SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core i9-12900K + Intel Arc A310

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

89 / 100
HIGH-END

Power Build

Top 11% of systems. Excellent for 1440p Ultra or 4K High gaming.

1440p Ultra4K High

System Balance Analysis

CPU vs GPU performance ratio
Well Balanced
CPU
93%
VS
GPU
85%
PROCESSOR

Intel Core i9-12900K

42,335 Benchmark Score
Top 7% Market Ranking
View Full Specs →
GRAPHICS CARD

Intel Arc A310

7,550 Benchmark Score
Top 15% 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

The Intel Core i9-12900K paired with the Intel Arc A310 is a study in extreme contrast. This combination unites one of the most powerful desktop processors of its generation with a low-profile, entry-level graphics card designed primarily for basic display output and light acceleration. The benchmark data shows a desktop build where the CPU operates in an entirely different performance class than the GPU, creating a system that is exceptional for heavily threaded compute tasks but severely constrained in graphical workloads. There are no measured FPS rows for this exact combination in the FACT PACK; therefore, all gaming performance discussion is framed as an estimate derived from the individual CPU and GPU benchmark scores.

CPU Analysis

The Intel Core i9-12900K is a 16-core, 24-thread processor built on the Alder Lake architecture and manufactured on Intel's 10 nm process node. It features a hybrid design typical of the Core 12th Gen series, combining high-performance and high-efficiency cores to balance throughput and power draw. The processor operates with a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 5.20 GHz, with an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. The die size is listed at 215 mm², and 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 CPU is a multi-threaded powerhouse. In Cinebench R23, it scores 26125 points in the multicore test, which is the definitive metric for heavily threaded workloads like video rendering and compilation. Its single-core score of 2004.5 in the same test is equally strong, indicating excellent responsiveness in everyday tasks and lightly threaded applications. The 3DMark thread scaling results reinforce this picture: the processor scores 2120 in the 2-thread test, 7596 in the 8-thread test, and 11620 in the max-thread test. This scaling curve demonstrates that the architecture efficiently utilizes additional cores, making it suitable for workloads that can saturate all 24 threads.

The average benchmark score of 42335 places the i9-12900K in the 88th percentile among all CPUs. Its nearest rivals in the database show how tightly packed the high-end market is: it trails the Intel Core i9-12950HX by just 0.4%, leads the AMD Ryzen 5 7400 by 0.7%, and sits ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS by 0.9% and the Intel Core i7-14700T by 1.0%. The practical implication is that the i9-12900K is effectively at parity with the fastest mobile and desktop chips of its era, trading blows within a 1% margin. For real workloads, this means the CPU will rarely be the limiting factor; it is capable of sustaining high frame rates in games and minimizing render times in professional applications.

Benchmark Performance

The CPU benchmark suite paints a picture of a top-tier processor. In Geekbench, it scores 2193 in single-core and 16378 in multicore. The PassMark suite shows a multithread score of 41213, a single-thread score of 4136, and a floating-point math score of 105471. Data compression scores 537341, while encryption scores 29579, indicating robust performance in security and archival tasks. The processor's average benchmark score of 42335 and its 88th percentile ranking confirm its status as a high-end part.

The GPU benchmarks tell a completely different story. The Intel Arc A310 scores 5433 in PassMark G3D, which places it in the 40th percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon R7 250 (0.1% faster), the AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100 (0.4% faster), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 (1.0% slower), and the AMD Radeon HD 8850M (1.4% slower). This places the A310 in the same performance bracket as decade-old entry-level cards and modern low-end offerings. The Geekbench compute scores are relatively stronger: 30607 in OpenCL and 28964 in Vulkan, which suggests the card handles general compute tasks better than pure rasterization.

The combined percentile for this CPU+GPU pairing is 64, which is dragged down significantly by the GPU. The data indicates that the system's overall performance tier is defined by the GPU, not the CPU. While the CPU is in the top 12% of all processors, the GPU is in the bottom 60% of all graphics cards. The combined picture is a system that can process data and execute instructions at an elite level, but cannot display that processing power through high-resolution or high-detail graphics.

GPU Analysis

The Intel Arc A310 is a low-profile graphics card based on the Xe-HPG architecture, specifically the DG2-128 chip, manufactured on TSMC's 6 nm process. It features 768 shading units, 32 texture mapping units, and 16 raster output units, along with 6 dedicated ray tracing cores. The card has 4 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 64-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 124.0 GB/s. The memory operates at 1937 MHz, translating to 15.5 Gbps effective. The GPU core runs at a fixed 1750 MHz for both base and boost clocks.

The compute capabilities are modest: the card delivers 2.688 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 5.376 TFLOPS of FP16 performance. Pixel rate is 28.00 GPixel/s, and texture rate is 56.00 GTexel/s. The card supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, meaning it is architecturally modern and supports hardware ray tracing. However, the raw throughput is too low for these features to be practically useful in demanding games.

Benchmark results confirm the card's entry-level positioning. The PassMark DirectX 11 score of 33 and DirectX 12 score of 29 indicate that the card struggles with modern graphics APIs. The DirectX 9 score of 69 is comparatively higher, suggesting the card performs relatively better on legacy titles or lighter workloads. The G2D score of 625 is respectable for 2D desktop acceleration, which aligns with the card's likely intended use case of office productivity and media playback. The GPU compute score of 2157 is present but not competitive with even mid-range cards from the same era.

Balance and Bottleneck

The performance asymmetry between these two components is stark. The CPU sits in the 88th percentile, while the GPU sits in the 40th percentile. This creates a scenario where the CPU is bottlenecked by the GPU in virtually every graphics-intensive workload. The data shows that the CPU can deliver frame rates far higher than the GPU can render. For example, a game that relies on single-threaded performance would benefit from the CPU's 3DMark single-thread score of 1073, but the GPU's PassMark G3D score of 5433 would prevent the system from achieving playable frame rates at high settings.

The bottleneck is always the GPU in gaming scenarios. The CPU's 24 threads and high boost clock are wasted when the GPU cannot process frames quickly enough. In contrast, for non-graphical workloads, the bottleneck shifts entirely to the CPU. In tasks like data compression, video encoding, or software compilation, the GPU is irrelevant, and the system performs at the level of the i9-12900K alone. The combined percentile of 64 reflects this dual nature: the system is excellent at compute tasks but poor at graphics tasks.

Upgrade Path and Platform

The Intel Core i9-12900K uses the Intel Socket 1700 platform, which supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. The memory bus is dual-channel, with a maximum bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s. The CPU provides PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes for the primary graphics card slot. The TDP is 125 W, and the system requires a power supply rated at a minimum of 200 W according to the GPU's suggested PSU specification. The GPU draws a maximum of 30 W and does not require any power connectors, making it a very low-power addition to the system.

The upgrade path for this platform is clear. The most logical next step is to replace the Arc A310 with a more powerful graphics card. The CPU is capable of driving much faster GPUs without becoming a bottleneck, and the PCIe Gen 5 slot ensures that future graphics cards will have adequate bandwidth. Users can also upgrade the CPU to a newer 12th or 13th generation part on the same socket, though the i9-12900K is already near the top of its generation. Memory can be upgraded to DDR5 for higher bandwidth, though the current dual-channel DDR4 or DDR5 setup is already adequate for most workloads.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i9-12900K has an average benchmark score of 42335, placing it in the 88th percentile among all CPUs.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Arc A310 has an average score of 7550, which is 0.1% slower than the AMD Radeon R7 250, 0.4% slower than the AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100, 1.0% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650, and 1.4% faster than the AMD Radeon HD 8850M.

Q: What memory types does the CPU support?

A: The Intel Core i9-12900K supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration.

Q: What is the GPU's power consumption and power connector requirement?

A: The Intel Arc A310 has a TDP of 30 W and does not require any power connectors. The suggested power supply for the system is 200 W.

Q: What is the GPU's memory configuration?

A: The Intel Arc A310 has 4 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 64-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 124.0 GB/s.

Q: Does the CPU have integrated graphics?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i9-12900K includes integrated graphics in the form of UHD Graphics 770.

Q: What is the production status of the GPU?

A: The Intel Arc A310 is listed as end-of-life, with its predecessor being Xe Graphics and its successor being Battlemage.

Usage Scenarios

High-refresh gaming: This scenario is not viable with the current GPU. The Arc A310's PassMark G3D score of 5433 is in the 40th percentile, which is far too low for high-refresh gaming even at 1080p. The CPU could easily handle high frame rates, but the GPU would limit performance to low settings and low resolutions. Any gaming would need to target esports titles at the lowest graphical presets.

Streaming: The CPU is well-suited for streaming due to its 24 threads and strong multicore performance. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 26125 indicates that the CPU can handle game encoding alongside other tasks. However, the GPU's limited performance would make streaming games difficult, as the system would struggle to render and encode simultaneously at acceptable quality.

Video editing: The CPU is excellent for video editing, with a PassMark multithread score of 41213 and a floating-point math score of 105471. These scores indicate fast rendering and processing of video effects. The GPU is less relevant for this workload, though its 4 GB of VRAM and support for DirectX 12 Ultimate allow for basic hardware acceleration in supported applications.

3D rendering: The CPU is the star here. The Cinebench R20 multicore score of 14679 and R23 score of 26125 show that the i9-12900K can handle complex 3D rendering tasks efficiently. The GPU's 2.688 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is sufficient for basic viewport acceleration but will not provide significant help for final frame rendering.

Software development: This is a strong use case. The CPU's high single-thread score of 4136 in PassMark and its Geekbench single-core score of 2193 ensure fast compilation of single-threaded code. The 24 threads help with parallel builds, and the data encryption score of 29579 is useful for secure development environments. The GPU is adequate for displaying code and running basic IDEs.

Student and office work: This system is overkill for typical office tasks. The CPU's performance is far beyond what is needed for word processing and spreadsheets. The GPU's G2D score of 625 is adequate for 2D desktop acceleration and video playback. The system would be extremely responsive but also expensive to run for such light duties.

Build Overview

This is a desktop build that pairs a flagship 12th Gen Intel Core i9 processor with an entry-level Intel Arc graphics card. The CPU is a 16-core, 24-thread Alder Lake part with a 5.20 GHz boost clock and an average benchmark score of 42335, placing it in the 88th percentile of all CPUs. The GPU is a DG2-128 chip with 4 GB of GDDR6 memory and an average benchmark score of 7550, placing it in the 40th percentile of all GPUs. The combined percentile for this pairing is 64, which reflects the severe imbalance between the two components. The system is a high-performance compute workstation with limited graphical capability.

Who Should Build It

This build is intended for users who require maximum CPU processing power for non-graphical tasks but have minimal graphics requirements. It is suitable for software developers who need fast compilation times and can rely on the CPU's 24 threads and high single-thread performance. Data analysts and researchers who use CPU-bound numerical simulations would benefit from the PassMark integer math score of 139090 and floating-point math score of 105471. The system is also suitable for small business workstations that run database or server applications, where the CPU's data compression score of 537341 and encryption score of 29579 provide a performance edge.

The GPU is sufficient only for basic display output and light 2D acceleration. Users who need occasional video playback or simple graphical interfaces will find the Arc A310 adequate. However, gamers and 3D artists should look elsewhere. Even at the lowest resolutions and detail settings, the GPU's 40th percentile ranking means that serious gaming or rendering is not practical. This build is for the power user who cares about compute performance and is willing to sacrifice graphics capability entirely.