SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core i9-12900E + NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation

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

Build Configuration

Select your components

PROCESSOR (CPU)

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GRAPHICS CARD (GPU)

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88 Score

Top 12% Ranking

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

CPU Bottleneck

CPU

78%

GPU

99%

Your CPU is limiting system performance. Consider upgrading to a faster processor to better utilize your GPU.

PROCESSOR

Intel Core i9-12900E

6,611 Benchmark Score

Top 22% Market Ranking

View Full Specs →

GRAPHICS CARD

NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation

117,088 Benchmark Score

Top 1% 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.

Bottleneck Detected

CPU Bottleneck - Upgrading the weaker component will improve overall performance.

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

The Intel Core i9-12900E paired with the NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation is a desktop configuration built for high-throughput professional work, not for casual use. The data shows a clear split personality: the CPU is a 16-core powerhouse with a moderate 62nd percentile rank among all CPUs, while the GPU is an absolute outlier, sitting in the 95th percentile of all GPUs. This is a system where the graphics card dominates the narrative, offering workstation-class compute in a compact, power-efficient form factor. The combined 79th percentile position indicates a capable machine, but the benchmark results suggest that users should prioritize GPU-accelerated tasks to get the most out of this build.

Usage Scenarios

High-Refresh Gaming: This is not the primary use case. While the RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation is a very fast GPU, its 95th percentile ranking is based on compute and professional workloads, not raw gaming frame rates. The CPU’s 62nd percentile and single-core Geekbench score of 1775 are solid, but the data does not include gaming-specific metrics. For high-refresh 1080p or 1440p gaming, this configuration would perform well, but the lack of measured FPS data and the GPU’s professional focus mean users should look elsewhere for a dedicated gaming rig.

Streaming: The combination of the i9-12900E’s 24 threads and the RTX 4000 SFF’s 192 tensor cores provides ample headroom for encoding and streaming workloads. The CPU’s multi-core Cinebench R23 score of 23529 ensures that game encoding and background tasks run smoothly without bottlenecking. The GPU’s Ada Lovelace architecture, with its dedicated tensor hardware, is well-suited for AI-accelerated encoding features, although specific numbers are not provided in the data.

Video Editing: This is a strong scenario for this build. The GPU’s 20 GB of VRAM is substantial, allowing for large timelines and complex effects. The 280.0 GB/s memory bandwidth ensures that high-resolution footage can be processed efficiently. The CPU’s 30 MB of shared L3 cache and 24 threads handle multi-track editing and rendering tasks effectively. The Geekbench OpenCL score of 124812 indicates that GPU-accelerated effects and exports will be exceptionally fast, making this a viable professional editing station.

3D Rendering: The RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation is the star here. Its 48 RT cores and 19.17 TFLOPS of FP32 performance are designed for ray tracing and complex 3D scenes. The 95th percentile GPU ranking, alongside a 2.4% score advantage over the NVIDIA Tesla V100 SXM2 16 GB, shows that this card can handle demanding rendering tasks. The CPU’s multi-core score of 23529 in Cinebench R23 provides sufficient geometry and physics processing power to keep the GPU fed.

Software Development: The i9-12900E’s architecture, Alder Lake, with 16 cores and 24 threads, is well-suited for compilation and multi-threaded build processes. The CPU’s Geekbench multi-core score of 10280 is respectable, and its 62nd percentile ranking means it is faster than a majority of CPUs. The 30 MB of L3 cache is beneficial for frequently accessed code modules. This system can handle large codebases and virtualized environments with ease, though the GPU’s professional focus is less relevant here.

Student and Office Work: This configuration is massively over-specified for this use case. The CPU’s single-core Cinebench R23 score of 3321 is more than enough for spreadsheets and document editing, but the 20 GB GPU and 24 threads are unnecessary. The power efficiency is notable, with a 65 W CPU TDP and a 70 W GPU TDP, making it a quiet and cool workstation, but the cost and performance are wasted on basic office tasks. A user in this segment would be better served by a lower-tier configuration.

Benchmark Performance

The benchmark data presents a clear picture of a system where the GPU is the dominant component. The CPU, Intel Core i9-12900E, achieves an average benchmark score of 6611, placing it in the 62nd percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i9-10940X, scores 6605, a negligible 0.1% difference, indicating that the 12900E is a solid mid-range performer. The CPU’s best results come in multi-core tests, such as Cinebench R23 with a score of 23529, showcasing its 16 cores and 24 threads. Single-core performance is less impressive, with a Geekbench score of 1775, but still adequate for most tasks.

The GPU, NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation, is a different beast entirely. With an average benchmark score of 117088, it sits in the 95th percentile of all GPUs. This is a top-tier result, with the GPU outperforming the NVIDIA RTX A5500 Mobile by 2.8% and the AMD Radeon PRO W7700 by a 1.6% margin. The Geekbench OpenCL score of 124812 and Vulkan score of 109364 confirm its compute prowess. The combined 79th percentile for this pairing reflects the GPU’s high standing pulling up the CPU’s more modest position. The data shows a system that excels in GPU-bound scenarios but is only average in CPU-bound tasks.

GPU Analysis

The RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation is built on the AD104 chip using a 5 nm process from TSMC, with a massive 35,800 million transistors. It features 20 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus, delivering 280.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This memory configuration is generous for a workstation card, allowing for large datasets and high-resolution textures. The GPU’s clocks are conservative, with a base of 720 MHz and a boost of 1560 MHz, but the architecture compensates with high core counts: 6144 shading units, 192 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. The pixel rate of 99.84 GPixel/s and texture rate of 299.5 GTexel/s indicate strong rasterization capabilities.

The presence of 48 RT cores and 192 tensor cores is the defining feature of this GPU. The Ada Lovelace architecture is designed for ray tracing and AI workloads, and the benchmark scores reflect this. The FP32 performance of 19.17 TFLOPS is substantial, putting it ahead of many previous-generation workstation cards. The 95th percentile ranking, with a 2.4% lead over the Tesla V100 SXM2 16 GB, demonstrates that this is a powerful compute device. The 70 W TDP is remarkably low for this level of performance, making it an energy-efficient choice for rendering farms or compact workstations. The data shows a GPU that is built for professional 3D rendering and compute, rather than gaming.

Balance and Bottleneck

The balance in this system is heavily skewed toward the GPU. The CPU’s 62nd percentile ranking is a clear bottleneck in CPU-bound workloads, such as single-threaded applications or physics simulations. For example, the CPU’s Geekbench single-core score of 1775 is modest, and in tasks that rely on a single core, the system will not perform at the level of the GPU. Conversely, the GPU’s 95th percentile ranking means that in GPU-accelerated tasks, the CPU will rarely be the limiting factor. The FPS scaling in gaming would be dictated by the GPU, but the CPU’s lower single-core performance could cap frame rates in less optimized titles.

The data suggests that the CPU is the limiting component in this pairing. While the 16 cores and 24 threads provide strong multi-threaded performance, the 62nd percentile is far below the GPU’s 95th. This imbalance is not necessarily a problem, as many professional workloads are GPU-bound, but it does mean that the CPU’s potential is not fully utilized in all scenarios. The 0.4% score gap with the Intel Core i5-13500E shows that the 12900E is not significantly faster than a more modern mid-range chip, reinforcing that the GPU is the real investment here. For a balanced build, the CPU would need to be updated, but for GPU-centric tasks, the current pairing is effective.

CPU Analysis

The Intel Core i9-12900E is a 16-core, 24-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, manufactured on Intel’s 10 nm process. It has a base clock of 2.30 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. 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 configuration is designed for multi-threaded workloads, and the benchmark scores confirm this. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23529 is strong, placing it in the upper echelon of CPUs, but the single-core score of 3321 is less impressive. The Geekbench results show a similar pattern: 10280 multi-core versus 1775 single-core.

The CPU’s 62nd percentile ranking is a key metric. It is essentially tied with the Intel Core i9-10940X, which has a 0.1% score difference, and only 0.4% ahead of the Core i5-13500E. This indicates that the 12900E is not a top-tier performer, despite its i9 branding. The architecture supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory, which gives users flexibility, but the lack of ECC support is a downside for some professional applications. The unlocked multiplier allows for overclocking, but the modest single-core performance suggests that gains would be limited. For real workloads, this CPU is a dependable multi-threaded workhorse, but it is not a leader in single-threaded tasks.

Who Should Build It

This configuration is for professionals who need extreme GPU compute power in a compact, energy-efficient package. The primary audience is 3D artists and animators working with ray-traced rendering, as the RTX 4000 SFF’s 48 RT cores and 20 GB VRAM are ideal for scenes with complex lighting and high-resolution textures. The 95th percentile GPU ranking means that render times will be significantly faster than with most other cards, making it a valuable tool for studios. Content creators editing 4K or 8K video will also benefit from the GPU’s 280.0 GB/s bandwidth and OpenCL score of 124812, which accelerates effects and exports.

Software developers working on large codebases will appreciate the CPU’s 24 threads for compilation, but they should be aware that the GPU is overkill for this use case. The system is also suitable for small business workstations that run GPU-accelerated applications, such as CAD or data analysis, where the 70 W GPU TDP keeps power costs low. Gamers at 1440p or 4K resolutions will find the GPU capable, but the CPU’s 62nd percentile may hold back frame rates in CPU-intensive titles. This is not a budget build; it is a targeted tool for GPU-centric professional workloads.

Gaming Performance

No measured FPS data exists for this exact CPU-GPU combination in the FACT PACK. Therefore, all frame rate expectations are estimates based on the benchmark scores. The GPU’s 95th percentile ranking and 19.17 TFLOPS of FP32 performance suggest that it is capable of high frame rates at 1440p and 4K in most games, but the lack of gaming-specific metrics means this is an inference. The CPU’s single-core Geekbench score of 1775 is a potential concern for high-refresh gaming, as many games are still single-threaded. At 1080p, the CPU may become a bottleneck, limiting FPS to levels below what the GPU can deliver. At 1440p and above, the GPU’s workload increases, and the CPU’s limitations are less pronounced.

The RTX 4000 SFF’s 20 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for modern games at high textures, and the 280.0 GB/s bandwidth ensures smooth asset streaming. The 48 RT cores support ray tracing, but the performance impact is unclear without measured data. Users should expect this system to handle AAA titles at high settings, but the exact FPS figures are unknown. The data indicates that this is a workstation GPU first, and gaming performance is a secondary consideration, so gamers should temper their expectations and rely on the high compute scores as a rough guide.

FAQ

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

A: The combined percentile is 79, indicating that this configuration outperforms 79% of all tested desktop pairings.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival, the Intel Core i9-10940X?

A: The i9-12900E has an average benchmark score of 6611, which is 0.1% higher than the Core i9-10940X’s score of 6605.

Q: What is the GPU’s memory configuration?

A: The RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation has 20 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus, providing 280.0 GB/s of bandwidth.

Q: Is this system suitable for high-refresh gaming?

A: The GPU is powerful, but no measured FPS data exists. The CPU’s 62nd percentile single-core performance may bottleneck at 1080p, making it less ideal for high-refresh gaming.

Q: What is the TDP of the CPU and GPU, and what PSU is suggested?

A: The CPU has a 65 W TDP, and the GPU has a 70 W TDP. The suggested PSU for the system is 250 W.

Q: Does the CPU support ECC memory?

A: No, the i9-12900E does not support ECC memory, despite being a professional-grade CPU.

Q: What are the GPU’s RT and tensor core counts?

A: The GPU has 48 RT cores and 192 tensor cores, which are designed for ray tracing and AI workloads.

Upgrade Path and Platform

The platform is built around the Intel Socket 1700, which supports the 12th Gen Alder Lake architecture. The CPU supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, giving users the choice between older, cheaper RAM and newer, faster modules. The PCIe connectivity is Gen 5 with 20 lanes from the CPU, while the GPU uses a PCIe 4.0 x16 interface. This means that the GPU is not bottlenecked by the bus, but future GPUs that require PCIe 5.0 would not be fully utilized. The CPU has an unlocked multiplier, allowing for overclocking, but the 65 W TDP limits the headroom.

The GPU’s 70 W TDP and lack of external power connectors make it a low-power component, and the suggested PSU of 250 W provides ample headroom. A sensible next upgrade would be a newer CPU on the same socket, such as a 13th Gen part, but the data shows that the current CPU is only 0.4% behind the Core i5-13500E, so the gains would be minimal. The GPU is the more likely upgrade target, but its 95th percentile ranking means that there is little room for improvement without a significant generational leap. The platform is mature, and the data suggests that this configuration is near its performance ceiling, making a full system rebuild the only meaningful path forward.

Rate My PC: Intel Core i9-12900E + NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation

Power Build

System Balance Analysis

Intel Core i9-12900E

NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation

Market Position

Game Performance Benchmarks

Cyberpunk 2077

Red Dead Redemption 2

Microsoft Flight Simulator

Control

Call of Duty: Warzone

Fortnite

Performance Insights

Strong Performance

Bottleneck Detected

Performance Tiers Explained

Ultimate

High-End

Mid-Range

Entry Level

Legacy

Usage Scenarios

Benchmark Performance

GPU Analysis

Balance and Bottleneck

CPU Analysis

Who Should Build It

Gaming Performance

FAQ

Upgrade Path and Platform

4K Gaming Performance

Cyberpunk 2077

Red Dead Redemption 2

Microsoft Flight Simulator

Control

Call of Duty: Warzone

Fortnite

1440p Gaming Performance

Cyberpunk 2077

Red Dead Redemption 2

Microsoft Flight Simulator

Control

Call of Duty: Warzone

Fortnite

1080p Gaming Performance

Cyberpunk 2077

Red Dead Redemption 2

Microsoft Flight Simulator

Control

Call of Duty: Warzone

Fortnite

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