SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core i9-12900E + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090

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

87 / 100
HIGH-END

Power Build

Top 13% 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
97%
PROCESSOR

Intel Core i9-12900E

6,611 Benchmark Score
Top 22% 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
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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

# Intel Core i9-12900E + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090: Benchmark Database Analysis

This pairing combines Intel's 12th-generation Alder Lake desktop processor with NVIDIA's flagship Ada Lovelace GPU. The Intel Core i9-12900E is a 16-core, 24-thread desktop processor with a base clock of 2.30 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, built on Intel's 10 nm process with a 65 W TDP. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is a triple-slot, 450 W graphics card featuring 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, delivering 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth. The database contains no measured FPS rows for this exact combination; all frame-rate discussions below are estimates derived from the individual component benchmark scores and their relative performance percentiles.

FAQ

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

A: The combined percentile versus all CPU and GPU pairings is 75, placing this build in the upper quartile of all recorded desktop configurations.

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

A: The Core i9-12900E has an average benchmark score of 6611. It sits 0.1% above the Intel Pentium Gold G6405 and Intel Core i9-10940X (both at 6605), 0.4% above the Intel Core i5-13500E (6586), and 0.4% behind the Intel Core i5-13400E (6638).

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking among all GPUs?

A: The RTX 4090 is at the 88th percentile versus all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 60347. Its closest rival is the Intel Arc Pro A60 at 60326 (0% delta), followed by the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 at 60140 (0.3% ahead of the rival).

Q: What memory types does the CPU support?

A: The Intel Core i9-12900E supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory through a dual-channel memory bus. ECC memory is not supported.

Q: What PCIe generation and lane count does the CPU provide?

A: The CPU provides PCIe Gen 5 with 20 lanes (CPU only). The GPU itself uses a PCIe 4.0 x16 bus interface.

Q: What is the GPU's process node and transistor count?

A: The RTX 4090 is built on TSMC's 5 nm process with 76,300 million transistors on a 609 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 125.3 million transistors per square millimeter.

Q: What is the suggested PSU wattage for this GPU?

A: The suggested power supply for the RTX 4090 is 850 W. The GPU has a TDP of 450 W and uses a single 16-pin power connector.

Gaming Performance

The FACT PACK contains no measured FPS data for the Intel Core i9-12900E combined with the RTX 4090. Therefore, all frame-rate figures discussed here are estimates derived from the benchmark scores of each component, not measured results from game testing.

The RTX 4090's compute capabilities strongly suggest exceptional high-resolution gaming performance. Its FP32 throughput of 82.58 TFLOPS, combined with a pixel rate of 443.5 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 1,290.2 GTexel/s, indicates that this GPU can handle extreme geometric complexity and high pixel fill rates. The 24 GB of GDDR6X memory with 1.01 TB/s bandwidth provides ample headroom for large texture sets and high-resolution rendering buffers.

For 4K gaming, the RTX 4090's 88th percentile GPU ranking places it among the top tier of graphics cards. The CPU's 62nd percentile ranking is lower, but the Core i9-12900E's boost clock of 5.00 GHz and 24 threads should provide sufficient frame pacing for most titles at this resolution. At 1440p, the CPU becomes more relevant, and the 16-core design with a 30 MB shared L3 cache should maintain high average frame rates, though the exact figures cannot be stated without measured data.

The pair's combined 75th percentile suggests that gaming at 4K with ultra settings is the primary use case where the RTX 4090's advantages are fully realized. At 1080p, the CPU's lower percentile versus the GPU could lead to CPU-bound scenarios in lighter titles, but the 5.00 GHz boost clock mitigates this risk. The GPU's support for DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), Vulkan 1.4, and OpenGL 4.6 ensures broad API compatibility across modern game engines. Ray tracing performance is supported by 128 dedicated RT cores, while 512 tensor cores enable DLSS-style upscaling technologies, though specific frame-rate gains cannot be quantified from the available data.

Benchmark Performance

The CPU's benchmark results show a multicore score of 23,529 in Cinebench R23 and a single-core score of 3,321 in the same test. In Cinebench R20, the CPU scores 9,882 multicore and 1,394 single-core. Cinebench R15 yields 2,371 multicore and 334 single-core. Geekbench results show 10,280 multicore and 1,775 single-core. The average benchmark score across all CPU tests is 6,611, placing the processor at the 62nd percentile versus all CPUs.

The GPU benchmarks are substantially higher in absolute terms. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 9,223. Geekbench OpenCL scores 255,416, while Vulkan scores 271,631. Passmark results show a G3D score of 38,194 and a GPU compute score of 26,613. The average benchmark score for the GPU is 60,347, placing it at the 88th percentile versus all GPUs.

The combined picture reveals a significant imbalance: the GPU's average score is approximately 9.1 times higher than the CPU's average score. This ratio suggests that the RTX 4090 is the dominant component in raw computational throughput, while the Core i9-12900E serves as a capable but not class-leading foundation. The CPU's percentile rank of 62 versus the GPU's 88 indicates that the graphics card is closer to the top of its respective performance distribution than the processor is to the top of its own.

The CPU's nearest rivals in average score are clustered tightly: the Pentium Gold G6405 and Core i9-10940X both score 6,605 (0.1% difference), the Core i5-13500E scores 6,586 (0.4% difference), and the Core i5-13400E scores 6,638 (-0.4% difference from the i9-12900E). This tight clustering suggests that the i9-12900E's performance is comparable to mid-range 13th-generation parts, despite being a 12th-generation i9.

Balance and Bottleneck

The data indicates a clear asymmetry in this pairing. The GPU operates at the 88th percentile, while the CPU sits at the 62nd percentile. In GPU-bound workloads — primarily high-resolution gaming and compute-heavy graphics tasks — the RTX 4090 will be the limiting factor only if the workload exceeds its capabilities, which is rare given its top-tier status. Conversely, in CPU-bound workloads such as physics simulation, AI inference on the CPU, or lightly threaded applications, the Core i9-12900E's lower percentile becomes the constraint.

The FPS scaling pattern, estimated from benchmark scores, suggests that at 4K resolution, the GPU is the bottleneck in most gaming scenarios because the RTX 4090's fill rate and shading throughput determine the maximum frame rate. At 1080p, the CPU's single-core score of 3,321 in Cinebench R23 and Geekbench single-core of 1,775 become more relevant, potentially capping frame rates in esports titles or games with heavy draw-call overhead. The CPU's 24 threads provide ample parallelism for modern game engines that offload physics and streaming to additional cores.

The memory bandwidth differential reinforces this imbalance. The GPU accesses 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth through its 384-bit bus, while the CPU's dual-channel memory controller (supporting DDR4 or DDR5) offers significantly less bandwidth. For workloads that require data to move between CPU and GPU, the PCIe 4.0 x16 interface on the GPU (despite the CPU offering PCIe Gen 5 lanes) provides adequate throughput, but the CPU's lower average score relative to the GPU means the processor will be the first to saturate in mixed workloads.

GPU Analysis

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is built on the AD102 chip using Ada Lovelace architecture on TSMC's 5 nm process. The GPU contains 76,300 million transistors on a 609 mm² die, with a transistor density of 125.3 million per square millimeter. The base clock is 2,235 MHz with a boost clock of 2,520 MHz. Memory runs at 1,313 MHz with 21 Gbps effective speed.

The 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus delivers 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth. This capacity and bandwidth support high-resolution textures, large 3D scenes, and memory-intensive compute workloads. The GPU has 16,384 shading units, 512 texture mapping units, and 176 raster operation pipelines. It features 128 RT cores and 512 tensor cores, providing dedicated hardware for ray tracing and AI-accelerated tasks.

The pixel rate is 443.5 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 1,290.2 GTexel/s. FP32 and FP16 throughput are both rated at 82.58 TFLOPS (1:1 ratio), indicating balanced compute performance for single-precision and half-precision workloads. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 9,223 and Geekbench Vulkan score of 271,631 confirm strong graphics API performance. Passmark G3D score of 38,194 with a GPU compute score of 26,613 demonstrate solid compute capability.

The GPU's average benchmark score of 60,347 places it at the 88th percentile. Its nearest rival, the Intel Arc Pro A60, scores 60,326 (0% delta), while the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 scores 60,140 (0.3% delta — the RTX 4090 leads by that margin). The AMD Radeon Pro W6600M scores 61,896 (the rival leads by 2.5%), and the AMD Radeon PRO V710 scores 58,657 (the RTX 4090 leads by 2.9%). For rendering workloads, the combination of 82.58 TFLOPS FP32, 128 RT cores, and 512 tensor cores makes this GPU suitable for real-time ray tracing, AI denoising, and GPU-accelerated rendering pipelines.

Who Should Build It

This pairing targets users who prioritize GPU-accelerated workloads over CPU-bound tasks. The RTX 4090's 88th percentile ranking makes it an obvious choice for gamers playing at 4K resolution with ultra settings, where the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth are the primary determinants of performance. The 24 GB VRAM also supports content creators working with large video editing timelines, 3D scenes with heavy texture loads, or machine learning models that require substantial GPU memory.

Software developers working on CUDA-based applications or GPU compute projects will benefit from the 512 tensor cores and 82.58 TFLOPS FP32 throughput. The 16 CPU cores and 24 threads provide adequate compilation throughput, though the CPU's 62nd percentile means it is not a top-tier development workstation processor. Students in computer graphics or data science programs could use this build for coursework involving ray tracing, neural network training, or large dataset visualization.

Small business workstations that handle GPU rendering, video transcoding, or scientific visualization would see strong performance from the RTX 4090. The CPU's 65 W TDP suggests relatively modest power draw for the processor, leaving thermal and power headroom for the 450 W GPU. However, the CPU's lower percentile relative to the GPU means this build is not ideal for CPU-intensive tasks like software compilation at scale, physics simulations, or multi-threaded data processing where the processor would become the bottleneck.

CPU Analysis

The Intel Core i9-12900E is a 16-core, 24-thread desktop processor from the Core 12th Gen series. It is based on Alder Lake architecture (codename Alder Lake-S) built on Intel's 10 nm process. The die size is 215 mm², and the processor is manufactured by Intel. Base clock is 2.30 GHz with a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The CPU includes UHD Graphics 770 integrated graphics, providing basic display output without a discrete GPU.

The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3 cache. The processor supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory through a dual-channel memory bus, though ECC memory is not supported. The CPU provides PCIe Gen 5 with 20 lanes (CPU only). The multiplier is unlocked, enabling overclocking. The launch MSRP is $494, and the production status is Active with a release date of 2022-01-03.

Benchmark results show a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 23,529 and single-core of 3,321. Geekbench multicore is 10,280 with single-core of 1,775. The average benchmark score is 6,611, placing the CPU at the 62nd percentile versus all CPUs. The nearest rivals in average score are the Intel Pentium Gold G6405 (6,605, 0.1% difference), Intel Core i9-10940X (6,605, 0.1%), Intel Core i5-13500E (6,586, 0.4%), and Intel Core i5-13400E (6,638, -0.4% from the i9-12900E's perspective).

For real workloads, the 24 threads handle parallel tasks like video encoding, 3D rendering, and software compilation reasonably well, but the 62nd percentile indicates that many other CPUs offer higher throughput. The 5.00 GHz boost clock provides strong single-threaded performance for gaming and lightly threaded applications. The 65 W TDP is notably low for a 16-core processor, suggesting efficient power management, though sustained all-core workloads may be limited by thermal constraints relative to higher-TDP parts.

Upgrade Path and Platform

The CPU uses Intel Socket 1700, which is specific to 12th-generation Alder Lake processors. Memory support includes both DDR4 and DDR5 through a dual-channel interface, giving builders flexibility in choosing memory technology. The CPU provides PCIe Gen 5 with 20 lanes, while the GPU uses PCIe 4.0 x16, which is backward compatible. The platform does not support ECC memory.

The GPU's suggested PSU is 850 W, and its TDP is 450 W. The CPU has a TDP of 65 W, which is modest for a 16-core part. The combined power draw of the CPU and GPU would be approximately 515 W under full load, leaving headroom within the suggested 850 W PSU for other components, but the exact wattage figures beyond those stated are not available. The GPU uses a single 16-pin power connector and occupies a triple-slot width, requiring a case with sufficient clearance.

A sensible next upgrade for this platform would be a newer-generation CPU that fits Socket 1700, though the FACT PACK does not specify which processors are compatible beyond the Alder Lake generation. Given the CPU's 62nd percentile, upgrading to a higher-percentile CPU on the same socket could reduce the bottleneck in CPU-bound workloads. The GPU's end-of-life production status suggests that future upgrades would involve moving to a newer generation, but the RTX 4090's 88th percentile means it remains competitive. The PCIe 4.0 x16 interface on the GPU is compatible with the CPU's PCIe Gen 5 lanes, though the link runs at the GPU's maximum supported generation.

Build Overview

This is a desktop-class build (buildClass: desktop) combining the Intel Core i9-12900E with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090. The combined percentile versus all CPU and GPU pairings is 75, placing this configuration in the upper quartile of recorded desktop builds. The CPU is a 12th-generation Alder Lake part at the 62nd percentile, while the GPU is an Ada Lovelace flagship at the 88th percentile.

The pairing represents a GPU-centric build where the graphics card dominates the performance profile. The CPU provides 16 cores and 24 threads with a 5.00 GHz boost clock, sufficient for most gaming and productivity tasks, but the GPU's 24 GB VRAM, 82.58 TFLOPS FP32 throughput, and 1.01 TB/s bandwidth place it in a higher performance tier relative to the processor. The overall tier from the percentiles is a high-end GPU paired with a mid-to-upper-range CPU, resulting in a build that excels in GPU-accelerated workloads but may leave performance on the table in CPU-bound scenarios.

Usage Scenarios

High-refresh gaming: The RTX 4090's 88th percentile GPU ranking and 82.58 TFLOPS FP32 throughput support high frame rates at 4K resolution, though exact FPS figures are not measured. The CPU's 5.00 GHz boost clock and 24 threads provide sufficient single-threaded performance for most titles, but the CPU's 62nd percentile may limit frame rates at lower resolutions.

Streaming: The GPU's 512 tensor cores enable AI-accelerated encoding and upscaling, which can offload streaming overhead from the CPU. The CPU's 24 threads can handle game logic and stream encoding simultaneously, though the processor's lower percentile relative to the GPU suggests the GPU will carry most of the streaming workload.

Video editing: The 24 GB GDDR6X memory and 1.01 TB/s bandwidth support large video timelines and 4K or higher resolution footage. The GPU's 82.58 TFLOPS FP32 and 512 tensor cores accelerate effects, color grading, and export. The CPU's 16 cores and 24 threads handle timeline scrubbing and preview rendering, but the 62nd percentile indicates that multi-core export performance is not class-leading.

3D rendering: The 128 RT cores and 512 tensor cores provide dedicated hardware for ray-traced rendering and AI denoising. The GPU's 88th percentile ranking makes it suitable for production rendering workloads. The CPU's Cinebench R23 multicore score of 23,529 supports CPU-based rendering, but the GPU will be the primary renderer in most scenarios.

Software development: The 16 cores and 24 threads compile code in parallel, with a Geekbench multicore score of 10,280. The GPU's compute capabilities support CUDA-based development and testing. The CPU's 62nd percentile means compile times are adequate but not top-tier, making this build better suited for GPU-focused development rather than large-scale CPU compilation.

Student and office work: The CPU's 65 W TDP and 16 cores provide efficient multi-tasking for office applications, web browsing, and productivity suites. The integrated UHD Graphics 770 offers basic display output without the discrete GPU, though the RTX 4090 would handle any graphics-intensive tasks. The 62nd percentile CPU ranking is sufficient for everyday workloads, while the GPU's 88th percentile is overkill for typical office tasks but available for any compute-heavy academic projects.