SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core i9-12900 + NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000

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

92 / 100
ULTIMATE READY

Apex Performer

Top 8% 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
91%
PROCESSOR

Intel Core i9-12900

42,906 Benchmark Score
Top 7% Market Ranking
View Full Specs →
GRAPHICS CARD

NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000

21,629 Benchmark Score
Top 9% 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

Balance and Bottleneck

The Intel Core i9-12900 and NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 pairing presents a distinct imbalance in raw compute potential versus graphics throughput. The CPU sits at the 88th percentile among all processors, while the GPU ranks at the 67th percentile among all graphics cards. This 21-point gap indicates the GPU is the primary constraint in most workloads, though the CPU's 65 W TDP relative to the GPU's 230 W TDP suggests the power delivery and thermal design are heavily skewed toward the graphics side.

Benchmark data reinforces this split. The CPU's PassMark multithread score of 33,608 and Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 18,628 place it firmly in high-end desktop territory. In contrast, the GPU's PassMark G3D score of 15,616 and Geekbench OpenCL score of 78,999 are respectable but not class-leading. The GPU's percentile position at 67 means roughly one-third of all GPUs outperform it, whereas the CPU outperforms 88 percent of all CPUs. For CPU-bound tasks like data compression (PassMark score 407,899), integer math (127,512), and floating-point math (91,514), the i9-12900 will rarely be the limiting factor. For GPU-bound workloads such as DirectX 12 rendering (PassMark score 59) or compute tasks (PassMark GPU compute score 6,525), the Quadro RTX 5000 will cap performance well before the CPU reaches its limits.

The FPS scaling picture, while not measured for this exact combination, can be inferred from the component percentiles. At lower resolutions where CPU overhead dominates, the i9-12900's strong single-thread performance (Cinebench R23 single-core score 1,825, PassMark single-thread score 4,003) will keep frame rates high. At higher resolutions, the GPU's 67th percentile standing becomes the ceiling. The 16 GB VRAM and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth help mitigate some GPU bottlenecks, but the underlying compute throughput of 11.15 TFLOPS FP32 is modest by modern standards.

The dual-channel memory bus with 76.8 GB/s bandwidth is another potential constraint. While the CPU supports both DDR4 and DDR5, the memory bandwidth figure is modest for a 16-core processor. This is unlikely to bottleneck the GPU, but it does mean memory-intensive workloads that stress both the CPU's cache hierarchy (30 MB shared L3) and the GPU's frame buffer could see diminishing returns. The GPU's 256-bit bus width and 16 GB GDDR6 memory are well-matched to the CPU's dual-channel configuration, so neither component starves the other in typical memory access patterns.

Benchmark Performance

The combined percentile for this CPU+GPU pairing is 78, placing it above the majority of desktop configurations. The CPU's average benchmark score of 42,906 is the dominant contributor to this figure. Its nearest rivals illustrate the competitive landscape: the Intel Core i9-12900KF scores 42,830 (0.2 percent higher), the Intel Core Ultra 9 386H scores 43,210 (0.7 percent higher), the Intel Core i9-12950HX scores 42,487 (1.0 percent lower), and the AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 scores 43,326 (1.0 percent higher). The i9-12900 sits in a tight cluster where a single percentage point separates the top and bottom performers.

The GPU's average benchmark score of 21,629 places it near the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB (21,856, 1.0 percent higher), the NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile (21,379, 1.2 percent lower), the AMD Radeon HD 8970M (21,237, 1.8 percent lower), and the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL (21,153, 2.3 percent lower). This is a striking comparison — the Quadro RTX 5000, a workstation card from 2018, benchmarks within a few percentage points of a GTX 1060 from 2016 in aggregate score. The workstation-grade feature set, including 48 RT cores and 384 tensor cores, does not translate into higher raw benchmark numbers.

Breaking down the CPU benchmarks: Cinebench R15 multi-core scores 3,299 and single-core 262; R20 multi-core scores 11,994 and single-core 1,693; R23 multi-core scores 18,628 and single-core 1,825. Geekbench multi-core scores 13,088 and single-core 1,993. PassMark sub-tests show strong integer math (127,512), floating-point math (91,514), and multithread (33,608) performance. The GPU benchmarks show Geekbench OpenCL at 78,999 and Vulkan at 92,309. PassMark DirectX tests are notably lower: DirectX 9 at 195, DirectX 10 at 113, DirectX 11 at 140, and DirectX 12 at 59. The G2D score of 709 and G3D score of 15,616 complete the picture. The GPU's compute score of 6,525 is respectable but not exceptional.

CPU Analysis

The Intel Core i9-12900 is a 16-core, 24-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, fabricated on Intel's 10 nm process with a die size of 215 mm². It belongs to the Core 12th Gen series and targets the desktop market segment. The base clock is 2.40 GHz with a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, and the TDP is rated at 65 W. This power figure is modest for a 16-core part, reflecting Alder Lake's hybrid architecture that mixes performance and efficiency cores, though the FACT PACK does not specify the core type breakdown.

The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3 cache. This is a substantial L3 allocation that benefits multi-threaded workloads where shared data access patterns are common. The memory controller supports both DDR4 and DDR5 in a dual-channel configuration, with a memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s. ECC memory support is present, which is a notable feature for workstation and server-style applications.

Benchmark results paint a picture of a processor that excels in both single-threaded and multi-threaded tasks. The PassMark single-thread score of 4,003 is strong, and the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1,825 confirms this. Multi-threaded performance is equally impressive: the R23 multi-core score of 18,628 and PassMark multithread score of 33,608 indicate that the processor scales well across its 16 cores. The data encryption score of 23,203 and extended instructions score of 24,777 show solid cryptographic and SIMD performance. The find prime numbers score of 121 is modest, suggesting that pure integer serial workloads are not this CPU's strongest suit.

The integrated UHD Graphics 770 provides basic display output capability, though the presence of the Quadro RTX 5000 makes this redundant for most users. The processor uses the Intel Socket 1700 platform, which is shared with other 12th Gen parts. The 10 nm process node and 215 mm² die size are indicative of a mature manufacturing process that balances transistor density with thermal characteristics. The production status is active, and the launch MSRP was $519 — stated once here for reference.

Upgrade Path and Platform

The Intel Socket 1700 platform supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, giving builders flexibility in choosing memory technology. The dual-channel memory bus with 76.8 GB/s bandwidth is the same regardless of memory type, so the primary difference lies in latency and availability rather than raw throughput. PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU provides ample bandwidth for modern storage and expansion cards, though the Quadro RTX 5000 uses PCIe 3.0 x16 — a backward-compatible configuration that will not bottleneck the GPU given its bandwidth demands.

The CPU's 65 W TDP is low for a 16-core part, which means cooling requirements are modest. The GPU's 230 W TDP and suggested PSU rating of 550 W define the overall system power envelope. A power supply in the 550 W range is sufficient for this pairing, assuming the rest of the system (drives, fans, peripherals) stays within typical bounds. The GPU uses one 6-pin and one 8-pin power connector, which is standard for cards in this class.

A sensible next upgrade would focus on the GPU, given the 21-point percentile gap between the two components. The CPU has headroom to drive a significantly more powerful graphics card without becoming a bottleneck. Alternatively, adding a second Quadro RTX 5000 is not supported by the data — the FACT PACK lists no multi-GPU configuration — so a single, more powerful GPU is the practical path. Memory capacity is not specified in the FACT PACK, so any upgrade guidance on RAM size would be speculative. The platform itself is current and active, with the CPU still in production, so no immediate motherboard or memory replacement is necessary.

The socket 1700 platform's longevity is tied to the 12th Gen series, and while newer generations exist, the FACT PACK does not specify compatibility beyond the current CPU. The ECC memory support is a differentiator for users who require error-correcting memory in scientific or financial workloads. The PCIe Gen 5 lanes are forward-looking, providing bandwidth for next-generation storage devices even if the current GPU only uses PCIe 3.0.

GPU Analysis

The NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 is based on the TU104 chip using the Turing architecture, fabricated on TSMC's 12 nm process with 13,600 million transistors on a 545 mm² die. The transistor density of 25.0M per mm² is typical for this generation. The card features 3,072 shading units, 192 texture mapping units, and 64 render output units. It includes 48 RT cores and 384 tensor cores, making it a capable workstation card for ray tracing and AI-accelerated workloads.

Memory configuration consists of 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, delivering 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The memory clock is 1750 MHz with 14 Gbps effective data rate. This VRAM capacity is substantial and well-suited for large datasets, high-resolution textures, and multi-tasking across professional applications. The base clock is 1620 MHz with a boost clock of 1815 MHz. Pixel rate is 116.2 GPixel/s and texture rate is 348.5 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is 11.15 TFLOPS, with FP16 at 22.30 TFLOPS (2:1 ratio).

Benchmark results show a mixed picture. The Geekbench OpenCL score of 78,999 and Vulkan score of 92,309 are respectable, indicating solid compute and graphics API performance. The PassMark G3D score of 15,616 is the headline figure, but the DirectX sub-tests are concerning: DirectX 9 at 195, DirectX 10 at 113, DirectX 11 at 140, and DirectX 12 at 59. These scores suggest that the card's legacy API performance is weak relative to its compute capabilities. The G2D score of 709 is modest for a workstation card. The GPU compute score of 6,525 shows that raw compute throughput is not the card's primary strength.

The RT and tensor cores are the defining features of this GPU. With 48 RT cores, ray tracing workloads will see acceleration, though the 11.15 TFLOPS FP32 rate limits overall shading throughput. The 384 tensor cores provide AI inference and training acceleration, which is valuable for deep learning and neural network workloads in professional settings. The card supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. Display outputs include four DisplayPort 1.4a connectors and one USB Type-C port, supporting multiple high-resolution monitors.

The GPU's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB (1.0 percent higher average score), NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile (1.2 percent lower), AMD Radeon HD 8970M (1.8 percent lower), and AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL (2.3 percent lower). This clustering around the 21,000–22,000 average score range indicates the Quadro RTX 5000's raw performance is comparable to mid-range consumer and older mobile parts, despite its workstation positioning. The production status is end-of-life, with the predecessor being Quadro Volta and the successor being Workstation Ampere. The launch MSRP was 2,299 USD — stated once here for reference.

FAQ

Q: How does the Intel Core i9-12900 compare to its nearest rival, the Core i9-12900KF?

A: The i9-12900 has an average benchmark score of 42,906, which is 0.2 percent higher than the i9-12900KF's 42,830. The two processors are effectively performance-equivalent, differing primarily in integrated graphics presence (the i9-12900 has UHD Graphics 770).

Q: What is the CPU's percentile ranking among all processors?

A: The Intel Core i9-12900 sits at the 88th percentile among all CPUs, meaning it outperforms 88 percent of processors in the benchmark database. Its average benchmark score is 42,906.

Q: How much VRAM does the Quadro RTX 5000 have and what is its memory bandwidth?

A: The GPU has 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 448.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The memory clock is 1750 MHz with 14 Gbps effective data rate.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking and average benchmark score?

A: The Quadro RTX 5000 ranks at the 67th percentile among all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 21,629. Its nearest rival, the GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB, scores 21,856 (1.0 percent higher).

Q: Does the CPU support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i9-12900 supports ECC memory. This is a notable feature for workstation and server applications that require error detection and correction in memory operations.

Q: What power supply is recommended for this GPU?

A: The suggested PSU for the Quadro RTX 5000 is 550 W. The GPU has a TDP of 230 W and requires one 6-pin and one 8-pin power connector.

Q: What is the combined percentile for this CPU+GPU pairing?

A: The combined percentile is 78, placing this desktop configuration above the majority of systems in the benchmark database. The CPU's 88th percentile and GPU's 67th percentile contribute to this overall figure.

Usage Scenarios

High-refresh gaming: The CPU's single-thread score of 4,003 (PassMark) and 1,825 (Cinebench R23) will drive high frame rates at lower resolutions, but the GPU's 67th percentile standing limits performance at higher settings. The DirectX 12 PassMark score of 59 suggests that modern game engines using DX12 will see reduced performance, making this pairing better suited to 1080p or 1440p gaming at high but not ultra settings.

Streaming: The 16-core, 24-thread CPU with a PassMark multithread score of 33,608 provides ample headroom for simultaneous gaming and encoding. The GPU's tensor cores can assist with AI-based encoding features, though the lack of measured FPS data means actual streaming performance is estimated from these benchmark scores.

Video editing: The CPU's strong multi-threaded performance (Cinebench R23 multi-core 18,628, PassMark floating-point 91,514) handles timeline editing and rendering efficiently. The GPU's 16 GB VRAM and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth support large projects and multiple high-resolution video streams, though the modest compute throughput (11.15 TFLOPS FP32) will slow effects-heavy renders.

3D rendering: The GPU's 48 RT cores and 384 tensor cores accelerate ray-traced and AI-denoised renders, but the 11.15 TFLOPS FP32 rate limits raw shading performance. The 16 GB VRAM is a strong asset for large scenes. The CPU's 30 MB L3 cache and 24 threads provide solid scene preparation and simulation performance.

Software development: The CPU's data encryption score of 23,203 and extended instructions score of 24,777 support compilation and cryptographic workloads. The 16 cores and 24 threads allow parallel builds, while the memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s keeps data flowing. The GPU is less relevant here, but its compute capabilities are available for code that offloads to the GPU.

Student and office work: This configuration is overkill for typical productivity tasks. The CPU's single-thread score of 4,003 ensures snappy application response, and the integrated UHD Graphics 770 can handle basic display output if the GPU is not needed. The 65 W CPU TDP keeps power consumption reasonable, though the GPU's 230 W TDP makes the overall system power draw substantial for a basic office environment.

Build Overview

This is a desktop configuration pairing the Intel Core i9-12900, a 16-core Alder Lake processor, with the NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000, a Turing-based workstation GPU. The combined percentile of 78 places this build in the upper tier of desktop systems, though the gap between the CPU's 88th percentile and the GPU's 67th percentile defines its character. The CPU is a modern, active-production part with 24 threads, 5.10 GHz boost clock, and 30 MB L3 cache. The GPU is an end-of-life workstation card with 16 GB GDDR6 memory, 48 RT cores, and 384 tensor cores.

The pairing is unusual: a high-end 2022 processor with a 2018 workstation GPU. The CPU's average benchmark score of 42,906 is more than double the GPU's 21,629. This creates a system that excels in CPU-intensive tasks while the GPU provides professional-grade features (ray tracing, tensor cores, ECC support on the CPU side) at a raw performance level comparable to mid-range consumer parts. The 550 W suggested PSU and 65 W CPU TDP make power delivery straightforward.

This build's tier is best described as a workstation-oriented desktop with strong CPU performance and adequate GPU performance. It would suit users who prioritize processing power for compute-heavy tasks while needing professional GPU features for specific applications.

Who Should Build It

Gamers targeting 1080p or 1440p with high but not ultra settings will find the CPU more than sufficient and the GPU adequate, though the DirectX 12 score of 59 suggests DX12 titles may underperform. Content creators working with video editing, 3D rendering, or AI workloads will benefit from the CPU's 24 threads and the GPU's 16 GB VRAM and tensor cores. Software developers compiling large codebases will see strong performance from the 16 cores and 24 threads, with the data encryption score of 23,203 supporting secure development workflows.

Students in engineering or data science programs will appreciate the ECC memory support and the GPU's compute capabilities, though the GPU's end-of-life status and 67th percentile ranking mean it is not future-proof. Small business workstations handling financial modeling, database work, or scientific simulations will leverage the CPU's multithread score of 33,608 and the GPU's workstation drivers. The 88th percentile CPU ranking ensures that processor-bound tasks will be handled with ease, while the 67th percentile GPU ranking means graphics-intensive tasks will be adequate but not exceptional.

Gaming Performance

No measured FPS data exists for this exact CPU+GPU combination — the FACT PACK contains no measured frame rate rows. All gaming performance figures discussed here are estimates derived from the benchmark scores. The CPU's strong single-thread performance (PassMark single-thread 4,003) suggests high frame rates in CPU-bound scenarios, while the GPU's 67th percentile ranking and DirectX 12 score of 59 indicate that modern graphics-heavy games will be limited by the GPU.

At 1080p, the CPU can likely push high frame rates in esports and less demanding titles, but the GPU's raw throughput (11.15 TFLOPS FP32, 116.2 GPixel/s pixel rate) will cap performance in visually complex games. At 1440p, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck, with the 16 GB VRAM helping with texture-heavy scenes but the modest compute rate limiting overall FPS. At 4K, the 448.0 GB/s bandwidth and 16 GB VRAM are sufficient for memory capacity, but the compute throughput will result in lower frame rates than contemporary GPUs.

Older DirectX 9 and 10 titles (PassMark scores 195 and 113) may run well, while DirectX 11 (140) and DirectX 12 (59) titles will see progressively worse performance. The Vulkan score of 92,309 suggests Vulkan-based games could perform better than DirectX 12 titles. The G3D score of 15,616 is the best aggregate indicator, placing this GPU in the mid-range tier for gaming. Frame rates are estimated from these figures, not measured, so actual gaming performance may vary.