SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core i9-13950HX + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile

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

94 / 100
ULTIMATE READY

Apex Performer

Top 6% 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
94%
PROCESSOR

Intel Core i9-13950HX

44,342 Benchmark Score
Top 7% Market Ranking
View Full Specs →
GRAPHICS CARD

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile

33,170 Benchmark Score
Top 6% 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 i9-13950HX paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile is a study in contrasting capabilities—a top-tier 24-core processor tethered to a modest entry-level GPU. This combination targets users who need maximum CPU throughput for professional workloads but are willing to compromise on gaming fidelity and frame rates. The data confirms a laptop engineered for processing power, not pixel pushing.

Gaming Performance

No measured FPS rows exist for this exact combination, so all frame rate discussions are estimates derived from the CPU and GPU benchmark scores. The data clearly indicates that the RTX 3050 Mobile is the primary constraint in gaming scenarios. With an average benchmark score of 33170 and a percentile ranking of 78 among all GPUs, the 3050 Mobile sits in the mid-range tier, capable of handling esports titles and older AAA games at 1080p with adjusted settings.

The CPU’s impressive single-thread performance—a 3dmark_single_thread score of 1102 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2096—will ensure that frame pacing remains stable, but it cannot conjure graphics horsepower that does not exist. At 1080p ultra settings, modern demanding titles will likely struggle to maintain high refresh rates. The GPU’s raw compute output of 5.501 TFLOPS places it firmly in the territory of 60 FPS gaming at medium-to-high presets for most current titles, but not at maximum fidelity. Esports titles like Counter-Strike or Valorant, which are more CPU-bound, will see excellent performance thanks to the i9-13950HX’s high clock speeds and robust core count. For those seeking high-refresh 144Hz gameplay, the RTX 3050 Mobile will be the bottleneck, requiring significant graphical compromises to approach those frame rates.

GPU Analysis

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile is built on the Ampere architecture and fabricated on Samsung’s 8 nm process node, containing 8,700 million transistors on a 200 mm² die. The chip, designated GA107, features 2048 shading units, 64 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. It comes equipped with 16 dedicated ray tracing cores and 64 tensor cores, enabling hardware-accelerated ray tracing and DLSS support, though the relatively low core count limits the effectiveness of these features at higher resolutions. The GPU’s memory subsystem comprises 4 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 192.0 GB/s. This is a significant limitation for modern games, as 4 GB of VRAM is often insufficient for high-resolution textures and detailed environments at 1080p ultra settings.

The clock speeds are notably modest for a gaming GPU, with a base clock of 1065 MHz and a boost clock of 1343 MHz. The memory operates at 1500 MHz, or 12 Gbps effective. These clocks contribute to the GPU’s pixel rate of 42.98 GPixel/s and texture rate of 85.95 GTexel/s. The 45 W TDP classifies this as a low-power mobile solution, which means sustained performance is heavily dependent on the laptop’s thermal solution. Benchmark data shows a Geekbench OpenCL score of 50038 and a Vulkan score of 49051, indicating competent compute capabilities for its class. The GPU’s percentile ranking against all GPUs is 78, placing it just above the NVIDIA T550 Mobile and AMD Radeon Pro 570, with a delta of 0% and -0.1% respectively. For rendering and light creative work, the 3050 Mobile is serviceable, but it is not a content creation powerhouse. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 421 confirms its entry-level standing in modern graphics workloads.

Benchmark Performance

The Intel Core i9-13950HX delivers exceptional processing power, as evidenced by its comprehensive benchmark suite. The CPU achieves a 3dmark_max_threads score of 11926 and a 3dmark_16_threads score of 8903, demonstrating strong multi-threaded scaling. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 28681 is particularly noteworthy, placing it among the top mobile processors. The single-thread performance is equally impressive, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2096. In Passmark tests, the CPU scores 41614 in multithread, 147091 in integer math, and 105553 in floating point math. The data compression score of 510258 highlights its prowess in data-intensive tasks. The CPU’s overall average benchmark score is 44342, placing it at the 88th percentile among all CPUs.

The GPU’s average benchmark score of 33170 places it at the 78th percentile among all GPUs. When comparing the two, the CPU is significantly more powerful relative to its peers than the GPU. The CPU’s nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen AI Max 385 with an average score of 44309 (a 0.1% delta) and the Intel Core i5-13600 with 44240 (a 0.2% delta). The GPU’s nearest rivals include the NVIDIA T550 Mobile with 33161 (0% delta) and the AMD Radeon Pro 570 with 33207 (-0.1% delta). The combined system percentile is 83, reflecting a machine that is above average overall but with a clear disparity between its two main components. The CPU’s performance is 28% higher than its rival baseline in multi-core workloads, while the GPU is essentially tied with its nearest competitors, indicating a severe imbalance in relative capability.

Balance and Bottleneck

The benchmark results clearly identify the GPU as the bottleneck in gaming and graphics-intensive workloads. The CPU’s 88th percentile ranking versus the GPU’s 78th percentile ranking illustrates a 10-percentage point gap in relative performance. In gaming scenarios, the RTX 3050 Mobile will saturate long before the i9-13950HX reaches its limits. The GPU’s 4 GB VRAM capacity and 192.0 GB/s bandwidth will constrain texture loading and frame buffers at higher resolutions. The CPU, with its 24 cores and 32 threads, will remain largely underutilized in most games, leaving significant processing headroom unused.

Conversely, in CPU-bound tasks such as video encoding, 3D rendering, or software compilation, the i9-13950HX will operate at near-peak capacity while the GPU idles. The FPS scaling, estimated from the benchmark scores, indicates that increasing graphical settings will have a negligible impact on CPU load but will dramatically decrease frame rates due to GPU limitations. This is a classic unbalanced configuration where the platform’s potential is capped by its weakest link. For users who primarily game, the i9-13950HX is overkill; for users who primarily render, the RTX 3050 Mobile is underwhelming. The system is best suited for workloads that are predominantly CPU-intensive with occasional light GPU acceleration.

Usage Scenarios

High-Refresh Gaming: Not recommended. The RTX 3050 Mobile’s 5.501 TFLOPS of compute power and 192.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for sustained high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p in modern titles. The CPU’s excellent single-thread score of 1102 in 3dmark will ensure low frame times, but the GPU will cap FPS well below 144 Hz in demanding games. Esports titles can reach high frame rates, but the 4 GB VRAM may still cause issues in some competitive shooters with high texture packs.

Streaming: The i9-13950HX’s 24 cores and 32 threads provide ample headroom for software encoding. The Passmark multithread score of 41614 and data encryption score of 30805 indicate the CPU can handle x264 encoding at high presets while maintaining game performance. The GPU’s NVENC encoder, while present via the tensor cores, is not leveraged to its full potential due to the low core count. This is a viable streaming machine, but the GPU will limit game quality settings while broadcasting.

Video Editing: The CPU excels in this scenario. Cinebench R23 multicore score of 28681 enables fast export times in Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve. The GPU can assist with effects and color grading, but its 4 GB VRAM may limit the use of complex GPU-accelerated effects or 4K timelines. The combination is workable for 1080p editing but will struggle with heavy 4K multi-layer projects.

3D Rendering: The CPU is a rendering beast, with a Cinebench R15 multicore score of 4529 and a Passmark floating point math score of 105553. CPU-based renderers like Blender Cycles (CPU mode) or V-Ray will see exceptional performance. GPU rendering will be slow due to the RTX 3050 Mobile’s modest 2048 shading units and 5.501 TFLOPS. Users should rely primarily on CPU rendering with this setup.

Software Development: The i9-13950HX is ideal for compilation-heavy workflows. The Passmark integer math score of 147091 and data compression score of 510258 indicate rapid code compilation and data processing. The 36 MB of L3 cache aids in handling large codebases. The GPU is irrelevant for most development tasks, making this a strong, if overpowered, choice for developers.

Student and Office Work: This configuration is massively overqualified for document processing, web browsing, and spreadsheet work. The CPU’s 88th percentile ranking ensures zero lag in any office application, and the integrated UHD Graphics 770 can handle basic display tasks without engaging the discrete GPU. The 55 W TDP of the CPU, however, means battery life will be a concern, and the high-performance components are wasted on such light workloads.

Who Should Build It

This platform targets users who require extreme multi-core CPU performance in a mobile form factor but have modest graphics needs. The primary audience includes software developers who compile large codebases, data analysts processing large datasets, and engineers running simulations—all of whom will benefit from the i9-13950HX’s Cinebench R23 score of 28681 and Passmark multithread score of 41614. Content creators working primarily in CPU-bound applications like 3D modeling or audio production will find the processing power transformative.

For gamers, this is not an ideal choice. The RTX 3050 Mobile’s performance level, evidenced by its 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 421, means users should target 1080p gaming at medium settings in recent AAA titles. Those seeking high-refresh 1440p or 4K gaming should look elsewhere. Students and office workers would be better served by a more balanced, lower-power configuration, as the i9-13950HX’s performance exceeds any academic or administrative requirement. Small business workstations handling complex financial modeling or scientific computing would benefit, provided the GPU demands remain low.

Upgrade Path and Platform

The Intel Core i9-13950HX uses the Intel BGA 1964 socket, which is a soldered mobile platform, meaning the CPU is not upgradeable. The system supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, allowing for a range of memory choices at purchase time. The CPU provides 20 PCIe Gen 5 lanes, ensuring high-bandwidth connectivity for the latest NVMe SSDs. The GPU is connected via PCIe 4.0 x8 and is also soldered to the motherboard. The RTX 3050 Mobile is designated as end-of-life, so no driver updates or performance improvements are expected.

The suggested PSU for this configuration is not specified, but the combined TDP of the CPU (55 W) and GPU (45 W) totals 100 W, suggesting that a 180 W or higher power adapter is necessary for full sustained performance. The next sensible upgrade path is an entirely new laptop, as neither the CPU nor GPU can be replaced. Users seeking more graphics performance would need to consider a configuration with a higher-tier GPU, such as an RTX 4060 or RTX 4070 Mobile, which would better balance the i9-13950HX’s capabilities. The platform’s strengths are its memory flexibility and PCIe Gen 5 support, which future-proof the storage and memory subsystems but not the processing cores.

FAQ

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

A: The combined percentile is 83, indicating the system performs better than 83% of all benchmarked configurations.

Q: How does the CPU compare to the AMD Ryzen AI Max 385?

A: The Intel Core i9-13950HX has an average benchmark score of 44342, which is 0.1% higher than the AMD Ryzen AI Max 385’s score of 44309.

Q: How much VRAM does the RTX 3050 Mobile have, and what is its bandwidth?

A: The GPU has 4 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 192.0 GB/s.

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

A: The Intel Core i9-13950HX has a boost clock of 5.50 GHz.

Q: What are the GPU’s nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The nearest rivals are the NVIDIA T550 Mobile with an average score of 33161 (0% delta) and the AMD Radeon Pro 570 with 33207 (-0.1% delta).

Q: Does the CPU support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i9-13950HX supports ECC memory, which is beneficial for workstation and server-like tasks.

Q: What is the production status of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile?

A: The GPU is marked as end-of-life, meaning it is no longer in active production.

CPU Analysis

The Intel Core i9-13950HX is a 24-core, 32-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, specifically the Raptor Lake-HX codename. It is fabricated on Intel’s 10 nm process node with a die size of 257 mm². The CPU features a base clock of 2.20 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, allowing for significant single-thread performance when needed. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and a massive 36 MB of shared L3 cache, which is critical for reducing memory latency in large workloads. The processor supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in dual-channel mode, providing flexibility for system builders. It also features the integrated UHD Graphics 770, which can handle basic display and light media tasks without the discrete GPU.

The benchmark data paints a picture of a processor that excels in both single-thread and multi-thread workloads. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2096 is excellent, driven by the high 5.50 GHz boost clock. The multicore score of 28681 is exceptional, showcasing the scaling potential of the 24 cores. Passmark results reinforce this, with a multithread score of 41614 and a single-thread score of 3899. The CPU’s percentile ranking of 88 places it in the top 12% of all CPUs, and its average benchmark score of 44342 is less than 1% away from the AMD Ryzen AI Max 385 and Intel Core i5-13600. The launch MSRP of the CPU is $590, positioning it as a premium mobile processor. The multiplier is unlocked, allowing for overclocking in supported systems, although thermal constraints in a laptop chassis will limit the practical gains. The CPU’s 55 W TDP is moderate for its core count, but sustained loads will push power consumption higher, necessitating a robust cooling solution. For real-world workloads, this CPU is a workstation-class part that can handle video rendering, scientific computing, and complex compilation tasks with ease, while the integrated graphics provide a low-power fallback for office productivity.