SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core Ultra 5 236V + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile

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

88 / 100
HIGH-END

Power Build

Top 12% of systems. Excellent for 1440p Ultra or 4K High gaming.

1440p Ultra4K High

System Balance Analysis

CPU vs GPU performance ratio
Well Balanced
CPU
85%
VS
GPU
91%
PROCESSOR

Intel Core Ultra 5 236V

21,952 Benchmark Score
Top 15% Market Ranking
View Full Specs →
GRAPHICS CARD

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile

19,049 Benchmark Score
Top 9% 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 236V + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile — Benchmark Analysis

This laptop pairing combines Intel's Lunar Lake architecture with NVIDIA's entry-level Ada Lovelace mobile GPU, landing at the 69th percentile overall among all CPU+GPU combinations in the database. The CPU sits in the 75th percentile of all processors, while the GPU occupies the 63rd percentile of all graphics cards — a balanced pairing where the processor holds a modest edge over the graphics subsystem. No measured FPS rows exist for this exact combination, so all frame rate discussion below is estimated from the benchmark scores rather than derived from direct game testing.

Gaming Performance

The FACT PACK contains no measured FPS data for this CPU+GPU pairing, meaning all gaming expectations must be extrapolated from synthetic benchmark scores. The GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile delivers a PassMark G3D score of 14,423, placing it just 0.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6600 and 0.5% behind the NVIDIA RTX 2000 Ada Generation in average benchmark scores. With 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 96-bit bus and 192.0 GB/s of bandwidth, this GPU is positioned for 1080p gaming rather than high-resolution or high-detail workloads.

At 1080p with ultra settings, the RTX 4050 Mobile's FP32 throughput of 8.986 TFLOPS and 20 ray tracing cores suggest playable frame rates in esports and moderately demanding titles, though the 6 GB VRAM capacity will constrain texture quality in newer games. The CPU's single-thread PassMark score of 3,893 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2,206 indicate strong per-core performance that avoids bottlenecking the GPU in most scenarios. At 1440p, the GPU's memory bandwidth and pixel rate of 84.24 GPixel/s become increasingly limiting, and frame rates will likely drop below the 60 FPS threshold in graphically intensive titles. At 4K, this pairing is not viable for ultra settings — the 192.0 GB/s bandwidth and 96-bit memory interface are simply insufficient for the data throughput required at that resolution.

The DirectX 12 benchmark score of 61 and DirectX 11 score of 130 from PassMark suggest the GPU handles modern APIs reasonably well, but the gap between these scores indicates that DX12 workloads may not scale as efficiently as DX11 ones. Ray tracing performance, while supported through 20 RT cores, will be modest — expect to lower ray tracing settings or rely on DLSS-style upscaling to maintain playable frame rates. For competitive gaming at 1080p with reduced settings, the combination of the CPU's strong single-core performance and the GPU's 140.4 GTexel/s texture rate should deliver high refresh rate experiences in titles like first-person shooters and MOBAs.

Benchmark Performance

The CPU's average benchmark score of 21,952 places it in the 75th percentile of all processors, with its nearest rival being the Intel Core Ultra 5 238V at a 0.1% higher average score — effectively a statistical tie. The Intel Core i7-11700F and AMD Ryzen 5 3600X both score within 0.2% of this chip, while the AMD EPYC 9534 trails by 0.2%. This clustering around the 22,000 mark indicates the Core Ultra 5 236V sits at a performance plateau where many desktop processors from previous generations achieve comparable results.

Looking at individual CPU benchmarks, the Cinebench R23 multicore score of 15,628 and single-core score of 2,206 reveal a processor that excels in lightly threaded workloads relative to its multicore output. The PassMark multithread score of 18,375 and single-thread score of 3,893 reinforce this pattern. The data compression score of 176,554 is notably strong, while the encryption score of 13,049 and extended instructions score of 15,451 show solid but not exceptional performance in specialized workloads. The floating point math score of 52,774 substantially exceeds the integer math score of 38,765, indicating the architecture favors floating-point operations.

On the GPU side, the RTX 4050 Mobile's average benchmark score of 19,049 places it in the 63rd percentile of all graphics cards. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6600, scores 0.1% higher, while the NVIDIA Quadro K6000 matches at 0.1% higher and the Tesla K20m trails by 0.2%. The Geekbench OpenCL score of 74,748 and Vulkan score of 75,235 are nearly identical, suggesting consistent compute performance across different APIs. The PassMark G2D score of 633 is modest, reflecting the laptop-class nature of this GPU. Combined, the CPU at the 75th percentile and GPU at the 63rd percentile produce a system-level combined percentile of 69, indicating the CPU carries more of the performance weight.

CPU Analysis

The Intel Core Ultra 5 236V is an 8-core, 8-thread processor built on Lunar Lake architecture, manufactured on TSMC's 3 nm process node. With a base clock of 2.10 GHz and boost clock of 4.70 GHz, this chip prioritizes single-thread responsiveness over raw multi-thread throughput. The lack of hyperthreading — 8 threads for 8 cores — means each core must work independently, which is reflected in the Cinebench R23 multicore score of 15,628 being only moderately higher than what a similarly clocked 6-core desktop chip might achieve.

The cache hierarchy is substantial: 192 KB of L1 per core, 2.5 MB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3 cache. This generous per-core L2 allocation helps explain the strong single-thread performance, as more data can be kept closer to the execution units. The PassMark single-thread score of 3,893 and Cinebench R15 single-core score of 222 both indicate class-leading single-core behavior for a mobile processor. The boost clock of 4.70 GHz is aggressive for a 17 W TDP part, suggesting the architecture achieves high frequencies through efficiency rather than raw power draw.

For real-world workloads, this CPU excels in tasks that benefit from strong single-core performance: web browsing, office applications, light coding, and general responsiveness. The PassMark find prime numbers score of 171 and random string sorting score of 21,628 indicate the processor handles algorithmic workloads competently. However, the 8-thread limit means heavily parallel tasks like video encoding or 3D rendering will not scale as well as on processors with more threads. The Cinebench R20 multicore score of 6,563 and R15 multicore score of 1,575 confirm that while the chip is capable in multi-threaded scenarios, it is not a workstation-class part. The integrated Arc 130V graphics provide a fallback for basic display output, though the discrete RTX 4050 Mobile handles all demanding graphics work.

Upgrade Path and Platform

The Intel Core Ultra 5 236V uses the Intel BGA 2833 socket, which is a soldered mobile platform — the CPU cannot be upgraded independently of the motherboard. This means any future processor upgrade requires replacing the entire laptop or at least the mainboard. The platform supports PCIe Gen 5 with 4 lanes from the CPU, while the RTX 4050 Mobile connects via PCIe 4.0 x8, providing adequate bandwidth for the GPU's 6 GB frame buffer and 192.0 GB/s memory bandwidth.

Memory support is listed as dependent on the motherboard, with dual-channel configuration available. The 8 MB shared L3 cache and per-core L2 design mean memory latency and bandwidth are critical for performance, and a dual-channel configuration is essential to avoid starving the CPU. The GPU's TDP is 50 W, while the CPU has a 17 W TDP, giving a combined thermal envelope of approximately 67 W — a modest figure that allows for slim laptop designs without aggressive cooling solutions. No suggested PSU is listed, but the low TDPs indicate that standard laptop power bricks will suffice; desktop-style power supply headroom is not a concern for this mobile pairing.

A sensible next upgrade would be to increase system memory to the maximum supported by the motherboard and ensure the SSD uses PCIe Gen 5 to take advantage of the CPU's 4 lanes. The GPU, being soldered or at least proprietary to the laptop design, is not upgradeable in most implementations. For users seeking more graphics performance, the only path is a new laptop with a higher-tier GPU. The platform's strength lies in its efficiency — the 17 W CPU TDP and 50 W GPU TDP make this pairing suitable for thin-and-light laptops where battery life and thermal management are priorities.

Usage Scenarios

High-refresh gaming: At 1080p with competitive settings, the CPU's single-thread score of 3,893 and GPU's 140.4 GTexel/s texture rate should sustain frame rates above 144 FPS in esports titles, though the 6 GB VRAM may require lowering textures in newer games. The 96-bit memory bus limits bandwidth to 192.0 GB/s, which will cap performance in memory-intensive scenes.

Streaming: The GPU's 80 tensor cores and 20 RT cores support hardware-accelerated encoding and ray tracing, but the 8-thread CPU has limited headroom for simultaneous game encoding and gameplay. The PassMark multithread score of 18,375 suggests basic streaming at 1080p is feasible, but higher bitrates or resolutions may cause frame drops.

Video editing: The CPU's floating point score of 52,774 and data compression score of 176,554 indicate solid performance for codec operations, while the GPU's 8.986 TFLOPS FP32 accelerates effects and rendering. The 6 GB VRAM is sufficient for 1080p timelines but will struggle with 4K multi-layer projects. Cinebench R23 multicore score of 15,628 suggests export times will be moderate, not exceptional.

3D rendering: This is not a rendering powerhouse — the 8-thread CPU limits CPU-based renderers, and the GPU's 8.986 TFLOPS places it below dedicated workstation cards. The PassMark GPU compute score of 5,947 indicates acceptable but not professional-grade GPU rendering performance. Small scenes and preview renders are fine; production workloads will be slow.

Software development: The strong single-thread score of 3,893 and integer math score of 38,765 make this pairing excellent for compilation, code analysis, and IDE responsiveness. The 8 cores handle parallel builds reasonably well, and the 17 W CPU TDP means sustained compile sessions won't cause thermal throttling in well-designed laptops.

Student and office work: With the CPU at the 75th percentile overall, this system handles document editing, spreadsheet analysis, and web research with ease. The integrated Arc 130V graphics provide battery-efficient display output for basic tasks, while the discrete GPU activates for more demanding applications. The 17 W TDP contributes to long battery life, making this a strong all-day productivity machine.

FAQ

Q: How does the Core Ultra 5 236V compare to the Core Ultra 5 238V?

A: The 236V scores 21,952 on average, which is 0.1% lower than the 238V's 21,981 — a negligible difference that falls within benchmark variance.

Q: Is the RTX 4050 Mobile comparable to a desktop GPU?

A: Its average benchmark score of 19,049 places it 0.1% behind the AMD Radeon RX 6600, indicating desktop-class 1080p performance with lower power consumption at 50 W TDP.

Q: What is the CPU's power consumption?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 236V has a TDP of 17 W, making it an ultra-low-power mobile processor suited for thin-and-light laptops.

Q: Can this system handle ray tracing?

A: Yes, the RTX 4050 Mobile includes 20 RT cores and supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), but the 8.986 TFLOPS FP32 throughput means ray tracing will require reduced settings or upscaling for playable frame rates.

Q: How much VRAM does the GPU have and is it enough?

A: The RTX 4050 Mobile features 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 96-bit bus with 192.0 GB/s bandwidth — adequate for 1080p gaming today but potentially limiting for future titles with high-resolution textures.

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

A: The CPU+GPU combination ranks at the 69th percentile among all laptop and desktop pairings in the database, with the CPU (75th percentile) outperforming the GPU (63rd percentile).

Q: Is the CPU socket upgradeable?

A: No — the Intel BGA 2833 socket is soldered, meaning the processor cannot be replaced without replacing the entire motherboard or laptop.

Balance and Bottleneck

The performance data reveals a system where the CPU is the stronger component, sitting 12 percentile points higher than the GPU (75th vs 63rd percentile). In CPU-bound workloads such as office productivity, software compilation, and single-threaded applications, the Core Ultra 5 236V will not be the limiting factor — its single-thread score of 3,893 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2,206 are robust for a mobile chip. The bottleneck in these scenarios will be the GPU, which at the 63rd percentile lags behind the CPU's capabilities.

In GPU-bound workloads like gaming at high resolutions or 3D rendering, the RTX 4050 Mobile's 6 GB VRAM and 192.0 GB/s bandwidth become the primary constraints. The FPS scaling from 1080p to 1440p will show a steeper drop than on systems with higher-bandwidth GPUs, as the 96-bit memory bus cannot feed the shading units fast enough at higher resolutions. Conversely, the CPU's 8-thread limit means that multi-threaded CPU workloads like video encoding will bottleneck on the processor despite its strong single-core performance — the Cinebench R23 multicore score of 15,628 is respectable but far below desktop chips with more threads.

The 17 W CPU TDP and 50 W GPU TDP create a thermal balance that favors sustained performance in thin chassis, but this also means neither component can boost beyond its designed limits for extended periods. The GPU's PassMark DirectX 12 score of 61 versus DirectX 11 score of 130 suggests DX12 titles may not fully utilize the hardware, potentially creating a software-level bottleneck in modern games. Overall, this pairing is best described as CPU-favored, with the GPU acting as the primary constraint in graphics-intensive workloads and the CPU's thread count limiting heavily parallel tasks.

Build Overview

This is a laptop-class pairing (build class: laptop) combining Intel's Lunar Lake architecture with NVIDIA's Ada Lovelace mobile GPU. The Core Ultra 5 236V is an 8-core, 8-thread processor on TSMC's 3 nm node with a 4.70 GHz boost clock, while the RTX 4050 Mobile features 2,560 shading units, 80 tensor cores, and 20 RT cores on a 5 nm process. Together, they achieve a combined percentile of 69, placing this system in the upper-midrange tier of all benchmarked configurations.

The CPU's average benchmark score of 21,952 puts it in the 75th percentile — a strong showing for a mobile processor, matching or exceeding several desktop chips from previous generations like the Core i7-11700F and Ryzen 5 3600X. The GPU's average score of 19,049 places it at the 63rd percentile, roughly equivalent to a desktop Radeon RX 6600 in compute performance. This pairing is designed for thin-and-light laptops that need strong everyday performance with occasional discrete graphics capability, rather than for gaming or workstation beasts.

The 17 W CPU TDP is exceptionally low, enabling fanless or near-silent operation in light workloads, while the 50 W GPU TDP allows for meaningful gaming performance when needed. The system's overall tier, based on the 69th combined percentile, places it above budget laptops and entry-level desktops but below high-end gaming rigs and workstation-class machines. It represents a balanced compromise between efficiency, portability, and performance — a mainstream laptop configuration that handles most tasks competently without excelling in any single domain.

Who Should Build It

Gamers playing at 1080p with medium-to-high settings will find this pairing sufficient for most titles, though the 6 GB VRAM and 63rd percentile GPU position mean ultra settings and future releases may require compromises. The strong single-thread CPU performance supports high-refresh gaming in esports and competitive shooters, where frame rates above 144 FPS are achievable in less demanding titles. Content creators working with 1080p video or light photo editing will benefit from the CPU's 75th percentile performance and the GPU's compute capabilities, but should not expect smooth 4K editing timelines.

Software developers will appreciate the single-thread score of 3,893 and integer math score of 38,765, which translate to fast compilation and responsive IDE interactions — the 8 cores handle parallel builds adequately, and the low TDP ensures sustained performance without thermal throttling. Students and office workers get a system that excels at document processing, web browsing, and spreadsheet work, with the integrated Arc 130V graphics providing battery-efficient display output for extended unplugged use. Small business workstations that require occasional GPU acceleration for presentations, light CAD, or data visualization will find this pairing capable, though the 6 GB VRAM limits large dataset visualization.

The 69th combined percentile indicates this is not a system for enthusiasts seeking maximum performance — it is a pragmatic choice for users who need a single laptop for work, study, and moderate gaming. The 17 W CPU TDP makes it ideal for users who prioritize battery life and portability, while the RTX 4050 Mobile ensures that demanding applications remain usable when plugged in. For users who play primarily at 1080p, value strong single-thread performance for everyday tasks, and need occasional discrete GPU power, this pairing delivers a balanced experience without excessive cost or bulk.