SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core i5-14600 + AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT

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

91 / 100
ULTIMATE READY

Apex Performer

Top 9% 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
93%
VS
GPU
88%
PROCESSOR

Intel Core i5-14600

44,889 Benchmark Score
Top 7% Market Ranking
View Full Specs →
GRAPHICS CARD

AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT

13,745 Benchmark Score
Top 12% 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
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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

# CPU Analysis

The Intel Core i5-14600 is a 14-core, 20-thread desktop processor built on the Raptor Lake architecture, specifically the Raptor Lake-R refresh. It operates with a 2.70 GHz base clock and a 5.20 GHz boost clock, drawing a 65 W TDP. The chip is manufactured on Intel's 10 nm process node with a die size of 257 mm². Cache hierarchy includes 80 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, includes ECC memory support, and provides PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU. Integrated graphics come in the form of UHD Graphics 770, and the multiplier is locked, meaning overclocking is limited.

Benchmark results place this CPU in the 89th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 44889. In Cinebench R23, the processor scores 30464 in multi-core and 4300 in single-core. The R20 run shows 12794 multi-core and 1806 single-core, while R15 shows 3070 multi-core and 433 single-core. Geekbench results are 14680 multi-core and 2424 single-core. PassMark tests reveal strong integer math performance at 117078, floating-point math at 85759, and extended instructions at 25674. Data encryption scores 25082, while data compression hits 434620. Random string sorting reaches 48043, and the multithread score is 35848.

Relative to its nearest rivals, the i5-14600 sits within a tight band. It trails the Intel Core i9-12900KS by 0.5%, with the i9 scoring 45094. It also trails the AMD EPYC 4344P by 0.5%, which scores 45122. The i5-14600 leads the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D by 0.7%, which scores 44573, and the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H by 1%, which scores 44466. These deltas are small, indicating that this CPU trades blows with top-tier parts from previous generations and current mid-range offerings. The practical interpretation is that for multi-threaded workloads, this chip delivers performance nearly identical to a flagship i9 from the prior generation, which is a strong result for a 65 W part.

Single-thread performance is equally competitive. A Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4300 indicates excellent responsiveness for lightly-threaded tasks like web browsing, office applications, and legacy software. The Geekbench single-core score of 2424 reinforces this. For content creation, the multi-core scores suggest that rendering, video encoding, and compilation tasks will complete quickly. The PassMark integer and floating-point scores indicate robust general-purpose computing. The data compression score of 434620 is particularly high, suggesting strong performance in archiving, file transfer, and database workloads. The data encryption score of 25082 shows hardware-accelerated security tasks are handled well. The find prime numbers score of 155 is lower but reflects a specific workload pattern.

The 65 W TDP is noteworthy. This CPU delivers near-flagship performance within a modest power envelope, which means thermal management is simpler and system builders can pair it with a capable air cooler without exotic liquid cooling. The 10 nm process node and Raptor Lake architecture contribute to this efficiency. The locked multiplier means users rely on boost behavior rather than manual overclocking, but the stock boost clock of 5.20 GHz is already high.

# FAQ

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-14600 compare to the Intel Core i9-12900KS in multi-threaded performance?

A: The i5-14600 trails the i9-12900KS by only 0.5% in average benchmark score. The i9-12900KS scores 45094, while the i5-14600 scores 44889, making them effectively equivalent in overall performance despite the i5 having a 65 W TDP.

Q: What memory types does this CPU support?

A: The i5-14600 supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration. It also supports ECC memory, which is unusual for a mainstream desktop chip and useful for error-sensitive workloads.

Q: Does the i5-14600 have integrated graphics?

A: Yes, it includes UHD Graphics 770. This allows for basic display output and hardware video decoding without a discrete GPU, which is useful for troubleshooting or light office builds.

Q: What is the PCIe support on this processor?

A: The CPU provides PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU itself. This enables high-bandwidth connections for modern GPUs and NVMe storage devices.

Q: Is the i5-14600 overclockable?

A: No, the multiplier is locked. The boost clock of 5.20 GHz is the maximum frequency achieved automatically. Users cannot manually raise the multiplier beyond stock settings.

Q: How does this CPU perform in encryption and compression tasks?

A: The PassMark data encryption score is 25082, and the data compression score is 434620. These are strong numbers indicating the CPU handles security tasks and file archiving efficiently.

Q: What socket does the i5-14600 use?

A: It uses Intel Socket 1700. This socket is compatible with a range of Intel 12th, 13th, and 14th generation motherboards, though BIOS updates may be required for newer chips.

# Gaming Performance

There are no measured FPS rows for the exact combination of the Intel Core i5-14600 and the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT. The FACT PACK contains no measuredFps data for this pairing, so all FPS figures discussed here are estimates derived from the benchmark scores of each component.

The CPU's single-thread performance is strong, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4300 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2424. These scores indicate that the CPU will not be a bottleneck in most gaming scenarios, particularly at higher resolutions where GPU load is heavier. The GPU, the RX 7900 XT, has a PassMark G3D score of 29009 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5623. These scores place the GPU in the 55th percentile among all GPUs, which is a mid-range position.

For 1080p gaming, the CPU's strong single-thread performance will likely drive high frame rates in CPU-bound titles like esports games, while the GPU will handle most modern AAA titles at high settings. At 1440p, the balance shifts slightly toward the GPU, and the RX 7900 XT's 20 GB of VRAM and 800.0 GB/s bandwidth will accommodate high-resolution textures and detailed geometry. At 4K, the GPU becomes the primary limiter, and the CPU's headroom means frame rates will scale with GPU capabilities.

The GPU's FP32 throughput of 51.48 TFLOPS and texture rate of 804.4 GTexel/s suggest it can handle demanding rasterization workloads. The 84 ray tracing cores provide some RT capability, though AMD's RT performance is generally less mature than NVIDIA's. The 5376 shading units and 192 ROPs indicate strong fill-rate capabilities, with a pixel rate of 459.6 GPixel/s.

Given the CPU's 0.7% lead over the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D in average benchmark score, the i5-14600 is competitive with a CPU that is often considered strong for gaming. The i5's single-thread score of 4300 in Cinebench R23 suggests it will perform well in games that rely on a few fast cores. For multiplayer titles where high refresh rates are desired, this pairing should deliver excellent results at 1080p and 1440p.

# Balance and Bottleneck

The Intel Core i5-14600 sits in the 89th percentile among all CPUs, while the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT sits in the 55th percentile among all GPUs. This indicates a significant imbalance: the CPU is far stronger relative to its peers than the GPU is relative to its own peers. In most gaming and mixed workloads, the GPU will be the limiting factor.

The CPU's average benchmark score of 44889 versus the GPU's average benchmark score of 13745 further confirms this. The GPU's nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT, which scores 13543 and is 1.5% behind the RX 7900 XT. The RX 7900 XT also trails the AMD Radeon 660M by 0.5% and the NVIDIA RTX A2000 Mobile by 0.5%, which are integrated and mobile parts respectively. This places the RX 7900 XT in a peculiar position: it is a desktop GPU with 20 GB of VRAM, yet its benchmark scores are comparable to much smaller parts.

In gaming, the GPU will limit frame rates in graphically intensive scenes. The CPU's strong single-thread performance means it can feed the GPU efficiently, but the GPU's mid-range percentile means it will not deliver top-tier frame rates in AAA titles at high settings. At lower resolutions like 1080p, the CPU's headroom is less relevant because the GPU still struggles to reach very high frame rates in demanding games.

For non-gaming workloads like video encoding, 3D rendering, and scientific computing, the CPU's high percentile (89th) means it will outperform the GPU in many tasks that rely on general-purpose compute. The GPU's FP32 throughput of 51.48 TFLOPS is high, but the CPU's strong multi-thread scores (30464 in Cinebench R23) mean CPU-bound tasks will complete quickly. The PassMark GPU compute score of 16828 is lower than the CPU's multithread score of 35848, suggesting the CPU is the faster compute device in certain workloads.

The FPS scaling will follow the GPU's capabilities. Since the GPU is in the 55th percentile, users should expect mid-range frame rates in modern games. The CPU's 89th percentile means it will not cause frame rate dips due to processor limitations, but it also cannot compensate for the GPU's mid-range performance. The bottleneck is clearly the GPU in this pairing.

# Upgrade Path and Platform

The Intel Core i5-14600 uses the Intel Socket 1700 platform, which supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. This gives builders flexibility: they can reuse existing DDR4 memory for a lower-cost build or adopt DDR5 for higher bandwidth. The memory bus is dual-channel, and ECC memory is supported, which is valuable for workstation tasks that require data integrity.

The CPU provides PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU. This is forward-looking, as it supports the latest GPUs and NVMe storage devices. The integrated UHD Graphics 770 provides a fallback display output, which is useful for diagnostics or if the discrete GPU fails.

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT uses a PCIe 4.0 x16 interface, which is fully compatible with the CPU's PCIe Gen 5 slots. The GPU has a TDP of 300 W and requires a 700 W power supply, according to the suggested PSU rating. It uses two 8-pin power connectors. The GPU's dimensions are 276 mm in length, 110 mm in height, and 51 mm in width, so case compatibility requires a spacious chassis.

A sensible next upgrade for this platform would be to increase memory capacity or adopt faster DDR5 modules, as the CPU supports both types. For storage, adding a PCIe Gen 5 NVMe drive would leverage the CPU's 16 Gen 5 lanes. For GPU upgrades, the PCIe Gen 5 support means future graphics cards with Gen 5 interfaces will be fully utilized. However, the current GPU's mid-range percentile suggests that a GPU upgrade would be the most impactful change for gaming performance.

The CPU's 65 W TDP is low, so power supply headroom is ample for CPU upgrades within the same socket, such as moving to a higher-core-count 14th Gen part. The locked multiplier limits overclocking, but the boost clock of 5.20 GHz is already high. The platform has been active since the CPU's release date of 2024-01-07, and the production status is Active, ensuring ongoing availability.

# Who Should Build It

This pairing of the Intel Core i5-14600 and the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT targets users who prioritize CPU performance over GPU performance. The CPU's 89th percentile ranking makes it suitable for content creators, developers, and professionals who run multi-threaded workloads. The 14 cores and 20 threads handle video editing, 3D rendering, and software compilation efficiently. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 30464 indicates strong rendering performance, while the PassMark integer math score of 117078 supports scientific computing and data analysis.

Gamers at 1080p and 1440p will benefit from the CPU's strong single-thread performance, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4300. The GPU's 20 GB of VRAM is ample for high-resolution textures, but its 55th percentile means it is not a top-tier gaming GPU. Gamers seeking maximum frame rates in esports titles will find the CPU capable, but the GPU may limit performance in graphically demanding games at high settings. At 4K, the GPU will be the clear bottleneck.

Students and small business users will find the CPU's integrated graphics useful for basic tasks, and the ECC memory support adds reliability for data-sensitive work. The 65 W TDP means the system runs cool and quiet, making it suitable for office environments. Developers will appreciate the fast compilation times from the multi-thread performance, and the encryption score of 25082 supports secure communications.

The GPU's end-of-life production status and the CPU's active status mean this build is most sensible for users who need CPU horsepower now and can tolerate a mid-range GPU. Content creators who offload rendering to the CPU will see excellent performance. The GPU's 20 GB of VRAM is useful for GPU-accelerated workloads like machine learning inference or large texture sets, even if raw compute is not top-tier.

# Benchmark Performance

The Intel Core i5-14600 achieves an average benchmark score of 44889, placing it in the 89th percentile among all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i9-12900KS, scores 45094, which is 0.5% higher. The AMD EPYC 4344P scores 45122, also 0.5% higher. The i5-14600 leads the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D by 0.7% (44573) and the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H by 1% (44466). This positioning shows the i5-14600 is a top-tier CPU that matches or slightly exceeds many high-end parts.

In Cinebench R23, the multi-core score is 30464 and single-core is 4300. The R20 scores are 12794 multi-core and 1806 single-core. R15 scores are 3070 multi-core and 433 single-core. Geekbench shows 14680 multi-core and 2424 single-core. PassMark multithread score is 35848, single-thread is 4167, integer math is 117078, floating-point math is 85759, extended instructions is 25674, data compression is 434620, data encryption is 25082, random string sorting is 48043, and find prime numbers is 155.

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT achieves an average benchmark score of 13745, placing it in the 55th percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT, which scores 13543 and is 1.5% lower. The AMD Radeon 660M scores 13812 and is 0.5% higher, while the NVIDIA RTX A2000 Mobile scores 13821 and is 0.5% higher. The AMD Radeon RX 570X scores 13871 and is 0.9% higher. This shows the RX 7900 XT is in the middle of a cluster of very different GPUs, from integrated graphics to mobile workstation parts.

The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 5623, Geekbench OpenCL is 12756, and Geekbench Vulkan is 71068. PassMark G3D score is 29009, G2D is 1232, and GPU compute is 16828. DirectX scores are 158 for DX10, 340 for DX11, 110 for DX12, and 322 for DX9. The combined picture is a CPU that is near the top of its class and a GPU that is solidly mid-range. The combined percentile for this pairing is 72, reflecting the strong CPU and moderate GPU.

# Build Overview

This build pairs the Intel Core i5-14600 with the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT in a desktop configuration. The CPU is a 14-core, 20-thread Raptor Lake part with a 65 W TDP, while the GPU is a Navi 31-based RDNA 3.0 card with 20 GB of GDDR6 memory. The combined percentile is 72, indicating this is a solidly above-average system overall, driven primarily by the CPU's 89th percentile ranking.

The CPU is in the top 11% of all processors, making it a high-end choice for compute-heavy tasks. The GPU is in the 55th percentile, making it an average graphics solution. This asymmetry defines the build's character: it is a CPU-centric system with adequate graphics for gaming and GPU-accelerated workloads, but not a top-tier gaming machine. The desktop class means it is intended for stationary use with full-size components.

The CPU's launch MSRP is $255, and the GPU's launch MSRP is 899 USD. These figures indicate the CPU is a mid-range priced part with high-end performance, while the GPU is a premium-priced part with mid-range benchmark results. The build's overall tier is that of a workstation-leaning desktop that can handle gaming at moderate settings.

# GPU Analysis

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture, using the Navi 31 chip with a codename of Plum Bonito. It is manufactured on a 5 nm process by TSMC, with 57,700 million transistors on a 529 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 109.1M per mm². The GPU has a base clock of 1387 MHz, a boost clock of 2394 MHz, and a game clock of 2025 MHz. Memory runs at 2500 MHz, which translates to 20 Gbps effective.

The memory subsystem consists of 20 GB of GDDR6 on a 320-bit bus, providing 800.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This is a large amount of VRAM, suitable for high-resolution textures and large datasets. The GPU has 5376 shading units, 336 TMUs, and 192 ROPs. It features 84 ray tracing cores, though no dedicated tensor cores are listed. The pixel rate is 459.6 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 804.4 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is 51.48 TFLOPS, while FP16 is 103.0 TFLOPS at a 2:1 ratio.

The GPU's TDP is 300 W, requiring a 700 W power supply. It uses two 8-pin power connectors and takes up two slots. The dimensions are 276 mm in length, 110 mm in height, and 51 mm in width. Display outputs include one HDMI 2.1a, two DisplayPort 2.1, and one USB Type-C. The bus interface is PCIe 4.0 x16. API support includes DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The production status is end-of-life, with a release date of 2022-11-02, a predecessor of Navi II, and a successor of Navi IV.

Benchmark results show the GPU in the 55th percentile among all GPUs, with an average score of 13745. The PassMark G3D score of 29009 indicates solid rasterization performance, while the G2D score of 1232 is modest. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5623 is a modern DirectX 12 test. Geekbench Vulkan score of 71068 is high, suggesting good compute performance in Vulkan applications. The OpenCL score of 12756 is lower, indicating OpenCL compute is less efficient.

For rendering and GPU-accelerated tasks, the 20 GB of VRAM is a standout feature, allowing large models and high-resolution textures to fit entirely in memory. The 800.0 GB/s bandwidth ensures data moves quickly. The 51.48 TFLOPS of FP32 throughput is strong for general compute, while the 103.0 TFLOPS of FP16 is useful for workloads that support reduced precision. The 84 RT cores provide ray tracing capability, but the mid-range benchmark scores suggest RT performance is not top-tier. The GPU's end-of-life status means it is no longer in production, so availability may decline over time.