SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core i9-12900E + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080

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 5080

56,083 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

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

# GPU Analysis — VRAM, bandwidth, clocks, RT/tensor hardware, what the benchmark scores mean for rendering

The GeForce RTX 5080 represents NVIDIA's Blackwell 2.0 architecture on a 5 nm TSMC process, packing 45,600 million transistors into a 378 mm² die. The GPU is built around 10,752 shading units, 336 texture mapping units, and 112 raster output pipelines. Memory configuration is substantial: 16 GB of GDDR7 on a 256-bit bus delivers 960.0 GB/s of bandwidth — a figure that positions this card for high-resolution texture streaming and compute-heavy workloads without memory starvation.

Clock behavior is equally telling. The base clock sits at 2295 MHz with a boost of 2617 MHz, while memory runs at 1875 MHz (30 Gbps effective). The pixel rate of 293.1 GPixel/s and texture rate of 879.3 GTexel/s indicate strong fill-rate headroom for 4K rendering. Floating-point throughput is 56.28 TFLOPS for both FP32 and FP16 (1:1 ratio), which is a notable symmetry — many GPUs halve FP16 throughput, but here the 1:1 ratio suggests balanced compute for mixed-precision workloads.

Ray tracing and tensor hardware are central to the Blackwell design. The RTX 5080 includes 84 RT cores and 336 tensor cores. These are not just incremental upgrades; they enable hardware-accelerated ray tracing and DLSS-style tensor operations that directly influence benchmark outcomes. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 8,637 is a direct measure of DX12 rasterization performance under modern load conditions. Geekbench OpenCL and Vulkan scores of 235,901 and 255,450 respectively indicate strong general-purpose compute and cross-API efficiency — the Vulkan score being higher suggests the architecture scales well with low-level access.

For rendering, the Passmark G3D score of 36,565 and GPU compute score of 21,789 provide a composite picture. The G3D score places this GPU in the 87th percentile of all GPUs, meaning it outperforms the vast majority of installed hardware. The compute score, while lower than the G3D figure, still represents substantial parallel throughput for tasks like video encoding, physics simulation, and AI inference. The DirectX 12 score of 151 in Passmark is lower than DirectX 11 (324) and DirectX 9 (389), which is an artifact of the specific test methodology rather than a reflection of real-world DX12 capability — the 3DMark Steel Nomad result is the more representative DX12 metric.

# Benchmark Performance — exact CPU and GPU scores, percentile positions, and what the combined picture is

The Intel Core i9-12900E delivers a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23,529 and a single-core score of 3,321. In Cinebench R20, the multi-core score is 9,882 with single-core at 1,394. R15 results show 2,371 multi-core and 334 single-core. Geekbench scores are 10,280 multi-core and 1,775 single-core. The average benchmark score across all tests is 6,611, placing the CPU in the 62nd percentile of all CPUs.

The RTX 5080's average benchmark score is 56,083, which places it in the 87th percentile of all GPUs. The combined system percentile is 75, meaning this pairing outperforms three-quarters of all tracked configurations. The CPU's nearest rivals in the database are tightly clustered: the Intel Pentium Gold G6405 and Intel Core i9-10940X both sit at 6,605 average score (0.1% delta), the Intel Core i5-13500E is at 6,586 (0.4% delta), and the Intel Core i5-13400E is at 6,638 (-0.4% delta). This clustering is remarkable — the i9-12900E is within 0.4% of four other CPUs spanning wildly different price points and core counts, indicating that the average benchmark score is a coarse metric that flattens meaningful differences in workload-specific performance.

The GPU's nearest rivals show a different pattern. The AMD Radeon 8060S scores 55,757 (0.6% ahead), the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55,698 (0.7% ahead), and the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54,828 (2.3% ahead). The AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE scores 57,367, which is 2.2% higher than the RTX 5080. These deltas are small in absolute terms, but they indicate that the RTX 5080 sits in a competitive band where architectural differences and driver optimization matter more than raw specification sheets.

The combined picture is one of asymmetric capability. The GPU is in the top 13% of all GPUs, while the CPU is in the top 38% of all CPUs. This disparity is significant — the graphics card is substantially stronger relative to its peer group than the processor is relative to its peer group. The 75th percentile combined score reflects this imbalance: the system is strong overall, but the CPU is the weaker link in raw percentile terms.

# Balance and Bottleneck — which component limits which workload, using percentiles and FPS scaling as evidence

The percentile gap between CPU (62nd) and GPU (87th) is the primary indicator of bottleneck behavior. In CPU-bound workloads, the i9-12900E will be the limiting factor; in GPU-bound scenarios, the RTX 5080 will dominate the frame rate. The 25-percentile difference suggests that, for most gaming scenarios at high resolutions, the GPU will be the bottleneck — but not by an overwhelming margin.

Evidence from benchmark scores supports this. The Cinebench R23 multi-core result of 23,529 is respectable but not exceptional for a 16-core/24-thread processor. In contrast, the GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 8,637 is near the top of the range for consumer GPUs. When these two are paired, the CPU can feed the GPU at lower resolutions, but at 4K with ultra settings, the GPU's rasterization and memory bandwidth become the limiting factor. The 960.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth is more than sufficient for 4K textures, meaning the GPU will not be starved by memory throughput.

The lack of measured FPS data for this exact combination means FPS scaling must be inferred from benchmark scores. The CPU's single-core performance — Cinebench R23 single-core of 3,321 — is the relevant metric for frame pacing in games that rely on a single main thread. A single-core score in this range is sufficient to drive high frame rates in most titles, but it will not match the frame ceilings of CPUs in the 90th+ percentile. The GPU's 87th percentile position, however, means that at 1440p and above, the GPU will typically be the constraint, allowing the CPU to keep up without becoming a visible bottleneck.

For compute-heavy workloads like 3D rendering, the balance shifts. The CPU's multi-core score of 23,529 in Cinebench R23 indicates strong parallel processing, but the GPU's 56.28 TFLOPS of FP32 compute vastly outpaces the CPU for tasks that can be offloaded. In Blender or similar renderers that support GPU acceleration, the RTX 5080 would be the primary compute engine, with the CPU handling scene preparation and physics. Conversely, in software compilation or other integer-heavy tasks that cannot use the GPU, the CPU's 62nd percentile position becomes the limiting factor.

# Usage Scenarios — grounded in the scores: high-refresh gaming, streaming, video editing, 3D rendering, software development, student and office work

High-refresh gaming: The RTX 5080's 87th percentile GPU score and 56.28 TFLOPS FP32 throughput are well-suited for driving high refresh rates at 1440p. The CPU's single-core score of 3,321 in Cinebench R23 provides adequate frame pacing, though the 62nd percentile CPU position means frame drops are possible in CPU-intensive titles. The 16 GB GDDR7 memory and 960.0 GB/s bandwidth prevent VRAM-related stutter at high settings.

Streaming: The GPU's tensor cores and 84 RT cores support hardware-accelerated encoding and real-time ray tracing simultaneously. The 336 tensor cores provide headroom for AI-based upscaling and noise reduction during streaming. The CPU's 24 threads handle stream encoding, game logic, and background tasks concurrently, though the 62nd percentile CPU position suggests encoding at highest quality presets may tax the system.

Video editing: The GPU's 235,901 OpenCL score indicates strong compute acceleration for effects, color grading, and rendering timelines. The 16 GB VRAM accommodates large preview buffers and multi-layer compositions. The CPU's 23,529 Cinebench R23 multi-core score handles timeline scrubbing and encoding tasks that are not GPU-accelerated, providing balanced performance for 4K editing workflows.

3D rendering: This is where the pairing excels. The GPU's 56.28 TFLOPS FP32 and 960.0 GB/s memory bandwidth make it a primary render engine for GPU-accelerated renderers. The CPU's 16 cores/24 threads handle scene graph processing, texture decompression, and physics simulation. The 30 MB L3 cache reduces memory latency in large scenes, though the CPU's 62nd percentile position may slow viewport interaction in complex scenes.

Software development: The CPU's 16 cores and 24 threads provide parallel compilation capability, with the 10,280 Geekbench multi-core score indicating solid throughput. The 65 W TDP means sustained all-core loads are thermally manageable. The GPU is largely idle during code compilation, but its compute capability accelerates test automation, machine learning training, and simulation tasks that developers may run locally.

Student and office work: This configuration is overkill for typical productivity tasks. The CPU's 1,775 Geekbench single-core score handles office applications, web browsing, and spreadsheet work with ease. The GPU's 1,415 Passmark G2D score ensures smooth 2D desktop rendering. The 65 W CPU TDP and dual-slot GPU form factor fit standard desktop cases, making this a functional if excessive workstation for academic use.

# CPU Analysis — cores, clocks, architecture, what the benchmark scores mean for real workloads

The Intel Core i9-12900E is a 16-core, 24-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It uses a hybrid design with performance and efficiency cores, though the FACT PACK does not specify the core split. The base clock is 2.30 GHz with a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, and the processor includes 80 KB L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB L2 cache per core, and 30 MB of shared L3 cache. The die size is 215 mm², and the processor supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration.

The 65 W TDP is notably low for a 16-core i9 part, suggesting the "E" suffix indicates an embedded or efficiency-focused variant. The unlocked multiplier allows overclocking, though the modest TDP may limit sustained all-core boost under heavy loads. The integrated UHD Graphics 770 provides basic display output and hardware acceleration, which is useful for troubleshooting or office workloads where a discrete GPU is unnecessary.

Benchmark scores reveal the processor's character. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23,529 is strong but not exceptional for a 16-core part — higher-clocked Alder Lake implementations can exceed this. The single-core score of 3,321 is competitive, reflecting the 5.00 GHz boost clock. The Geekbench scores of 10,280 multi-core and 1,775 single-core align with expectations for this architecture. The 62nd percentile CPU position means the processor outperforms the median CPU but sits below the top quartile, where more expensive and higher-TDP parts reside.

The nearest rival data is illuminating. The i9-12900E's average score of 6,611 is virtually identical to the Pentium Gold G6405 (6,605, 0.1% delta) and the i9-10940X (6,605, 0.1% delta). This near-parity with a low-end Pentium and an older high-end i9 underscores that average benchmark scores mask significant architectural differences. The i9-12900E has more cores and threads than the Pentium, but similar average performance suggests the Pentium's higher clocks per core compensate in some tests. Conversely, the i9-10940X is an older HEDT part with more PCIe lanes and memory channels, but the 12900E's newer architecture delivers comparable average performance.

For real workloads, the CPU's strength is multi-threaded throughput. The 24 threads handle virtualization, compilation, and content creation tasks well. The 30 MB L3 cache reduces memory latency in data-intensive workloads. The 5.00 GHz boost clock provides responsive single-threaded performance for legacy software and games. The DDR4/DDR5 memory support offers flexibility in platform cost, though the FACT PACK does not specify which memory type was used in benchmark testing.

# Gaming Performance — measured FPS by game and resolution from measuredFpsUltraByGame (or, if dataIsMeasured is false, frame expectations qualitatively from the benchmark scores and say the figures are estimates)

No measured FPS data exists for this exact CPU+GPU combination — the FACT PACK contains no measuredFps entries for any game or resolution. Therefore, all frame rate figures below are estimates derived from the benchmark scores, not measured values. The dataIsMeasured flag is false, so these expectations should be treated as projections rather than empirical results.

For 1080p gaming, the RTX 5080's 87th percentile GPU score and the CPU's 3,321 Cinebench R23 single-core score suggest frame rates that are GPU-limited in most titles. At this resolution, the CPU's single-core performance becomes the binding constraint in esports and fast-paced shooters where frame rates exceed 200 FPS. The CPU's 62nd percentile position indicates it will not match the frame ceilings of top-tier gaming CPUs, but it will deliver smooth, high-refresh experiences in most titles.

At 1440p, the GPU becomes the primary limiter. The 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 8,637 indicates strong DX12 rasterization performance. Ultra settings at 1440p with ray tracing enabled would likely see the GPU's 84 RT cores and 336 tensor cores engaged, with frame rates in the 60-120 FPS range depending on the title's optimization. The 16 GB VRAM prevents texture streaming bottlenecks, and the 960.0 GB/s bandwidth handles high-resolution texture loads without stutter.

At 4K, the GPU's memory bandwidth and compute throughput are the determining factors. The 293.1 GPixel/s pixel rate and 879.3 GTexel/s texture rate provide ample fill-rate for 4K rendering. Ultra settings at 4K would likely produce frame rates in the 40-80 FPS range for AAA titles, with lower settings or DLSS enabling higher frame rates. The CPU's role diminishes at this resolution, as the GPU's rasterization and shading throughput become the bottleneck.

The absence of measured FPS data means these estimates carry uncertainty. The benchmark scores provide a reliable relative ranking — the GPU is in the top 13% and the CPU in the top 38% — but actual frame rates depend on game-specific optimization, driver maturity, and memory configuration. Users should expect solid high-refresh gaming at 1440p and playable 4K performance, with the CPU occasionally limiting frame rates in lightly-threaded titles at lower resolutions.

# Who Should Build It — target users and industries (gamers at specific resolutions, content creators, developers, students, small business workstations) tied strictly to the measured performance

This pairing targets users who prioritize GPU compute and rendering performance over CPU multi-threading headroom. The RTX 5080's 87th percentile GPU score and 56.28 TFLOPS FP32 make it an excellent choice for gamers at 1440p and 4K who want high settings and ray tracing enabled. The 16 GB GDDR7 memory supports texture-heavy mods and future game releases without VRAM limitations.

Content creators working with GPU-accelerated renderers will benefit from the RTX 5080's compute capability. The 235,901 OpenCL score and 255,450 Vulkan score indicate strong performance in applications that leverage these APIs. Video editors can rely on the GPU for effects and encoding, while the CPU's 24 threads handle timeline operations. 3D artists using GPU-based render engines will see render times dominated by the GPU's throughput.

Software developers who run local builds, tests, or ML training will find the CPU's 16 cores/24 threads and 30 MB L3 cache adequate for compilation, while the GPU's tensor cores accelerate machine learning workloads. The 65 W CPU TDP allows for compact cooling solutions, making this suitable for developer workstations where space is at a premium.

Students and office workers are over-served by this configuration. The CPU's 1,775 Geekbench single-core score handles productivity applications effortlessly, and the GPU's 1,415 Passmark G2D score ensures smooth desktop rendering. However, the launch MSRP of $494 for the CPU and 999 USD for the GPU represent a significant investment that is unnecessary for typical academic or office tasks. Small business workstations requiring GPU compute for CAD or simulation would benefit, but general office use is better served by lower-tier components.

# Upgrade Path and Platform — socket, memory support, PCIe, PSU headroom from suggestedPsu/tdp, what a sensible next upgrade looks like

The Intel Core i9-12900E uses the LGA 1700 socket (Intel Socket 1700), which supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration. The platform provides PCIe Gen 5 with 20 CPU lanes, and the RTX 5080 uses a PCIe 5.0 x16 interface, ensuring full bandwidth utilization. The CPU's integrated UHD Graphics 770 provides a fallback display output if the discrete GPU is removed or fails.

Memory support is flexible: DDR4 and DDR5 are both supported, though the FACT PACK does not specify which was used in benchmarking. Users building new can choose DDR5 for higher bandwidth, while those upgrading from older systems can retain DDR4 to reduce costs. The dual-channel memory bus is standard for this platform, and 30 MB of shared L3 cache mitigates memory latency.

The power delivery requirements are modest for the CPU and substantial for the GPU. The CPU's TDP is 65 W, while the GPU's TDP is 360 W. The suggested PSU is 750 W, which provides headroom for the combined 425 W of component TDP plus system peripherals. The GPU requires a single 16-pin power connector, and the dual-slot form factor fits standard ATX cases. The 304 mm length (12 inches) and 137 mm height (5.4 inches) should be checked against case dimensions.

A sensible next upgrade would be a newer-generation CPU on the same LGA 1700 socket, though the FACT PACK does not specify which processors are compatible beyond the current part. The GPU's 360 W TDP and 750 W suggested PSU leave limited headroom for additional components; users adding multiple drives or high-power peripherals should consider a larger PSU. The CPU's unlocked multiplier allows overclocking to extract additional performance, but the 65 W TDP may limit sustained boost clocks under all-core loads.

# FAQ

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

A: The combined system percentile is 75, meaning this configuration outperforms 75% of all tracked CPU+GPU pairings in the database.

Q: How does the RTX 5080 compare to its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE?

A: The RTX 5080 has an average benchmark score of 56,083, while the RX 9070 GRE scores 57,367 — a 2.2% difference in favor of the AMD card. The RTX 5080 is also 0.6% ahead of the AMD Radeon 8060S and 0.7% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB.

Q: What is the CPU's percentile ranking and how does it compare to the Intel Core i5-13500E?

A: The i9-12900E is in the 62nd percentile of all CPUs with an average score of 6,611. The i5-13500E scores 6,586, which is 0.4% lower. The i5-13400E scores 6,638, which is 0.4% higher.

Q: What memory types does the i9-12900E support?

A: The processor supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration. The FACT PACK does not specify which memory type was used in benchmark testing.

Q: What is the GPU's memory configuration and bandwidth?

A: The RTX 5080 has 16 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 960.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The memory clock is 1875 MHz (30 Gbps effective).

Q: What is the suggested power supply wattage for this system?

A: The suggested PSU is 750 W. The CPU has a 65 W TDP and the GPU has a 360 W TDP, so the combined component power draw is 425 W, leaving headroom for system peripherals.

Q: Does the CPU have an integrated GPU?

A: Yes, the i9-12900E includes UHD Graphics 770, which provides basic display output and hardware acceleration as a fallback to the discrete RTX 5080.

# Build Overview

This is a desktop-class build pairing the Intel Core i9-12900E with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080. The CPU is a 16-core, 24-thread Alder Lake processor with a 65 W TDP and a 5.00 GHz boost clock, ranking in the 62nd percentile of all CPUs. The GPU is a Blackwell 2.0 architecture card with 16 GB GDDR7 memory, 84 RT cores, and 336 tensor cores, ranking in the 87th percentile of all GPUs.

The combined system percentile is 75, indicating this configuration is stronger than three-quarters of all tracked builds. The pairing is characterized by a significant GPU advantage over the CPU: the graphics card ranks 25 percentile points higher than the processor. This makes the system well-suited for GPU-accelerated workloads — gaming at 1440p and 4K, video editing, 3D rendering, and compute tasks — while the CPU provides adequate but not exceptional multi-threaded performance for compilation, streaming, and productivity tasks.

The build class is desktop, and the overall tier is upper-midrange as defined by the combined percentile. The CPU's launch MSRP is $494, and the GPU's launch MSRP is 999 USD. The system requires a 750 W power supply and uses the LGA 1700 socket with dual-channel DDR4 or DDR5 memory support. This is a balanced configuration for users who want high-end GPU performance without the cost of a top-percentile CPU.