SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core i9-12900E + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090

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

85 / 100
HIGH-END

Power Build

Top 15% of systems. Excellent for 1440p Ultra or 4K High gaming.

1440p Ultra4K High

System Balance Analysis

CPU vs GPU performance ratio
Well Balanced
CPU
78%
VS
GPU
93%
PROCESSOR

Intel Core i9-12900E

6,611 Benchmark Score
Top 22% Market Ranking
View Full Specs →
GRAPHICS CARD

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090

27,565 Benchmark Score
Top 7% 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

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

# CPU Analysis

The Intel Core i9-12900E sits as a 16-core, 24-thread desktop processor built on the Alder Lake architecture, fabricated on Intel's 10 nm process. This hybrid design combines performance and efficiency cores, though the FACT PACK does not specify the exact P-core/E-core split. The chip operates with a 2.30 GHz base clock and reaches a 5.00 GHz boost clock, which explains its strong single-threaded showing. The processor's 65 W TDP is notably modest for a 16-core part, suggesting the E-cores carry much of the multi-threaded workload during sustained operation while the P-cores handle bursty single-thread tasks.

Benchmark results show a processor that is competent but not elite in the broader CPU landscape. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23529 places the chip at the 62nd percentile among all CPUs, indicating that while it handles demanding workloads, many higher-end desktop parts outperform it in heavily threaded scenarios. The single-core Cinebench R23 score of 3321 is comparatively strong, and the Geekbench single-core result of 1775 reinforces this pattern. The average benchmark score of 6611 places the i9-12900E in a tight cluster with the Intel Pentium Gold G6405 (6605, 0.1% delta), the Intel Core i9-10940X (6605, 0.1% delta), the Intel Core i5-13500E (6586, 0.4% delta), and the Intel Core i5-13400E (6638, -0.4% delta). These near-identical averages reveal that in synthetic testing, the i9-12900E is effectively performance-parity with a modern mid-range i5, despite carrying the Core i9 branding.

The architectural details support this interpretation. The L3 cache is 30 MB shared, with 1.25 MB L2 per core and 80 KB L1 per core, for a total die size of 215 mm². The 10 nm process node and Intel's foundry designation are standard for this generation. The memory controller supports both DDR4 and DDR5 in dual-channel configuration, which gives builders flexibility but also means the platform's memory bandwidth will depend heavily on which memory type is chosen. ECC memory is not supported, which is a limitation for certain workstation use cases that require error correction. The integrated UHD Graphics 770 provides basic display output and some compute capability, though it is not a primary selling point for a processor paired with a dedicated GPU. The multiplier is unlocked, allowing overclocking headroom for users who want to extract more performance, though the 65 W TDP suggests the cooling and power delivery may limit sustained overclocks without additional configuration.

The benchmark scores translate to real-world workloads as follows: the Cinebench R20 multi-core score of 9882 and R15 multi-core score of 2371 indicate strong multi-threaded capability for content creation tasks like video encoding and 3D rendering, but the 62nd percentile ranking means it will not top charts in those workloads. The single-core scores (Cinebench R23 at 3321, Geekbench at 1775) are more impressive relative to the field, suggesting snappy responsiveness in everyday applications and solid performance in lightly threaded games. The Geekbench multi-core score of 10280 is consistent with the other multi-threaded results, confirming the processor's balanced profile.

# Upgrade Path and Platform

The Intel Core i9-12900E uses the Intel Socket 1700 platform, which is the foundational socket for Alder Lake and later 12th-generation processors. This socket supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, giving users the option to reuse existing DDR4 modules or invest in newer DDR5 for higher bandwidth. The dual-channel memory bus means that two memory modules are recommended to fully populate the memory channels, though the FACT PACK does not specify maximum supported memory capacity. PCIe connectivity is provided via Gen 5 with 20 lanes from the CPU, which is ample for a single high-end GPU and one or more NVMe storage devices.

The power supply requirements for this build are driven primarily by the GPU. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 has a TDP of 350 W, and the suggested PSU for the GPU is 750 W. The CPU's 65 W TDP is modest by comparison, so the combined system draw will be dominated by the graphics card. A sensible next upgrade path within the existing platform would be to move to a higher-core-count 12th-generation processor if multi-threaded performance becomes a bottleneck, since the socket and chipset would support such a swap without changing the motherboard. Alternatively, users could upgrade to a newer Intel platform by changing both CPU and motherboard, leveraging the fact that the i9-12900E's performance is already matched by mid-range parts like the Intel Core i5-13500E and Intel Core i5-13400E, which means a lateral move within the same generation would not yield significant gains.

The GPU's upgrade path is more constrained. The RTX 3090 is marked as end-of-life in production status, with the GeForce 40 series as its successor. The RTX 3090 uses a triple-slot design, measures 336 mm in length, 140 mm in height, and 61 mm in width, and requires a 1x 12-pin power connector. The card's PCIe 4.0 x16 interface is backward compatible with older PCIe generations, so it will work in any modern motherboard. The suggested PSU of 750 W provides headroom for the CPU and GPU combination, but users considering a future GPU upgrade should account for the fact that the RTX 3090 already draws substantial power and newer cards may require even more.

Memory bandwidth is a key consideration for this platform. The RTX 3090 has 936.2 GB/s of bandwidth from its 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, which is far higher than the CPU's memory bandwidth. This means the GPU will not be starved for data in most workloads, but the CPU's memory subsystem could become a limiting factor in mixed CPU/GPU tasks if DDR4 is used instead of DDR5.

# Usage Scenarios

High-refresh gaming: The RTX 3090 is a top-tier GPU for gaming, and the i9-12900E's single-core performance supports high frame rates in CPU-bound titles. The GPU's 73rd percentile ranking among all GPUs and the CPU's 62nd percentile suggest the combination can drive high-refresh monitors at lower resolutions where the CPU matters most. However, no measured FPS data exists for this exact pairing, so all gaming frame rate expectations are estimates based on the benchmark scores.

Streaming: The CPU's 16 cores and 24 threads provide ample headroom for software encoding while gaming, and the GPU's NVENC capability (implied by the RTX 30-series architecture) can offload encoding entirely. The Geekbench OpenCL score of 172758 suggests strong compute performance for encoding tasks, though the exact streaming quality will depend on the encoder settings and the game being played.

Video editing: The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23529 and Geekbench multi-core score of 10280 indicate solid performance for video editing timelines, scrubbing, and export. The GPU's 24 GB of VRAM is particularly useful for handling large 4K or 8K projects, as it can hold entire frames in memory for effects processing. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5118 reflects the GPU's ability to handle complex graphics workloads.

3D rendering: The CPU's multi-threaded scores are respectable but not top-tier, placing it at the 62nd percentile. For GPU-based rendering, the RTX 3090's 35.58 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 35.58 TFLOPS of FP16 (1:1) provide substantial compute throughput. The passmark GPU compute score of 15356 confirms strong compute capability for render engines that leverage CUDA or DirectX 12.

Software development: The CPU's single-core performance is strong for compilation of small-to-medium projects, and the 24 threads help with parallel builds. The 30 MB L3 cache can hold significant portions of working sets, reducing compilation times. The lack of ECC memory support is a consideration for developers running critical workloads that require data integrity.

Student and office work: The i9-12900E is overkill for document editing, web browsing, and spreadsheet work, but the UHD Graphics 770 integrated GPU means the system can operate even without the discrete GPU if needed. The 65 W TDP keeps power consumption low for office environments, and the 62nd percentile CPU ranking ensures responsive performance for all common office tasks.

# FAQ

Q: What is the CPU's core and thread count?

A: The Intel Core i9-12900E has 16 cores and 24 threads, with a base clock of 2.30 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz.

Q: Does the CPU support ECC memory?

A: No, the i9-12900E does not support ECC memory, which limits its suitability for error-critical workstation applications.

Q: What is the GPU's memory configuration?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 has 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, providing 936.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in benchmark scores?

A: The i9-12900E has an average benchmark score of 6611, which is 0.1% higher than the Intel Pentium Gold G6405 and Intel Core i9-10940X, 0.4% higher than the Intel Core i5-13500E, and 0.4% lower than the Intel Core i5-13400E.

Q: What is the GPU's production status?

A: The RTX 3090 is marked as end-of-life, with the GeForce 40 series as its successor.

Q: What PCIe version and lanes does the CPU support?

A: The CPU supports PCIe Gen 5 with 20 lanes from the CPU.

Q: What is the GPU's launch MSRP?

A: The RTX 3090 had a launch MSRP of 1,499 USD.

# Who Should Build It

The target user for this build is a gamer or content creator who wants high-end graphics performance without requiring the absolute fastest CPU available. The RTX 3090's 73rd percentile ranking among all GPUs means it can handle demanding games at high resolutions, and the 24 GB of VRAM provides future-proofing for increasingly memory-hungry titles. Gamers at 1440p or 4K resolutions will benefit most from the GPU's power, as the CPU's 62nd percentile ranking may occasionally bottleneck at lower resolutions where frame rates are extremely high.

Content creators working with video editing, 3D rendering, or GPU-accelerated effects will find the 24 GB VRAM particularly valuable, as it allows working with large textures, high-resolution video, and complex scenes without running out of memory. The CPU's 16 cores and 24 threads provide sufficient multi-threaded performance for these workloads, though users who prioritize CPU rendering above all else may want to consider a higher-percentile processor.

Developers who need to compile code, run virtual machines, or work with large codebases will appreciate the CPU's single-core performance and the GPU's compute capabilities for tasks like machine learning inference. The lack of ECC memory is a minor drawback for this group, but the overall performance profile is well-suited to software development workflows.

Students and small business users building a workstation for general productivity will find this build far more powerful than necessary, but the combination ensures longevity and the ability to handle any future workload. The integrated graphics provide a fallback if the discrete GPU fails or is removed for troubleshooting. The 65 W CPU TDP keeps power and cooling requirements modest, making this a versatile build for a wide range of users.

# GPU Analysis

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 is built on the Ampere architecture using the GA102 chip, fabricated on Samsung's 8 nm process with 28,300 million transistors on a 628 mm² die. The transistor density of 45.1M per mm² is moderate by modern standards, but the sheer size of the chip provides massive compute resources. The GPU has 10496 shading units, 328 texture mapping units, and 112 raster operation units, which explains its high pixel rate of 189.8 GPixel/s and texture rate of 556.0 GTexel/s.

The memory subsystem is one of the RTX 3090's defining features. The 24 GB of GDDR6X memory operates on a 384-bit bus, yielding 936.2 GB/s of bandwidth. This is a substantial amount of VRAM that exceeds what most current games require, making the card well-suited for high-resolution textures, large datasets, and AI workloads. The memory clock is listed as 1219 MHz with 19.5 Gbps effective, which is consistent with the high bandwidth figure. The base clock of 1395 MHz and boost clock of 1695 MHz are reasonable for such a large chip, and the 350 W TDP reflects the power required to feed this many compute units.

Ray tracing and tensor hardware are integral to the RTX 3090's capabilities. The 82 ray tracing cores and 328 tensor cores provide dedicated hardware for ray-traced lighting and AI-accelerated features like DLSS. The FP32 performance of 35.58 TFLOPS and FP16 performance of 35.58 TFLOPS (1:1) are identical, which is notable because it means the GPU does not have a separate FP16 path that doubles throughput — a design choice that simplifies the hardware but limits certain AI workloads that benefit from reduced precision. The API support includes DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, ensuring compatibility with modern graphics software.

The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5118 places the GPU at the 73rd percentile among all GPUs, indicating strong but not top-tier performance. The Geekbench OpenCL score of 172758 and Vulkan score of 53927 show that the GPU excels in compute workloads, with OpenCL being particularly strong. The passmark scores provide a more granular view: DirectX 10 at 182, DirectX 11 at 220, DirectX 12 at 110, DirectX 9 at 268, G2D at 1063, G3D at 26645, and GPU compute at 15356. The G3D score of 26645 is the highest among the passmark tests, reflecting the GPU's overall graphics capability. The average benchmark score of 27565 places the RTX 3090 close to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Mobile (27435, 0.5% delta), the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT (27425, 0.5% delta), the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 (27839, -1% delta), and the AMD Radeon RX 7800M (27883, -1.1% delta). This clustering shows that despite being a previous-generation flagship, the RTX 3090's performance is still competitive with modern mid-range and mobile offerings.

The GPU's physical design is substantial: triple-slot width, 336 mm length, 140 mm height, and 61 mm width. This requires a case with adequate clearance and good airflow. The power connector is a single 12-pin, which may require an adapter for standard PSUs. The display outputs include 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, providing flexible monitor connectivity.

# Benchmark Performance

The CPU and GPU benchmark scores paint a picture of a balanced system with a stronger GPU than CPU. The i9-12900E's average benchmark score of 6611 places it at the 62nd percentile among all CPUs, while the RTX 3090's average benchmark score of 27565 places it at the 73rd percentile among all GPUs. The combined percentile for this pairing is 68, which reflects the GPU's higher relative standing.

The CPU's best results are in single-core tests: Cinebench R23 single-core at 3321, Cinebench R20 single-core at 1394, Cinebench R15 single-core at 334, and Geekbench single-core at 1775. These scores indicate that the processor handles lightly threaded tasks with ease. The multi-core results are more varied: Cinebench R23 multi-core at 23529, Cinebench R20 multi-core at 9882, Cinebench R15 multi-core at 2371, and Geekbench multi-core at 10280. These numbers show that the CPU is capable in multi-threaded workloads but does not compete with higher-tier processors that achieve better percentile rankings.

The GPU demonstrates its strength across multiple benchmark suites. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5118 is a modern DirectX 12 test that stresses the GPU's graphics pipeline. The Geekbench OpenCL score of 172758 and Vulkan score of 53927 show strong compute and graphics performance respectively. The passmark G3D score of 26645 is the most representative of overall gaming performance, while the GPU compute score of 15356 indicates solid compute capability.

No measured FPS data exists for this exact CPU+GPU combination — the FACT PACK contains no measuredFps rows. All frame rate expectations must be estimated from the benchmark scores. Based on the GPU's 73rd percentile ranking and the CPU's 62nd percentile, the system is likely to deliver high frame rates in most games at 1440p and 4K resolutions, with the GPU being the primary driver of performance in graphically intensive scenes. At lower resolutions or in CPU-bound games, the processor may limit the frame rate, but the 5.00 GHz boost clock and strong single-core scores suggest this will only occur in specific scenarios.

# Build Overview

This is a desktop-class build pairing the Intel Core i9-12900E with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090. The CPU is a 16-core, 24-thread Alder Lake processor on Socket 1700, while the GPU is a 24 GB GDDR6X Ampere card. The combined percentile of 68 indicates that this system sits above the median of all builds, with the GPU contributing more to the overall ranking than the CPU.

The CPU's 62nd percentile and the GPU's 73rd percentile create a system that is well-suited for high-resolution gaming and GPU-accelerated workloads. The i9-12900E is a desktop processor with a 65 W TDP, which is low for its core count, while the RTX 3090's 350 W TDP and 750 W suggested PSU indicate that the power delivery is dominated by the graphics card. The build class of "desktop" confirms this is a full-size system, not a laptop or mobile configuration.

The pairing of a mid-tier CPU with a high-tier GPU is a common strategy in gaming builds, as the GPU typically has a larger impact on gaming performance than the CPU. The data supports this: the GPU's 73rd percentile is notably higher than the CPU's 62nd percentile, meaning the GPU is the stronger component relative to its peers. The average benchmark scores reinforce this, with the CPU averaging 6611 and the GPU averaging 27565.

# Balance and Bottleneck

The benchmark data shows a system where the GPU is the stronger component. The RTX 3090's 73rd percentile ranking versus the i9-12900E's 62nd percentile means the GPU outperforms the CPU relative to their respective markets. In gaming workloads, this typically means the CPU will become the limiting factor at lower resolutions or in CPU-intensive scenes, while the GPU will be the bottleneck at higher resolutions or in graphically demanding titles.

The CPU's single-core performance is strong, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3321, which helps mitigate CPU bottlenecks in games that rely heavily on single-threaded performance. However, the multi-core performance, while respectable at 23529 in Cinebench R23, is not exceptional, and heavily threaded games or applications that can utilize more than 24 threads may expose the CPU's limits. The GPU's 24 GB of VRAM and 936.2 GB/s of bandwidth mean it is unlikely to be constrained by memory in most scenarios, so the GPU will perform to its full potential as long as the CPU can feed it data.

The FPS scaling between the two components can be inferred from their benchmark scores. The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5118 and passmark G3D score of 26645 indicate it can produce high frame rates in modern games. The CPU's Geekbench single-core score of 1775 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3321 suggest it can handle the game logic and physics calculations that typically run on the CPU. In a balanced system, the GPU will be the primary driver of frame rates at high resolutions, while the CPU will matter more at lower resolutions or in competitive games that favor high frame rates.

For content creation workloads, the balance shifts depending on the task. In GPU-accelerated rendering, the RTX 3090's compute performance will be the dominant factor, and the CPU's 62nd percentile may not be a limiting constraint. In CPU-based rendering or video encoding, the i9-12900E's multi-threaded performance will determine the speed, and the GPU will have less influence. The Geekbench OpenCL score of 172758 suggests the GPU can handle compute-heavy tasks efficiently, but the CPU's 16 cores and 24 threads are sufficient for most non-GPU workloads.

Overall, this build is well-balanced for its intended use case of high-performance gaming and content creation. The GPU's higher percentile ranking means it will not be held back significantly by the CPU in most scenarios, and the CPU's single-core strength ensures responsive performance in everyday tasks. Users who push heavily multi-threaded workloads may find the CPU to be the limiting factor, but for the majority of games and applications, this pairing delivers consistent performance.