SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core i9-12900KS + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080

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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93 Score

Top 7% Ranking

93 / 100

ULTIMATE READY

Apex Performer

Top 7% 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

92%

PROCESSOR

Intel Core i9-12900KS

45,094 Benchmark Score

Top 7% Market Ranking

View Full Specs →

GRAPHICS CARD

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080

23,172 Benchmark Score

Top 8% 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

This analysis examines the Intel Core i9-12900KS and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 as a combined desktop platform. The data indicates a high-performance pairing where the CPU's exceptional multi-threaded capabilities are matched with a GPU that, while no longer at the top of the charts, remains a formidable 4K and high-refresh 1440p contender. Notably, the FACT PACK contains no measured FPS data for this specific combination, so all gaming performance discussions are framed as estimates based on the individual component benchmark scores and their percentile positions.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is built on the Ampere architecture and utilizes the GA102 chip, fabricated on Samsung's 8 nm process. This is a substantial die, measuring 628 mm² and housing 28,300 million transistors. The GPU's memory subsystem is a key strength: it features 10 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 320-bit bus, delivering a memory bandwidth of 760.3 GB/s. This high bandwidth is critical for feeding the 8704 shading units, 272 texture mapping units, and 96 render output units at high resolutions.

Clock speeds are set at a base of 1440 MHz and a boost of 1710 MHz. The memory operates at an effective speed of 19 Gbps. The compute capabilities are substantial, with the card rated for 29.77 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and an equal 29.77 TFLOPS for FP16 (1:1 ratio). This raw throughput is complemented by dedicated hardware: 68 RT cores for ray tracing and 272 tensor cores for AI-accelerated workloads like DLSS. The pixel rate is 164.2 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 465.1 GTexel/s, indicating strong fill-rate capabilities.

Benchmark scores for the GPU show a mixed but generally positive picture. In the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, it scores 4407. Its performance in PassMark is telling: a G3D score of 25086, with a G2D score of 1054, and a GPU compute score of 14397. The DirectX 12 score of 100 and DirectX 11 score of 207 in PassMark are relative indices, not absolute measures of FPS. The Geekbench scores of 152423 for OpenCL and 33620 for Vulkan show strong compute and graphics API performance, respectively.

The GPU's percentile ranking is 68, meaning it outperforms 68% of all GPUs in the database. Its average benchmark score is 23172. The nearest rivals in the database are a mix of professional and mobile parts, including the NVIDIA P106-100 (deltaPct -0.3), AMD Radeon Pro Vega 16 (deltaPct -0.3), AMD Radeon RX 6600M (deltaPct -0.4), and AMD Radeon R9 M290X (deltaPct -0.4). This proximity in score (within 0.4%) suggests that while the RTX 3080's absolute performance is high, the database's scoring model places it in a cluster where small score differences are significant. For rendering, the combination of high bandwidth, robust compute, and RT/tensor cores makes this GPU highly capable for 3D rendering, but the 10 GB VRAM is a limiting factor at extreme 4K textures or in complex scenes with heavy texture data.

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

The combined percentile for this build is 79, indicating it performs better than 79% of all desktop combinations in the database. This is a strong overall position, but the individual component percentiles tell a nuanced story.

The CPU, Intel Core i9-12900KS, is the star of the show in terms of benchmark positioning. It holds a percentile rank of 89 among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 45094. Its nearest rivals are extremely close, with the AMD EPYC 4344P being 0.1% behind, the Intel Core i5-14600 being 0.5% behind, the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D being 1.2% behind, and the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H being 1.4% behind. This cluster of scores shows that the 12900KS is at the very top of a performance tier, outpacing its nearest competitors by a small but measurable margin.

In contrast, the GPU's percentile of 68 is lower. Its average benchmark score of 23172 places it in a different tier relative to the CPU. The nearest rivals are within 0.4% of its score, which includes lower-tier desktop and mobile parts. This discrepancy is the core of the balance analysis for this pairing: a top-tier CPU is paired with a GPU that, while capable, is not in the top percentile.

The combined picture from the data is one of a system where the CPU has significant headroom in many workloads. For instance, in Cinebench R23, the CPU scores 36859 in multi-core and 5203 in single-core. In Geekbench, it scores 18538 multi-core and 2408 single-core. These are elite-level numbers. The GPU's PassMark G3D score of 25086 is respectable, but its percentile suggests it is a mid-to-upper-tier performer, not a flagship. The 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 4407 further confirms its position. The data shows a system that will excel in CPU-bound tasks like video encoding, compilation, and 3D scene simulation, but which may be the limiting factor in GPU-bound tasks at 4K resolution with maximum settings.

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

The Intel Core i9-12900KS is a 16-core, 24-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, specifically the Alder Lake-S codename. It uses a hybrid design, though the FACT PACK does not break down the P-core/E-core counts; it simply lists 16 cores and 24 threads. The base clock is 3.40 GHz, with a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. This high boost clock is a key factor in its single-threaded performance. The CPU is built on Intel's 10 nm process with a die size of 215 mm². It supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, with a memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s. It also supports ECC memory, which is notable for workstation use.

The benchmark scores reveal its dual nature. In highly threaded workloads, it is a monster. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 36859 is exceptional, as is the 3DMark max threads score of 11897 and the PassMark multi-thread score of 43698. The PassMark integer math score of 147575 and floating point math score of 111429 highlight its computational throughput. Data encryption (31403) and compression (563709) scores are also very high, indicating strong performance in those specific tasks.

Single-threaded performance is equally impressive. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 5203 and the 3DMark single-thread score of 1121 demonstrate that the 5.50 GHz boost clock translates directly into leading-class responsiveness. The PassMark single-thread score of 4330 confirms this. The 2-thread and 4-thread 3DMark scores (2212 and 4320, respectively) show that even lightly threaded workloads benefit from the high clock speeds.

In real workloads, this means the 12900KS is a top-tier choice for any task that can utilize multiple cores, such as 3D rendering (Cinebench R15 multi-core: 3715), software compilation, and video encoding. Its single-thread performance ensures fast, responsive application usage and high frame rates in games that are poorly optimized for multi-core. The 30 MB of shared L3 cache provides a large pool for the processor to work from, reducing memory latency. The 89th percentile ranking places it in the elite tier of CPUs, and the near-tie with the AMD EPYC 4344P (deltaPct -0.1) suggests it is on par with high-end server parts in average score, though its consumer platform focus is clear.

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

The balance of this system is heavily skewed toward the CPU. With the CPU at the 89th percentile and the GPU at the 68th percentile, the data suggests that the GPU will be the primary bottleneck in most graphics-intensive scenarios. This is not a criticism of the RTX 3080, but rather a reflection of the 12900KS's sheer performance.

In CPU-bound workloads, such as 3D rendering, the CPU is the clear driver. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 36859 and the 3DMark max threads score of 11897 indicate that the CPU will not be the limiting factor; it will provide ample processing power. The GPU's compute score of 14397 in PassMark is lower than the CPU's multi-thread score in relative terms, but in rendering, both are used. However, the CPU's ability to feed the GPU is not in question, given its high single-thread score of 5203 in Cinebench R23.

In gaming, the bottleneck is more nuanced. At 1080p or 1440p with low settings, the CPU's high single-thread performance (PassMark single-thread: 4330) will drive very high frame rates. However, the GPU will eventually become the limiting factor as resolution and graphical settings increase. The 68th percentile ranking of the GPU means that in 4K scenarios, the RTX 3080 will be the component that caps performance, not the CPU. The CPU's high multi-thread score ensures that background tasks, such as streaming or recording, will have minimal impact on gaming performance, as the CPU has plenty of headroom.

The data shows that the GPU's performance is close to other mid-range parts (within 0.4%), which could be seen as a plateau. The CPU, however, is at the peak of its tier, competing with server-grade parts. This imbalance is not a flaw but a characteristic: it means the system is built for maximum CPU throughput, and the GPU is a capable partner that handles graphics well but is not in the same performance class as the CPU. For users who prioritize CPU-intensive tasks like video editing, 3D simulation, or code compilation, this is a near-ideal setup. For users who prioritize gaming at 4K, the GPU will be the limiting factor.

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)

The FACT PACK contains no measured FPS data for this CPU-GPU combination (the measuredFpsUltraByGame field is empty). All frame rate expectations discussed here are estimates based on the individual component benchmark scores, the GPU's 68th percentile ranking, and the CPU's 89th percentile ranking.

Based on the data, gaming performance can be characterized as follows. At 1080p, the system is heavily CPU-bound. The CPU's exceptional single-thread score (5203 in Cinebench R23, 4330 in PassMark single-thread) will allow the GPU to run at its maximum potential, and the RTX 3080's raw power (29.77 TFLOPS FP32) should deliver very high frame rates in most titles. Expected performance is excellent, with the CPU ensuring consistent frame times.

At 1440p, the balance shifts. The GPU begins to become more of a limiting factor, but the 760.3 GB/s of memory bandwidth and 8704 shading units should still provide high refresh rate performance (144Hz+) in many esports and optimized titles. The 10 GB VRAM is a consideration; at 1440p with ultra textures, some games may approach this limit, potentially causing texture pop-in or reduced performance in the most demanding scenes.

At 4K, the GPU is the definitive bottleneck. The 68th percentile ranking indicates that while the GPU is capable, it is not a top-tier 4K part. Users should expect to adjust settings from "Ultra" to "High" or use DLSS (leveraging the 272 tensor cores) to achieve smooth frame rates. The CPU will have significant headroom in this scenario, meaning that background tasks will not affect gaming performance. The estimates indicate a solid 4K experience, but not a maxed-out one. The GPU's DirectX 12 Ultimate support ensures compatibility with the latest features, but its end-of-life production status suggests it will not receive performance optimizations for future titles.

Usage Scenarios — grounded in the scores: high-refresh gaming, streaming, video editing, 3D rendering, software development, student and office work. One short paragraph per scenario, citing the numbers that support the verdict

High-Refresh Gaming: This system is excellent for high-refresh 1080p and 1440p gaming. The CPU's single-thread score of 4330 (PassMark) and 3DMark single-thread score of 1121 prevent bottlenecks, while the GPU's 29.77 TFLOPS compute provides the raw speed. Estimates suggest frame rates exceeding 144 FPS in most competitive titles at 1440p, though 4K high-refresh is limited by the GPU's 68th percentile standing.

Streaming: The CPU is a streamer's dream. With 24 threads and a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 36859, encoding video via x264 will have a negligible impact on gaming performance. The PassMark data encryption score of 31403 also indicates strong security/streaming overhead handling. The CPU's headroom ensures that the stream encoder and the game can run simultaneously without major frame drops.

Video Editing: Video editing benefits from both components. The CPU's multi-threaded power (PassMark multi-thread: 43698) accelerates timeline rendering and export times. The GPU's 10 GB VRAM and 760.3 GB/s bandwidth assist with real-time effects and previews. The combination is very strong for 4K video work, though the 10 GB VRAM may be a constraint for complex multi-layer 8K projects.

3D Rendering: This is a CPU-dominant workload, and the 12900KS excels. The Cinebench R20 multi-core score of 15480 and R15 multi-core score of 3715 indicate fast rendering times. The GPU's compute score of 14397 (PassMark) and 29.77 TFLOPS FP32 also accelerate GPU-based renderers. The system is a powerful rendering workstation, with the CPU providing the bulk of the throughput.

Software Development: The CPU's high single-thread performance (Geekbench single-core: 2408) ensures fast compilation for single-threaded processes, while the multi-core score (Geekbench multi-core: 18538) accelerates parallel builds. The large L3 cache (30 MB) and 76.8 GB/s memory bandwidth help with large codebases. This is a top-tier development machine.

Student and Office Work: This is massively overpowered for standard office tasks. The CPU's 3DMark 2-thread score of 2212 and the GPU's G2D score of 1054 (PassMark) ensure snappy UI and application responsiveness. The system will never feel slow for word processing, spreadsheets, or web browsing, making it a premium, future-proof choice for a student or professional.

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

The platform is based on the Intel Socket 1700. The CPU supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory, offering flexibility in platform choice. The memory bus is dual-channel with a bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s. The CPU provides PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes, which is a forward-looking feature. The GPU, however, uses PCIe 4.0 x16, which is fully compatible and does not bottleneck the GPU's performance.

The CPU's TDP is 150 W, and the GPU's TDP is 320 W. The suggested PSU for the GPU is 700 W. This is a critical figure for any upgrade, as adding more powerful components will require a PSU above this threshold. The GPU is currently end-of-life, so the most sensible upgrade path is the GPU itself. Given the CPU's 89th percentile ranking, it has substantial headroom to support a faster GPU.

A sensible next upgrade would be to replace the RTX 3080 with a newer, higher-performing GPU. The CPU's PCIe Gen 5 support ensures that future GPUs will not be bandwidth-limited. The 150 W TDP of the CPU also leaves room for a more power-hungry GPU, provided the PSU is upgraded accordingly. The data suggests that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this system; therefore, investing in a stronger GPU would yield the most significant performance gains in gaming and GPU-accelerated tasks. The ECC memory support of the CPU is an advantage for workstation stability, but it is a feature that is only useful with specific motherboards and memory modules.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i9-12900KS a good match for the RTX 3080?

A: The data indicates that the CPU is significantly more powerful than the GPU. The CPU is at the 89th percentile, while the GPU is at the 68th percentile. This creates an imbalance where the CPU has headroom, making the GPU the primary limiting factor in graphics-heavy tasks like 4K gaming.

Q: What is the CPU's performance in single-threaded tasks?

A: The CPU excels in single-threaded performance, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 5203, a Geekbench single-core score of 2408, and a PassMark single-thread score of 4330. This makes it excellent for tasks that rely on high clock speeds, such as gaming and responsive application use.

Q: How much VRAM does the GPU have, and is it enough for 4K gaming?

A: The GPU has 10 GB of GDDR6X memory with a 320-bit bus and 760.3 GB/s bandwidth. For 4K gaming, this is sufficient for most titles, but it may be a limiting factor for games with very high-resolution texture packs. The GPU's 68th percentile suggests it is more suited for high-refresh 1440p than maxed-out 4K.

Q: What is the total power consumption of this system?

A: The CPU has a TDP of 150 W, and the GPU has a TDP of 320 W. The suggested PSU for the GPU is 700 W. You should consider a power supply with a capacity at or above 700 W to ensure stable operation.

Q: Which component is the bottleneck in this system?

A: In most gaming and graphics-intensive scenarios, the GPU is the bottleneck due to its lower percentile (68th) compared to the CPU (89th). In CPU-heavy workloads like 3D rendering or video encoding, the CPU is the primary processor, and it will not be the limiting factor.

Q: Does the CPU support overclocking?

A: Yes, the CPU has an unlocked multiplier, as indicated by the "multiplierUnlocked" field being true. This allows for manual overclocking to push the boost clock beyond its 5.50 GHz rating, provided sufficient cooling is available.

Q: What is the memory support for the CPU?

A: The CPU supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, with a peak memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s. It also supports ECC memory, which is beneficial for workstation stability.

Who Should Build It

This system is designed for users who prioritize CPU performance above all else. The Intel Core i9-12900KS, with its 89th percentile ranking and Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 36859, is a top-tier processor for professionals.

Content Creators and Video Editors: The CPU's multi-threaded power (PassMark multi-thread: 43698) will drastically reduce render and export times. The GPU's 10 GB VRAM is sufficient for 4K video editing timelines and effects. This is a professional-grade workstation for video production.

3D Modelers and Simulation Engineers: The CPU's high core count and 30 MB L3 cache make it ideal for physics simulations, complex 3D scene rendering (Cinebench R20 multi-core: 15480), and other computational tasks. The GPU accelerates viewport rendering and final frame renders.

Software Developers: The combination of high single-thread (Geekbench single-core: 2408) and multi-thread (Geekbench multi-core: 18538) performance makes this ideal for compiling large codebases, running multiple VMs, and handling complex development environments.

High-Refresh Gamers (1440p): Gamers who target 144Hz+ at 1440p will find this system highly capable. The CPU ensures high minimum frame rates, and the GPU provides the necessary power. 4K gamers should consider a stronger GPU, as the RTX 3080 is the limiting factor at that resolution.

Small Business Workstations: For businesses running financial simulations, data analysis, or other CPU-intensive tasks, the ECC memory support and high multi-thread score provide reliability and speed. The GPU can handle occasional graphics tasks like CAD or light video editing.

Users who do only office work, web browsing, or light gaming are better served by less expensive components, as this system's CPU performance is far beyond those requirements. This is a build for those who need the fastest consumer-grade CPU available and pair it with a capable, albeit not top-of-the-line, GPU.

Rate My PC: Intel Core i9-12900KS + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080

Apex Performer

System Balance Analysis

Intel Core i9-12900KS

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080

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

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

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

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

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

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)

Usage Scenarios — grounded in the scores: high-refresh gaming, streaming, video editing, 3D rendering, software development, student and office work. One short paragraph per scenario, citing the numbers that support the verdict

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

FAQ

Who Should Build It

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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