SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core i7-12700KF + Intel Arc A310

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

88 / 100
HIGH-END

Power Build

Top 12% of systems. Excellent for 1440p Ultra or 4K High gaming.

1440p Ultra4K High

System Balance Analysis

CPU vs GPU performance ratio
Well Balanced
CPU
91%
VS
GPU
85%
PROCESSOR

Intel Core i7-12700KF

35,365 Benchmark Score
Top 9% Market Ranking
View Full Specs →
GRAPHICS CARD

Intel Arc A310

7,550 Benchmark Score
Top 15% 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

Strong Performance

Excellent for 1440p gaming. Most games will run at high/ultra settings smoothly.

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

Intel Core i7-12700KF pairs with the Intel Arc A310 in a desktop build that lands at the 63rd percentile overall, a combination that showcases a powerful 12th Gen processor constrained by an entry-level graphics card. The data indicates a significant performance imbalance, with the CPU scoring in the 85th percentile against all CPUs while the GPU sits at the 40th percentile against all GPUs, making this a system with substantial untapped processing potential. No measured FPS rows exist for this exact combination in the FACT PACK, so all FPS discussion here is estimated from the individual benchmark scores.

CPU Analysis

The Intel Core i7-12700KF is a 12-core, 20-thread processor built on the Alder Lake architecture using Intel's 10 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, with an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. The CPU uses a hybrid design typical of Alder Lake-S, though the FACT PACK does not detail the specific P-core/E-core split. Cache amounts are substantial, with 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 25 MB L3 cache. This processor supports dual-channel DDR4 or DDR5 memory and provides 20 PCIe Gen 4 lanes from the CPU, making it a flexible foundation for a wide range of system builds. The launch MSRP for this part is $384.

Benchmark results show a processor that excels in both lightly-threaded and heavily-threaded workloads. The single-thread score of 1043 in 3dmark and 4071 in Cinebench R23 indicate strong per-core performance, which translates to snappy responsiveness in everyday tasks and solid performance in applications that rely on a few fast cores. Multi-threaded results are where this chip truly shines, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 28838 and a Cinebench R20 multi-core score of 12111. The 3dmark scaling is telling: the score rises from 2065 with 2 threads to 7211 with 8 threads and 9983 with max threads, showing that the processor can effectively utilize its core count for parallel workloads.

Real-world workload interpretation is straightforward. The Passmark integer math score of 113521 and floating-point math score of 87449 suggest strong computational throughput for tasks like code compilation and scientific calculations. Data compression and encryption scores are also high at 441960 and 23181 respectively, indicating proficiency in archiving, file management, and security-related tasks. The processor's percentile rank of 85 against all CPUs puts it in the upper tier of available processors, and its average benchmark score of 35365 is nearly identical to the Intel Core i7-13700T, which scores 35403, and the Intel Core i5-13600T, which scores 35305. This places the i7-12700KF in a competitive position against newer, lower-power parts, with a deltaPct of -0.1 against the i7-13700T and 0.2 against the i5-13600T.

Benchmark Performance

The CPU's benchmark scores paint a picture of a high-end desktop processor. In Cinebench R15, it scores 2906 multi-core and 410 single-core. In Geekbench, it achieves 14367 multi-core and 2255 single-core. Passmark single-thread score is 3984, and the multithread score is 34092. The 3dmark max threads score of 9983 is close to the 16-thread score of 9282, indicating that the processor's scaling curve flattens slightly beyond 16 threads, which is typical for a 20-thread part.

The GPU presents a contrasting picture. The Intel Arc A310, based on the Xe-HPG architecture and manufactured on TSMC's 6 nm process, scores 5433 in Passmark G3D and 30607 in Geekbench OpenCL. Its Passmark G2D score is 625, and its GPU compute score is 2157. The GPU's percentile rank is 40 against all GPUs, placing it below the mid-range of the graphics card market. Its average benchmark score of 7550 is nearly identical to the AMD Radeon R7 250, which scores 7557, and the AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100, which scores 7580. The deltaPct against these rivals is -0.1 and -0.4 respectively, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 scores 7472, placing the Arc A310 just 1% ahead of that card.

The combined picture is one of a system where the CPU is the dominant component. The CPU's 85th percentile rank dwarfs the GPU's 40th percentile, and this gap defines the system's behavior. In CPU-bound tasks like rendering, encoding, and compilation, the system will perform admirably. In GPU-bound tasks like gaming at high resolutions or graphics rendering, the system will be severely limited by the Arc A310. The combined percentile of 63 reflects this imbalance, placing the overall system slightly above the midpoint of all benchmarked configurations.

FAQ

Q: How does the Intel Core i7-12700KF compare to its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-13700T?

A: The i7-12700KF has an average benchmark score of 35365, which is only 0.1% lower than the i7-13700T's score of 35403. This places them effectively at parity in overall performance, despite the i7-13700T being a lower-power part.

Q: What is the performance gap between the CPU and GPU in this build?

A: The CPU sits in the 85th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU sits in the 40th percentile of all GPUs. This indicates a substantial gap, where the CPU is capable of far more than the GPU can handle in graphics-intensive tasks.

Q: Is the Intel Arc A310 better than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650?

A: Yes, but by a minimal margin. The Arc A310 has an average benchmark score of 7550, which is 1% higher than the GTX 1650's score of 7472. This places them in the same performance tier.

Q: What kind of memory does this CPU support?

A: The Intel Core i7-12700KF supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration. This gives builders flexibility in choosing memory based on platform compatibility and budget.

Q: Does the Intel Core i7-12700KF have integrated graphics?

A: No, the FACT PACK lists no integrated graphics for this processor. The "KF" suffix in the name indicates a lack of integrated graphics and an unlocked multiplier, so a discrete GPU is required for display output.

Q: What is the peak multi-threaded performance of this CPU?

A: The CPU reaches a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 28838 and a 3dmark max threads score of 9983. These scores indicate strong scaling across its 12 cores and 20 threads.

Q: How does the GPU's compute performance compare to its gaming performance?

A: The GPU scores 30607 in Geekbench OpenCL and 2157 in Passmark GPU compute, but only 5433 in Passmark G3D. This suggests relatively better performance in compute-oriented tasks than in graphics rendering.

Who Should Build It

This system targets users who prioritize CPU-heavy workloads but have modest graphics requirements. Content creators working with video editing or 3D rendering will see strong results from the i7-12700KF, which delivers a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 28838. This level of performance is well-suited for rendering timelines and exporting projects, where the CPU is the primary bottleneck. Software developers compiling large codebases will benefit from the high integer math score of 113521 and the multithread score of 34092, which accelerate build times.

Students and small business workstations will find this build adequate for productivity tasks. The CPU's single-thread performance, evidenced by a Passmark single-thread score of 3984, ensures smooth operation in office suites, web browsing, and data analysis. The GPU, while not powerful, is sufficient for basic display output and light 2D work. However, users planning to play modern games at high settings will be disappointed, as the Arc A310's 40th percentile rank indicates it is not designed for demanding graphics workloads. This is not a system for gamers at any resolution beyond light or older titles, given the GPU's classification in the lower half of all graphics cards.

Balance and Bottleneck

The bottleneck in this system is unequivocally the GPU. The CPU's 85th percentile rank against all CPUs means it can handle almost any workload thrown at it without breaking a sweat. The GPU's 40th percentile rank means it will struggle to keep up in any graphics-intensive task. In gaming scenarios, the Arc A310 will limit frame rates well below what the i7-12700KF is capable of feeding. The CPU's 3dmark 2-thread score of 2065 and 4-thread score of 4011 indicate that even in games that rely on a few threads, the CPU has ample headroom. The GPU will be the limiting factor in essentially all gaming scenarios.

In contrast, for non-graphics workloads, the balance is much better. The CPU's high multi-threaded scores, such as the 3dmark max threads score of 9983 and Cinebench R20 multi-core score of 12111, mean that tasks like 3D rendering, video encoding, and data processing will be bottlenecked by the CPU's own limits, not the GPU. The GPU's compute score of 2157 in Passmark suggests it can offload some parallel work, but its overall capability is far below the CPU's processing power. The system's combined percentile of 63 reflects this mixed picture, with the CPU pulling the overall score up while the GPU drags it down. For anyone building this, the GPU should be considered a placeholder or a solution for a later upgrade.

Upgrade Path and Platform

The platform is built around the Intel Socket 1700, which supports the Alder Lake architecture. This socket is the foundation for the 12th Gen Core series, and the motherboard will determine the specific features available. The CPU supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, so users can choose either memory type depending on the motherboard. The PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU provides a modern interface for high-speed SSDs and graphics cards. The CPU has an unlocked multiplier, so overclocking is possible with appropriate cooling and motherboard support.

The GPU upgrade path is the most obvious and impactful change. The Arc A310 draws only 30 W, and the suggested PSU is a 200 W unit. This means the system has enormous power supply headroom for a more powerful GPU. A user could replace the Arc A310 with a significantly more capable graphics card without needing to upgrade the power supply, as long as the new card's power draw stays within the existing PSU's capacity. The PCIe 4.0 x8 interface on the GPU is backward compatible, so a newer GPU with a x16 interface would also work. The CPU's 20 PCIe Gen 4 lanes provide ample bandwidth for a high-end graphics card and a fast NVMe SSD. A sensible next step would be to upgrade the GPU to a model that matches the CPU's performance class, which would unlock the system's true gaming potential. The CPU itself is already a strong performer, and its production status is active, so it will remain a viable part for some time.

Usage Scenarios

High-refresh gaming: Not recommended. The Arc A310's 40th percentile rank and low Passmark G3D score of 5433 indicate it cannot drive high frame rates at modern game settings. The CPU is more than capable, with a 3dmark 8-thread score of 7211, but the GPU will be the limiting factor in any gaming scenario.

Streaming: The CPU's multi-threaded performance, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 28838, is well-suited for software encoding while gaming. However, the GPU's modest performance will likely limit the game's frame rate, making streaming a less-than-ideal experience for graphically demanding titles. The CPU can handle the encoding load, but the GPU may not provide a playable experience in many games.

Video editing: This is a strong scenario for this build. The CPU's high multi-threaded scores, including a Passmark multithread score of 34092 and data compression score of 441960, will accelerate timeline scrubbing, rendering, and export. The GPU can assist with some effects, but its 4 GB VRAM and 124.0 GB/s bandwidth will limit complex GPU-accelerated effects. For basic editing and rendering, this system will perform well.

3D rendering: The CPU is the star here. A Cinebench R20 multi-core score of 12111 and a Cinebench R15 multi-core score of 2906 indicate that CPU-based rendering will be fast. The GPU's compute performance, with a Geekbench OpenCL score of 30607, offers some acceleration in compatible renderers, but its overall capability is limited. This system is best suited for CPU-based rendering workloads.

Software development: Excellent fit. The CPU's integer math score of 113521 and extended instructions score of 28650 suggest fast compilation and code execution. The 12 cores and 20 threads allow for parallel builds, and the single-thread score of 3984 in Passmark ensures quick IDE responsiveness. The GPU is irrelevant for most development tasks, making this a highly effective developer machine.

Student and office work: More than sufficient. The CPU's single-thread performance, with a Geekbench single-core score of 2255 and 3dmark single-thread score of 1043, will handle document editing, web browsing, and spreadsheet work with ease. The GPU provides basic display output, and the low TDP of 30 W means the system runs cool and quiet. This is a capable, if overkill, workstation for general productivity.

Build Overview

This is a desktop build that combines a high-end 12-core processor with an entry-level graphics card. The Intel Core i7-12700KF is a 12th Gen Alder Lake-S part, representing the upper tier of its generation, while the Intel Arc A310 is an Alchemist-generation Arc 3 GPU. The system's combined percentile of 63 places it in the upper-middle range of all benchmarked builds. The CPU's 85th percentile rank indicates a top-tier processor, while the GPU's 40th percentile rank indicates a below-average graphics solution. This is fundamentally a CPU-centric build where the processor's capabilities far outstrip the graphics card's, making it suitable for compute-focused tasks but not for gaming. The CPU's average benchmark score of 35365 is comparable to the Intel Core i7-13700K, which scores 35287, showing that this older chip remains highly competitive.

GPU Analysis

The Intel Arc A310 is a low-power graphics card based on the Xe-HPG architecture, manufactured on a 6 nm process by TSMC. It has 4 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 64-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 124.0 GB/s. The GPU has 768 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs, along with 6 ray tracing cores. It operates at a fixed 1750 MHz base and boost clock, with memory running at 1937 MHz, or 15.5 Gbps effective. The transistor count is 7,200 million on a 157 mm² die. The card supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, and has a TDP of just 30 W, requiring no power connectors and a suggested PSU of only 200 W.

Benchmark results show a card that is adequate for basic graphics tasks but not for demanding gaming. The Passmark G3D score of 5433 places it in the 40th percentile, on par with older cards like the AMD Radeon R7 250 and AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100. Its Geekbench Vulkan score of 28964 indicates some modern API support, but the raw compute power is limited. The FP32 performance is 2.688 TFLOPS, and the pixel rate is 28.00 GPixel/s, with a texture rate of 56.00 GTexel/s. These figures suggest that the card can handle 1080p gaming at low to medium settings in older or less demanding titles, but it will struggle with modern games at high settings. The 6 RT cores provide ray tracing capability, but the low overall compute power means ray tracing performance will be poor. For rendering, the GPU can accelerate some workloads, as shown by its Geekbench OpenCL score of 30607, but its 4 GB VRAM is a limiting factor for large textures and scenes. The card is end-of-life, with a successor in Battlemage, indicating that it is a transitional product in Intel's graphics roadmap.