SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core i9-12900KS + NVIDIA RTX 5000 Ada Generation

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

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%
VS
GPU
99%
PROCESSOR

Intel Core i9-12900KS

45,094 Benchmark Score
Top 7% Market Ranking
View Full Specs →
GRAPHICS CARD

NVIDIA RTX 5000 Ada Generation

184,664 Benchmark Score
Top 1% 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 Intel's Alder Lake architecture using a 10 nm process. Its hybrid design combines performance and efficiency cores, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. This is Intel's special "Special Edition" variant of the 12900K, distinguished by higher boost clocks and a 150 W TDP. It uses the Intel Socket 1700 platform and supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in dual-channel configuration, offering 76.8 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The chip includes 30 MB of shared L3 cache, plus 80 KB of L1 and 1.25 MB of L2 per core. ECC memory support is present, and integrated UHD Graphics 770 is included for basic display output. The CPU connects via PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the processor itself.

Benchmark results place this CPU in the 89th percentile among all processors, with an average benchmark score of 45094. In 3DMark testing, the chip scores 10316 with 16 threads, 7872 with 8 threads, 4320 with 4 threads, and 2212 with 2 threads. Single-thread performance in 3DMark reaches 1121, while max-thread performance hits 11897. Cinebench R23 results show 36859 multi-core and 5203 single-core. Cinebench R20 scores 15480 multi-core and 2185 single-core, while R15 delivers 3715 multi-core and 524 single-core. Geekbench reports 18538 multi-core and 2408 single-core.

The nearest rival comparisons show how tightly grouped this segment is. The AMD EPYC 4344P scores 45122, a delta of -0.1% from the i9-12900KS. The Intel Core i5-14600 trails by 0.5% at 44889. The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D scores 44573, a 1.2% gap, and the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H sits at 44466, 1.4% behind. These deltas are small, meaning the i9-12900KS is essentially neck-and-neck with several modern mid-range and workstation processors despite being from an earlier generation.

PassMark results add practical context. Multi-thread performance scores 43698, integer math hits 147575, floating-point math reaches 111429, and extended instructions score 35089. Data encryption scores 31403, while data compression hits 563709. Random string sorting reaches 60539, physics scores 2437, and finding prime numbers scores 158. Single-thread performance in PassMark is 4330. These numbers indicate strong all-round compute capability, with particular strength in encryption and compression workloads.

The 89th percentile ranking means this CPU outperforms roughly 89% of all processors in the database. However, the rival deltas show that newer mid-range parts like the i5-14600 are within a rounding error of its average score. The i9-12900KS remains competitive primarily because of its high boost clock and substantial thread count, which keep it relevant for multi-threaded tasks. Its 16 cores and 24 threads are a hybrid arrangement — 8 performance cores and 8 efficiency cores — which allows the operating system to schedule tasks appropriately.

# Usage Scenarios

High-refresh gaming: The i9-12900KS delivers excellent single-thread performance with a 3DMark single-thread score of 1121 and Cinebench R23 single-core of 5203. These scores indicate the CPU is capable of feeding a high-refresh-rate gaming system without being the limiting factor in most titles. The 5.50 GHz boost clock is among the highest available, which directly benefits games that rely on single-core performance.

Streaming: With 24 threads and a multi-thread PassMark score of 43698, this CPU can handle simultaneous gaming and encoding workloads. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 36859 shows substantial headroom for software encoding while gaming. The 150 W TDP means cooling requirements are moderate for the performance delivered, though a capable air or liquid cooler is recommended to maintain boost clocks.

Video editing: The Geekbench multi-core score of 18538 and Cinebench R20 multi-core of 15480 indicate strong performance in timeline rendering and export tasks. The 30 MB L3 cache helps with large media files. Data compression score of 563709 suggests efficient handling of codec-related operations.

3D rendering: Cinebench R23 multi-core of 36859 places this CPU in a strong position for CPU-based rendering. The 16-core, 24-thread configuration scales well in render engines that support multi-threading. The floating-point math score of 111429 in PassMark indicates good computational throughput for ray tracing calculations.

Software development: The high single-thread score of 4330 in PassMark speeds up compilation of single files, while the multi-thread score of 43698 accelerates parallel builds. Data encryption score of 31403 is relevant for secure development workflows. The 89th percentile ranking ensures smooth operation of IDEs, virtual machines, and containerized environments.

Student and office work: The integrated UHD Graphics 770 provides basic display output without a discrete GPU. The single-thread performance handles document processing, spreadsheets, and web browsing with ease. The 150 W TDP is manageable for a desktop workstation. The CPU's 89th percentile position means it will not bottleneck typical office productivity software.

# Benchmark Performance

The combined system percentile is 94, placing this pairing in the top 6% of all CPU+GPU combinations in the database. The CPU alone sits at the 89th percentile with an average benchmark score of 45094. The GPU is in the 98th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 184664.

The CPU's nearest rival comparisons demonstrate its position. The AMD EPYC 4344P is 0.1% faster, the Intel Core i5-14600 is 0.5% slower, the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D is 1.2% slower, and the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H is 1.4% slower. These are all sub-2% deltas, meaning the i9-12900KS performs within a hair of several much newer processors.

For the GPU, the Geekbench OpenCL score is 175286 and the Vulkan score is 194041. The nearest rivals are the NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80 GB at 183725 (0.5% slower), the NVIDIA A100 SXM4 40 GB at 187147 (1.3% faster), the NVIDIA RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell at 182109 (1.4% slower), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 D at 178050 (3.7% slower). This puts the RTX 5000 Ada Generation in rarefied air — it trades blows with data-center-class accelerators and a high-end gaming GPU.

The combined picture shows a system where both components are high-performers, but the GPU is the stronger of the two. The CPU at the 89th percentile is good, but the GPU at the 98th percentile is exceptional. This asymmetry matters for workload planning: the GPU will often be the dominant factor in graphics and compute tasks, while the CPU will be adequate but not class-leading in its segment.

# FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i9-12900KS faster than the AMD EPYC 4344P?

A: No. The EPYC 4344P scores 45122 in average benchmark score, which is 0.1% higher than the i9-12900KS's 45094. The difference is negligible in practice.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking among all GPUs?

A: The NVIDIA RTX 5000 Ada Generation is in the 98th percentile among all GPUs, meaning it outperforms 98% of GPUs in the database.

Q: Does this CPU support DDR5 memory?

A: Yes, the i9-12900KS supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in dual-channel configuration, with a memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s.

Q: How does the RTX 5000 Ada Generation compare to the NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80 GB?

A: The RTX 5000 Ada Generation scores 184664 on average, while the A100 SXM4 80 GB scores 183725. The RTX 5000 is 0.5% faster in these benchmarks.

Q: What is the CPU's boost clock speed?

A: The i9-12900KS has a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz.

Q: Does the GPU support ray tracing?

A: Yes, the RTX 5000 Ada Generation has 100 RT cores and 400 tensor cores, supporting DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

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

A: The combined percentile is 94, putting it in the top 6% of all CPU+GPU combinations in the database.

# Balance and Bottleneck

The data reveals a clear imbalance in this pairing. The CPU sits at the 89th percentile, while the GPU occupies the 98th percentile. This means the GPU is substantially more powerful relative to its peers than the CPU is relative to its own peers. In GPU-bound workloads — such as high-resolution gaming, 3D rendering with GPU acceleration, and compute tasks — the RTX 5000 Ada Generation will be the primary performance driver. The CPU will need to keep up with the GPU's output, and in most cases it will, given its strong single-thread and multi-thread scores.

However, in CPU-bound scenarios — such as physics simulations, heavy multitasking, or single-threaded applications — the CPU becomes the limiting factor. The 89th percentile ranking means roughly 11% of CPUs are faster. The nearest rivals show that the i9-12900KS is essentially equivalent to several mid-range processors, which means it is not a top-tier CPU by modern standards.

The FPS scaling picture is estimated since no measured FPS data exists for this exact combination. Based on the benchmark scores, the GPU will drive frame rates in most games, but the CPU's single-thread performance of 4330 in PassMark and 1121 in 3DMark single-thread will set the ceiling for maximum FPS in esports titles and other CPU-intensive games. For 4K gaming, the GPU's 98th percentile ranking will dominate, and the CPU will rarely be the bottleneck. At 1080p with high refresh rates, the CPU's single-thread scores become more relevant, and the 89th percentile ranking suggests some games may see CPU limits.

The 150 W TDP of the CPU and 250 W TDP of the GPU create a system that requires adequate cooling and a power supply of at least 600 W as suggested. The CPU's TDP is moderate for a 16-core part, while the GPU's 250 W is reasonable for its performance class. The PCIe 4.0 x16 interface for the GPU is sufficient, as is the CPU's PCIe Gen 5 support for storage and other devices.

# Gaming Performance

No measured FPS rows exist for this exact CPU+GPU combination in the benchmark database. The FACT PACK contains no measuredFps data for this pairing, so all FPS figures discussed here are estimates based solely on the benchmark scores of each component.

Based on the CPU's single-thread performance — 3DMark single-thread of 1121, Cinebench R23 single-core of 5203, and PassMark single-thread of 4330 — this system should handle high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p and 1440p in most titles. The GPU's 98th percentile ranking, with a Geekbench Vulkan score of 194041, indicates it can drive very high frame rates at these resolutions. At 4K, the GPU will be the dominant factor, and its 32 GB of VRAM and 576.0 GB/s bandwidth provide ample headroom for high-resolution textures and demanding visual settings.

The CPU's 16 cores and 24 threads ensure that background tasks and game threads do not interfere with each other. The 30 MB L3 cache helps with game data locality. The GPU's 12800 shading units, 400 TMUs, and 176 ROPs provide the raw throughput needed for modern game engines. The 100 RT cores support hardware ray tracing, and the 400 tensor cores enable DLSS-style upscaling where supported.

For esports titles at 1080p, the CPU's single-thread score of 4330 in PassMark suggests frame rates could be very high, potentially limited by the game engine rather than the hardware. For AAA titles at 1440p, the GPU's 98th percentile ranking should deliver smooth frame rates with high settings. At 4K, the GPU's 65.28 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 448.8 GPixel/s pixel rate will determine the frame rate ceiling, and the CPU will rarely be the bottleneck.

These are estimates, not measured results. The actual frame rates depend on specific game optimizations, driver maturity, and system configuration. The benchmark data indicates both components are strong performers, but the exact FPS in any given title should be verified with real-world testing.

# GPU Analysis

The NVIDIA RTX 5000 Ada Generation is a workstation-class GPU built on the Ada Lovelace architecture using TSMC's 5 nm process. The chip, codenamed AD102, contains 76,300 million transistors on a 609 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 125.3 million per mm². This is a massive chip designed for professional workloads, not just gaming.

The GPU features 32 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 576.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Memory clock runs at 2250 MHz with 18 Gbps effective speed. The base clock is 1155 MHz with a boost clock of 2550 MHz. The GPU has 12800 shading units, 400 texture mapping units, and 176 raster operation units. It includes 100 RT cores for ray tracing and 400 tensor cores for AI acceleration.

Compute performance is substantial: FP32 and FP16 both reach 65.28 TFLOPS (1:1 ratio). Pixel rate is 448.8 GPixel/s, and texture rate is 1,020.0 GTexel/s. The GPU draws 250 W TDP with a single 16-pin power connector and a suggested 600 W power supply. It occupies a dual-slot form factor with dimensions of 267 mm in length and 112 mm in height. Display output is via 4x DisplayPort 1.4a.

In benchmark results, the GPU scores 175286 in Geekbench OpenCL and 194041 in Geekbench Vulkan. The average benchmark score is 184664, placing it in the 98th percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are data-center and high-end workstation parts: the NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80 GB (183725, 0.5% slower), the NVIDIA A100 SXM4 40 GB (187147, 1.3% faster), the NVIDIA RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell (182109, 1.4% slower), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 D (178050, 3.7% slower).

For rendering workloads, the 32 GB VRAM is critical for large scenes and textures that exceed the memory capacity of typical gaming GPUs. The 576.0 GB/s bandwidth ensures data can be fed to the 12800 shading units without starvation. The 100 RT cores accelerate ray-traced renders, while the 400 tensor cores handle denoising and AI-accelerated features. The 65.28 TFLOPS FP32 performance is relevant for scientific computing and simulation workloads. The dual-slot design and 250 W TDP make it feasible for workstation builds where space and power are considerations.

The 98th percentile ranking indicates this GPU outperforms 98% of all GPUs in the database, making it a top-tier choice for professional graphics work. Its nearest rivals include data-center accelerators, which shows the RTX 5000 Ada Generation is not just a gaming card with a workstation badge — it is a genuine compute powerhouse.

# Build Overview

This system pairs the Intel Core i9-12900KS with the NVIDIA RTX 5000 Ada Generation in a desktop build class configuration. The combined percentile is 94, meaning this pairing outperforms 94% of all CPU+GPU combinations in the database.

The CPU is a 16-core, 24-thread Alder Lake desktop processor with a 5.50 GHz boost clock and 150 W TDP. It sits at the 89th percentile among all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 45094. The GPU is an Ada Lovelace workstation accelerator with 32 GB GDDR6 memory, 65.28 TFLOPS FP32, and a 98th percentile ranking with an average score of 184664.

This is a workstation-class build with gaming-capable performance. The GPU is the dominant component, outperforming 98% of all GPUs, while the CPU is good but not exceptional at the 89th percentile. The combined 94th percentile reflects the GPU's strength pulling the overall system ranking upward.

The build targets professional workloads — 3D rendering, scientific computing, AI development, and video production — where the GPU's 32 GB VRAM and compute capabilities are fully utilized. The CPU provides adequate support for these tasks, with 24 threads for parallel workloads and strong single-thread performance for general responsiveness. The 150 W CPU TDP and 250 W GPU TDP require appropriate cooling, and the suggested 600 W power supply provides headroom for the system.

This is not a typical gaming build. The GPU is a workstation product, not a GeForce gaming card. While it will game well, its design priorities are compute performance, memory capacity, and reliability under sustained professional workloads. The 32 GB VRAM is overkill for gaming but essential for large 3D scenes, high-resolution textures, and GPU-accelerated compute tasks. The CPU's 150 W TDP and 5.50 GHz boost clock are well-matched to a workstation that needs both single-thread responsiveness and multi-thread throughput.

# Who Should Build It

This system is for professionals who need maximum GPU compute performance with adequate CPU support. The 98th percentile GPU ranking means it is suitable for users who work with large datasets, complex 3D scenes, or GPU-accelerated applications where every bit of compute throughput matters.

3D artists and animators will benefit from the 32 GB VRAM and 65.28 TFLOPS FP32 performance. Large scenes that exceed the memory capacity of 16 GB GPUs will fit comfortably, and the 100 RT cores accelerate ray-traced rendering. The 400 tensor cores handle denoising and AI-accelerated features in modern render engines.

Video editors working with high-resolution footage will find the GPU's 576.0 GB/s bandwidth and 12800 shading units useful for real-time preview and effects processing. The CPU's 24 threads and Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 36859 handle timeline operations and export tasks.

Scientific and engineering users who run CUDA-based simulations or data analysis will benefit from the GPU's compute power. The 98th percentile ranking ensures it can handle demanding workloads. The CPU's ECC memory support adds reliability for long-running computations.

Software developers working on GPU-accelerated applications can use this system as a development and testing platform. The CPU's 4330 PassMark single-thread score ensures fast compilation, while the GPU provides a reference target for CUDA and other GPU compute frameworks.

Gamers at 4K resolution who also do professional work will find this system capable of high frame rates with the GPU's 98th percentile performance. The CPU's 89th percentile ranking is sufficient for most games, though the GPU will be the primary driver of gaming performance.

Small business workstations serving CAD, architectural visualization, or video production needs will benefit from the GPU's workstation-class drivers and 32 GB memory capacity. The CPU's 89th percentile ranking and 150 W TDP make it a reasonable choice for a professional workstation that runs continuously.

This build is not for users on a tight budget or those who primarily play esports titles at 1080p — the GPU's workstation focus and 250 W TDP are overkill for that use case. It is for users who need the GPU's compute and memory capabilities and want a CPU that can keep pace without becoming the bottleneck.