SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core i9-14900KS + Intel Arc A380

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PROCESSOR (CPU)

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GRAPHICS CARD (GPU)

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91 Score

Top 9% Ranking

91 / 100

ULTIMATE READY

Apex Performer

Top 9% 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

97%

GPU

86%

PROCESSOR

Intel Core i9-14900KS

81,127 Benchmark Score

Top 3% Market Ranking

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GRAPHICS CARD

Intel Arc A380

8,558 Benchmark Score

Top 14% Market Ranking

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Market Position

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Budget

0-30

Mid-Range

30-60

High-End

60-85

Enthusiast

85-100

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Optimal Performance

Your system is in the top tier. You can run any modern game at maximum settings.

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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

# Intel Core i9-14900KS + Intel Arc A380: A Study in Asymmetry

This pairing couples the fastest consumer desktop processor Intel currently produces with a low-profile entry-level graphics card, creating a system whose character is defined entirely by which workload is asked of it. The Core i9-14900KS sits in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, while the Arc A380 lands in the 44th percentile of all GPUs; the combined system percentile is 70. The result is a machine that can obliterate multithreaded productivity tasks but is fundamentally constrained by its graphics solution in any visual or GPU-accelerated application. The data shows a 24-core processor with a 6.20 GHz boost clock paired with a 6 GB GDDR6 card that has 1024 shading units — a processor that can feed multiple high-end graphics cards paired with a GPU designed for basic desktop use. There are no measured FPS rows in the database for this exact combination, so all gaming frame rate discussions in this analysis are estimates derived from the relative benchmark scores of the two components, not direct measurements.

Usage Scenarios

High-refresh gaming: This is the weakest scenario for the pairing. The Arc A380's PassMark G3D score of 6252 and its 44th percentile ranking place it far below the level required for high-refresh 1080p gaming in demanding titles. The CPU's Cinebench R23 single-core score of 7199 demonstrates it can process game logic and draw calls with immense speed, but the GPU cannot convert that into high frame rates. The GPU's DirectX 12 score of 35 in PassMark indicates it can handle modern APIs, but the raw throughput is insufficient for 144 Hz or higher monitors in most games.

Streaming: The CPU is exceptionally well-suited for streaming workloads. The PassMark multithread score of 60012 and the Cinebench R23 multicore score of 50995 provide enormous headroom for encoding video while gaming. The 24 cores and 32 threads can handle both the game and the encoding pipeline simultaneously without contention. However, the GPU's modest 6 GB VRAM and 186.0 GB/s bandwidth mean the graphics output being streamed will be limited to lower quality settings and resolutions.

Video editing: This scenario is mixed. The CPU's Geekbench multicore score of 23931 and PassMark integer math score of 212644 accelerate timeline operations, rendering, and export tasks dramatically. The PassMark data compression score of 803368 indicates fast file handling for large video projects. However, the GPU's fp32 performance of 4.198 TFLOPS and its PassMark GPU compute score of 2762 will slow GPU-accelerated effects, color grading, and real-time previews. The system excels at CPU-based rendering but stumbles on GPU-dependent workflows.

3D rendering: CPU-based rendering will be outstanding. The Cinebench R20 multicore score of 21417 and Cinebench R15 multicore score of 5140 show a processor capable of handling complex scenes with many objects and lights. The 36 MB of shared L3 cache keeps frequently accessed data close to the cores. GPU-based rendering, however, will be severely limited by the Arc A380's 4.198 TFLOPS fp32 throughput and 8 RT cores, which place it in the lower tier of rendering accelerators.

Software development: The CPU's strengths align well with compilation and code analysis. The PassMark extended instructions score of 45524 accelerates vectorized code, while the PassMark random string sorting score of 89789 indicates fast text processing for code indexing and search. The Geekbench single-core score of 2692 ensures responsive IDE interactions. The GPU is largely irrelevant for most development tasks, though the integrated UHD Graphics 770 could handle basic display output if the Arc A380 were removed.

Student and office work: This pairing is massively over-specified for this category. The CPU's PassMark single-thread score of 4815 makes everyday applications feel instant, and the PassMark physics score of 3381 suggests smooth handling of any classroom simulation software. The GPU's PassMark G2D score of 610 is adequate for standard office applications and web browsing. The system would excel at any academic workload, but the power and cost of the processor far exceed the requirements of typical student tasks.

Benchmark Performance

The CPU's average benchmark score is 81127, placing it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the Intel Xeon w5-3535X, scores 81115 with a deltaPct of 0, meaning the two are statistically tied. The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX also ties at 81103 with a deltaPct of 0. The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 395 trails by 0.5 percent at 80762, and the Intel Xeon 638 also trails by 0.5 percent at 80723. The CPU's Cinebench R23 multicore score of 50995 and single-core score of 7199 demonstrate leadership in both heavily threaded and lightly threaded workloads. The Geekbench multicore score of 23931 and single-core score of 2692 corroborate this dual strength. The PassMark multithread score of 60012 and single-thread score of 4815 show consistent performance across different benchmarking methodologies.

The GPU's average benchmark score is 8558, placing it in the 44th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD FirePro W5170M, scores 8595 with a deltaPct of -0.4, meaning the Arc A380 is slightly behind. The AMD Radeon HD 8870M scores 8462 with a deltaPct of 1.1, putting the Arc A380 ahead. The NVIDIA GeForce MX330 scores 8458 with a deltaPct of 1.2, and the AMD Radeon 880M scores 8436 with a deltaPct of 1.4. The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 808 is a modern API benchmark result, while its Geekbench OpenCL score of 38224 and Vulkan score of 36736 show compute capability below mainstream desktop GPUs. The PassMark G3D score of 6252 and GPU compute score of 2762 confirm the GPU's entry-level positioning.

The combined picture is a system where the CPU operates at the very top of its class while the GPU operates near the bottom. The combinedPercentile of 70 reflects this blend, but it masks the extreme disparity between the two components. In CPU-bound tasks, this system will outperform the vast majority of desktop machines; in GPU-bound tasks, it will fall behind systems costing a fraction of the price.

Gaming Performance

The database contains no measured FPS data for this exact CPU-GPU combination. The `measuredFpsUltraByGame` field is empty, and `dataIsMeasured` is false. All frame rate figures discussed here are estimates based on the benchmark scores and should not be treated as empirical measurements.

At 1080p with ultra settings, the Arc A380's PassMark DirectX 12 score of 35 and DirectX 11 score of 38 indicate it can run modern games but at frame rates well below what the CPU is capable of feeding. The GPU's 32 ROPs and 65.60 GPixel/s pixel rate limit fill-rate-bound scenes. Older or less demanding titles such as esports games may reach playable frame rates, but the 186.0 GB/s memory bandwidth and 96-bit bus width will throttle performance in texture-heavy scenes. The CPU's Cinebench R23 single-core score of 7199 ensures that frame pacing will be consistent, but the overall frame rate will be GPU-limited.

At 1440p, the GPU's limitations become more pronounced. The 6 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for many games at this resolution, but the 4.198 TFLOPS fp32 throughput is roughly a quarter of what modern mid-range GPUs offer. Frame rates in demanding titles would likely fall below 30 FPS at ultra settings. The Geekbench Vulkan score of 36736 suggests the GPU handles modern APIs reasonably well, but raw throughput constraints dominate.

At 4K, this pairing is not viable for gaming beyond very old or very light titles. The GPU's memory bandwidth of 186.0 GB/s is a severe bottleneck at this resolution, and the 44th percentile ranking places it below most dedicated gaming GPUs from the past several generations. The CPU would remain largely idle while waiting for the GPU to render each frame. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 808, which is a demanding modern benchmark, indicates the GPU struggles with current-generation rendering workloads.

Balance and Bottleneck

This system presents one of the most extreme CPU-to-GPU imbalances in the database. The CPU's 96th percentile ranking versus the GPU's 44th percentile ranking means the processor is approximately 52 percentile points ahead of the graphics card. In any workload that uses the GPU, the Arc A380 will be the limiting factor. The CPU's Cinebench R23 multicore score of 50995 could support a GPU with several times the performance, but the system is constrained by the Arc A380's modest specifications.

In gaming, the bottleneck is almost always the GPU. The CPU's 6.20 GHz boost clock and 36 MB L3 cache can deliver game assets and instructions faster than the GPU can process them. Evidence from the FPS scaling expectations: at lower resolutions where CPU bottlenecking typically appears, this system would still be GPU-limited because the Arc A380's throughput is so low. The GPU's PassMark DirectX 9 score of 73, which is higher than its DirectX 11 and 12 scores, suggests older games may run relatively better, but modern titles will struggle.

In productivity workloads, the CPU is the dominant component and the GPU plays a minor role. Video encoding, software compilation, and CPU-based rendering will be limited by the processor, which is excellent news for performance. The GPU's PassMark GPU compute score of 2762 is low enough that any GPU-accelerated task would be better redirected to the CPU where possible. The integrated UHD Graphics 770 could theoretically handle display output, allowing the Arc A380 to be used solely for compute tasks, but its own performance is also entry-level.

The system's combinedPercentile of 70 reflects the average of the two components' capabilities. In practice, the system's real-world performance depends entirely on whether the workload is CPU-bound or GPU-bound. For CPU-bound tasks, it performs at the 96th percentile level; for GPU-bound tasks, it performs at the 44th percentile level.

GPU Analysis

The Intel Arc A380 is built on the Xe-HPG architecture with the DG2-128 chip, manufactured on TSMC's 6 nm process with 7,200 million transistors on a 157 mm² die. The GPU has 1024 shading units, 64 texture mapping units, and 32 raster output units. The base clock is 2000 MHz with a boost clock of 2050 MHz. Memory operates at 1937 MHz with 15.5 Gbps effective speed, delivering 186.0 GB/s bandwidth across a 96-bit bus with 6 GB of GDDR6 memory.

The GPU's 8 RT cores provide hardware ray tracing support, but their modest count and the GPU's overall low throughput mean ray-traced effects will be limited to low settings or disabled entirely in most games. The fp32 performance of 4.198 TFLOPS and fp16 performance of 8.397 TFLOPS (2:1 ratio) place this GPU in the entry-level segment. The pixel rate of 65.60 GPixel/s and texture rate of 131.2 GTexel/s are adequate for basic rendering but insufficient for high-detail modern games.

The benchmark scores confirm this positioning. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 808 is a low result for a modern GPU. The Geekbench OpenCL score of 38224 and Vulkan score of 36736 show compute performance that lags behind mainstream desktop GPUs. The PassMark scores across DirectX versions — 37 for DX10, 38 for DX11, 35 for DX12, and 73 for DX9 — indicate that the GPU performs relatively better with older APIs, which is typical for low-end hardware. The PassMark G3D score of 6252 and GPU compute score of 2762 reinforce the entry-level classification.

For rendering workloads, the GPU's 4.198 TFLOPS fp32 is the key limitation. Modern 3D rendering software relies heavily on GPU compute, and this level of throughput will result in long render times for complex scenes. The 6 GB VRAM is also restrictive for large textures and high-resolution output. The GPU's 44th percentile ranking places it alongside the AMD FirePro W5170M and AMD Radeon HD 8870M, which are older mobile-class parts.

Who Should Build It

This pairing is appropriate for users who primarily run CPU-intensive applications and need only basic graphics output. Software developers compiling large codebases will benefit from the CPU's 24 cores and 32 threads; the PassMark data compression score of 803368 speeds up build artifact handling, and the extended instructions score of 45524 accelerates cryptographic and vectorized operations. The GPU's basic output capability is sufficient for code editors and terminals.

Researchers and engineers running simulation software that is CPU-bound would find this system well-suited. The PassMark floating point math score of 153975 and integer math score of 212644 provide strong numerical throughput. The 36 MB L3 cache reduces memory latency for large datasets. The GPU is adequate for visualization but will not accelerate compute-heavy scientific workloads.

Students in computer science or engineering programs would benefit from the CPU's responsiveness for compilation and multitasking, though the system is far more powerful than most student workloads require. The PassMark single-thread score of 4815 ensures fast interaction with IDEs and documentation. Small business workstations handling databases, spreadsheets, and office applications would be well-served, with the PassMark random string sorting score of 89789 indicating fast data processing.

Gamers should not build this system. The GPU's 44th percentile ranking and low benchmark scores mean that even at 1080p, modern games will run at low to medium settings with modest frame rates. Content creators who rely on GPU acceleration for video effects or 3D rendering should also avoid this pairing, as the GPU's 4.198 TFLOPS and 2762 PassMark compute score will be a constant bottleneck.

CPU Analysis

The Intel Core i9-14900KS is a 24-core, 32-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, manufactured on Intel's 10 nm process with a 257 mm² die. It features a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 6.20 GHz, the highest boost frequency in the database. The cache hierarchy consists of 80 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 36 MB shared L3 cache. Memory support includes DDR4 and DDR5 in dual-channel configuration, with ECC memory support available. The processor uses the Intel Socket 1700 platform and provides PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes.

The benchmark results show a processor that dominates both multithreaded and single-threaded workloads. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 50995 is exceptional, placing it alongside workstation-class Xeon processors. The single-core score of 7199 demonstrates that the 6.20 GHz boost clock translates directly into real-world performance. The Geekbench multicore score of 23931 and single-core score of 2692 corroborate these results. The PassMark multithread score of 60012 and single-thread score of 4815 show consistent performance across different test suites.

The processor's 96th percentile ranking places it among the fastest CPUs available. Its nearest rivals in the database — the Intel Xeon w5-3535X and AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX — both score within 0.1 percent, indicating that the i9-14900KS is at the very top of the performance curve. For real workloads, this means compilation times are minimal, video exports are fast, and simulation runs complete quickly. The 150 W TDP is modest given the performance level, though the actual power draw under sustained all-core loads will be higher.

The integrated UHD Graphics 770 provides a basic display output option, though the discrete Arc A380 is the primary graphics solution in this system. The processor's PCIe Gen 5 support with 16 lanes from the CPU allows for high-bandwidth connectivity to storage and other peripherals, though the Arc A380 uses only PCIe 4.0 x8.

Upgrade Path and Platform

The system is built on the Intel Socket 1700 platform, which supports the Core 14th Gen series. The processor supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in dual-channel configuration, giving builders flexibility in memory choice. The platform provides PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU, ensuring ample bandwidth for future expansion.

The Arc A380 has a TDP of 75 W and a suggested PSU of 250 W, which is very low. The Core i9-14900KS has a TDP of 150 W, so the combined system power draw is modest by desktop standards. The GPU requires a single 8-pin power connector and occupies a dual-slot form factor. The card measures 222 mm in length, 114 mm in height, and 42 mm in width.

The most sensible next upgrade is the graphics card. The CPU's benchmark scores indicate it can support a GPU with several times the Arc A380's performance without becoming a bottleneck. The CPU's 96th percentile ranking and the GPU's 44th percentile ranking leave enormous headroom for a higher-end GPU. Upgrading to a mid-range or high-end graphics card would transform the system's gaming and GPU-accelerated productivity performance.

The platform's PCIe Gen 5 support ensures that a future GPU upgrade will not be bandwidth-limited. The dual-channel memory support with both DDR4 and DDR5 options allows for a range of memory configurations. The 150 W CPU TDP and 75 W GPU TDP mean the system can be powered by a modest PSU, though a future GPU upgrade may require additional power delivery.

The CPU's socket, Intel Socket 1700, is the final generation for this platform, so future CPU upgrades would require a new motherboard. However, the i9-14900KS is already among the fastest processors available for this socket, so a CPU upgrade is unlikely to be necessary for several years. The 36 MB L3 cache and 6.20 GHz boost clock ensure that the processor will remain relevant for demanding workloads.

FAQ

Q: Does this system have any measured gaming frame rate data?

A: No. The database contains no measured FPS rows for this exact CPU-GPU combination. The `measuredFpsUltraByGame` field is empty, and `dataIsMeasured` is false. All gaming performance expectations are estimates derived from the benchmark scores of the two components.

Q: What is the CPU's performance ranking relative to other processors?

A: The Intel Core i9-14900KS is in the 96th percentile of all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 81127. Its nearest rival, the Intel Xeon w5-3535X, scores 81115 with a deltaPct of 0, meaning the two are statistically tied. The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX also ties with a score of 81103 and deltaPct of 0.

Q: What is the GPU's performance ranking relative to other graphics cards?

A: The Intel Arc A380 is in the 44th percentile of all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 8558. Its nearest rival, the AMD FirePro W5170M, scores 8595 with a deltaPct of -0.4, meaning the Arc A380 is slightly behind. The AMD Radeon HD 8870M trails by 1.1 percent at 8462.

Q: What are the CPU's core and thread counts?

A: The Intel Core i9-14900KS has 24 cores and 32 threads based on the Raptor Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 6.20 GHz, with a 36 MB shared L3 cache and 2 MB L2 cache per core.

Q: What memory and storage options does the platform support?

A: The CPU supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in dual-channel configuration, with ECC memory support available. The platform provides PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU, and the GPU uses PCIe 4.0 x8.

Q: What is the GPU's memory configuration and bandwidth?

A: The Intel Arc A380 has 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 96-bit bus with 186.0 GB/s bandwidth. Memory operates at 1937 MHz with 15.5 Gbps effective speed. The GPU has 1024 shading units, 64 TMUs, 32 ROPs, and 8 RT cores.

Q: What are the power requirements for this system?

A: The CPU has a TDP of 150 W, and the GPU has a TDP of 75 W with a suggested PSU of 250 W. The GPU requires a single 8-pin power connector and occupies a dual-slot form factor.

Rate My PC: Intel Core i9-14900KS + Intel Arc A380

Apex Performer

System Balance Analysis

Intel Core i9-14900KS

Intel Arc A380

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

Usage Scenarios

Benchmark Performance

Gaming Performance

Balance and Bottleneck

GPU Analysis

Who Should Build It

CPU Analysis

Upgrade Path and Platform

FAQ

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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