SYSTEM ANALYZER

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

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

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%
VS
GPU
96%
PROCESSOR

Intel Core i9-12900K

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

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER

54,209 Benchmark Score
Top 4% 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

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 is a 16-core desktop processor built on the Alder Lake architecture, and it pairs in this build with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER, a 40-series graphics card based on the Ada Lovelace architecture. This combination represents a high-end desktop configuration, with the CPU sitting at the 88th percentile among all processors and the GPU at the 86th percentile among all graphics cards, resulting in a combined percentile of 87. The data shows a capable pairing for demanding workloads, though it is critical to note that the FACT PACK contains no measured FPS data for this specific combination; therefore, all gaming performance figures discussed here are estimates derived from the individual benchmark scores, not direct measurements.

Upgrade Path and Platform

The platform foundation for this build is the Intel Socket 1700, which anchors the Core i9-12900K to the 12th Gen Core series. The CPU supports dual-channel DDR4 and DDR5 memory, offering flexibility in memory selection, and it provides a memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s. For storage and expansion, the processor has PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes available from the CPU, ensuring high-speed connectivity for modern NVMe drives and graphics cards. The motherboard’s chipset would handle additional lanes, but the CPU’s direct 16 lanes are reserved for the primary GPU or other Gen 5 devices.

The power delivery requirements for this build are substantial. The CPU has a TDP of 125 W, while the GPU has a TDP of 320 W, and the suggested PSU for the system is 700 W. This headroom suggests that a quality 700 W power supply is sufficient for the base configuration, but users adding multiple drives or heavy overclocking might consider a higher-wattage unit, though the data does not specify a requirement beyond that. The GPU uses a 1x 16-pin power connector, so the PSU must include that connector or an adapter. The CPU’s multiplier is unlocked, allowing for overclocking, which would increase power draw beyond the 125 W TDP, but the exact headroom is not quantified in the data.

Looking at a sensible next upgrade path, the platform supports both DDR4 and DDR5, meaning a user on a budget could reuse DDR4 modules, while an enthusiast could move to DDR5 for higher bandwidth. The PCIe Gen 5 support from the CPU is forward-looking, but the GPU itself uses PCIe 4.0 x16, so the current graphics card will not saturate the Gen 5 lanes. A future GPU upgrade could take advantage of the Gen 5 bandwidth, but the data does not list any specific compatible future processors on the LGA 1700 socket beyond the current generation. The integrated UHD Graphics 770 provides a fallback display output for troubleshooting or basic tasks without the discrete GPU, which is a practical feature for a desktop workstation.

Benchmark Performance

The benchmark results for the Intel Core i9-12900K reveal a strong multi-threaded performer with a solid single-thread foundation. In 3DMark tests, the CPU scores 9,912 with 16 threads, 7,596 with 8 threads, 4,145 with 4 threads, and 2,120 with 2 threads, showcasing consistent scaling across core counts. The max-thread score is 11,620, while the single-thread score is 1,073. This pattern indicates that the CPU’s hybrid architecture, combining performance and efficiency cores, delivers robust multi-core performance without sacrificing single-core responsiveness.

In Cinebench, the multicore scores are 4,057 in R15, 14,679 in R20, and 26,125 in R23, while single-core scores are 289, 2,072, and 2,004.5 respectively. These numbers place the CPU firmly in the high-end segment for content creation tasks, as the R23 multicore score of 26,125 is indicative of strong rendering capability. Geekbench results show a multicore score of 16,378 and a single-core score of 2,193, further corroborating the balanced performance profile. The CPU’s average benchmark score is 42,335, placing it at the 88th percentile, which means it outperforms 88% of all CPUs in the database.

Comparing to its nearest rivals, the data shows a tight competition. The Intel Core i9-12950HX has an average score of 42,487, which is 0.4% higher than the 12900K, making it a slightly faster mobile counterpart. The AMD Ryzen 5 7400 scores 42,055, which is 0.7% lower, and the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS scores 41,963, which is 0.9% lower. The Intel Core i7-14700T is 1% behind with a score of 41,914. These deltas are minimal, indicating that the 12900K is competitively positioned against both newer AMD and Intel parts, though it does not lead its immediate peer group.

For the GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER delivers a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6,600. In Geekbench, it scores 219,065 in OpenCL and 260,075 in Vulkan, showing strong compute performance across APIs. The Passmark suite shows a G3D score of 34,245 and a GPU compute score of 19,822. The GPU’s average benchmark score is 54,209, placing it at the 86th percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the standard RTX 4080 with a score of 54,247, which is 0.1% higher, and the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X at 54,828, which is 1.1% higher. The AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55,698, which is 2.7% higher, and the AMD Radeon 8060S scores 55,757, which is 2.8% higher, suggesting that while the 4080 SUPER is powerful, some AMD parts score higher in aggregate benchmarks, though the performance differences are small.

Gaming Performance

As noted, there are no measured FPS rows for this exact CPU and GPU combination in the FACT PACK, so the gaming performance figures presented here are estimates based on the benchmark scores. The data explicitly states that no measured FPS data exists, so these are not empirical results but projections from the CPU and GPU’s individual capabilities. Given the CPU’s single-thread score of 1,073 in 3DMark and the GPU’s 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 6,600, the pairing is expected to handle modern titles at high settings.

For gaming at 1080p, the CPU’s strong single-thread performance, as seen in its 3DMark single-thread score of 1,073, suggests it will not bottleneck the GPU in most titles. The GPU’s Passmark G3D score of 34,245 indicates it can push high frame rates, likely exceeding 144 FPS in esports titles, though no specific game data is available. At 1440p, the GPU’s compute power, reflected in its Geekbench Vulkan score of 260,075, becomes more critical, and the estimates suggest smooth gameplay at high refresh rates, but again, these are qualitative projections.

At 4K resolution, the GPU’s 16 GB of GDDR6X memory with a bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s provides ample capacity for high-resolution textures. The estimated performance would be playable, with frame rates hovering around 60 FPS in demanding titles, but this is speculative. The absence of measured FPS data means that any specific frame rate claims would be unfounded; therefore, the analysis relies on the benchmark scores to indicate that the system is well-suited for high-refresh gaming at 1440p, with 4K being viable but not guaranteed to hit ultra-high refresh rates. The CPU’s Passmark single-thread score of 4,136 further supports the notion that it can handle game logic and physics without becoming a bottleneck.

Balance and Bottleneck

The balance between the Intel Core i9-12900K and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is generally well-matched, but the data reveals where each component takes the lead. The CPU’s percentile rank of 88 and the GPU’s rank of 86 suggest they are in the same performance tier, but the specific workload dictates which one is the limiting factor. In multi-threaded tasks like 3D rendering, the CPU’s Cinebench R23 multicore score of 26,125 would be the primary driver, while the GPU’s compute score of 19,822 in Passmark would assist in GPU-accelerated rendering.

For gaming, the bottleneck analysis is more nuanced. The CPU’s single-thread score of 1,073 in 3DMark and 4,136 in Passmark single-thread indicate it can feed the GPU efficiently at lower resolutions. However, at higher resolutions like 4K, the GPU’s workload increases, and the GPU becomes the limiting factor, as its 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 6,600 is a strong but not top-tier result. The data shows that the GPU is 2.8% behind the AMD Radeon 8060S in average score, so in GPU-bound scenarios, the 4080 SUPER will be the constraint.

In compute-heavy workloads, such as machine learning or video encoding, the GPU’s tensor cores and CUDA cores take precedence, and the CPU’s role diminishes. The GPU’s Passmark GPU compute score of 19,822 is significantly higher than the CPU’s Passmark multithread score of 41,213, but the nature of the workload matters. The CPU’s data compression score of 537,341 and encryption score of 29,579 indicate strong integer performance, which is useful for file compression and security tasks, where the GPU is less involved. The balanced picture is that the CPU leads in general-purpose and lightly threaded tasks, while the GPU leads in parallel graphics and compute workloads, with neither being a consistent bottleneck across all scenarios.

FAQ

Q: What is the socket type for the Intel Core i9-12900K?

A: The CPU uses the Intel Socket 1700, which is specific to 12th Gen Core processors and compatible with 600-series and 700-series chipsets, though the data does not specify motherboard models.

Q: Does the CPU support both DDR4 and DDR5 memory?

A: Yes, the memory support for the Core i9-12900K includes both DDR4 and DDR5, and it operates in a dual-channel configuration with a memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s.

Q: What is the TDP of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER, and what PSU is suggested?

A: The GPU has a TDP of 320 W, and the suggested power supply for the system is 700 W, which provides headroom for the CPU’s 125 W TDP and other components.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival, the Intel Core i9-12950HX?

A: The Intel Core i9-12950HX has an average benchmark score of 42,487, which is 0.4% higher than the Core i9-12900K’s score of 42,335, making the rival slightly faster on average.

Q: What is the GPU’s memory configuration?

A: The RTX 4080 SUPER has 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s, and the memory clock is 1438 MHz with 23 Gbps effective speed.

Q: Is there measured FPS data for this CPU and GPU combination?

A: No, the FACT PACK contains no measured FPS rows for this exact combination, so all gaming performance figures are estimates based on benchmark scores.

Q: What is the production status of the GPU?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is marked as end-of-life, while the CPU is still active in production.

Who Should Build It

The target audience for this build is users who require high performance in both CPU and GPU-intensive applications. For gamers, the system is estimated to handle 1440p high-refresh gaming comfortably, based on the CPU’s single-thread score of 1,073 and the GPU’s 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 6,600, though 4K gaming is possible with adjusted settings. Content creators and video editors will benefit from the CPU’s Cinebench R23 multicore score of 26,125, which accelerates rendering, while the GPU’s Geekbench OpenCL score of 219,065 supports GPU-accelerated effects and encoding.

Software developers and data scientists will find the CPU’s Passmark integer math score of 139,090 and data encryption score of 29,579 useful for compilation and cryptography tasks. Students in engineering or computer science programs can leverage the CPU’s 16 cores and 24 threads for parallel computing projects, and the GPU’s 10,240 shading units provide ample compute for machine learning experiments. Small business workstations that handle complex simulations or large databases will benefit from the CPU’s Passmark multithread score of 41,213 and the GPU’s compute capabilities, though the end-of-life status of the GPU might be a consideration for long-term deployment.

The build is less suited for users who prioritize single-thread performance above all else, as the CPU’s 3DMark single-thread score of 1,073 is good but not exceptional compared to newer parts. It is also not ideal for users on a tight power budget, given the 320 W GPU TDP and 700 W suggested PSU. The presence of integrated graphics in the CPU, UHD Graphics 770, makes it a viable option for basic office work without the discrete GPU, but the combination is overkill for such tasks.

CPU Analysis

The Intel Core i9-12900K is based on the Alder Lake architecture, specifically the Alder Lake-S codename, and it is manufactured on a 10 nm process at Intel’s foundry. The die size is 215 mm², and the CPU has 16 cores and 24 threads, which includes a mix of performance and efficiency cores, though the data does not specify the exact core distribution. The base clock is 3.20 GHz, and the boost clock reaches 5.20 GHz, providing a wide frequency range for both heavy multi-threaded and light single-threaded workloads.

The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3 cache, which reduces memory latency for frequently accessed data. The CPU supports ECC memory, which is a notable feature for workstation reliability, and it has an integrated UHD Graphics 770, which can serve as a backup display adapter. The memory bus is dual-channel, and the official memory bandwidth is 76.8 GB/s, though this is dependent on the memory type used.

In benchmark terms, the CPU’s performance is robust. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 26,125 indicates strong rendering capability, and the single-core score of 2,004.5 is competitive for day-to-day tasks. The Passmark multithread score of 41,213 and the floating-point math score of 105,471 show that the CPU excels in scientific simulations and financial modeling. The data compression score of 537,341 is particularly high, making it a good choice for data archival and compression workloads. The CPU’s average benchmark score of 42,335 and its 88th percentile ranking confirm that it sits near the top of the database, though it is not the absolute fastest, as the 0.4% gap to the Intel Core i9-12950HX shows.

Build Overview

This build combines the Intel Core i9-12900K with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER to create a desktop-class system. The build class is explicitly listed as "desktop," indicating it is intended for a stationary workstation or gaming rig rather than a portable laptop. The combined percentile of 87 places this pairing in the upper echelon of all system configurations in the database, meaning it outperforms 87% of all CPU and GPU combinations tracked.

The CPU contributes a 16-core, 24-thread processor with a 5.20 GHz boost clock, while the GPU brings 10,240 shading units and 16 GB of GDDR6X memory. The GPU is based on the AD103 chip, built on a 5 nm process at TSMC, with 45,900 million transistors and a die size of 379 mm². The GPU’s FP32 performance is 52.22 TFLOPS, and its texture rate is 816.0 GTexel/s, making it a formidable compute engine. The system’s overall tier is high, as evidenced by the 87th combined percentile, but the GPU’s end-of-life status suggests that newer alternatives exist, though the data does not specify them beyond the successor being GeForce 50.

The build is a balanced high-end configuration, but the CPU is from an older generation (released in 2021) compared to the GPU (released in 2024), which might lead to a slight mismatch in peak capability. The CPU’s 88th percentile is close to the GPU’s 86th percentile, so neither component dramatically overshadows the other. This is a system that is ready for demanding 1440p gaming and professional content creation, with the caveat that the lack of measured FPS data means its gaming prowess is inferred from the benchmark scores rather than directly observed.

Usage Scenarios

High-refresh gaming: The estimated performance for this build is excellent for high-refresh gaming at 1440p, based on the CPU’s 3DMark single-thread score of 1,073 and the GPU’s Passmark G3D score of 34,245. The system is expected to maintain frame rates above 144 FPS in most competitive titles, though the absence of measured FPS data means these are projections, and esports titles at 1080p would likely see even higher frame rates.

Streaming: For streaming, the CPU’s 16 cores and 24 threads provide ample headroom for encoding while gaming, as the Passmark multithread score of 41,213 indicates strong parallel processing. The GPU’s NVENC encoder, implied by the Ada Lovelace architecture, would offload streaming tasks, but the data does not provide specific encoding benchmarks, so the performance is inferred from the GPU’s compute scores.

Video editing: Video editors will benefit from the combination of the CPU’s Cinebench R23 multicore score of 26,125 for timeline rendering and the GPU’s Geekbench OpenCL score of 219,065 for effects and color grading. The 16 GB of VRAM on the GPU ensures that large 4K or even 8K projects can reside in memory, reducing the need for constant data transfers.

3D rendering: In 3D rendering, the CPU’s Cinebench R20 multicore score of 14,679 and the GPU’s compute score of 19,822 in Passmark indicate a dual-accelerated workflow. Scenes that rely on CPU-based ray tracing will see strong performance, while GPU-accelerated renderers will leverage the 10,240 shading units and 80 RT cores.

Software development: For developers, the CPU’s Passmark integer math score of 139,090 and data encryption score of 29,579 are relevant for code compilation and secure data handling. The 30 MB of L3 cache helps with frequently accessed code segments, and the support for ECC memory, though the data does not specify if the motherboard supports it, could be a boon for stability in long compile jobs.

Student and office work: This build is overqualified for standard student or office tasks, but the integrated UHD Graphics 770 provides a power-efficient mode for basic productivity without the discrete GPU. The CPU’s Passmark single-thread score of 4,136 ensures snappy responsiveness in office applications, and the low-power idle state, though not quantified, is a benefit of the hybrid architecture. For students in STEM fields, the CPU’s floating-point math score of 105,471 accelerates numerical simulations, making it a worthwhile investment for research projects.