SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core i9-12900K + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080

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

Build Configuration

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PROCESSOR (CPU)

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GRAPHICS CARD (GPU)

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95 Score

Top 5% Ranking

95 / 100

ULTIMATE READY

Apex Performer

Top 5% of systems. Capable of 4K Ultra gaming and advanced rendering.

4K 60+ FPSVR ReadyRay Tracing

System Balance Analysis

CPU vs GPU performance ratio

Well Balanced

CPU

93%

GPU

97%

PROCESSOR

Intel Core i9-12900K

42,335 Benchmark Score

Top 7% Market Ranking

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GRAPHICS CARD

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080

54,247 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

Optimal Performance

Your system is in the top tier. You can run any modern game at maximum settings.

4K Gaming Ready

Consider a 4K 144Hz monitor to fully utilize your hardware capabilities.

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 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 form a high-end desktop pairing that delivers top-tier performance across CPU-intensive and GPU-bound workloads. Data shows the CPU sits at the 88th percentile among all processors, while the GPU holds the 86th percentile among all graphics cards, placing this combination in the 87th overall percentile for desktop builds. The processor’s hybrid Alder Lake architecture and the GPU’s Ada Lovelace design complement each other well, though the data indicates the CPU is the marginally stronger component relative to its peers. Benchmark scores reveal a platform capable of handling demanding multitasking, high-refresh gaming, and professional content creation with substantial headroom, though the GPU’s end-of-life production status and the CPU’s 2021 release date suggest this is a mature, well-understood platform rather than a bleeding-edge one.

CPU Analysis

The Intel Core i9-12900K is a 16-core, 24-thread desktop processor built on the Alder Lake architecture using Intel’s 10 nm process node. Its hybrid design combines performance and efficiency cores, with a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 5.20 GHz. The chip supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, with a memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s, and includes 30 MB of shared L3 cache alongside 1.25 MB L2 and 80 KB L1 per core. The processor also features integrated UHD Graphics 770 and supports ECC memory, making it versatile for workstation tasks. With a TDP of 125 W and an unlocked multiplier, it is designed for enthusiast overclocking on the Intel Socket 1700 platform.

Benchmark results show a strong scaling pattern from single-thread to multi-thread workloads. The single-thread score of 1073 in 3DMark and 2004.5 in Cinebench R23 indicates excellent per-core performance, which translates to snappy responsiveness in everyday tasks and strong performance in lightly-threaded applications. Multi-threaded results are even more impressive: Cinebench R23 multicore reaches 26125, while 3DMark max threads hits 11620. The 3DMark scaling from 2 threads (2120) to 4 threads (4145) to 8 threads (7596) to 16 threads (9912) shows near-linear gains up to 8 threads, with diminishing returns beyond that point, suggesting the efficiency cores contribute meaningfully but less than the performance cores.

In real-world workloads, the CPU’s PassMark multithread score of 41213 and Geekbench multicore score of 16378 indicate strong parallel processing capabilities. The data compression score of 537341 and integer math score of 139090 point to excellent performance in data-heavy tasks like archiving and spreadsheet calculations. Floating point math scores 105471, which supports scientific computing and financial modeling. The encryption score of 29579 and extended instructions score of 33682 show solid cryptographic and SIMD performance. The CPU’s avgBenchmarkScore of 42335 places it at the 88th percentile, with nearest rivals including the Intel Core i9-12950HX (0.4% faster), AMD Ryzen 5 7400 (0.7% slower), and AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS (0.9% slower), showing it remains competitive with newer mobile and desktop parts.

FAQ

Q: How many cores and threads does the Intel Core i9-12900K have?

A: The i9-12900K has 16 cores and 24 threads, based on its Alder Lake hybrid architecture.

Q: What is the boost clock speed of the i9-12900K?

A: The processor boosts up to 5.20 GHz, with a base clock of 3.20 GHz.

Q: Does the RTX 4080 support the latest graphics APIs?

A: Yes, the RTX 4080 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

Q: What memory types are compatible with the i9-12900K?

A: The CPU supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration.

Q: What is the power connector requirement for the RTX 4080?

A: The GPU requires a single 16-pin power connector and has a TDP of 320 W.

Q: How does the i9-12900K compare to its nearest rival, the i9-12950HX?

A: The i9-12950HX has an average score of 42487, which is 0.4% higher than the i9-12900K’s 42335, making them nearly identical in overall performance.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth of the RTX 4080?

A: The GPU has a memory bandwidth of 716.8 GB/s, using 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus.

Benchmark Performance

The combined performance picture for this CPU+GPU pairing is strong, with both components ranking in the mid-to-high 80s percentile. The CPU’s avgBenchmarkScore of 42335 places it at the 88th percentile among all CPUs, while the GPU’s avgBenchmarkScore of 54247 places it at the 86th percentile among all GPUs. The build’s combined percentile is 87, indicating that this pairing outperforms the vast majority of desktop configurations.

Focusing on the CPU, the Cinebench R23 multicore score of 26125 is particularly strong, representing a 13.4x improvement over the single-core score of 2004.5, which shows excellent scaling for multi-threaded workloads. The 3DMark scores show a clear progression: 1073 single-thread, 2120 for 2 threads, 4145 for 4 threads, 7596 for 8 threads, 9912 for 16 threads, and 11620 for max threads. This pattern suggests that the performance cores handle up to 8 threads efficiently, while the efficiency cores add roughly 17% more performance when fully utilized.

The GPU’s benchmark results are equally notable. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6567 demonstrates strong rasterization performance, while the Geekbench Vulkan score of 263779 and OpenCL score of 214739 show excellent compute capabilities. The PassMark G3D score of 34457 and GPU compute score of 20671 further confirm the GPU’s strength in both graphics and general-purpose compute. The GPU’s nearest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER, scores 54209, which is just 0.1% higher, indicating that the standard 4080 is essentially performance-equivalent to its successor variant. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54828 (1.1% higher), while the RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55698 (2.6% higher), meaning the 4080 sits in a competitive mid-range position among high-end GPUs.

The combined picture is one of balanced high performance. The CPU handles threaded workloads with ease, while the GPU excels at graphics-intensive tasks. Neither component significantly lags the other in relative percentile terms, suggesting a well-matched pairing for demanding applications.

Usage Scenarios

For high-refresh gaming, the RTX 4080’s 86th percentile ranking and strong 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6567 indicate excellent raw graphics power. The CPU’s single-thread score of 1073 in 3DMark ensures that the processor can keep up with GPU demands in most titles, avoiding significant bottlenecking. The combination should drive high refresh rates at 1440p and 4K resolutions in most games, though exact FPS figures are not measured in the data.

Streaming benefits from the CPU’s 16 cores and 24 threads. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 26125 and PassMark multithread score of 41213 provide ample headroom for encoding video while gaming, and the GPU’s compute capabilities (Geekbench OpenCL score of 214739) can assist with hardware encoding tasks. The combination handles concurrent workloads without major performance degradation.

Video editing is a strong suit for this pairing. The CPU’s high multi-threaded performance accelerates rendering and export tasks, while the GPU’s 16 GB of GDDR6X memory and 716.8 GB/s bandwidth handle large video buffers and effects processing. The Geekbench multicore score of 16378 and the GPU’s Vulkan score of 263779 support smooth timeline scrubbing and fast preview rendering.

3D rendering workloads benefit from both components. The CPU’s Cinebench R20 multicore score of 14679 shows strong CPU-based rendering, while the GPU’s FP32 performance of 48.74 TFLOPS and 9728 shading units provide substantial GPU-accelerated rendering power. The PassMark floating point math score of 105471 further supports this use case.

Software development is well-served by the CPU’s compilation performance. The PassMark integer math score of 139090 and data compression score of 537341 indicate fast code compilation and build processes. The 30 MB of L3 cache helps with large codebases, and the support for ECC memory adds reliability for long-running build servers.

For student and office work, this configuration is overkill but highly responsive. The single-thread performance of 4136 in PassMark single-thread and 2193 in Geekbench single-core ensures instant application launches and smooth multitasking. The integrated UHD Graphics 770 provides a backup display output, though the discrete GPU handles all graphics-heavy tasks.

Upgrade Path and Platform

The i9-12900K uses the Intel Socket 1700 platform, which supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration. The CPU provides PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the GPU uses PCIe 4.0 x16, which is backward compatible. The platform’s memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s is a potential limitation for memory-intensive workloads, but the CPU’s support for both DDR4 and DDR5 gives builders flexibility in choosing memory based on budget and performance needs.

The GPU requires a 700 W suggested PSU, and the CPU has a 125 W TDP, meaning the total system power draw is substantial. The RTX 4080’s single 16-pin power connector simplifies cabling, but the triple-slot design (310 mm length, 140 mm height, 61 mm width) requires a spacious case with good airflow. The GPU’s production status is end-of-life, so potential buyers should not expect future driver optimizations, but the 16 GB of GDDR6X memory provides future-proofing for high-resolution textures.

A sensible next upgrade would be to the RTX 4080 SUPER, which has an average score of 54209, just 0.1% higher than the standard 4080’s 54247, making it a marginal improvement. For the CPU, the nearest rival is the i9-12950HX at 42487, which is 0.4% faster but is a mobile chip, so it is not a direct upgrade path. The platform itself is mature, so upgrading to a newer socket would require a motherboard change. For most users, the current configuration is sufficient, and future upgrades should focus on adding more storage or faster memory rather than replacing core components.

Gaming Performance

No measured FPS data exists for this exact CPU+GPU combination. The FACT PACK contains no measuredFps rows for this pairing, so all FPS figures discussed here are estimates based on the benchmark scores. The GPU’s 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6567 and the CPU’s strong single-thread performance suggest that the pairing can handle modern titles at high settings.

For 1080p gaming, the CPU’s single-thread score of 1073 in 3DMark and the GPU’s high pixel rate of 280.6 GPixel/s indicate that the system is heavily GPU-bound at this resolution. Estimated FPS would be very high, likely exceeding 144 FPS in most titles, but the exact numbers are estimates. At 1440p, the GPU’s 86th percentile ranking suggests strong performance, with estimated FPS in the 100-144 range for demanding games. At 4K, the GPU’s 16 GB memory and 716.8 GB/s bandwidth support high-resolution textures, with estimated FPS in the 60-100 range depending on the title.

The GPU’s PassMark DirectX 12 score of 132 and DirectX 11 score of 314 suggest that the card is optimized for modern APIs, so older DirectX 9 (370) and DirectX 10 (204) games may run at lower efficiency. The CPU’s 3DMark 8-thread score of 7596 ensures that games using 8 threads or fewer will see consistent performance. Overall, the estimated gaming experience is excellent, with no obvious bottlenecks at any resolution, though the lack of measured data means these are educated estimates rather than verified figures.

Who Should Build It

This configuration targets gamers who prioritize high-refresh 1440p or 4K gaming. The RTX 4080’s 86th percentile GPU ranking and the CPU’s 88th percentile CPU ranking combine for a 87th overall percentile build, ensuring smooth frame rates in demanding titles. The 16 GB of GDDR6X memory provides ample VRAM for future game releases.

Content creators will benefit from the CPU’s Cinebench R23 multicore score of 26125, which accelerates video exports and 3D rendering. The GPU’s FP32 performance of 48.74 TFLOPS and Geekbench Vulkan score of 263779 support GPU-accelerated effects and rendering in applications like Blender or After Effects. The combination handles 4K video editing timelines without stuttering.

Software developers will appreciate the CPU’s PassMark integer math score of 139090 and data compression score of 537341, which speed up compilation and build processes. The 30 MB L3 cache reduces memory latency for large codebases, and the support for ECC memory adds stability. The platform’s PCIe Gen 5 support future-proofs for high-speed NVMe storage.

Students and small business users will find this configuration more powerful than needed, but the single-thread performance of 4136 in PassMark ensures responsive daily use. The integrated UHD Graphics 770 provides a fallback if the discrete GPU fails, and the CPU’s 125 W TDP is manageable for standard desktop cases. The GPU’s end-of-life status may concern long-term buyers, but the 16 GB memory ensures it remains relevant for several years.

Build Overview

This is a desktop-class build pairing the Intel Core i9-12900K with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080. The CPU is a 16-core, 24-thread Alder Lake processor with a 5.20 GHz boost clock, while the GPU is an Ada Lovelace design with 9728 shading units and 16 GB of GDDR6X memory. The combined percentile of 87 places this build in the top 13% of all desktop configurations, with both components ranking in the mid-80s percentiles individually.

The CPU’s avgBenchmarkScore of 42335 and the GPU’s avgBenchmarkScore of 54247 show that the GPU is the higher-scoring component in absolute terms, but the CPU’s 88th percentile versus the GPU’s 86th percentile means the CPU is relatively stronger compared to its peers. This is a high-end pairing that excels in both CPU-intensive and GPU-intensive workloads, with no significant weak point in the configuration.

Balance and Bottleneck

The benchmark data shows a well-balanced pairing, but there are workload-dependent differences in which component limits performance. For single-threaded tasks, the CPU’s 3DMark single-thread score of 1073 and PassMark single-thread score of 4136 indicate strong performance, but the GPU’s 86th percentile ranking means it may be the limiting factor in graphics-heavy applications. Conversely, for multi-threaded CPU workloads, the CPU’s Cinebench R23 multicore score of 26125 shows the processor can handle heavy parallel tasks without GPU assistance.

In gaming scenarios, the GPU is likely the bottleneck at higher resolutions. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6567 suggests the GPU is capable, but the CPU’s 3DMark 8-thread score of 7596 shows it can feed the GPU effectively. At 1080p, the CPU may become the limiting factor in CPU-bound games, but the high single-thread score mitigates this. At 4K, the GPU’s pixel rate of 280.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 761.5 GTexel/s become the primary constraints.

For compute workloads, the GPU’s FP32 performance of 48.74 TFLOPS and PassMark GPU compute score of 20671 indicate the GPU is the stronger compute performer, making it the limiting factor for GPU-accelerated tasks. However, the CPU’s PassMark multithread score of 41213 ensures it can handle CPU-based workloads without becoming a bottleneck. The data suggests that neither component consistently limits the other, and the pairing is well-matched for most applications, with the GPU slightly more likely to be the constraint in graphics-heavy and compute-intensive tasks.

Rate My PC: Intel Core i9-12900K + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080

Apex Performer

System Balance Analysis

Intel Core i9-12900K

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080

Market Position

Game Performance Benchmarks

Cyberpunk 2077

Red Dead Redemption 2

Microsoft Flight Simulator

Control

Call of Duty: Warzone

Fortnite

Performance Insights

Optimal Performance

4K Gaming Ready

Performance Tiers Explained

Ultimate

High-End

Mid-Range

Entry Level

Legacy

CPU Analysis

FAQ

Benchmark Performance

Usage Scenarios

Upgrade Path and Platform

Gaming Performance

Who Should Build It

Build Overview

Balance and Bottleneck

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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