SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core Ultra 5 225 + AMD Radeon RX 7600

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

90 / 100
ULTIMATE READY

Apex Performer

Top 10% 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
91%
VS
GPU
89%
PROCESSOR

Intel Core Ultra 5 225

36,938 Benchmark Score
Top 9% Market Ranking
View Full Specs →
GRAPHICS CARD

AMD Radeon RX 7600

15,171 Benchmark Score
Top 11% 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 Ultra 5 225 and AMD Radeon RX 7600 pairing is a desktop build that lands in the 71st percentile overall, a solid mid-range configuration where the CPU is the clear star. The processor performs at the 85th percentile among all CPUs, while the GPU sits at the 57th percentile, creating a system that excels in productivity and esports but is constrained in demanding AAA titles at higher resolutions. This is a machine built for fast, responsive computing and 1080p gaming, not for pushing 4K ultra settings in the latest blockbusters.

CPU Analysis

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is a 10-core, 10-thread desktop processor built on the Arrow Lake architecture using TSMC's 3 nm process node. It operates with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, drawing a 65 W TDP. The chip features a 20 MB shared L3 cache and 3 MB L2 cache per core, with 192 KB L1 per core. This is a locked multiplier part (not unlocked for overclocking), and it uses the Intel Socket 1851 platform.

Benchmark results show a processor with exceptional single-thread strength and capable multi-thread performance. In Cinebench R23, it scores 3655 points single-core and 25891 points multi-core. The single-core score places it firmly in high-performance territory for everyday tasks and lightly-threaded workloads. The multi-core score of 25891 is strong for a 65 W part, indicating efficient power delivery and good thermal characteristics for sustained workloads. PassMark results paint a similar picture: a single-thread score of 4412 and a multithread score of 30459. The PassMark physics score of 2342 suggests solid real-world gaming physics performance, while the floating-point math score of 92038 and integer math score of 65345 point to strong computational throughput for a variety of tasks.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the Ultra 5 225 is essentially tied with the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (0% delta), the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D (-0.2%), the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 (-0.4%), and the Intel Core i9-12900T (-0.5%). This means that while the architecture is new and efficient, the absolute performance level is comparable to established mid-range options. The advantage here is the modern platform and power efficiency, not a massive leap in raw score. The data shows that this CPU is a very capable performer for its class, offering a balanced mix of single-thread responsiveness and multi-thread capability that will handle most productivity tasks and modern games without bottlenecking.

GPU Analysis

The AMD Radeon RX 7600 is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with the Navi 33 chip, manufactured on a 6 nm process. It comes with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 288.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The GPU has 2048 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, and 64 raster operation pipelines. It includes 32 ray accelerators (RT cores) for hardware-accelerated ray tracing. Clock speeds are a base of 1720 MHz, a game clock of 2250 MHz, and a boost clock of 2655 MHz. The card supports PCIe 4.0 x8 and has a TDP of 165 W, with a suggested PSU of 450 W.

In synthetic benchmarks, the RX 7600 scores 16634 in PassMark G3D and 2310 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12. The Geekbench OpenCL score is 88051, and the Vulkan score is 34401. The GPU's FP32 compute is rated at 21.75 TFLOPS, and its pixel rate is 169.9 GPixel/s with a texture rate of 339.8 GTexel/s. These numbers place it in the lower-middle tier of discrete GPUs, at the 57th percentile overall. Its nearest rivals in average score are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM (-0.2% delta), the AMD Radeon Pro 560X (0.6%), the AMD Radeon 680M (-0.7%), and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti (0.7%). The RX 7600 is essentially a direct competitor to the RTX 3050, offering similar raw performance.

For rendering and gaming, the 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for 1080p and many 1440p titles, but it becomes a limiting factor at 4K or with high-resolution textures. The ray tracing hardware (32 RT cores) is present but, given the GPU's overall performance tier, ray-traced effects should be used sparingly. The bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s is adequate for the memory size but not exceptional. In real-world DX12 gaming, the PassMark DirectX 12 score of 58 indicates the card handles modern APIs correctly, but it is not a high-end performer.

Usage Scenarios

High-Refresh Gaming: At 1080p, the RX 7600 delivers excellent frame rates in competitive titles. Counter-Strike 2 runs at 156 FPS, Valorant at 357 FPS, and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege at 185 FPS. These numbers are well above the 144 Hz threshold for smooth competitive play. The CPU's strong single-thread performance (3655 in R23 single-core) ensures minimal bottleneck in these CPU-bound scenarios, keeping frame times consistent.

Streaming: The CPU's 10 cores and 10 threads (25891 in R23 multi-core) provide enough headroom for software encoding at moderate bitrates. The GPU also supports hardware encoding, which can offload the work from the CPU. The PassMark data encryption score of 22285 and data compression score of 302811 suggest that background tasks like encoding and uploading will not severely impact gaming performance, though the lack of extra threads compared to a 16-thread CPU is a consideration.

Video Editing: The combination of a strong multi-core CPU (25891 in R23) and a capable GPU with 8 GB VRAM makes this a viable entry-level editing machine. The CPU will handle timeline scrubbing and export encoding efficiently. The GPU accelerates effects and rendering in software that supports OpenCL or Vulkan, where it scores 88051 and 34401 respectively. The 20 MB L3 cache helps with large file operations.

3D Rendering: The CPU is the primary workhorse here, with Cinebench R20 and R15 multi-core scores of 6317 and 2609 respectively, indicating solid performance for CPU-based rendering. The GPU can assist in real-time viewports, but its 8 GB VRAM and mid-range compute (21.75 TFLOPS FP32) will limit its utility for final frame rendering in complex scenes. It is best suited for smaller projects or previews.

Software Development: The CPU's 10 cores and fast single-thread speed (4412 in PassMark single-thread) make it excellent for compilation and code analysis. The PassMark extended instructions score of 27162 shows good performance with modern instruction sets. The 65 W TDP means it can sustain long compile times without thermal throttling if adequately cooled. The 20 MB L3 cache is beneficial for frequently accessed code modules.

Student and Office Work: This system is overkill for basic tasks like word processing and spreadsheets, but the headroom means it will never feel slow. The CPU's single-thread dominance ensures instant application launches and smooth multitasking. The GPU's 2D performance (PassMark G2D score of 984) is more than sufficient for multiple monitors and desktop environments. The power efficiency of the CPU is a bonus for always-on workstations.

Balance and Bottleneck

The data clearly shows this is a CPU-heavy build. The CPU's 85th percentile rank versus the GPU's 57th percentile means that in most workloads, the GPU will be the limiting factor, especially in gaming. The measured FPS data confirms this: at 1080p, the system achieves high frame rates in esports titles but drops significantly in demanding AAA games. For example, Cyberpunk 2077 runs at 46 FPS at 1080p, while Counter-Strike 2 hits 156 FPS. This indicates the GPU is the bottleneck in graphically intensive titles. At 1440p, the gap widens, with Cyberpunk 2077 dropping to 34 FPS and Red Dead Redemption 2 to 31 FPS, further proving that the GPU is the constraining component at higher resolutions.

The CPU, however, is not a bottleneck in most scenarios. Its strong single-thread performance (3655 in R23 single-core) allows it to feed the GPU adequately in most games. The bottleneck shifts only in very specific, highly CPU-intensive simulations or at extremely high frame rates in esports titles where the CPU's 10 threads might be a limitation compared to CPUs with more threads. The PassMark physics score of 2342 is a potential concern for CPU-heavy game physics, but it is still adequate. The overall picture is that the CPU has significant headroom, while the GPU is the limiter for high-fidelity gaming. For productivity tasks, the CPU is the star, and the GPU's role is secondary.

Benchmark Performance

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225's average benchmark score is 36938, placing it at the 85th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F with a nearly identical score (0% delta), showing that it is a top-tier mid-range processor. The CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 25891 is a strong result, and its single-core score of 3655 is excellent for the class.

The AMD Radeon RX 7600's average benchmark score is 15171, putting it at the 57th percentile of all GPUs. It is closely matched with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM (-0.2% delta). The GPU's PassMark G3D score of 16634 and 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 2310 are indicative of its mid-range position.

The combined system percentile is 71, with a pair rank of 2675 out of 3732 pairs by FPS. The average FPS across all measured games is 101.5. This is a strong combined score, showing that while the GPU is not top-tier, the overall system delivers a smooth experience in a wide range of games. The CPU's high performance raises the system's overall standing, but the GPU's mid-range nature pulls the combined percentile down from the CPU's 85th to the system's 71st. This shows that the pairing is effective for a balanced 1080p experience, where the CPU ensures high minimum frame rates and the GPU provides acceptable maximum frame rates in most titles.

Upgrade Path and Platform

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 uses the Intel Socket 1851 platform, which is specific to the Core Ultra Series 2 desktop processors. This means that a CPU upgrade would require a new motherboard unless a future compatible CPU is released for this socket. The platform supports DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, providing a memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. It also supports PCIe Gen 5 with 20 lanes from the CPU, which is forward-looking for future storage and GPU upgrades.

The GPU uses a PCIe 4.0 x8 interface, which is fully compatible with the CPU's PCIe Gen 5 slots. The RX 7600 has a TDP of 165 W, and the system's suggested PSU is 450 W, leaving headroom for a more power-hungry GPU in the future. The CPU's TDP is only 65 W, so the total system power draw is modest, allowing for a wide range of PSU options.

A sensible next upgrade path would be to first replace the GPU. The CPU has enough performance headroom to support a significantly more powerful graphics card, as evidenced by its high percentile rank and strong single-thread scores. An upgrade to a higher-tier GPU would relieve the bottleneck seen in AAA titles at 1440p and 4K. The CPU would not be a limiting factor in this scenario. The 450 W PSU suggestion would need to be revisited with a more powerful GPU, but the platform itself is ready. The 8 GB VRAM on the RX 7600 is a limitation, so a GPU with more memory would be a logical upgrade for higher-resolution textures.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall performance tier of this CPU+GPU combination?

A: The combined system is at the 71st percentile, indicating a solid mid-range desktop build. The CPU is in the 85th percentile, while the GPU is in the 57th percentile.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck in gaming?

A: The GPU is the primary bottleneck in most games. Measured FPS data shows a significant drop in performance from 1080p to 1440p in demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077 (46 to 34 FPS), indicating the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU has sufficient headroom.

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

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 has an average benchmark score of 36938, which is essentially identical to the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (0% delta) and slightly ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D (-0.2%) and Intel Core i9-12900T (-0.5%).

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

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7600 has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 288.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth.

Q: Does the CPU support overclocking?

A: No, the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 has a locked multiplier (multiplierUnlocked: false), meaning it is not designed for overclocking.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the CPU?

A: The launch MSRP of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is $246.

Q: What is the maximum measured FPS in a competitive esports title?

A: In Valorant at 1920x1080, the system achieves 357 FPS, which is a very high refresh rate performance level.

Build Overview

This is a desktop-class build pairing the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 CPU with the AMD Radeon RX 7600 GPU. It is a balanced mid-range system, with the CPU being the stronger component. The CPU's performance is at the 85th percentile, making it a high-end processor for productivity tasks. The GPU is at the 57th percentile, which is a mid-range performer for gaming. The combination results in a system that is excellent for CPU-intensive work and good for 1080p gaming, but it is not designed for maximum settings at 4K. The measured average FPS across all games is 101.5, showing that it is capable of smooth gameplay in a variety of titles. The system ranks 2675 out of 3732 pairs by FPS, confirming its solid, if not spectacular, gaming position.

Who Should Build It

This system is ideal for gamers who primarily play at 1920x1080 resolution and value high frame rates in competitive titles. The data shows strong performance in Counter-Strike 2 (156 FPS) and Valorant (357 FPS), making it suitable for esports enthusiasts. It is also a good fit for content creators and software developers who need a powerful CPU for compilation, rendering, and video editing, but do not require top-tier GPU compute performance. The CPU's high single-thread and multi-thread scores make it a productivity powerhouse.

Students and office workers will find this system to be exceptionally responsive for everyday tasks, with far more performance than needed for standard applications. Small business workstations that run multi-threaded applications, such as data analysis or financial modeling, will benefit from the CPU's strong PassMark math scores (integer 65345, floating-point 92038). However, gamers seeking to play the latest AAA titles at 1440p or 4K with high settings will be disappointed by the GPU's limitations, as seen in Cyberpunk 2077 (34 FPS at 1440p) and Red Dead Redemption 2 (31 FPS at 1440p). This build is for users who prioritize CPU performance and are comfortable gaming at 1080p or with adjusted settings.