, ensuring high-bandwidth connectivity for the latest NVMe storage drives and potentially external GPU enclosures, though the integrated Arc A550M GPU uses a PCIe 4.0 x16 interface.

The power envelope is modest for the performance class, with the CPU rated at a 55 W TDP and the GPU at a 60 W TDP. This combined thermal and power budget is relatively low, meaning the system does not require an excessively large power supply. While the suggested PSU is not listed in the data, the low TDPs indicate that a capable air cooler and a standard laptop power brick are sufficient. The most sensible upgrade path for this system is not component-level but peripheral and memory-based: upgrading to faster DDR5 memory or adding more storage via the PCIe Gen 5 lanes would yield the most tangible benefits. The CPU's integrated UHD Graphics 770 serves as a fallback for basic display tasks, but the discrete Arc A550M is the primary workhorse.

Balance and Bottleneck

Benchmark results indicate a well-balanced system where the CPU and GPU complement each other across different workload types. The CPU's average benchmark score is 35094, placing it in the 84th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU's average score is 49737, placing it in the 86th percentile of all GPUs. This alignment suggests that neither component is drastically underpowered relative to the other, minimizing severe bottlenecking in mixed-use scenarios.

In CPU-heavy workloads, the Core i5-14500HX demonstrates strong headroom. For instance, in Cinebench R23, it scores 24234 in multi-core and 3421 in single-core. This indicates that the processor can handle complex simulations and code compilation without being the limiting factor. The GPU, meanwhile, handles graphics rendering and compute tasks. Its Geekbench OpenCL score of 49894 shows robust general-purpose compute capability, which can offload work from the CPU in applications that support GPU acceleration.

The bottleneck analysis shifts depending on the workload. For high-refresh gaming at lower resolutions, the CPU's single-core performance, evidenced by a Geekbench single-core score of 2129, becomes critical. In this scenario, the CPU may be the constraint if the frame rate is high, as it must process game logic and physics quickly. Conversely, at higher resolutions or with demanding graphical settings, the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck. The A550M's 8.397 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 224.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth will struggle to keep pace with the CPU's ability to feed it data, making the GPU the limiting factor in visual fidelity. The data suggests a system that is balanced for general use, but gamers targeting maximum frame rates will find the GPU is often the ceiling, while content creators may find the CPU is the workhorse.

GPU Analysis

The Intel Arc A550M is a mobile graphics processor built on the Xe-HPG architecture, specifically the Alchemist generation. It is fabricated on a 6 nm process at TSMC, containing 21,700 million transistors on a 406 mm² die. The GPU operates at a base clock of 900 MHz and can boost up to 2050 MHz, with memory running at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective). This configuration delivers a memory bandwidth of 224.0 GB/s across a 128-bit bus, paired with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory.

The chip's compute capabilities are defined by its 2048 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, and 64 raster output units. It also features 16 dedicated ray tracing cores, enabling hardware-accelerated ray tracing in supported titles. The pixel rate is 131.2 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 262.4 GTexel/s, indicating solid fill rates for a mobile part. The FP32 performance is rated at 8.397 TFLOPS, with FP16 performance at 16.79 TFLOPS (2:1 ratio), which is useful for AI and machine learning inference tasks.

Benchmark results for the GPU are strong. In Geekbench OpenCL, it scores 49894, and in Geekbench Vulkan, it scores 49580. These scores place the GPU in the 86th percentile of all GPUs, a high ranking that suggests it outperforms many desktop-class parts. The nearest rival data shows it performs within 0.4% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti and within 2.6% of the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT, though it lags the RX 6900 XT by 2.4%. This is a remarkable position for a mobile chip, indicating that the A550M can handle demanding rendering tasks, including 3D modeling and video editing, with ease. The support for DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4 ensures broad API compatibility for modern games and professional software.

Who Should Build It

This CPU+GPU pairing is targeted at professionals and enthusiasts who require desktop-class performance in a mobile form factor. Gamers playing at high resolutions, such as 1440p or 4K, will benefit from the GPU's strong absolute performance, as the 86th percentile score indicates it can handle graphically intensive titles. The CPU's high single-core score of 3421 in Cinebench R23 ensures that frame pacing remains stable in CPU-bound scenarios.

Content creators, particularly video editors and 3D artists, are a primary audience. The CPU's multi-core score of 24234 in Cinebench R23 and the GPU's OpenCL score of 49894 indicate a system that can accelerate rendering pipelines and video encoding. Software developers will appreciate the 14 cores and 20 threads, which allow for fast compilation times, as evidenced by the Passmark integer math score of 95584. Students and small business users requiring a workstation for CAD, data analysis, or virtual machines will find the ECC memory support and robust multi-threading capabilities compelling. The data suggests a versatile machine that can serve as a primary workstation, not just a gaming laptop.

Benchmark Performance

The combined performance picture is strong, with the system achieving an 85th percentile ranking. The CPU's average benchmark score is 35094, which is nearly identical to its nearest rivals. It is 0.3% ahead of the Intel Core i9-12900HX and the Intel Core i7-13800H, and 0.4% ahead of the Intel Core 7 253PTE. It trails the Intel Core i7-12700K by just 0.5%. This indicates the i5-14500HX punches above its weight, competing with higher-tier desktop and mobile chips.

In specific CPU benchmarks, the data shows strong scaling. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 24234 is substantial, while the single-core score of 3421 is equally impressive. Geekbench scores of 10171 multi-core and 2129 single-core reinforce this. The Passmark suite shows a multi-thread score of 28508 and a single-thread score of 3629, with specific sub-tests highlighting strengths in integer math (95584) and floating-point math (69442). Data compression scores (333851) are high, indicating excellent archival and file management performance.

For the GPU, the Geekbench OpenCL score of 49894 and Vulkan score of 49580 are closely matched, showing consistent performance across compute APIs. The GPU's 86th percentile ranking is higher than the CPU's 84th, suggesting the graphics card is the stronger component relative to its peers. The delta percentages against rivals are tight, with a 0.4% deficit to the RTX 5070 Ti and a 2.6% advantage over the RX 6800 XT. This places the A550M in a performance tier that straddles high-end desktop GPUs, making the combined system a formidable mobile computing platform.

FAQ

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

A: The system achieves an 85th percentile ranking for combined performance, indicating it outperforms the majority of other laptop configurations.

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-14500HX compare to the Intel Core i9-12900HX in average benchmark score?

A: The i5-14500HX has an average score of 35094, which is 0.3% higher than the i9-12900HX's average score of 35003.

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

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

Q: Does the CPU support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i5-14500HX supports ECC memory, which is beneficial for workstation and server-grade applications.

Q: What is the FP32 performance of the Arc A550M?

A: The GPU delivers 8.397 TFLOPS of FP32 compute performance.

Q: How does the GPU's OpenCL score compare to the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT?

A: The Arc A550M's OpenCL score of 49894 is 2.6% higher than the RX 6800 XT's average score of 48477.

Q: What socket does the CPU use?

A: The Intel Core i5-14500HX uses the Intel BGA 1964 socket, which is a soldered mobile interface.

CPU Analysis

The Intel Core i5-14500HX is a 14-core, 20-thread processor built on Intel's Raptor Lake architecture, specifically the Raptor Lake-HX codename. It is fabricated on a 10 nm process at Intel's own foundries, with a die size of 257 mm². The CPU has a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, with a TDP of 55 W. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 24 MB of L3 cache. The multiplier is unlocked, allowing for overclocking on supported platforms.

Benchmark results show a processor that excels in multi-threaded workloads. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 24234 places it in the 84th percentile of all CPUs, a strong result for a mobile part. The single-core score of 3421 is equally competitive, ensuring snappy responsiveness in everyday tasks. Geekbench scores of 10171 multi-core and 2129 single-core corroborate this, showing balanced performance across different test methodologies. The Passmark suite reveals specific strengths: integer math scores of 95584 and floating-point math scores of 69442 indicate heavy compute capability, while data compression (333851) and encryption (19502) scores show strong data handling.

The processor's nearest rivals are all high-end parts, with the i5-14500HX performing within a 0.5% margin of the Intel Core i7-12700K, a desktop chip. This indicates that the mobile CPU can effectively handle desktop-class workloads, making it suitable for heavy multitasking, software development, and content creation. The architecture's efficiency, combined with the 55 W TDP, suggests it delivers this performance without excessive power draw. The integrated UHD Graphics 770 provides a basic display output, but the discrete GPU is the primary rendering solution.

Build Overview

This build pairs the Intel Core i5-14500HX with the Intel Arc A550M in a laptop form factor. The CPU is a high-end mobile processor from the Core 14th Gen series, while the GPU is a mid-to-high-range mobile graphics card from Intel's Arc Alchemist generation. The pairing creates a system that is classed as a laptop, but its performance metrics place it in the upper echelon of mobile computing.

The combined percentile rank is 85, indicating that this configuration outperforms 85% of all other builds in the database. The CPU's 84th percentile and GPU's 86th percentile are closely aligned, showing a balanced system without a significant performance gap between components. The CPU's average score of 35094 is competitive with top-tier desktop and mobile processors, while the GPU's average score of 49737 rivals high-end desktop graphics cards. This is not a budget-oriented build; it is a performance-focused machine designed for users who need substantial compute power on the go. The GPU's production status is end-of-life, which may affect future driver support, but its current benchmark scores remain strong.

Usage Scenarios

High-Refresh Gaming: The CPU's single-core performance is robust, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3421, which helps maintain high frame rates in esports titles. The GPU's 86th percentile ranking suggests it can push high frame rates at 1080p or 1440p, though the lack of measured FPS data means specific figures are estimates. The combined performance should handle competitive gaming well.

Streaming: The CPU's multi-threading capabilities, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 24234, allow for simultaneous game encoding and streaming without significant performance degradation. The GPU's dedicated hardware for encoding, while not specified in the data, is typical for this class of GPU and would offload the encoding workload from the CPU.

Video Editing: The combination of CPU multi-core power and GPU compute performance is ideal for video editing. The GPU's OpenCL score of 49894 accelerates effects and rendering, while the CPU's Passmark integer math score of 95584 handles timeline scrubbing and export tasks. The 8 GB of VRAM is sufficient for 4K video timelines, though very long projects may require careful management.

3D Rendering: The GPU's FP32 performance of 8.397 TFLOPS and 16 RT cores make it capable of handling 3D rendering workloads in software like Blender or Maya. The CPU's 14 cores and 20 threads ensure that scene preparation and physics simulations run smoothly. The system is well-suited for freelance 3D artists who need a portable rendering workstation.

Software Development: The CPU's high core count and 20 threads are a boon for code compilation, with multi-threaded build times being significantly reduced. The ECC memory support adds stability for long-running builds or server development. The GPU's compute capabilities can accelerate machine learning model training, making this a viable laptop for data scientists.

Student and Office Work: For general productivity, the CPU's single-core score of 3629 in Passmark ensures fast application loading and responsive multitasking. The GPU is overkill for standard office tasks, but its presence allows for light photo editing or CAD work. The system's power efficiency, with a total TDP of 115 W, means it can operate on battery for reasonable periods, making it suitable for a student moving between classes.