SYSTEM ANALYZER

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

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

Build Configuration

Select your components

PROCESSOR (CPU)

▼

GRAPHICS CARD (GPU)

▼

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

96%

PROCESSOR

Intel Core i9-12900KS

45,094 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

# CPU Analysis

The Intel Core i9-12900KS is a 16-core, 24-thread desktop processor built on the Alder Lake architecture and manufactured on Intel's 10 nm process node. This hybrid design combines performance and efficiency cores, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. The chip carries a 150 W TDP and supports dual-channel DDR4 and DDR5 memory with a memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s, along with ECC memory support. It is built for the Intel Socket 1700 platform and includes integrated UHD Graphics 770, making it a versatile part of the Core 12th Gen family.

The benchmark data reveals a processor with substantial multi-threaded capability. In Cinebench R23, the i9-12900KS scores 36,859 in multi-core and 5,203 in single-core. The multi-core figure is particularly telling: it reflects the combined output of all 16 cores, which is essential for rendering, video encoding, and compilation workloads. The single-core score of 5,203 indicates strong per-thread performance, which matters for older applications and lightly threaded games. In Geekbench, the processor achieves 18,538 multi-core and 2,408 single-core, reinforcing the same pattern of balanced throughput.

PassMark results add further detail. The processor scores 43,698 in multithread, 4,330 in single-thread, and 147,575 in integer math. The integer math score is a strong indicator for productivity tasks like spreadsheet manipulation, database operations, and code compilation. Floating point math comes in at 111,429, which supports scientific computing and 3D rendering workloads. Data encryption scores 31,403, while extended instructions (SIMD) reaches 35,089, showing solid AVX-512-class capability for specialized workloads. Random string sorting scores 60,539, a useful proxy for text processing and data parsing tasks.

In 3DMark CPU benchmarks, the scaling pattern is clear: 2,212 at 2 threads, 4,320 at 4 threads, 7,872 at 8 threads, 10,316 at 16 threads, and 11,897 at max threads. The incremental gains from 16 to 24 threads (11,897 vs. 10,316) show that the efficiency cores contribute meaningfully but with diminishing returns. The CPU sits at the 89th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 45,094. Its nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 4344P, scores 45,122 — a delta of just -0.1%, meaning the i9-12900KS is statistically tied with that server-class chip. The Intel Core i5-14600 trails by 0.5%, the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D by 1.2%, and the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H by 1.4%. This places the 12900KS in the upper echelon of desktop processors, just a hair behind a workstation EPYC part and ahead of several modern mid-range and laptop-class chips.

# GPU Analysis

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with the AD103 chip, manufactured by TSMC on a 5 nm process. It packs 45,900 million transistors on a 379 mm² die, achieving a transistor density of 121.1 million per square millimeter. The GPU has 10,240 shading units, 320 texture mapping units, and 112 raster operation units. It features 80 RT cores and 320 tensor cores, making it a fully capable ray tracing and AI acceleration part. The base clock is 2,295 MHz with a boost clock of 2,550 MHz, and the memory runs at 1,438 MHz with 23 Gbps effective speed.

The memory subsystem consists of 16 GB of GDDR6X on a 256-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s. This is a substantial amount of video memory for 4K textures and large 3D scenes. The pixel rate is 285.6 GPixel/s and the texture rate is 816.0 GTexel/s, indicating strong fill rates for high-resolution rendering. Compute performance is rated at 52.22 TFLOPS for both FP32 and FP16, which is unusual in that the FP16 rate matches FP32 at a 1:1 ratio — this benefits compute-heavy workloads like machine learning inference and certain scientific simulations.

Benchmark results confirm the GPU's position. In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, the RTX 4080 SUPER scores 6,600. The Geekbench OpenCL score is 219,065, and the Vulkan score is 260,075, showing strong cross-API performance. PassMark G3D (DirectX 9-era gaming) scores 34,245, while G2D (2D graphics) scores 1,270. Compute performance on PassMark is 19,822. The GPU sits at the 86th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 54,209. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, scores 54,247 — a delta of -0.1%, meaning the SUPER variant is essentially identical in average performance to the non-SUPER model. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X is 1.1% ahead, the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB is 2.7% ahead, and the AMD Radeon 8060S is 2.8% ahead, though these last two are unusual comparisons given their different market tiers.

The RT and tensor cores are the key differentiators for modern workloads. The 80 RT cores enable hardware-accelerated ray tracing for realistic lighting and shadows in supported games, while the 320 tensor cores accelerate DLSS and AI-based features. The 16 GB VRAM with 736.3 GB/s bandwidth is sufficient for 4K texture packs and complex scenes, and the 256-bit bus width balances bandwidth against memory size. The GPU supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, covering the full modern graphics API spectrum.

# Benchmark Performance

The combined picture from the CPU and GPU benchmarks places this build at the 88th percentile overall. The CPU's average benchmark score of 45,094 is 89th percentile among all CPUs, while the GPU's average score of 54,209 is 86th percentile among all GPUs. Neither component is a weak link; both sit in the upper tier of their respective categories.

The CPU's performance is highlighted by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 36,859, which is 0.5% ahead of the Intel Core i5-14600 and 1.2% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D. The single-core score of 5,203 in R23 is competitive for gaming and legacy applications. In Geekbench, the 18,538 multi-core score places it 1.4% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H, showing that this 12th-gen flagship still outpaces newer mobile-class silicon. The PassMark multithread score of 43,698 further reinforces its position, with a 0.1% gap to the AMD EPYC 4344P.

The GPU's benchmark scores show a similar story. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6,600 and PassMark G3D score of 34,245 place it in the high-end tier. The Geekbench Vulkan score of 260,075 is the standout figure, indicating strong raw compute throughput. The GPU is 0.1% behind the RTX 4080 non-SUPER, which is within noise — the two cards are effectively interchangeable in average performance. The deltaPct values against the AMD rivals are larger (-1.1% to -2.8%), but those are workstation and mid-range parts, not direct competitors.

Combined, the CPU and GPU produce a system that is 88th percentile overall. The CPU is slightly stronger relative to its peers than the GPU — an 89th percentile CPU paired with an 86th percentile GPU — which means the processor has a marginal edge in headroom. This is a balanced pairing where neither component dramatically outclasses the other, but the CPU is the stronger of the two in relative terms.

# FAQ

Q: How does the Intel Core i9-12900KS compare to the AMD EPYC 4344P?

A: The i9-12900KS has an average benchmark score of 45,094, which is 0.1% below the AMD EPYC 4344P's 45,122. This is a negligible difference — the two are statistically tied in average performance, despite the EPYC being a server-class chip.

Q: Is the RTX 4080 SUPER meaningfully faster than the RTX 4080?

A: The data shows the RTX 4080 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 54,209, which is 0.1% below the RTX 4080's 54,247. The deltaPct of -0.1% indicates the two GPUs perform essentially identically in average benchmark terms.

Q: What is the CPU's strongest benchmark area?

A: The PassMark integer math score of 147,575 is the highest raw number among the CPU's benchmarks, indicating excellent throughput for integer-heavy tasks like code compilation, data processing, and office productivity. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 36,859 is also strong for rendering workloads.

Q: Does the CPU support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i9-12900KS supports ECC memory, which is unusual for a desktop-class part. It also supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration with a memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s.

Q: What is the GPU's memory configuration and why does it matter?

A: The RTX 4080 SUPER has 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus with 736.3 GB/s bandwidth. This configuration supports high-resolution textures and complex 3D scenes, and the bandwidth is sufficient for 4K gaming and rendering workloads.

Q: How does the CPU's 3DMark thread scaling look?

A: The CPU scores 2,212 at 2 threads, 4,320 at 4 threads, 7,872 at 8 threads, 10,316 at 16 threads, and 11,897 at max threads. The scaling is nearly linear up to 8 threads, then flattens — the jump from 16 to max threads is only 1,581 points, showing diminishing returns from the efficiency cores.

Q: Is this a desktop or laptop build?

A: The build class is "desktop." Both the CPU (Intel Socket 1700, Alder Lake-S) and GPU (triple-slot, 310 mm length) are desktop-class components, and the combined percentile of 88 reflects a full-size desktop configuration.

# Balance and Bottleneck

The balance between the i9-12900KS and the RTX 4080 SUPER is close but not perfectly symmetrical. The CPU sits at the 89th percentile among all CPUs, while the GPU sits at the 86th percentile among all GPUs. This 3-percentage-point gap means the CPU has a slight relative advantage — in purely CPU-bound workloads, the processor has more headroom relative to its peers than the GPU does.

For gaming at 1080p, the CPU's strong single-thread performance (5,203 in Cinebench R23 single-core, 4,330 in PassMark single-thread) is likely to keep frame rates high, but the GPU's 86th percentile position may become the limiting factor in GPU-heavy scenes. At 1440p and 4K, the GPU's 16 GB VRAM and 736.3 GB/s bandwidth become more important, and the balance shifts toward the GPU being the primary constraint. The CPU's 3DMark max-thread score of 11,897 suggests it can feed the GPU in most scenarios, but the GPU's PassMark G3D score of 34,245 indicates it is the more specialized component for rasterization.

In productivity workloads, the CPU's 45,094 average benchmark score versus the GPU's 54,209 average score tells a different story. The CPU handles task scheduling, data movement, and logic, while the GPU accelerates specific compute tasks like rendering and AI inference. The CPU's 89th percentile position means it is less likely to bottleneck multi-threaded CPU workloads, while the GPU's 86th percentile position means it is slightly more likely to be the limiting factor in GPU-accelerated tasks. Overall, the system is well balanced, with the CPU having a marginal edge in relative headroom.

# Gaming Performance

No measured FPS data exists for this exact CPU+GPU combination. The FACT PACK contains no measuredFpsUltraByGame entries, and the dataIsMeasured flag is false. Therefore, all frame rate figures below are estimates derived from the benchmark scores, not from direct testing.

Based on the CPU's Cinebench R23 single-core score of 5,203 and the GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6,600, this pairing is expected to handle high-refresh gaming at 1080p and 1440p with ease, and to deliver playable frame rates at 4K in most titles. The GPU's 16 GB VRAM and 736.3 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for 4K texture packs, and the 80 RT cores enable ray tracing at playable settings in supported games. The CPU's single-thread performance is strong enough to avoid bottlenecking the GPU in most titles, though the 3DMark 2-thread score of 2,212 suggests that older games relying on two threads may not fully utilize the GPU's potential.

At 1080p, the CPU's 89th percentile position means it is likely to be the primary driver of frame rates in CPU-bound titles like esports games, while the GPU's 86th percentile position provides ample rasterization headroom. At 1440p, the balance shifts toward the GPU, and the 16 GB VRAM becomes a key asset. At 4K, the GPU's 86th percentile position is the likely constraint, and the 52.22 TFLOPS FP32 compute rate will determine performance in demanding titles. DLSS via the tensor cores can extend playable frame rates at 4K, but the exact gains depend on game-specific implementations.

# Who Should Build It

This desktop build targets users who need high-end performance across both CPU and GPU workloads. Gamers at 1440p and 4K with high refresh rate monitors will benefit from the GPU's 86th percentile position and 16 GB VRAM, which supports high-resolution textures and ray tracing. Content creators working with video editing, 3D rendering, or photo processing will leverage the CPU's 36,859 Cinebench R23 multi-core score and the GPU's compute performance for accelerated exports and previews. Software developers compiling large codebases will appreciate the CPU's 147,575 PassMark integer math score and 24 threads, which shorten build times. Students in engineering or computer science programs will find the ECC memory support and 76.8 GB/s memory bandwidth useful for technical computing. Small business workstations handling data analysis, financial modeling, or database work will benefit from the CPU's 43,698 PassMark multithread score and 31,403 data encryption score for secure transactions.

# Build Overview

This is a desktop-class build pairing the Intel Core i9-12900KS with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER. The CPU is a 16-core, 24-thread Alder Lake-S processor on Intel Socket 1700 with a 5.50 GHz boost clock and 30 MB of shared L3 cache. The GPU is an Ada Lovelace architecture chip with 16 GB GDDR6X memory, 80 RT cores, and 320 tensor cores. The combined percentile of 88 places this system in the upper tier of desktop configurations — not the absolute top, but firmly in the high-end segment. The CPU's 89th percentile and GPU's 86th percentile are closely matched, making this a coherent pairing rather than a lopsided one.

# Upgrade Path and Platform

The CPU uses Intel Socket 1700 and supports dual-channel DDR4 and DDR5 memory, with a memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s. The platform supports PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The CPU's TDP is 150 W, and the GPU's TDP is 320 W, with a suggested PSU of 700 W. The GPU uses a single 16-pin power connector and is a triple-slot card measuring 310 mm in length, 140 mm in height, and 61 mm in width — case compatibility should be checked. The CPU is unlocked (multiplierUnlocked is true), allowing overclocking, and has a production status of "Active." The GPU is marked "End-of-life" with a successor in the GeForce 50 series, so a future upgrade could involve replacing the GPU with a newer generation. The CPU's 89th percentile position leaves some headroom for GPU upgrades, but the 150 W TDP means a more power-hungry CPU would require a motherboard and cooling change. A sensible next upgrade would be a newer-generation GPU, given the current GPU's end-of-life status, while the CPU remains competitive.

# Usage Scenarios

High-refresh gaming: The CPU's 89th percentile position and single-thread score of 5,203 in Cinebench R23 support high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, while the GPU's 86th percentile and 16 GB VRAM handle 1440p and 4K with high settings. The 80 RT cores enable ray tracing, and the tensor cores support DLSS for frame rate boosts.

Streaming: The CPU's 24 threads and 43,698 PassMark multithread score provide ample headroom for encoding while gaming, and the GPU's NVENC (implied by the Ada Lovelace architecture) can offload encoding. The 16 GB VRAM prevents texture thrashing during simultaneous game and stream rendering.

Video editing: The CPU's 36,859 Cinebench R23 multi-core score accelerates timeline scrubbing and export encoding, while the GPU's 52.22 TFLOPS FP32 compute rate speeds up effects rendering and color grading. The 16 GB VRAM handles 4K footage without swapping.

3D rendering: The CPU's 111,429 PassMark floating point math score handles physics and simulation, while the GPU's 219,065 Geekbench OpenCL score accelerates ray tracing in render engines. The 80 RT cores are directly applicable to GPU-accelerated rendering.

Software development: The CPU's 147,575 integer math score and 24 threads shorten compilation times for large codebases, and the 31,403 data encryption score supports secure development workflows. The ECC memory support adds stability for long-running builds.

Student and office work: The CPU's 4,330 PassMark single-thread score handles everyday applications responsively, and the 43,698 multithread score accelerates batch operations in spreadsheets and databases. The integrated UHD Graphics 770 provides a fallback if the discrete GPU is unavailable, though the RTX 4080 SUPER is the primary display output.

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

Apex Performer

System Balance Analysis

Intel Core i9-12900KS

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER

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

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

Related Processors

Related Graphics Cards

Compare Your CPU

Compare Your GPU

Related PC Builds

Same CPU with Different GPUs

Same GPU with Different CPUs

Other Popular Builds