SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D

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

97 / 100
ULTIMATE READY

Apex Performer

Top 3% 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
98%
PROCESSOR

Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus

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

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D

77,712 Benchmark Score
Top 2% 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

This pairing combines Intel’s Core Ultra 5 250K Plus processor with NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 5090 D graphics card, creating a desktop build that targets the upper echelon of both CPU and GPU performance. The CPU holds a 93rd percentile rank among all processors, while the GPU sits at the 92nd percentile among all graphics cards, and the combined percentile for this specific pairing is 93. Data for this analysis comes exclusively from the provided benchmark scores, as no measured FPS rows exist for this exact combination. The absence of measured FPS data means all gaming performance discussions will be framed as estimates derived from the synthetic benchmark scores rather than direct gameplay metrics.

Balance and Bottleneck

The balance between the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus and the RTX 5090 D is best understood through their respective percentile positions and average benchmark scores. The CPU’s average benchmark score is 66855, while the GPU’s average benchmark score is 77712, indicating that the graphics card has a higher raw computational ceiling in aggregate benchmarks. However, the deltaPct values from nearestRivals reveal that both components are tightly clustered with their closest competitors, with CPU deltas ranging from -0.9% to 1.1% and GPU deltas ranging from -2.4% to 1.1%. This clustering suggests that neither component dramatically outperforms its direct rivals, but the combined percentile of 93 places this build firmly in the high-performance tier.

The bottleneck analysis hinges on workload type. For CPU-bound tasks such as data compression, the PassMark data compression score of 568721 demonstrates substantial throughput, while the multithread score of 51596 and physics score of 3494 indicate strong parallel processing capability. In gaming scenarios, the GPU’s sheer rendering power—evidenced by the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 14326 and PassMark G3D score of 44065—will likely dominate at higher resolutions where pixel throughput becomes the limiting factor. Conversely, at lower resolutions or in CPU-intensive simulations, the 18-core processor with a 5.30 GHz boost clock will provide sufficient headroom to avoid severe CPU-bound framerate caps.

The FPS scaling picture, while unmeasured, can be inferred from the benchmark scores. The GPU’s pixel rate of 423.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 1,636.8 GTexel/s suggest that at 1080p and 1440p, the processor’s single-thread performance (Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2261) will be adequate to feed the GPU, but at 4K, the GPU becomes the definitive bottleneck. The CPU’s dual-channel memory bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s provides a reasonable data pipeline, though it may limit performance in scenarios where the GPU is waiting on texture data. The data indicates a balanced pairing where the CPU’s 93rd percentile and GPU’s 92nd percentile create a system that avoids catastrophic imbalances, though GPU-bound workloads will show more pronounced scaling with resolution increases.

Gaming Performance

No measured FPS rows exist for this exact combination in the FACT PACK, so all gaming performance figures presented here are estimates based on the benchmark scores rather than direct gameplay measurements. The RTX 5090 D’s benchmark results—particularly the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 14326 and PassMark G3D score of 44065—place it in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs, which historically corresponds to very high framerates in demanding titles. The GPU’s 32 GB of GDDR7 memory with 1.79 TB/s bandwidth provides ample capacity for high-resolution textures, and the 104.8 TFLOPS FP32 performance suggests raw compute power that translates to strong rasterization and compute-heavy effects.

At 1080p resolution, the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus’s Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2261 and PassMark single-thread score of 4757 indicate the processor can handle high-refresh-rate gaming, potentially exceeding 144 FPS in less demanding titles and maintaining 60+ FPS in most AAA games. The CPU’s 18 threads, while not hyperthreaded, provide enough parallelism for modern game engines that utilize multiple cores. At 1440p, the GPU’s pixel rate of 423.6 GPixel/s becomes more relevant, with estimates suggesting strong performance that would likely exceed 100 FPS in competitive shooters and maintain 60-100 FPS in visually demanding single-player titles.

At 4K resolution, the RTX 5090 D’s 176 ROPs and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth become the dominant factors. The estimated performance at 4K would likely see framerates in the 60-120 FPS range depending on the title and settings, with the GPU’s 92nd percentile ranking indicating it outperforms the vast majority of graphics cards. The CPU’s 30 MB of shared L3 cache and 20 PCIe Gen 5 lanes provide adequate support for the GPU’s PCIe 5.0 x16 interface, minimizing data transfer bottlenecks. However, users should treat these as estimates, as the actual FPS will vary based on game optimization, driver maturity, and specific scene complexity.

CPU Analysis

The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus is an 18-core, 18-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake Refresh codename, manufactured on TSMC’s 3 nm process node. The processor features a base clock of 4.20 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, with a TDP of 125 W. The cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3 cache. The processor supports DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration with a memory bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s, and includes ECC memory support, making it suitable for workstation environments where data integrity is critical.

Benchmark results reveal a processor that excels in both single-threaded and multi-threaded workloads. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 30867 places it in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, while the single-core score of 2261 indicates strong per-thread performance. The PassMark multithread score of 51596 and integer math score of 125091 suggest robust general-purpose computing, while the floating-point math score of 162692 demonstrates strong scientific computing capabilities. The data encryption score of 42144 and extended instructions score of 44565 indicate good performance in security-related and vectorized workloads.

The nearest rivals provide context for the CPU’s positioning. The AMD EPYC 4465P has an average score of 66925, representing a -0.1% delta, meaning the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus is essentially tied with this server-class processor. The Intel Xeon 6515P scores 67006 (-0.2% delta), and the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX scores 67469 (-0.9% delta). The closest rival is the Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus, which scores 66159 with a 1.1% delta, meaning the 250K Plus is slightly ahead of its KF variant. This positioning suggests the processor competes with both workstation and high-end mobile parts, offering a compelling combination of multi-core throughput and single-thread agility for a desktop platform.

Who Should Build It

The target audience for this build consists of users who require both high-end CPU and GPU performance without compromise. Gamers seeking 4K resolution gameplay with ultra settings will find the RTX 5090 D’s 92nd percentile ranking and 32 GB VRAM suitable for the most demanding titles, while the CPU’s 93rd percentile ensures that frame pacing remains stable even in CPU-heavy scenes. Content creators working with video editing, 3D rendering, or large data sets will benefit from the CPU’s 18 cores and the GPU’s 104.8 TFLOPS FP32 performance, which accelerates both CPU-bound encoding and GPU-accelerated rendering pipelines.

Software developers compiling large codebases will appreciate the CPU’s PassMark integer math score of 125091 and data compression score of 568721, which reflect strong performance in build tools and version control operations. Students in engineering or computer science programs will find the processor’s ECC memory support and the GPU’s Vulkan 1.4 and DirectX 12 Ultimate API support valuable for coursework involving simulations or graphics programming. Small business workstations handling databases, financial modeling, or CAD software will benefit from the combination of 18 threads and 32 GB of GDDR7 memory, which provides ample headroom for multi-tasking and large file manipulation.

The build is less suited for users with modest performance needs, as the components’ high percentile rankings represent overkill for basic office tasks or casual web browsing. However, for those who demand top-tier performance in professional applications or high-end gaming, this pairing offers a balanced solution where neither component significantly bottlenecks the other. The CPU’s 93rd percentile and GPU’s 92nd percentile, combined with the 93rd combined percentile, indicate a system that consistently performs in the top 7% of all possible configurations.

Benchmark Performance

The CPU’s benchmark suite paints a picture of consistent high performance across various test types. The Cinebench R15 multi-core score of 4640 and single-core score of 328 establish a baseline, while the R20 scores of 18442 multi-core and 2603 single-core show scaling with newer benchmarks. The R23 scores of 30867 multi-core and 2261 single-core represent the most modern Cinebench results, with the multi-core score being particularly impressive given the 18-thread configuration. The PassMark suite shows strong results across the board: multithread score of 51596, single-thread score of 4757, floating-point math of 162692, and integer math of 125091.

The GPU’s benchmark scores demonstrate its high-end positioning. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 14326 is a strong indicator of modern DirectX 12 gaming performance, while the Geekbench OpenCL score of 310674 and Vulkan score of 376915 suggest excellent compute performance in both API environments. The PassMark G3D score of 44065 places the GPU in the 92nd percentile, with the PassMark GPU compute score of 28396 indicating strong general-purpose GPU computing capabilities. The PassMark DirectX scores—434 for DX9, 371 for DX11, 231 for DX10, and 219 for DX12—show an interesting pattern where older APIs perform relatively better, which is typical for modern GPUs with optimized drivers for legacy APIs.

The combined picture shows a system where the CPU’s average benchmark score of 66855 and the GPU’s average benchmark score of 77712 create a balanced high-performance platform. The CPU’s nearest rival deltas are all within 1.1%, indicating tight competition at this performance level, while the GPU’s nearest rival deltas range from -2.4% to 1.1%, showing slightly more variance. The combined percentile of 93 suggests that this pairing outperforms 93% of all possible CPU-GPU combinations in the database, making it a top-tier choice for demanding applications.

FAQ

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

A: The combined percentile for this build is 93, meaning it outperforms 93% of all possible CPU-GPU combinations in the database. The CPU individually holds a 93rd percentile rank, and the GPU holds a 92nd percentile rank.

Q: How does the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus compare to its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus?

A: The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus has an average benchmark score of 66855, while the 250KF Plus scores 66159. The deltaPct is 1.1%, meaning the 250K Plus is approximately 1.1% faster than the 250KF Plus in average benchmark performance.

Q: What are the memory specifications of the RTX 5090 D?

A: The RTX 5090 D features 32 GB of GDDR7 memory with a 512-bit bus width and a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s. The memory clock is 1750 MHz, which translates to 28 Gbps effective.

Q: Does the CPU support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus supports ECC memory. It also supports DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration with a memory bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s.

Q: What is the process node for each component?

A: The CPU is manufactured on TSMC’s 3 nm process node, while the GPU is manufactured on TSMC’s 5 nm process node. The CPU has 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die, and the GPU has 92,200 million transistors on a 750 mm² die.

Q: What is the TDP and suggested PSU for this build?

A: The CPU has a TDP of 125 W, and the GPU has a TDP of 575 W. The suggested PSU for the GPU is 950 W, which provides adequate headroom for the entire system.

Q: What are the nearest rivals for the GPU and how do they compare?

A: The nearest GPU rivals are the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT (deltaPct 1.1%), AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (deltaPct -1.6%), NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB (deltaPct -2.1%), and NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB (deltaPct -2.4%). The RTX 5090 D outperforms all except the RX 6650M XT, which it trails by 1.1%.

GPU Analysis

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture using the GB202 chip, manufactured on TSMC’s 5 nm process. The GPU contains 92,200 million transistors on a 750 mm² die, with a transistor density of 122.9M per mm². The memory subsystem consists of 32 GB of GDDR7 on a 512-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s. The GPU features 21,760 shading units, 680 TMUs, and 176 ROPs, along with 170 RT cores and 680 tensor cores, making it a formidable compute platform for both rasterization and ray tracing workloads.

Clock speeds are 2017 MHz base and 2407 MHz boost, with memory running at 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective). The GPU’s pixel rate is 423.6 GPixel/s, and its texture rate is 1,636.8 GTexel/s. The FP32 performance is 104.8 TFLOPS, with FP16 performance also at 104.8 TFLOPS (1:1). This raw compute power translates to benchmark scores that place the GPU in the 92nd percentile of all graphics cards. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 14326 and PassMark G3D score of 44065 are strong indicators of gaming performance, while the Geekbench Vulkan score of 376915 demonstrates excellent cross-platform compute capabilities.

For rendering workloads, the GPU’s 170 RT cores provide dedicated hardware for ray-traced effects, and the 680 tensor cores accelerate AI-based features like DLSS and neural rendering. The 32 GB VRAM capacity is substantial for 3D rendering, allowing large scenes and high-resolution textures to reside entirely in GPU memory. The 1.79 TB/s bandwidth ensures that texture streaming and data transfer between the GPU and memory do not become bottlenecks. The PassMark GPU compute score of 28396 indicates strong performance in compute-heavy applications like Blender or OctaneRender, though specific rendering benchmark scores are not provided in the data.

Build Overview

This desktop build pairs the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D, creating a system that ranks in the 93rd combined percentile. The CPU, based on the Arrow Lake Refresh codename, is an 18-core, 18-thread processor with a 5.30 GHz boost clock and 125 W TDP. The GPU, based on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture, is a 32 GB GDDR7 card with a 575 W TDP and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth. The build class is desktop, indicating a stationary system designed for high-performance workloads.

The overall tier of this build is high-end, as evidenced by the 93rd percentile rankings of both components and the combined percentile. The CPU’s average benchmark score of 66855 places it in the top 7% of all processors, while the GPU’s average benchmark score of 77712 places it in the top 8% of all graphics cards. The CPU’s launch MSRP is $199, and the GPU’s launch MSRP is 2,299 USD. The build supports DDR5 memory with ECC capability, and the CPU provides 20 PCIe Gen 5 lanes, while the GPU uses PCIe 5.0 x16.

The system is designed for users who need maximum performance in both CPU-bound and GPU-bound tasks. The 18-core processor handles multithreaded workloads with ease, as shown by the Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 30867, while the GPU’s 104.8 TFLOPS FP32 performance accelerates graphics and compute tasks. The combination of 93rd percentile CPU and 92nd percentile GPU creates a balanced system that avoids significant bottlenecks in most applications, though the GPU will be the limiting factor in 4K gaming scenarios.

Usage Scenarios

High-refresh gaming at 1080p or 1440p is a primary use case for this build, with the CPU’s single-thread performance (Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2261) ensuring high framerates and the GPU’s 92nd percentile ranking providing the rendering horsepower. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 14326 suggests the GPU can handle modern titles at high settings with ease, though actual FPS will vary by game.

Streaming while gaming benefits from the CPU’s 18 cores and the GPU’s NVENC encoder, though specific encoder details are not provided in the data. The CPU’s multithread score of 51596 ensures that encoding and gaming can run concurrently without significant performance degradation. The 125091 integer math score supports the computational overhead of streaming software.

Video editing in applications like Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve will leverage both components: the CPU’s 162692 floating-point math score accelerates effects and transitions, while the GPU’s 28396 PassMark GPU compute score handles GPU-accelerated rendering and color grading. The 32 GB VRAM allows for large timelines and 4K or 8K footage without memory constraints.

3D rendering in Blender, Maya, or 3ds Max will see significant acceleration from the GPU’s 170 RT cores and 680 tensor cores, though specific render benchmark scores are not available. The CPU’s 30867 Cinebench R23 multi-core score provides strong CPU-based rendering performance for scenes that rely on CPU ray tracing. The 1.79 TB/s memory bandwidth ensures data-heavy scenes load quickly.

Software development benefits from the CPU’s 568721 data compression score, which speeds up build tools and source control operations. The 18 threads and 5.30 GHz boost clock provide fast compilation times, while the ECC memory support ensures data integrity during long build processes. The 42144 data encryption score accelerates secure coding and cryptographic operations.

Student and office work is served by the system’s responsiveness, though it is overkill for basic tasks. The CPU’s 4757 PassMark single-thread score ensures snappy application launches, and the GPU’s 1487 PassMark G2D score handles 2D desktop rendering efficiently. The 30 MB L3 cache and 115.2 GB/s memory bandwidth support multitasking with many open applications.

Upgrade Path and Platform

The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus uses Socket 1851, which is the platform for Core Ultra Series 2 processors. The CPU supports DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, with ECC capability for error-correcting memory. The processor provides 20 PCIe Gen 5 lanes for CPU-attached devices, while the GPU uses PCIe 5.0 x16 for maximum bandwidth. The platform supports a 125 W TDP CPU, and the GPU’s 575 W TDP requires a suggested PSU of 950 W, leaving headroom for additional components.

A sensible next upgrade would be to increase memory capacity or speed, as the dual-channel DDR5 configuration with 115.2 GB/s bandwidth is a potential bottleneck for the CPU’s 30 MB L3 cache and the GPU’s 1.79 TB/s bandwidth. Upgrading to higher-capacity DDR5 modules would benefit memory-intensive workloads like large-scale data analysis or multi-tabbed productivity. The motherboard’s PCIe Gen 5 support ensures that future GPUs or NVMe drives will not be bandwidth-limited.

The CPU’s multiplier is unlocked, allowing overclocking to push the 5.30 GHz boost clock higher, potentially improving single-thread performance beyond the current 2261 Cinebench R23 single-core score. However, the 125 W TDP and 3 nm process node mean thermal headroom is limited, so an adequate cooling solution is necessary. The GPU’s dual-slot design and 304 mm length require a case with sufficient clearance, and the 1x 16-pin power connector necessitates a PSU with the appropriate cable.

The platform’s production status is Active for both components, indicating ongoing availability and support. The GPU’s predecessor is the GeForce 40 series, and its successor is the GeForce 60 series, suggesting that future upgrades will follow NVIDIA’s generational releases. The CPU’s release date is 2026-03-10, while the GPU’s release date is 2025-01-29, indicating that both components are relatively recent additions to their respective product lines.