SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core Ultra 5 115U + Intel Arc A550M

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

Build Configuration

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PROCESSOR (CPU)

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GRAPHICS CARD (GPU)

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89 Score

Top 11% Ranking

89 / 100

HIGH-END

Power Build

Top 11% of systems. Excellent for 1440p Ultra or 4K High gaming.

1440p Ultra4K High

System Balance Analysis

CPU vs GPU performance ratio

Well Balanced

CPU

82%

GPU

96%

PROCESSOR

Intel Core Ultra 5 115U

16,753 Benchmark Score

Top 18% Market Ranking

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GRAPHICS CARD

Intel Arc A550M

49,737 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

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Performance Insights

Tips to maximize your system

Strong Performance

Excellent for 1440p gaming. Most games will run at high/ultra settings smoothly.

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

# Intel Core Ultra 5 115U + Intel Arc A550M

This pairing combines Intel's low-power Meteor Lake mobile processor with a discrete Arc A550M GPU in a laptop-class configuration. The CPU delivers solid multi-threaded performance for its 15 W envelope, while the GPU sits in the upper tier of mobile graphics, together landing at the 78th combined percentile across all benchmarked pairings. No measured FPS rows exist for this exact combination, so all frame-rate discussion is estimated from the benchmark scores rather than observed gameplay data.

Upgrade Path and Platform

The Intel Core Ultra 5 115U uses the Intel BGA 2049 socket, which means the processor is soldered and not user-upgradeable in any practical sense. This is a fixed mobile platform, and the upgrade path is therefore limited to other system components rather than the CPU itself. The platform supports DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, with bandwidth rated at 89.6 GB/s. Memory type and speed depend on the motherboard, but the dual-channel bus is standard for this class of laptop silicon.

PCIe connectivity comes from the CPU with Gen 4 across 12 lanes, while the Arc A550M GPU connects via PCIe 4.0 x16. The CPU's PCIe allocation is modest, leaving room for the discrete GPU plus a single high-speed NVMe drive, but multi-GPU or extensive expansion is not feasible. The 15 W TDP for the CPU and 60 W TDP for the GPU together suggest a system that needs modest power delivery, though no PSU recommendation is provided for this mobile part. The integrated Arc Xe-LPG 48EU graphics provide a fallback for light tasks when the discrete GPU is idle, but the A550M is the primary rendering engine.

For a sensible next upgrade, the data points to replacing the entire laptop rather than swapping components. The socket is BGA, the GPU is end-of-life, and the CPU is an active production part, but neither is designed for field replacement. Adding more DDR5 memory or a larger Gen 4 NVMe SSD are the only practical internal upgrades. The 12 CPU PCIe lanes limit how many devices can be attached, though the GPU's x16 link is fully served by the platform.

Benchmark Performance

The combined percentile for this CPU-GPU pair is 78, meaning it outperforms roughly three-quarters of all tested combinations. The CPU alone sits at the 70th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 16753. Its nearest rival is the Intel Core i5-1235U, which scores 16770, a difference of just -0.1%. The AMD Ryzen 3 7335U is similarly close at 16827 (-0.4%), while the AMD Ryzen 3 8440U lags by 0.5% at 16663. The Intel Core i3-12100E trails by 0.6% with 16853, meaning the Ultra 5 115U is effectively neck-and-neck with four mainstream alternatives, all within a single percentage point.

The GPU is a much stronger performer. The Arc A550M achieves an average benchmark score of 49737, placing it at the 86th percentile among all GPUs. Its closest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti at 49957 (-0.4%), followed by the AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 at 50001 (-0.5%). The gap widens against the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT, which scores 50951 (-2.4%), while the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT is 2.6% slower at 48477. The GPU's percentile ranking is significantly higher than the CPU's, indicating that the A550M is the stronger component in this pairing.

In Cinebench tests, the CPU scores 10855 in R23 multi-core and 1532 in single-core, with R20 results of 4559 and 643 respectively. Passmark results show 3057 in single-thread, 13024 in multithread, and strong integer math performance at 41043. The data indicates a CPU that handles productivity workloads competently but does not lead its class, while the GPU carries the system's overall performance weight.

CPU Analysis

The Intel Core Ultra 5 115U is an 8-core, 10-thread processor based on the Meteor Lake architecture, built on Intel's 7 nm process. It runs at a 1500 MHz base clock with a 4.20 GHz boost, and its 15 W TDP classifies it as a low-power mobile part. The cache hierarchy includes 112 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 10 MB of shared L3. The memory controller supports dual-channel DDR5 with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth, and ECC memory is not supported.

The benchmark profile reveals a processor with moderate multi-threaded capability. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 10855 is respectable for a 15 W chip, while the single-core score of 1532 indicates decent but not exceptional per-thread performance. Passmark integer math at 41043 and floating-point math at 30538 show balanced arithmetic throughput, while data compression at 141945 is notably strong. Data encryption at 8606 and extended instructions at 8620 are moderate, and the find prime numbers score of 53 reflects the low-power nature of the design.

Real workloads would see the CPU handle office productivity, web development, and light content creation without issue. The 10 threads provide enough parallelism for compiling code or running virtual machines, though the low base clock means sustained heavy loads will boost to 4.2 GHz only on a few cores. The 70th percentile ranking confirms it sits above the median but not in the top tier of mobile processors. Compared to its nearest rivals, the performance differences are negligible, all within 0.6%, so no single competitor offers a meaningful advantage.

Who Should Build It

This pairing targets users who need strong GPU performance without a desktop-class power draw. The GPU's 86th percentile ranking makes it suitable for gamers at 1080p high-refresh or 1440p medium settings, though no measured FPS data exists to confirm exact frame rates. Content creators working with GPU-accelerated effects would benefit from the A550M's 8 GB memory and 224.0 GB/s bandwidth, while the CPU's 10 threads handle video encoding and photo editing in parallel.

Students and small business workstations are a natural fit. The 15 W CPU keeps thermals and noise low, while the GPU accelerates tasks like 3D modeling, CAD, and video rendering. Developers would find the 10 threads useful for compiling, and the CPU's data compression score of 141945 indicates solid archive and build tool performance. The 78th combined percentile means this system outperforms most mainstream laptops, but it is not a top-tier enthusiast machine.

Mobile professionals who need occasional GPU acceleration without a dedicated desktop would find this configuration balanced. The CPU's 70th percentile is adequate for daily tasks, and the GPU's 86th percentile provides headroom for demanding graphics workloads. The combination is less suited for hardcore multi-threaded rendering, where the CPU would bottleneck, but it excels in GPU-bound scenarios.

GPU Analysis

The Intel Arc A550M is based on the DG2-512 chip, built on a 6 nm process at TSMC, with 21,700 million transistors on a 406 mm² die. It features 2048 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, and 64 ROPs, with 16 RT cores for ray tracing. The GPU runs at a 900 MHz base clock and boosts to 2050 MHz, with memory clocked at 1750 MHz effective 14 Gbps. The 8 GB GDDR6 memory sits on a 128-bit bus, delivering 224.0 GB/s bandwidth.

The A550M's benchmark results are strong. Geekbench OpenCL scores 49894 and Vulkan scores 49580, both hovering near the 50000 mark that defines its peer group. The pixel rate is 131.2 GPixel/s and texture rate is 262.4 GTexel/s, with FP32 compute at 8.397 TFLOPS and FP16 at 16.79 TFLOPS. The 86th percentile ranking places it above the vast majority of mobile GPUs, with nearest rivals including desktop-class parts like the Radeon RX Vega 64 and RX 6800 XT.

The 16 RT cores provide hardware ray tracing support, and the DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) API compatibility means it can handle modern game features. Vulkan 1.4 and OpenGL 4.6 round out the API support. The GPU's memory bandwidth of 224.0 GB/s is sufficient for 1080p gaming and 1440p in less demanding titles, though the 128-bit bus limits performance at higher resolutions. The texture and pixel rates suggest strong fill-rate performance for its class, and the FP32 throughput of 8.397 TFLOPS supports compute workloads like rendering and simulation.

FAQ

Q: What socket does the Intel Core Ultra 5 115U use?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 115U uses the Intel BGA 2049 socket, which is a soldered mobile platform.

Q: How much memory bandwidth does the CPU provide?

A: The CPU supports dual-channel DDR5 memory with 89.6 GB/s of memory bandwidth, depending on the motherboard.

Q: What is the GPU's memory configuration?

A: The Intel Arc A550M has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, with 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival?

A: The CPU's average benchmark score of 16753 is -0.1% compared to the Intel Core i5-1235U's 16770, and -0.4% versus the AMD Ryzen 3 7335U's 16827.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking?

A: The Intel Arc A550M sits at the 86th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 49737.

Q: Does the GPU support ray tracing?

A: Yes, the Arc A550M has 16 RT cores and supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

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

A: The combined CPU and GPU pairing sits at the 78th percentile among all tested configurations.

Usage Scenarios

High-refresh gaming at 1080p is the most likely strong suit for this pairing. The GPU's 86th percentile ranking and 8.397 TFLOPS FP32 performance indicate it can drive high frame rates in esports titles, while the CPU's 1532 Cinebench R23 single-core score keeps the game logic responsive. Estimated performance from the benchmark scores suggests smooth Gameplay, but no measured FPS data exists for verification.

Streaming benefits from the GPU's hardware encoding capabilities and the CPU's 10 threads. The CPU's multithread score of 13024 in Passmark provides enough headroom for encoding workloads, while the GPU handles the heavy rendering lifting. The 224.0 GB/s memory bandwidth reduces bottlenecks when capturing and encoding simultaneously.

Video editing in applications like Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve would leverage the GPU's 16.79 TFLOPS FP16 performance for effects and color grading. The 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for 1080p timelines, and the CPU's data compression score of 141945 helps with file operations and proxy generation. The system would handle 4K editing with proxies but may struggle with raw 4K timelines.

3D rendering in Blender or similar software would see the GPU accelerate viewport and final-frame rendering. The 262.4 GTexel/s texture rate and 131.2 GPixel/s pixel rate provide strong throughput, and the 16 RT cores enable hardware-accelerated ray tracing. The CPU's 10855 Cinebench R23 multi-core score supports scene preparation and physics simulation, though it is not a rendering powerhouse.

Software development with compilation, testing, and container workloads would run comfortably on the 10 threads. The CPU's integer math score of 41043 and encryption score of 8606 indicate solid performance for build tools and secure connections. The GPU is underutilized in this scenario, but the 15 W CPU keeps battery drain low during long coding sessions.

Student and office work is a clear fit. The CPU's 3057 Passmark single-thread score handles productivity apps smoothly, and the integrated Arc Xe-LPG 48EU graphics provide a power-efficient fallback. The 89.6 GB/s memory bandwidth supports multitasking across dozens of browser tabs and office documents. The system's 78th combined percentile ensures it outperforms typical budget laptops.

Build Overview

This is a laptop-class build combining the Intel Core Ultra 5 115U, a low-power 8-core Meteor Lake processor, with the Intel Arc A550M, a discrete mobile GPU based on the Xe-HPG architecture. The CPU targets energy efficiency with a 15 W TDP, while the GPU draws 60 W and delivers desktop-class graphics performance. Together, they form a mid-range to upper-mid-range mobile platform.

The CPU's 70th percentile and the GPU's 86th percentile combine to a 78th overall percentile, indicating that the GPU is the defining component of this pairing. The system outperforms the majority of laptops in benchmark databases, with the A550M providing the primary performance driver. The CPU is competitive with mainstream mobile processors, falling within 0.6% of its four nearest rivals.

This is not a flagship configuration, but it represents a balanced mobile solution for users who need more graphics power than integrated solutions offer. The 15 W CPU keeps power consumption low, while the 60 W GPU provides meaningful acceleration for games and creative applications. The end-of-life status of the GPU means this configuration is likely from a specific laptop generation, but its benchmark standing remains solid.

Balance and Bottleneck

The performance balance in this pairing is skewed toward the GPU. The CPU's 70th percentile and the GPU's 86th percentile create a scenario where the GPU is the dominant component. In GPU-bound workloads like gaming at high settings or 3D rendering, the A550M will be the limiting factor, but it is a strong limiter that outperforms most alternatives. The CPU's 10 threads and 4.2 GHz boost provide enough headroom to feed the GPU in most scenarios.

The bottleneck flips in CPU-bound tasks. Multi-threaded workloads like video encoding or software compilation will be limited by the Ultra 5 115U's 15 W power envelope and modest core count. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 10855 is adequate but not exceptional, so heavily threaded applications will not fully saturate the GPU's capabilities. The single-core score of 1532 is similarly modest, affecting frame pacing in games that rely on a single main thread.

Estimated FPS scaling from the benchmark scores suggests that at 1080p, the GPU will be the primary constraint in modern titles, with the CPU providing sufficient minimum frame rates. At lower resolutions or in esports titles, the CPU's single-thread performance may become the limiting factor. The 86th percentile GPU versus 70th percentile CPU means the system is better suited to resolution-heavy workloads than to high-frequency, low-thread-count scenarios. The combined percentile of 78 reflects this imbalance, indicating a system that is stronger in graphics than in compute.

Rate My PC: Intel Core Ultra 5 115U + Intel Arc A550M

Power Build

System Balance Analysis

Intel Core Ultra 5 115U

Intel Arc A550M

Market Position

Game Performance Benchmarks

Cyberpunk 2077

Red Dead Redemption 2

Microsoft Flight Simulator

Control

Call of Duty: Warzone

Fortnite

Performance Insights

Strong Performance

Performance Tiers Explained

Ultimate

High-End

Mid-Range

Entry Level

Legacy

Upgrade Path and Platform

Benchmark Performance

CPU Analysis

Who Should Build It

GPU Analysis

FAQ

Usage Scenarios

Build Overview

Balance and Bottleneck

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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