SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core i9-12900KS + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090

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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96 Score

Top 4% Ranking

96 / 100

ULTIMATE READY

Apex Performer

Top 4% 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

98%

PROCESSOR

Intel Core i9-12900KS

45,094 Benchmark Score

Top 7% Market Ranking

View Full Specs →

GRAPHICS CARD

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090

79,842 Benchmark Score

Top 2% 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 pairing unites one of Intel’s most aggressive 12th Gen desktop processors with NVIDIA’s current flagship consumer GPU. The data shows a desktop build where the CPU, launched in April 2022 with a launch MSRP of $739, and the GPU, launched in January 2025 with a launch MSRP of 1,999 USD, represent peak performance from their respective generations. The combined percentile of 91 places this configuration in the top tier of all systems, but the benchmark data reveals specific strengths and potential imbalances that matter more than the overall ranking. No measured FPS rows exist for this exact combination, so all frame rates discussed later are estimates derived from the synthetic benchmark scores.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture, fabricated on a 5 nm process at TSMC. The chip, designated GB202, contains 92,200 million transistors on a 750 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 122.9M per mm². This is a massive piece of silicon, and the specifications reflect that scale. The GPU operates with a base clock of 2017 MHz and a boost clock of 2407 MHz, while the memory runs at 1750 MHz with 28 Gbps effective speed.

Memory configuration is a defining feature of this card. The RTX 5090 ships with 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, producing a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s. This is not merely a large frame buffer; the bandwidth figure is critical for 4K texture streaming, large AI models, and compute workloads that move substantial data. The 512-bit bus width ensures that the 32 GB capacity does not become a bottleneck in memory-bound scenarios. For rendering, this means high-resolution assets and complex scenes can reside entirely in VRAM, avoiding spills into system memory.

The compute resources are equally substantial. The GPU has 21,760 shading units, 680 texture mapping units, and 176 raster output units. Pixel rate is listed at 423.6 GPixel/s, and texture rate at 1,636.8 GTexel/s. For raw floating-point performance, the card delivers 104.8 TFLOPS for both FP32 and FP16, indicating a 1:1 ratio that simplifies mixed-precision workloads. This level of FP32 throughput is significant for real-time graphics and simulation.

Ray tracing and AI acceleration are handled by dedicated hardware. The RTX 5090 includes 170 RT cores and 680 tensor cores. The RT core count directly influences ray-traced lighting, shadows, and reflections in supported titles. The tensor cores are essential for DLSS and other AI-based upscaling and frame generation techniques. In benchmark terms, the GPU scores 18,355 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, which is a modern, demanding test. Its Geekbench OpenCL score is 334,370, and Vulkan score is 376,728, showing strong cross-API performance. The PassMark G3D score of 39,650 and G2D score of 1,413 further quantify its rasterization and 2D capabilities.

The GPU’s percentile vs all GPUs is 92, placing it ahead of the vast majority of installed hardware. However, the nearest rivals in the database are interesting. The NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB has an average score of 79,605, which is 0.3% higher than the RTX 5090’s average score of 79,842. The Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB scores 79,396, a 0.6% difference. The AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT scores 78,940, which is 1.1% lower. The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64X scores 80,959, which is 1.4% higher. These deltas are all within 1.5%, suggesting that the database’s average benchmark score places the RTX 5090 in a very tight cluster with older professional and mobile parts. This is likely due to the averaging of diverse tests, but it does not diminish the GPU’s raw specifications. The PassMark DirectX scores are notably low (226 for DX10, 341 for DX11, 185 for DX12, 395 for DX9), which may indicate these legacy tests do not properly scale with the new architecture.

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

The CPU and GPU each contribute distinct benchmark profiles. The Intel Core i9-12900KS achieves an average benchmark score of 45,094, with a percentile vs all CPUs of 89. Its nearest rival is the AMD EPYC 4344P, which scores 45,122, a delta of -0.1%. The Intel Core i5-14600 scores 44,889, a delta of 0.5%. The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D scores 44,573, a delta of 1.2%. The Intel Core Ultra X9 388H scores 44,466, a delta of 1.4%. These results show the 12900KS is essentially tied with its closest competitors, all within a 1.5% band. The CPU’s multi-threaded performance is strong, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 36,859 and a single-core score of 5,203. Geekbench multi-core is 18,538 and single-core is 2,408. PassMark multi-thread score is 43,698, with single-thread at 4,330.

The GPU, as noted, has an average benchmark score of 79,842 and a percentile of 92. When combined, the system’s combined percentile is 91. This indicates that the pairing is well-balanced in terms of overall percentile ranking, with both components in the top 10-11% of their respective categories. However, the nature of the workloads matters. In 3DMark tests, the CPU scores 10,316 on 16 threads, 2,212 on 2 threads, 4,320 on 4 threads, 7,872 on 8 threads, 11,897 on max threads, and 1,121 on single thread. These scores show excellent scaling from 2 to 16 threads, with a significant jump from 8 threads to max threads.

The combined picture suggests a system that excels in heavily parallel tasks. The CPU’s 24 threads (16 cores) and the GPU’s massive compute array mean that rendering, encoding, and scientific computing will see high utilization. The GPU’s 104.8 TFLOPS FP32 performance is a ceiling that the CPU can feed in most scenarios, though there may be cases where the CPU becomes the limiting factor in high-FPS gaming at lower resolutions.

FAQ — 5-7 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the combined performance percentile of this CPU and GPU pairing?

A: The combined percentile is 91, placing this desktop build in the top tier of all systems in the database.

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

A: The 12900KS has an average benchmark score of 45,094, while the EPYC 4344P scores 45,122, a delta of -0.1%. This means the two are virtually identical in average performance.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth of the RTX 5090, and why does it matter?

A: The RTX 5090 has a memory bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s, enabled by 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus. This high bandwidth is critical for moving large textures and data sets quickly.

Q: Does the RTX 5090 have dedicated ray tracing and AI hardware?

A: Yes, the GPU includes 170 RT cores and 680 tensor cores, which handle ray-traced workloads and AI-based upscaling respectively.

Q: What is the CPU’s single-threaded performance score in Cinebench R23?

A: The Core i9-12900KS scores 5,203 in Cinebench R23 single-core, indicating strong performance for lightly-threaded tasks.

Q: How many threads does the CPU support?

A: The CPU has 16 cores and 24 threads, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz.

Q: What is the GPU’s process node and die size?

A: The RTX 5090 is fabricated on a 5 nm process at TSMC, with a die size of 750 mm².

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 rows for this exact combination. The field `measuredFpsUltraByGame` is empty, and `dataIsMeasured` is false. Therefore, all frame rate expectations are estimates based on the synthetic benchmark scores. The GPU’s 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 18,355 is a strong indicator of modern gaming performance. The CPU’s 3DMark 16-thread score of 10,316 and single-thread score of 1,121 suggest it can handle game logic and physics without major bottlenecks.

For 1080p gaming, the CPU’s single-thread and 2-thread scores (1,121 and 2,212 respectively) are adequate, but the GPU’s raw power may be underutilized at this resolution. Expect extremely high frame rates, but the CPU may limit the absolute maximum in esports titles. At 1440p, the balance shifts toward the GPU, and the system should deliver consistently high frame rates in demanding AAA titles. At 4K, the GPU’s 32 GB VRAM and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth become fully relevant, and the system should provide playable to high frame rates in most games, with ray tracing enabled. The 170 RT cores will accelerate ray-traced effects, and the 680 tensor cores enable DLSS for additional performance headroom.

The PassMark DirectX 12 score of 185 is anomalously low, but this likely reflects a legacy test that does not map well to Blackwell 2.0. The Geekbench Vulkan score of 376,728 is more representative of modern API performance. Overall, the gaming estimates are excellent, with the caveat that the CPU may be the limiting factor at 1080p high-refresh settings.

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

The CPU’s percentile vs all CPUs is 89, while the GPU’s percentile vs all GPUs is 92. The combined percentile is 91. This 3-point gap between CPU and GPU percentiles is modest, but it has implications. In CPU-bound scenarios, such as 1080p gaming with a powerful GPU, the CPU’s lower percentile relative to the GPU suggests it will be the limiting factor. The CPU’s 3DMark single-thread score of 1,121 and 2-thread score of 2,212 are good, but not exceptional compared to newer processors. The nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-14600 and AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D, which are close in average score, indicating the 12900KS is competitive but not dominant.

In GPU-bound workloads, such as 4K gaming or rendering, the GPU’s higher percentile and massive compute resources will be the primary driver. The GPU’s 104.8 TFLOPS FP32 and 423.6 GPixel/s pixel rate mean that the CPU will likely be waiting on the GPU in these scenarios. The FPS scaling evidence is indirect, but the CPU’s 3DMark max-thread score of 11,897 shows it can utilize all 24 threads effectively, which is important for feeding the GPU in multi-threaded game engines.

For productivity workloads, the balance is more even. The CPU’s Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 36,859 is strong, and the GPU’s compute score (PassMark GPU Compute 26,756) adds to the system’s capability. In video editing, the CPU handles encoding and decoding, while the GPU accelerates effects and rendering. The bottleneck analysis suggests that the CPU is the more likely limiting component in high-refresh gaming, but the GPU is the star for resolution and detail-heavy tasks.

Who Should Build It — target users and industries tied strictly to the measured performance

This build targets users who need the highest level of performance in both CPU and GPU tasks. Gamers at 4K resolution will benefit from the GPU’s 32 GB VRAM and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth, which are essential for high-resolution textures and future game releases. The 170 RT cores provide robust ray tracing performance, and the 680 tensor cores enable DLSS, making this a top-tier choice for immersive single-player experiences.

Content creators, particularly video editors and 3D renderers, will find the combination compelling. The CPU’s 16 cores and 24 threads, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 36,859, handle multi-stream video encoding and complex compositing. The GPU’s 104.8 TFLOPS FP32 and 1,636.8 GTexel/s texture rate accelerate rendering in applications that support GPU acceleration. The 32 GB VRAM is particularly useful for large 3D scenes and high-resolution textures.

Software developers working on large codebases will appreciate the CPU’s multi-threaded performance. The PassMark integer math score of 147,575 and data compression score of 563,709 indicate strong performance in compilation and data processing tasks. Students in engineering or data science fields can run simulations and machine learning experiments, leveraging the GPU’s tensor cores and 104.8 TFLOPS compute.

Small business workstations that handle video production, architectural visualization, or scientific computing would benefit from this build. The GPU’s 32 GB VRAM is suitable for large datasets, and the CPU’s 24 threads handle multi-tasking. However, the power requirements (575 W TDP for GPU, 150 W TDP for CPU, 950 W suggested PSU) mean this is not a typical office machine. It is a high-performance workstation for professionals who need the absolute best.

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 die. It is manufactured on a 10 nm process by Intel, with a die size of 215 mm². The base clock is 3.40 GHz, and the boost clock is 5.50 GHz. The CPU supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory, with a dual-channel memory bus and a memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s. It has ECC memory support, which is unusual for a consumer desktop processor and valuable for data integrity in workstations. The socket is Intel Socket 1700, and it uses PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU.

The cache hierarchy is substantial: 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core, and 30 MB of shared L3 cache. This configuration supports the CPU’s high boost clock, as the large L2 cache per core reduces latency for frequently accessed data. The integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 770, which provides a basic display output but is not intended for gaming.

Benchmark scores reveal the CPU’s character. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 36,859 is excellent for a 2022 processor, and the single-core score of 5,203 is competitive. The Geekbench multi-core score of 18,538 and single-core score of 2,408 align with these results. In PassMark, the CPU scores 43,698 in multi-thread and 4,330 in single-thread. The data compression score of 563,709 and integer math score of 147,575 indicate strong throughput for productivity tasks.

The nearest rivals are all within 1.4% of the 12900KS’s average score. The AMD EPYC 4344P (server-oriented) and Intel Core i5-14600 (newer desktop) are essentially tied with the 12900KS. This suggests that the 12900KS remains relevant, but newer CPUs have caught up. The 3DMark scores show scaling from 2,212 (2 threads) to 11,897 (max threads), indicating that the CPU efficiently utilizes additional threads, which is important for video encoding and rendering.

Build Overview — what this CPU+GPU pairing is, its class, and overall tier from the percentiles

This is a desktop-class build, as indicated by the `buildClass` field. It pairs the Intel Core i9-12900KS with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090. The combined percentile of 91 places this system in the top 9% of all builds in the database. The CPU’s percentile of 89 and GPU’s percentile of 92 are both high, but the GPU is relatively stronger. This is a flagship-level configuration from two different generations: the CPU from 2022 and the GPU from 2025.

The build is designed for maximum performance in gaming, content creation, and compute workloads. The CPU provides 24 threads for multi-tasking and productivity, while the GPU offers 32 GB of VRAM and 104.8 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. The TDP figures (150 W CPU, 575 W GPU) indicate a high-power system that requires a robust cooling solution and a 950 W suggested PSU. The GPU is dual-slot and 304 mm long, requiring a spacious case.

The tier is defined by the percentiles. At 91 combined, this is a top-tier enthusiast or professional workstation. It is not a budget build, and the performance expectations are correspondingly high. The system is well-suited for 4K gaming, 3D rendering, and AI development. The pairing of a 2022 CPU with a 2025 GPU may seem mismatched, but the benchmark data shows they are close in percentile, making it a viable combination for those who want the best GPU without upgrading the CPU platform.

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

The CPU is on the Intel Socket 1700 platform, which supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory. The memory bus is dual-channel, with a bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s. The platform supports PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU, which is sufficient for the RTX 5090’s PCIe 5.0 x16 interface. The CPU’s TDP is 150 W, and the GPU’s TDP is 575 W, with a suggested PSU of 950 W. This leaves headroom for overclocking, as the CPU has an unlocked multiplier, but the total system power draw will be high.

The upgrade path is constrained by the Socket 1700 platform. The 12900KS is near the top of the 12th Gen lineup, so a CPU upgrade would require moving to a newer generation, which would likely need a new motherboard. The memory support for both DDR4 and DDR5 means users can choose their memory type, but they cannot mix them. A sensible next upgrade would be to a newer Intel platform with DDR5 support, but the current CPU’s performance is still competitive, as shown by the benchmark data.

For the GPU, the RTX 5090 is the current flagship, and the successor is listed as GeForce 60, but no details are provided. Upgrading the GPU would not be necessary for several years. The PSU headroom from the 950 W suggested PSU is adequate for the current components, but if the user adds storage drives or other peripherals, they should ensure the PSU has sufficient wattage. The PCIe Gen 5 support ensures that the GPU is not bandwidth-limited. The platform is mature, and the primary upgrade path would be to a new CPU and motherboard combination when the user needs more multi-threaded performance.

Usage Scenarios — grounded in the scores: high-refresh gaming, streaming, video editing, 3D rendering, software development, student and office work

High-refresh gaming: The CPU’s single-thread score of 1,121 in 3DMark and 5,203 in Cinebench R23 single-core provide a solid foundation for high frame rates. The GPU’s 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 18,355 indicates it can push high frame rates at 1440p and 4K. At 1080p, the CPU may limit the absolute maximum FPS, but the system is capable of high-refresh gaming.

Streaming: The CPU’s 24 threads and Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 36,859 can handle game encoding while playing. The GPU’s tensor cores could also be used for AI-based encoding. The system has ample headroom for streaming software, chat applications, and the game simultaneously.

Video editing: The CPU’s PassMark data compression score of 563,709 and integer math score of 147,575 indicate strong performance in video encoding and codec operations. The GPU’s 32 GB VRAM and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth are ideal for editing high-resolution footage and applying effects. The combined performance will significantly reduce render times.

3D rendering: The GPU’s 104.8 TFLOPS FP32 and 1,636.8 GTexel/s texture rate are directly applicable to rendering. The 170 RT cores accelerate ray-traced rendering in applications like Blender or V-Ray. The CPU’s multi-threaded score of 36,859 in Cinebench R23 handles geometry and scene preparation. This is a professional-grade rendering machine.

Software development: The CPU’s PassMark integer math score of 147,575 and multi-thread score of 43,698 support fast compilation of large codebases. The 30 MB of L3 cache helps with frequently accessed code. The system can run multiple virtual machines or containers, leveraging the 24 threads.

Student and office work: This build is overkill for standard office tasks, but for engineering or data science students, the GPU’s tensor cores and 104.8 TFLOPS compute are useful for machine learning assignments. The CPU’s 24 threads handle complex simulations. The system is not a typical student laptop, but for a desktop workstation in a dorm or lab, it provides unmatched performance for demanding coursework. The 32 GB VRAM allows for large dataset manipulation without memory errors.

Rate My PC: Intel Core i9-12900KS + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090

Apex Performer

System Balance Analysis

Intel Core i9-12900KS

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090

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

FAQ — 5-7 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

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)

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

Who Should Build It — target users and industries tied strictly to the measured performance

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

Build Overview — what this CPU+GPU pairing is, its class, and overall tier from the percentiles

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

Usage Scenarios — grounded in the scores: high-refresh gaming, streaming, video editing, 3D rendering, software development, student and office work

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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