SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core i5-14600K + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090

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

96 / 100
ULTIMATE READY

Apex Performer

Top 4% 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
94%
VS
GPU
97%
PROCESSOR

Intel Core i5-14600K

48,618 Benchmark Score
Top 6% Market Ranking
View Full Specs →
GRAPHICS CARD

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090

60,347 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 i5-14600K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 represent a deliberate pairing of a high-end enthusiast CPU with NVIDIA’s flagship consumer GPU. The processor, part of the Raptor Lake Refresh generation, combines 14 cores (6 performance and 8 efficiency cores) with 20 threads, a base clock of 3.50 GHz, and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. This configuration, built on Intel’s 10 nm process with a 257 mm² die, delivers a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 24,491 and a single-core score of 2,064. The GPU, based on the Ada Lovelace architecture and TSMC’s 5 nm process, features 16,384 shading units, 128 RT cores, and 512 tensor cores, with a boost clock of 2,520 MHz. Its 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus provides 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth. The combined benchmark percentile for this pair is 89, indicating it outperforms the vast majority of desktop configurations in the database.

CPU Analysis

The Core i5-14600K sits in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 48,618. This places it in a tight competitive cluster: it is 0.2% behind the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H, 0.3% ahead of the AMD EPYC 4345P, 0.7% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX, and 0.8% behind the Intel Core Ultra 5 245. The near-identical scores across these rivals—ranging from 48,287 to 48,995—suggest that in heavily threaded workloads like rendering or compilation, the i5-14600K trades blows with enterprise and newer mainstream parts without a decisive edge.

Single-threaded performance tells a similar story of strength. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2,064 and Geekbench single-core score of 2,491 are strong indicators for responsiveness in lightly threaded tasks. The PassMark single-thread score of 4,270 reinforces this. In real workloads, this translates to snappy application launches, fast spreadsheet recalculation, and smooth day-to-day desktop use. The 5.30 GHz boost clock is the primary driver here, allowing the CPU to excel in tasks that rely on a single core’s speed rather than raw core count.

For multi-core workloads, the 14-core/20-thread layout is well-suited to parallel tasks. The Cinebench R20 multicore score of 13,709 and Geekbench multicore score of 16,673 show strong scaling. However, the PassMark results reveal specific strengths and weaknesses. The integer math score of 125,737 and floating-point math score of 92,794 are robust, indicating solid performance in scientific computing and financial modeling. The extended instructions score of 28,546 suggests capable handling of AVX and similar workloads. Data compression scores 482,020, while data encryption hits 27,533. The find prime numbers score of 162 is comparatively low, a sign that the CPU is less optimized for that specific workload, though this is unlikely to impact typical users.

The 24 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB L2 per core help reduce memory latency, which benefits gaming and database operations. With support for both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, the platform offers flexibility, and ECC memory support is available for error-sensitive tasks. The integrated UHD Graphics 770 provides a basic fallback display output, though the discrete RTX 4090 makes it irrelevant in this build. Overall, the CPU is a high-tier mainstream part that rivals workstation-class chips, making it a balanced foundation for a flagship GPU.

Benchmark Performance

The RTX 4090 delivers exceptional raw performance, sitting in the 88th percentile of all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 60,347. Its nearest rivals are the Intel Arc Pro A60 (0% delta), AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 (0.3% ahead), AMD Radeon Pro W6600M (2.5% behind), and AMD Radeon PRO V710 (2.9% ahead). These deltas are minimal, showing that the RTX 4090 sits in a performance tier where minor score differences are within measurement noise. The GPU’s 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 9,223, Geekbench OpenCL score of 255,416, and Vulkan score of 271,631 are all flagship-class figures. PassMark G3D score of 38,194 and GPU compute score of 26,613 further underline its dominance.

The CPU and GPU together produce a combined percentile of 89, with an average FPS across games of 221.5 at ultra settings. This pairing ranks 86th out of 3,732 pairs in the database, placing it in the top 2.3% of all tested combinations. The data shows that this is not a bottleneck-limited pairing; instead, it is a high-throughput system where both components contribute to sustained frame rates. For context, the CPU’s 90th percentile and GPU’s 88th percentile are closely matched, suggesting a balanced pairing where neither component wildly outclasses the other.

In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU’s Cinebench R15 multicore score of 3,640 and single-core score of 297 show consistent scaling across generations. The PassMark multithread score of 38,682 and physics score of 2,473 are indicative of strong compute capability. The GPU’s PassMark DirectX scores—397 for DX9, 326 for DX11, 224 for DX10, and 150 for DX12—are less meaningful for modern gaming, as they are legacy tests, but the 3DMark and Geekbench results are more representative. The combined picture is clear: this system is built for high-refresh-rate gaming and demanding GPU-accelerated workloads, with both components operating near the top of their respective hierarchies.

Upgrade Path and Platform

The Core i5-14600K uses the Intel Socket 1700 platform, which supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration. This flexibility allows builders to choose between cost-effective DDR4 or higher-bandwidth DDR5, though the RTX 4090’s memory bandwidth needs are unaffected by this choice. The CPU provides PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes, ensuring compatibility with the fastest available NVMe SSDs and future expansion cards. The GPU uses a PCIe 4.0 x16 interface, which is fully supported and does not bottleneck the RTX 4090’s bandwidth requirements.

The CPU has a TDP of 125 W, while the GPU has a TDP of 450 W. The suggested power supply for the GPU is 850 W, which provides headroom for the entire system under peak loads. This is a critical consideration: the RTX 4090’s transient power spikes can exceed its rated TDP, so an 850 W PSU is the minimum recommended for stability. The GPU requires a single 16-pin power connector and spans three slots, measuring 304 mm in length, 137 mm in height, and 61 mm in width. Case and cooling compatibility must account for these dimensions and the triple-slot cooler.

For a sensible next upgrade, the CPU’s Socket 1700 platform is nearing the end of its generational support, so a future CPU upgrade would likely require a new motherboard. However, the RTX 4090, despite being end-of-life with a successor in the GeForce 50 series, remains a top-tier performer. The most practical upgrade path would be adding more DDR5 memory or higher-capacity storage, as the current CPU and GPU pair is already well-balanced. The 24 GB of VRAM on the GPU is ample for 4K gaming and professional workloads, so memory capacity is unlikely to be a constraint. The platform’s PCIe Gen 5 support ensures that future storage devices will run at full speed.

Balance and Bottleneck

The data indicates a well-balanced pairing. The CPU’s 90th percentile and GPU’s 88th percentile are separated by only two points, meaning neither component is severely limiting the other in most workloads. In gaming, the average FPS of 221.5 across all tested titles at ultra settings suggests the GPU is doing the heavy lifting, but the CPU’s strong single-thread performance ensures it can feed frames fast enough. For example, in Counter-Strike 2 at 1080p, the system achieves 359.3 FPS, which is CPU-bound territory, yet the i5-14600K’s 5.30 GHz boost clock keeps up. At 4K, the GPU becomes the primary limiter, as seen in Cyberpunk 2077 dropping to 52.7 FPS.

In productivity workloads, the CPU is the bottleneck in multi-threaded tasks, but its 14 cores and 20 threads are sufficient to avoid severe stalls. The PassMark multithread score of 38,682 and Cinebench R23 multicore of 24,491 show that the CPU can handle heavy parallel loads. However, for specialized GPU compute workflows like 3D rendering or machine learning, the RTX 4090’s 82.58 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 512 tensor cores take over, and the CPU’s role diminishes. The balance shifts based on workload: gaming and single-threaded apps rely on the CPU, while GPU-accelerated tasks are entirely dependent on the RTX 4090.

FPS scaling across resolutions provides clear evidence of this dynamic. In Call of Duty: Warzone, the system delivers 166 FPS at 1080p, 148 FPS at 1440p, and 125 FPS at 4K. The modest drop from 1080p to 4K (about 25%) indicates the GPU is well-utilized but not overwhelmed. In contrast, Ark: Survival Ascended shows a dramatic fall from 52 FPS at 1080p to 17 FPS at 4K, suggesting the game is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions. This pattern is consistent: the CPU handles 1080p and 1440p gaming with ease, while 4K ultra settings are almost exclusively the GPU’s domain.

Gaming Performance

Measured FPS data at ultra settings reveals exceptional performance across a wide range of titles. At 1080p, the system excels in esports and lighter games: Counter-Strike: Global Offensive hits 793.5 FPS, Valorant reaches 534.4 FPS, and Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege achieves 427 FPS. These figures are far beyond any monitor’s refresh rate, making the system ideal for competitive play. At 1440p, performance remains stellar: Valorant still delivers 507.5 FPS, CS2 hits 239.4 FPS, and Roblox reaches 309 FPS. The 1440p results show the system is capable of high-refresh gaming on high-quality panels.

At 4K, the system still delivers playable frame rates in most titles. Call of Duty: Warzone runs at 125 FPS, Overpower at 109 FPS, and CS2 at 130.8 FPS. More demanding titles strain the system: Cyberpunk 2077 drops to 52.7 FPS, Red Dead Redemption 2 to 48 FPS, and Ark: Survival Ascended to 17 FPS. These numbers indicate that while 4K ultra gaming is possible, it requires careful settings tuning or the use of upscaling technologies for the most demanding games. The 24 GB of VRAM ensures no memory capacity issues at 4K, but raw compute limits remain.

The pair’s rank of 86 out of 3,732 pairs, with an average FPS of 221.5, places it in the top tier of gaming systems. Notably, the data is measured, not estimated, providing confidence in these figures. For immersion-based titles like Microsoft Flight Simulator, the system achieves 130 FPS at 1080p, 105 FPS at 1440p, and 77 FPS at 4K, showing strong performance even in CPU-intensive simulations. The overall gaming picture is one of dominance at 1080p and 1440p, with 4K requiring compromises only in the heaviest titles.

Usage Scenarios

High-refresh gaming: At 1080p and 1440p, the system delivers frame rates well above 144 Hz in most titles. CS2 hits 359.3 FPS at 1080p and 239.4 FPS at 1440p, while Valorant reaches 534.4 FPS at 1080p. The RTX 4090’s 82.58 TFLOPS and the CPU’s 5.30 GHz boost clock ensure no bottleneck, making this ideal for 240 Hz or 360 Hz monitors.

Streaming: The combination of the CPU’s 14 cores and the GPU’s NVENC encoder (implied by the architecture) handles simultaneous gaming and encoding. The CPU’s PassMark multithread score of 38,682 provides headroom for streaming software, while the GPU’s compute power maintains high game FPS. The 24 GB VRAM allows for high-bitrate encoding without compromising game performance.

Video editing: The CPU’s Cinebench R23 multicore score of 24,491 accelerates timeline rendering and export. The GPU’s 1.01 TB/s memory bandwidth and 82.58 TFLOPS FP32 performance accelerate effects, color grading, and 4K or 8K video processing. The 24 GB VRAM is sufficient for large projects and multiple high-resolution clips.

3D rendering: The RTX 4090’s 16,384 shading units and 128 RT cores deliver exceptional ray-traced rendering performance. The GPU compute score of 26,613 and OpenCL score of 255,416 indicate strong performance in Blender, Octane, or V-Ray. The CPU’s 14 cores handle scene preparation and physics, while the GPU does the heavy lifting.

Software development: The CPU’s strong single-core performance (Geekbench single-core 2,491) speeds up compilation of large codebases. The PassMark integer math score of 125,737 is beneficial for code analysis and build processes. The 20 threads allow for parallel builds, and the GPU can accelerate machine learning model training.

Student and office work: This system is overkill for basic tasks, but the CPU’s single-thread score of 4,270 (PassMark) ensures instant response in spreadsheets and word processing. The integrated UHD Graphics 770 provides a fallback, though the RTX 4090 is active. The 24 GB VRAM is irrelevant for office work, but the system will never struggle with multitasking or large datasets.

Who Should Build It

This build targets enthusiasts and professionals who demand top-tier performance. Gamers at 1080p and 1440p with high-refresh monitors (240 Hz or more) will benefit from the measured frame rates: 534.4 FPS in Valorant and 359.3 FPS in CS2 at 1080p. At 4K, gamers who prioritize visual fidelity over maximum FPS will find playable rates in most titles, with only the heaviest games like Ark: Survival Ascended (17 FPS at 4K) requiring settings adjustments. Content creators in video editing, 3D rendering, and graphic design will leverage the GPU’s 82.58 TFLOPS and 24 GB VRAM, along with the CPU’s 14 cores for parallel tasks. Software developers working on large codebases or machine learning models will appreciate the CPU’s integer math score of 125,737 and the GPU’s tensor cores. Students in engineering or computer science fields will benefit from the system’s ability to run simulations and compile code quickly, though it is more than necessary for general coursework. Small business workstations handling data analysis, financial modeling, or 3D visualization will find the system’s 90th percentile CPU and 88th percentile GPU performance sufficient for demanding applications, with ECC memory support adding reliability for critical workloads.

Build Overview

This is a desktop-class build pairing the Intel Core i5-14600K with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090. The CPU is a 14-core, 20-thread processor from the Core 14th Gen series, based on Raptor Lake architecture, with a 125 W TDP and support for DDR4/DDR5 memory. The GPU is the flagship GeForce 40-series card, based on Ada Lovelace, with 24 GB GDDR6X memory and a 450 W TDP. The combined percentile of 89 places this system in the top tier of all desktop configurations in the database. The CPU’s 90th percentile and GPU’s 88th percentile are closely aligned, indicating a balanced pairing. The measured average FPS of 221.5 across games, with a rank of 86 out of 3,732 pairs, confirms this is a high-performance system. The RTX 4090 is end-of-life with a successor already announced, but it remains one of the fastest GPUs available. The i5-14600K is an active, current-generation part with an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Overall, this is a flagship gaming and workstation system that excels in both CPU-bound and GPU-bound workloads, with the only notable compromise being the CPU’s Socket 1700 platform’s limited upgrade path.

FAQ

Q: How does the Core i5-14600K compare to its nearest rivals in benchmark scores?

A: The i5-14600K has an average benchmark score of 48,618. It is 0.2% behind the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H, 0.3% ahead of the AMD EPYC 4345P, 0.7% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX, and 0.8% behind the Intel Core Ultra 5 245. These deltas are all within 1%, making the performance nearly identical.

Q: What is the RTX 4090’s performance percentile and how does it rank against rivals?

A: The RTX 4090 is in the 88th percentile of all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 60,347. It has a 0% delta with the Intel Arc Pro A60, is 0.3% behind the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48, 2.5% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M, and 2.9% ahead of the AMD Radeon PRO V710.

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

A: The combined percentile is 89, with an average FPS across games of 221.5 at ultra settings. The pair ranks 86th out of 3,732 pairs in the database, placing it in the top 2.3% of all tested combinations.

Q: What frame rates can I expect in esports titles at 1080p?

A: At 1080p ultra settings, the system delivers 793.5 FPS in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, 534.4 FPS in Valorant, and 427 FPS in Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege. These are measured values, not estimates.

Q: Is the RTX 4090 capable of 4K gaming?

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 4K ultra settings, the system achieves 125 FPS in Call of Duty: Warzone, 130.8 FPS in Counter-Strike 2, and 77 FPS in Microsoft Flight Simulator. However, demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077 (52.7 FPS) and Ark: Survival Ascended (17 FPS) will require settings adjustments.

Q: What power supply is recommended for this build?

A: The suggested power supply for the RTX 4090 is 850 W. The GPU has a TDP of 450 W, and the CPU has a TDP of 125 W, so an 850 W PSU provides adequate headroom for the entire system under peak load.

Q: Does the CPU support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i5-14600K supports ECC memory. It also supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, offering flexibility for different build budgets and reliability needs.