SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus + Intel Arc A380

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

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
96%
VS
GPU
86%
PROCESSOR

Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus

66,855 Benchmark Score
Top 4% Market Ranking
View Full Specs →
GRAPHICS CARD

Intel Arc A380

8,558 Benchmark Score
Top 14% 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

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

# Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus + Intel Arc A380

This desktop pairing combines an 18-core Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus processor with an Intel Arc A380 graphics card, creating a system that sits at the 69th combined percentile across all CPU+GPU pairings in the database. The processor is a top-tier performer relative to all CPUs, ranking in the 93rd percentile, while the GPU ranks in the 44th percentile, indicating a substantial performance gap between the two components. No measured FPS rows exist for this exact combination in the FACT PACK, so all frame-rate discussion in this analysis is estimated from the benchmark scores rather than direct gameplay measurement.

Usage Scenarios

High-refresh gaming: The Arc A380's benchmark positions do not support high-refresh gaming at demanding settings. With a PassMark G3D score of 6252 and a 44th percentile ranking, this GPU sits near mobile-class parts like the NVIDIA GeForce MX330 and AMD Radeon 880M. At 1080p with competitive settings, lighter esports titles may reach playable frame rates, but the 4.198 TFLOPS FP32 compute and 186.0 GB/s memory bandwidth will limit sustained high-refresh output. The CPU's PassMark single-thread score of 4757 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2261 ensure no processor-side bottleneck in most gaming scenarios, but the GPU will be the governing factor.

Streaming: The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus has strong multi-threaded headroom with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 30867 and a PassMark multi-thread score of 51596, which can handle software encoding while gaming. The Arc A380 includes 8 ray-tracing cores and supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, which includes hardware-accelerated video encoding features typical of Intel Arc architecture, though the FACT PACK does not specify encoder details. The 18 threads allow simultaneous game and encode workloads without significant processor contention, but the GPU's modest 44th percentile position will limit the gaming side of a streaming setup to less demanding titles.

Video editing: The CPU excels here. A PassMark data encryption score of 42144 and data compression score of 568721 indicate strong throughput for media file operations. The 30 MB shared L3 cache and 115.2 GB/s dual-channel DDR5 memory bandwidth support timeline scrubbing and preview rendering. The GPU's 1024 shading units and 32 ROPs provide hardware acceleration for effects and transitions, though the 6 GB GDDR6 frame buffer on a 96-bit bus will constrain high-resolution editing with multiple layers.

3D rendering: CPU-based rendering is a strength. The Cinebench R15 multi-core score of 4640, R20 score of 18442, and R23 score of 30867 show consistent scaling across render workloads. The 18 cores at a 5.30 GHz boost clock deliver class-leading throughput, with the processor ranking in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs. GPU-accelerated rendering will be limited by the Arc A380's 4.198 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 44th percentile ranking, making it suitable for preview renders but not production workloads.

Software development: The 18 threads and high single-thread performance (Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2261) support fast compilation of smaller projects, while the PassMark integer math score of 125091 and extended instructions score of 44565 indicate strong performance for code processing. The 30 MB L3 cache reduces memory latency for iterative builds. For parallel builds across multiple cores, the 30867 multi-core Cinebench R23 score provides substantial throughput, though the 18 threads without hyper-threading may limit extreme parallel compilation compared to 36-thread alternatives.

Student and office work: This configuration is overwhelmingly capable for productivity tasks. The PassMark single-thread score of 4757 handles document processing, spreadsheets, and web applications with ease. The integrated Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU in the CPU provides a fallback display output, and the 125 W TDP means typical office workloads will run well within power envelopes. The 44th percentile GPU is more than sufficient for 2D applications, and the CPU's 93rd percentile ensures no lag in multitasking scenarios.

Upgrade Path and Platform

The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus uses Intel Socket 1851, the LGA 1851 platform for Core Ultra Series 2 processors. The CPU supports dual-channel DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s and includes ECC memory support, which is uncommon for desktop platforms and valuable for workstation use. PCIe connectivity is Gen 5 with 20 lanes from the CPU, providing ample bandwidth for a faster graphics card. The multiplier is unlocked, allowing overclocking to push the 4.20 GHz base clock beyond the 5.30 GHz boost.

The Arc A380 uses PCIe 4.0 x8, which means it will not fully utilize the CPU's Gen 5 lanes, but this is not a bottleneck given the GPU's performance class. The GPU's suggested PSU is 250 W and its TDP is 75 W, so the 125 W CPU plus the 75 W GPU leaves substantial headroom in any modern power supply. A sensible next upgrade would be replacing the Arc A380 with a higher-tier GPU, since the CPU's 93rd percentile ranking can drive far more capable graphics hardware without becoming a limiting factor. The 18 cores and 30 MB L3 cache will remain relevant for several generations, and the DDR5 memory support means the platform can accommodate memory upgrades without changing the motherboard.

The production status of the CPU is listed as Active, and the GPU is End-of-life, which means the CPU is the long-term platform component. The GPU's successor is Battlemage, per the FACT PACK predecessor/successor fields, so users planning to keep this system for years should consider a GPU upgrade as the first priority. The 250 W suggested PSU for the GPU indicates that even a modest power supply can handle this configuration, but upgrading to a higher-tier GPU will likely require a PSU with more capacity.

Benchmark Performance

The CPU achieves an average benchmark score of 66855, placing it in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival is the AMD EPYC 4465P with an average score of 66925, a delta of -0.1%, meaning the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus is essentially tied with a server-grade EPYC processor. The Intel Xeon 6515P scores 67006 (-0.2%), and the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX scores 67469 (-0.9%). The Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus, the same chip without integrated graphics, scores 66159 at a delta of +1.1%, meaning the K Plus is slightly ahead of the KF Plus variant.

In individual CPU benchmarks, the Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 30867 and single-core score of 2261 demonstrate balanced performance. The PassMark multi-thread score of 51596 and single-thread score of 4757 reinforce this. Specialized workloads show specific strengths: data compression at 568721, floating-point math at 162692, and integer math at 125091. The physics score of 3494 is comparatively modest, while random string sorting at 69090 indicates strong memory subsystem performance.

The GPU's average benchmark score is 8558, placing it in the 44th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival is the AMD FirePro W5170M at 8595 (-0.4%), followed by the AMD Radeon HD 8870M at 8462 (+1.1%), NVIDIA GeForce MX330 at 8458 (+1.2%), and AMD Radeon 880M at 8436 (+1.4%). The Arc A380 sits in a cluster of mobile and entry-level desktop GPUs, with a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 808, Geekbench OpenCL of 38224, and Geekbench Vulkan of 36736. PassMark G3D is 6252, G2D is 610, and GPU compute is 2762.

The combined picture is a system where the CPU outperforms 93% of all processors while the GPU outperforms only 44% of all graphics cards. The combined percentile of 69 reflects this imbalance, placing the pairing below what the CPU alone would suggest but above what the GPU alone would indicate. The CPU's average benchmark score of 66855 is roughly 7.8 times the GPU's average of 8558, quantifying the performance gap between the two components.

Who Should Build It

This pairing suits users who need exceptional CPU performance for compute-intensive tasks but have modest graphics requirements. Content creators working with CPU-based rendering, video encoding, or data processing will benefit from the 93rd percentile processor, which rivals server-class EPYC and Xeon parts in average benchmark score. The 18 cores and 30 MB L3 cache handle multi-threaded workloads efficiently, and the ECC memory support makes this viable for small workstations where data integrity is critical.

Software developers writing multi-threaded applications, running virtual machines, or compiling large codebases will find the CPU's 51596 PassMark multi-thread score and 125091 integer math score substantial. Students in engineering or computer science programs can run simulations and parallel workloads without GPU acceleration, making the Arc A380 sufficient for their needs. Small business workstations handling databases, financial modeling, or scientific computing will see strong performance in CPU-bound tasks, and the integrated graphics provide a backup display output.

Gamers at 1080p with modest settings expectations are the target audience for the GPU side. The Arc A380's 44th percentile ranking means it competes with mobile-class GPUs, so users should expect entry-level desktop performance. Gamers at 1440p or 4K resolutions will find the GPU inadequate, and the CPU's capabilities will be wasted in most gaming scenarios. The system is better positioned as a workstation that can handle light gaming than as a gaming rig that can handle occasional productivity work.

Gaming Performance

No measured FPS data exists for this exact CPU+GPU combination, so the following frame-rate expectations are estimates derived from the benchmark scores. The Arc A380's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 808 and PassMark G3D score of 6252, both in the 44th percentile, indicate entry-level gaming performance. At 1080p with low-to-medium settings, lighter esports titles and older games should achieve playable frame rates above 60 FPS. More demanding AAA titles at 1080p ultra settings will likely fall below 30 FPS given the GPU's 4.198 TFLOPS FP32 throughput and 186.0 GB/s memory bandwidth.

The CPU's high single-thread performance (Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2261) will not limit gaming frame rates, as the processor can feed the GPU efficiently. However, the GPU's 96-bit memory bus and 6 GB GDDR6 frame buffer will cause performance drops in texture-heavy scenes at higher resolutions. At 1440p, the GPU will struggle to maintain playable frame rates in modern titles, and at 4K, the 6 GB frame buffer becomes a hard limitation. The GPU's 8 ray-tracing cores support DirectX 12 Ultimate features, but ray tracing at playable frame rates is unlikely given the overall compute throughput.

For competitive gaming at 1080p with reduced settings, the system should deliver smooth experiences in titles that are not GPU-bound. The CPU's 4757 PassMark single-thread score ensures minimal frame-time spikes from processor-side bottlenecks. For single-player titles with high graphical fidelity, users should expect to lower settings significantly or reduce resolution to achieve acceptable frame rates. The estimates suggest this is a 1080p entry-level gaming system, not a high-refresh or high-resolution gaming platform.

FAQ

Q: How does the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus compare to its nearest CPU rivals?

A: The CPU's average benchmark score of 66855 places it in the 93rd percentile. It trails the AMD EPYC 4465P by only -0.1%, the Intel Xeon 6515P by -0.2%, and the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX by -0.9%. It leads the Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus by +1.1%.

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

A: The Arc A380 has an average benchmark score of 8558, placing it in the 44th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest competitors are mobile-class GPUs: AMD FirePro W5170M (-0.4%), AMD Radeon HD 8870M (+1.1%), NVIDIA GeForce MX330 (+1.2%), and AMD Radeon 880M (+1.4%).

Q: Does the CPU support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus supports ECC memory. It uses dual-channel DDR5 with a memory bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s, which is notable for a desktop platform and beneficial for workstation reliability.

Q: What is the power requirement for the GPU?

A: The Arc A380 has a TDP of 75 W and a suggested PSU rating of 250 W. It uses a single 8-pin power connector and is a dual-slot card measuring 222 mm in length.

Q: Is the CPU overclockable?

A: Yes, the multiplier is unlocked. The CPU has a 4.20 GHz base clock and a 5.30 GHz boost clock, allowing overclocking beyond these values on Intel Socket 1851 motherboards with appropriate cooling.

Q: What are the GPU's memory specifications?

A: The Arc A380 has 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 96-bit bus with a bandwidth of 186.0 GB/s. The memory clock is 1937 MHz with 15.5 Gbps effective data rate.

Q: How does this system compare to the combined percentile of all pairings?

A: The combined percentile for this CPU+GPU pairing is 69, meaning it outperforms 69% of all tracked CPU+GPU combinations. The CPU's 93rd percentile and GPU's 44th percentile indicate the CPU is significantly stronger than the GPU.

CPU Analysis

The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus is an 18-core, 18-thread desktop processor from the Core Ultra Series 2, based on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture on a 3 nm TSMC process node. It contains 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die. The base clock is 4.20 GHz with a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, and the TDP is 125 W. The cache hierarchy includes 192 KB L1 per core, 3 MB L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3 cache.

The benchmark scores tell a story of exceptional multi-threaded performance with strong single-thread capability. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 30867 and multi-thread PassMark score of 51596 demonstrate the 18 cores scale well under parallel workloads. The single-core Cinebench R23 score of 2261 and PassMark single-thread score of 4757 indicate the 5.30 GHz boost clock delivers competitive per-thread performance. The lack of hyper-threading (18 threads on 18 cores) is a design choice that keeps power consumption at 125 W TDP while providing full physical core count.

Specialized workload scores reveal specific strengths. The data compression score of 568721 is exceptionally high, suggesting strong memory bandwidth utilization. Floating-point math at 162692 and integer math at 125091 indicate balanced ALU and FPU performance. The extended instructions score of 44565 supports AVX and similar workloads. The physics score of 3494 is comparatively lower, which may affect simulation workloads. The 93rd percentile ranking places this CPU among the top 7% of all processors, and its average benchmark score of 66855 is nearly identical to server-grade EPYC and Xeon parts.

For real workloads, this CPU excels at rendering, compilation, data processing, and any parallel compute task. The 30 MB L3 cache and dual-channel DDR5 at 115.2 GB/s provide sufficient memory bandwidth for most applications. The ECC memory support adds reliability for long-running compute jobs. The integrated Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU provides basic display output without a discrete GPU, which is useful for diagnostics or low-power operation.

Build Overview

This is a desktop-class build combining a top-tier CPU with an entry-level GPU. The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus ranks in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, while the Arc A380 ranks in the 44th percentile of all GPUs. The combined percentile of 69 places this system in the upper-mid range of all tracked pairings. The CPU was released on 2026-03-10 with a launch MSRP of $199. The GPU was released on 2022-06-13 with a launch MSRP of 149 USD and is now End-of-life, with Battlemage as its successor.

The system represents an unbalanced pairing where the processor is approximately 7.8 times more powerful than the graphics card by average benchmark score. This is not inherently a flaw; it depends on the intended use case. For CPU-bound workloads like rendering, compilation, and data processing, this configuration provides exceptional performance at a reasonable platform cost. For gaming, the GPU will be the limiting factor, and users should plan for a GPU upgrade to unlock the CPU's full potential in graphics-intensive applications.

The build class is desktop, meaning it is designed for stationary use with standard desktop components. The CPU's 125 W TDP and the GPU's 75 W TDP make this a relatively power-efficient configuration, with the GPU's 250 W suggested PSU leaving substantial headroom for additional components. The CPU's unlocked multiplier and Socket 1851 platform provide a clear upgrade path for future Core Ultra Series 2 processors.

Balance and Bottleneck

The bottleneck analysis is unambiguous: the GPU is the limiting component in graphics workloads, while the CPU provides substantial headroom. The CPU's 93rd percentile versus the GPU's 44th percentile creates a delta of 49 percentile points, meaning the CPU can drive a GPU that is far more powerful than the Arc A380 without becoming the limiting factor. In gaming scenarios, the GPU's 4.198 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 186.0 GB/s bandwidth will cap frame rates well below what the CPU's 4757 PassMark single-thread score can support.

In CPU-bound workloads, the balance is reversed. For rendering, compilation, and data processing, the GPU's contribution is minimal, and the CPU's 30867 Cinebench R23 multi-core score provides the primary compute throughput. The GPU's 2762 PassMark GPU compute score indicates it can assist with some compute tasks, but the CPU will dominate in most non-graphics workloads.

The FPS scaling evidence, while estimated, confirms this imbalance. In lighter gaming scenarios where the GPU is not fully saturated, the CPU's strong single-thread performance prevents frame drops. In demanding scenarios, the GPU's 6 GB frame buffer and 96-bit memory bus will cause performance degradation before the CPU becomes a factor. The system is GPU-limited in all gaming scenarios and CPU-limited in all compute scenarios, with no workload where the two components reach balance.

GPU Analysis

The Intel Arc A380 is based on the DG2-128 chip using the Xe-HPG architecture, manufactured on a 6 nm TSMC process with 7,200 million transistors on a 157 mm² die. It is part of the Alchemist generation (Arc 3) and is now End-of-life, with Battlemage as its successor. The GPU has 1024 shading units, 64 TMUs, 32 ROPs, and 8 ray-tracing cores. The base clock is 2000 MHz with a boost clock of 2050 MHz.

Memory specifications include 6 GB of GDDR6 on a 96-bit bus with a bandwidth of 186.0 GB/s. The memory clock is 1937 MHz with 15.5 Gbps effective data rate. The GPU's compute performance is 4.198 TFLOPS FP32 and 8.397 TFLOPS FP16 (2:1 ratio). Pixel rate is 65.60 GPixel/s and texture rate is 131.2 GTexel/s.

The benchmark scores place this GPU in the 44th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 8558. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 808 and PassMark G3D score of 6252 indicate entry-level desktop performance. The Geekbench OpenCL score of 38224 and Vulkan score of 36736 show moderate compute capability. The PassMark DX9 score of 73, DX10 of 37, DX11 of 38, and DX12 of 35 show older API performance that is relatively stronger than modern API performance.

For rendering workloads, the GPU's 1024 shading units and 32 ROPs support basic 3D acceleration and effects processing, but the 4.198 TFLOPS FP32 throughput limits production rendering. The 8 ray-tracing cores support DirectX 12 Ultimate features, but ray tracing will be performance-limited. The 6 GB frame buffer is adequate for 1080p gaming and light content creation but will constrain 1440p and higher resolutions. The GPU's API support includes DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. Display outputs include 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 2.0, supporting modern monitors. The dual-slot design, 222 mm length, and single 8-pin power connector with a 250 W suggested PSU make installation straightforward in most desktop cases.