SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF 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 250KF Plus

66,159 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

# Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D

This desktop pairing combines an 18-core Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus from the Arrow Lake Refresh generation with NVIDIA's flagship GeForce RTX 5090 D, built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture. The CPU sits in the 93rd percentile against all processors, while the GPU holds the 92nd percentile against all graphics cards, placing this build in the top tier of desktop computing performance. The combination targets users who need both substantial multi-threaded compute and extreme graphics throughput, though the data reveals some interesting asymmetries between the two components' relative standings.

Usage Scenarios

High-refresh gaming: The RTX 5090 D's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 14,326 and PassMark G3D score of 44,065 indicate the GPU can drive frame rates well beyond standard 60 FPS targets. With the CPU's PassMark single-thread score of 4,698, the processor can keep up with the GPU's frame generation in most gaming scenarios. The GPU's 92nd percentile ranking versus all GPUs suggests this setup is built for 144Hz or higher refresh displays, though the CPU's 93rd percentile position means it won't bottleneck the graphics card in most titles.

Streaming: The CPU's 18 cores and 18 threads provide headroom for encoding workloads alongside gaming. The PassMark multithread score of 50,146 and data encryption score of 41,292 indicate the processor can handle simultaneous game rendering and stream encoding without major frame drops. The GPU's tensor cores (680) can also offload encoding tasks, though the data does not specify dedicated encoder hardware. The 32 GB GDDR7 memory provides ample buffer for streaming software and game assets simultaneously.

Video editing: The CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42,718 places it in strong territory for video rendering tasks. The GPU's FP32 compute of 104.8 TFLOPS and PassMark GPU compute score of 28,396 accelerate effects, color grading, and export processes. The 32 GB VRAM capacity handles large timelines and 8K footage without memory pressure, while the 1.79 TB/s memory bandwidth moves frame data quickly between GPU memory and the rendering pipeline.

3D rendering: The GPU's 21,760 shading units and 680 texture mapping units deliver substantial raw geometry processing power. The 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 14,326 reflects strong DX12 rendering performance. The CPU's Cinebench R20 multi-core score of 17,941 supports complex scene preparation, physics calculations, and ray tracing BVH builds. The combination handles both GPU-accelerated renderers and CPU-based rendering engines effectively.

Software development: The CPU's 18 cores handle parallel compilation workloads efficiently, with PassMark integer math score of 123,030 and floating-point math score of 159,824 indicating strong compute throughput. The 30 MB L3 cache and 115.2 GB/s memory bandwidth reduce cache misses during large codebase builds. The GPU's massive compute capability also supports local machine learning model training or inference during development workflows.

Student and office work: This configuration is massively overprovisioned for document editing, spreadsheet analysis, or web browsing. The CPU's PassMark single-thread score of 4,698 and Cinebench R15 single-core score of 607 provide far more responsiveness than typical productivity software requires. The 125 W CPU TDP and 575 W GPU TDP make this an impractical choice for budget-conscious students, though the benchmark data suggests it would never struggle with any office workload.

Benchmark Performance

The CPU achieves an average benchmark score of 66,159 across all tests, placing it in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core 9 273PQE, scores 66,099, a mere 0.1% difference, indicating these two processors are statistically equivalent in overall performance. The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D scores 65,914 (0.4% behind), while the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus scores 66,855 (1% ahead) and the AMD EPYC 4465P scores 66,925 (1.1% ahead). This clustering shows the 250KF Plus sits in a tightly contested performance band where architectural differences produce minimal real-world deltas.

The GPU's average benchmark score of 77,712 places it in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs, with a slightly wider competitive gap. The AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT scores 76,904 (1.1% ahead), the RX 6850M XT scores 78,940 (1.6% behind), the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB scores 79,396 (2.1% behind), and the Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB scores 79,605 (2.4% behind). These rivals span laptop and data center segments, highlighting that the 5090 D competes across form factors.

In specific CPU tests, the Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42,718 demonstrates strong all-core throughput, while the single-core score of 6,030 shows competitive per-thread performance. The PassMark multithread score of 50,146 confirms the multi-core strength, while the data compression score of 553,155 and random string sorting score of 67,209 indicate solid memory-bound performance. The GPU's Geekbench Vulkan score of 376,915 and OpenCL score of 310,674 reflect strong compute API performance, while the PassMark G3D score of 44,065 represents the graphical rendering capability.

The combined percentile of 93 for this build indicates the pairing sits at the top of the desktop performance distribution. The CPU and GPU percentiles are nearly identical (93 vs 92), suggesting a balanced pairing where neither component dramatically outclasses the other in their respective domains.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus better than the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D?

A: The average benchmark scores are nearly identical, with the 250KF Plus scoring 66,159 versus the 7950X3D's 65,914, a 0.4% difference. This places them within statistical noise, meaning real-world performance will depend on the specific workload rather than a consistent overall advantage.

Q: What is the GPU's strongest benchmark result?

A: The Geekbench Vulkan score of 376,915 is the highest single benchmark result for the RTX 5090 D, followed by the OpenCL score of 310,674. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 14,326 represents the dedicated gaming-oriented performance metric.

Q: Does this CPU support overclocking?

A: Yes, the multiplier is unlocked, allowing users to adjust clock speeds beyond the 4.20 GHz base and 5.30 GHz boost frequencies. The 125 W TDP provides some thermal headroom, though the data does not specify maximum overclocking potential.

Q: What memory type does this build use?

A: The CPU supports DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration with a maximum bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s. The GPU uses 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus with 1.79 TB/s bandwidth.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its nearest rivals in average score?

A: The RTX 5090 D's average score of 77,712 is 1.1% behind the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT (76,904) but 1.6% ahead of the RX 6850M XT (78,940). The NVIDIA Tesla P100 variants are 2.1-2.4% behind, showing the 5090 D sits competitively among diverse GPU architectures.

Q: Can this build handle PCIe 5.0 devices?

A: Yes, the CPU provides 20 PCIe Gen 5 lanes, and the GPU uses a PCIe 5.0 x16 interface. This enables full-bandwidth connectivity for the graphics card and additional Gen 5 devices like NVMe storage.

Q: What is the release timeline for these components?

A: The RTX 5090 D was released on 2025-01-29, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus became available on 2026-03-10. Both components are currently listed as active in production.

Upgrade Path and Platform

The Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus uses Socket 1851, which supports the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture from the Core Ultra Series 2 generation. The CPU provides 20 PCIe Gen 5 lanes, enabling high-bandwidth connectivity for the GPU and storage devices. The motherboard platform supports DDR5 memory in dual-channel configuration, with ECC memory support available for error-checking in professional workloads.

The GPU's suggested PSU requirement of 950 W, combined with the CPU's 125 W TDP, means the total system power draw is substantial. The 1x 16-pin power connector on the GPU requires a compatible power supply, and the dual-slot design with 304 mm length (12 inches) needs adequate case clearance. The 48 mm width (1.9 inches) and 137 mm height (5.4 inches) dimensions should fit most full-tower cases, though compact builds may face space constraints.

A sensible next upgrade path would focus on the CPU side, since the GPU already sits at the 92nd percentile. Moving to a higher-tier Core Ultra processor would provide more cores and threads for multi-threaded workloads, though the nearest rivals show the 250KF Plus is already within 1.1% of the AMD EPYC 4465P and 1% of the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus. Alternatively, waiting for the successor to the GeForce 50-series (the GeForce 60) would provide the next GPU upgrade opportunity, though the 5090 D's 32 GB VRAM and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth leave substantial headroom for future games.

The platform's 115.2 GB/s memory bandwidth and 30 MB L3 cache represent current-generation specifications that will remain relevant for several years. The 3 nm process node for the CPU and 5 nm for the GPU indicate modern manufacturing efficiency, though the 92,200 million transistors on the GPU die (750 mm²) suggest significant thermal output that requires robust cooling.

Balance and Bottleneck

The CPU and GPU percentiles (93 and 92 respectively) are closely aligned, suggesting neither component dramatically bottlenecks the other in most workloads. However, the benchmark data reveals workload-specific asymmetries. The CPU's PassMark single-thread score of 4,698 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6,030 are strong but not elite, while the GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 14,326 represents top-tier graphics performance. In gaming scenarios, the GPU will likely be the limiting factor at lower resolutions where CPU overhead becomes more significant, while at higher resolutions the GPU's rendering throughput dominates.

The CPU's 18 cores without hyper-threading (18 threads) means multi-threaded scaling is linear but lacks the thread-doubling advantage of SMT-enabled rivals. The PassMark multithread score of 50,146 versus single-thread score of 4,698 indicates a scaling efficiency of approximately 10.7x across 18 cores, which is reasonable but not perfect. The GPU's FP32 compute of 104.8 TFLOPS versus the CPU's floating-point math score of 159,824 shows the massive compute disparity between the components, with the GPU handling parallel floating-point workloads far more efficiently.

In content creation workloads like video editing or 3D rendering, the GPU will dominate processing time for render passes, while the CPU handles timeline operations and scene management. The data compression score of 553,155 and encryption score of 41,292 indicate the CPU can handle data-intensive tasks without bottlenecking the GPU's output. The 32 GB VRAM capacity eliminates GPU memory bottlenecks for most professional workloads, while the 30 MB CPU L3 cache reduces memory latency for frequently accessed data.

For gaming, the GPU's pixel rate of 423.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 1,636.8 GTexel/s provide massive fill rates that will outpace the CPU's frame generation capabilities in most titles. The 568 tensor cores and 170 RT cores add specialized processing for ray tracing and AI-enhanced features, shifting more workload to the GPU and potentially reducing CPU bottlenecks in modern games.

GPU Analysis

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture using a 5 nm TSMC process, featuring 92,200 million transistors on a 750 mm² die. The GPU operates at a base clock of 2017 MHz with a boost clock of 2407 MHz, paired with 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus. The memory runs at 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective), delivering 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth, which is essential for high-resolution textures and large datasets.

The GPU contains 21,760 shading units, 680 texture mapping units, and 176 raster output units, providing a pixel rate of 423.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 1,636.8 GTexel/s. The FP32 compute of 104.8 TFLOPS matches the FP16 throughput (also 104.8 TFLOPS at 1:1 ratio), indicating balanced performance for both standard and half-precision workloads. The 170 RT cores and 680 tensor cores provide dedicated hardware for ray tracing and AI acceleration, respectively.

Benchmark performance shows the GPU achieves a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 14,326, placing it in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs. The Geekbench Vulkan score of 376,915 and OpenCL score of 310,674 demonstrate strong compute API performance, while the PassMark G3D score of 44,065 and GPU compute score of 28,396 provide additional performance perspectives. The PassMark DirectX scores vary significantly: DirectX 9 scores 434, DirectX 10 scores 231, DirectX 11 scores 371, and DirectX 12 scores 219, suggesting the GPU's performance scales with API sophistication.

The 32 GB VRAM capacity is substantial for 4K gaming and professional rendering, while the 1.79 TB/s bandwidth ensures data flows efficiently for high-resolution textures and compute workloads. The GPU's nearest rivals include laptop GPUs (RX 6650M XT at 1.1% ahead, RX 6850M XT at 1.6% behind) and data center accelerators (Tesla P100 variants at 2.1-2.4% behind), indicating the 5090 D's performance spans multiple market segments. The dual-slot design, 304 mm length, and 950 W suggested PSU indicate this is a high-power component requiring serious cooling and power delivery.

CPU Analysis

The Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus is a desktop processor from the Core Ultra Series 2, built on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture using a 3 nm TSMC process. The chip contains 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die, with 18 cores and 18 threads (no hyper-threading). The base clock is 4.20 GHz with a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, and the TDP is rated at 125 W. The multiplier is unlocked, allowing overclocking beyond stock frequencies.

The cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU supports DDR5 memory in dual-channel configuration with 115.2 GB/s bandwidth and ECC memory support. It provides 20 PCIe Gen 5 lanes for high-speed connectivity. The integrated graphics are listed as N/A, meaning the 250KF requires a discrete GPU (which this build provides).

Benchmark results show strong multi-threaded performance: Cinebench R15 multi-core scores 4,305, R20 scores 17,941, and R23 scores 42,718. Single-core scores are 607, 2,532, and 6,030 for R15, R20, and R23 respectively. PassMark results include a multithread score of 50,146, single-thread score of 4,698, integer math of 123,030, floating-point math of 159,824, and data compression of 553,155. The average benchmark score of 66,159 places the CPU in the 93rd percentile of all processors.

The nearest rival comparisons show the 250KF Plus is within 1.1% of the AMD EPYC 4465P and 1% of the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus, while leading the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D by 0.4% and the Intel Core 9 273PQE by 0.1%. This tight clustering indicates the CPU's performance is competitive with top-tier alternatives from both AMD and Intel. The 18-core count without hyper-threading means the CPU relies on physical cores for throughput, which can be advantageous for workloads that scale linearly with core count but less efficient for highly threaded workloads that benefit from SMT.

Build Overview

This desktop build pairs the Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D, creating a high-performance system aimed at the upper echelon of desktop computing. The CPU's 93rd percentile ranking and GPU's 92nd percentile ranking combine for a 93rd percentile overall build classification. Both components are actively in production, with the GPU released on 2025-01-29 and the CPU on 2026-03-10.

The build class is desktop, confirming this is a stationary system rather than a mobile workstation. The CPU's launch MSRP is $184, while the GPU's launch MSRP is 2,299 USD. The processing power is substantial: the CPU provides 18 cores at up to 5.30 GHz, while the GPU delivers 104.8 TFLOPS of FP32 compute with 32 GB of GDDR7 memory. The system requires a 950 W power supply according to the GPU's suggested PSU rating, with the CPU adding 125 W TDP to the total power draw.

The combined percentile of 93 places this build in the top 7% of all desktop configurations. The GPU's average benchmark score of 77,712 versus the CPU's 66,159 indicates the graphics card contributes more raw benchmark performance, though both components are elite in their respective categories. The pairing is appropriate for users who need maximum graphics performance with strong but not absolute top-tier CPU compute.

Who Should Build It

High-refresh gamers: The RTX 5090 D's 92nd percentile GPU ranking and 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 14,326 indicate this build can drive 144Hz or faster displays at high resolutions. The CPU's 93rd percentile single-thread performance ensures frame pacing remains smooth. Gamers targeting 4K at maximum settings with ray tracing enabled will find this system capable, though the data does not include specific measured FPS figures.

Content creators: Video editors and 3D artists benefit from the GPU's 32 GB VRAM and 104.8 TFLOPS compute, which accelerates rendering and effects processing. The CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42,718 handles timeline operations and scene assembly. Professionals working with 8K footage or complex 3D scenes will appreciate the memory capacity and bandwidth.

Developers and AI researchers: The CPU's 18 cores and the GPU's 680 tensor cores provide substantial compute for machine learning workloads. The PassMark encryption score of 41,292 and extended instructions score of 42,880 indicate strong data processing capability. The PCIe Gen 5 x16 interface ensures high-bandwidth communication between CPU and GPU for data-intensive tasks.

Students in technical fields: While expensive, this build handles any academic workload including CAD, simulation, and programming assignments. The ECC memory support provides data integrity for long-running computations, and the 30 MB L3 cache aids in repetitive scientific workloads. Small business workstations requiring reliable high-performance computing would also benefit.

Enthusiast builders: The unlocked multiplier on the CPU and the GPU's active production status make this platform suitable for customization. The dual-slot GPU design and 950 W PSU requirement indicate a system designed for serious performance, not portability or energy efficiency.

Gaming Performance

The FACT PACK contains no measured FPS data for this specific CPU+GPU combination, as no measuredFps rows exist for the Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D. The dataIsMeasured field is false, meaning all frame rate figures must be treated as estimates derived from benchmark scores rather than direct testing results.

Based on the GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 14,326 and the CPU's PassMark single-thread score of 4,698, gaming performance expectations are high. The GPU's pixel rate of 423.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 1,636.8 GTexel/s suggest the system can handle 4K resolution with ultra-quality settings in most titles. The 32 GB VRAM capacity eliminates concerns about texture memory limitations, while the 1.79 TB/s bandwidth ensures high-resolution assets load quickly.

The CPU's Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6,030 indicates strong per-thread performance for game logic and physics calculations. The 18 cores provide headroom for background tasks like streaming or recording without impacting frame rates. The GPU's 170 RT cores suggest ray tracing features will perform well, though the PassMark DirectX scores (ranging from 219 to 434) show variable performance across different API versions.

For competitive esports titles at 1080p, the CPU's high single-thread performance and the GPU's massive compute should produce extremely high frame rates, likely exceeding 300 FPS in less demanding games. For AAA titles at 4K ultra settings, the GPU will be the primary determinant of frame rates, with the 92nd percentile ranking indicating top-tier performance. The estimated FPS figures should be treated as approximations, with actual results depending on specific game optimizations and driver maturity.