SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core Ultra 7 164U + Intel Arc A530M

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

Build Configuration

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PROCESSOR (CPU)

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GRAPHICS CARD (GPU)

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89 Score

Top 11% Ranking

89 / 100

HIGH-END

Power Build

Top 11% of systems. Excellent for 1440p Ultra or 4K High gaming.

1440p Ultra4K High

System Balance Analysis

CPU vs GPU performance ratio

Well Balanced

CPU

83%

GPU

96%

PROCESSOR

Intel Core Ultra 7 164U

17,074 Benchmark Score

Top 17% Market Ranking

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GRAPHICS CARD

Intel Arc A530M

46,614 Benchmark Score

Top 4% 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

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

# Balance and Bottleneck

The Intel Core Ultra 7 164U and Intel Arc A530M pairing presents an interesting balance profile, one where the GPU clearly outpaces the CPU in relative performance standing. The Arc A530M sits at the 85th percentile among all GPUs, while the Core Ultra 7 164U lands at the 71st percentile among all CPUs. This 14-point gap suggests that in most gaming and graphics-intensive workloads, the processor will be the limiting factor, not the graphics solution.

The CPU's multithreaded capabilities, reflected in its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 8766, indicate a part that can feed the GPU in most scenarios without creating severe frame pacing issues. However, the single-core performance, measured at 1590 in Cinebench R23, is more modest, which could constrain frame rates in titles that rely heavily on single-threaded game logic. The PassMark single-thread score of 2996 reinforces this picture — adequate for modern gaming but not exceptional.

The data shows a system where the GPU has substantial headroom. The Arc A530M's average benchmark score of 46614 places it in the same performance tier as the AMD Radeon RX 5600M (deltaPct 0), the AMD Radeon RX 6550M (deltaPct -0.2), and the NVIDIA RTX A2000 (deltaPct 1.2). Meanwhile, the CPU's average benchmark score of 17074 puts it roughly on par with the Intel Core i5-11400 (deltaPct 0) and AMD Ryzen 5 3600 (deltaPct 0.2). In essence, you have a GPU that performs like a mid-range discrete part from a generation or two ago paired with a CPU that behaves like a solid mainstream desktop processor from the same era.

For lighter workloads — office productivity, web browsing, and even some content creation tasks — the CPU's 12 cores and 14 threads provide sufficient compute. The PassMark multithread score of 13296 and data compression score of 137133 show a processor that can handle parallel tasks competently. But when the GPU is fully engaged in gaming, the CPU's more modest single-thread performance becomes the bottleneck, particularly at lower resolutions where the GPU can produce frames faster than the CPU can issue draw calls.

The tdp figures tell a story of thermal balance. The CPU is rated at 9 watts, an extremely low power envelope that reflects its mobile, efficiency-focused design. The GPU, at 65 watts, draws substantially more power. This asymmetry means that in a laptop chassis, the thermal solution must prioritize the GPU's cooling, while the CPU can operate within a much tighter power budget. The practical effect is that sustained gaming sessions will see the CPU potentially boosting to its 4.80 GHz maximum for short bursts, but settling into lower sustained clocks during extended loads, which further cements the CPU as the limiting factor in gaming scenarios.

# Benchmark Performance

The combined picture from benchmark results places this pairing at the 78th percentile overall, indicating a system that outperforms the majority of laptops while not reaching the top tier of mobile computing. The GPU is the clear performance leader in this partnership, with its average benchmark score of 46614 representing a significant contribution to the system's overall capability.

Looking at the CPU's benchmark suite, the Cinebench R23 multicore score of 8766 and single-core score of 1590 provide the clearest picture of its compute capabilities. The Cinebench R20 results — 4488 multicore and 633 single-core — follow the expected scaling pattern, while the older R15 scores of 1304 multicore and 225 single-core confirm consistent performance across rendering workloads. These scores place the CPU in the 71st percentile, with nearest rivals including the AMD EPYC 7573X (avgScore 17070, deltaPct 0) and the Intel Core i5-11400 (avgScore 17067, deltaPct 0), both essentially matching the Ultra 7 164U's average score of 17074.

The PassMark results add depth to the analysis. The integer math score of 50387 and floating point math score of 33581 show competent general-purpose compute. The extended instructions score of 7918 suggests reasonable SIMD performance, while the data encryption score of 8838 indicates adequate security-related processing. The find prime numbers score of 56 is notably low, reflecting the processor's efficiency-focused design rather than raw integer throughput.

On the GPU side, the Geekbench OpenCL score of 49735 and Vulkan score of 43492 demonstrate respectable compute and graphics API performance. The GPU's 85th percentile placement puts it ahead of the CPU's standing, and its average score of 46614 is within 1.4% of the NVIDIA RTX 5880 Ada Generation (avgScore 45972), a professional-grade GPU. This is a remarkable data point — a mobile Arc GPU trading nearly evenly with a workstation-class NVIDIA part in these synthetic benchmarks.

The combined percentile of 78 reflects a system where the sum is greater than the parts might suggest. While neither component individually reaches the top 20% of their respective categories, the balanced pairing achieves a higher combined score than either component's individual percentile would predict. This suggests that the CPU and GPU complement each other well in real-world workloads, with the GPU's strengths offsetting the CPU's more modest capabilities.

# CPU Analysis

The Intel Core Ultra 7 164U belongs to the Core Ultra Series 1, built on the Meteor Lake architecture using Intel's 7 nm process node. This is a mobile-focused processor with 12 cores and 14 threads, a configuration that suggests a mix of performance and efficiency cores typical of Intel's hybrid designs. The base clock of 1100 MHz is conservative, emphasizing power efficiency, while the boost clock of 4.80 GHz provides substantial headroom when thermal and power conditions allow.

The cache hierarchy is notable for its per-core allocation. The L1 cache is 112 KB per core, and L2 is 2 MB per core, while the shared L3 cache totals 12 MB. This arrangement provides each core with relatively generous private cache, which can help with latency-sensitive workloads, while the shared L3 supports inter-core communication and data sharing in multithreaded applications.

The processor's market segment is explicitly mobile, and its 9-watt TDP confirms an ultra-low-power design. The socket is Intel BGA 2551, meaning it is soldered to the motherboard and not upgradeable. Memory support is DDR5, with the configuration depending on the motherboard, and the memory bus is dual-channel. The CPU provides PCIe Gen 4 with 8 lanes for external devices. ECC memory is not supported. The integrated graphics is Arc Xe-LPG with 64 execution units, providing a fallback display solution when the discrete GPU is not needed.

Benchmark results paint a picture of a processor that punches above its power class in some areas while being limited in others. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 8766 is respectable for a 9-watt part, though it trails mainstream desktop processors with similar core counts. The single-core score of 1590 is more modest, reflecting the low base clock and the thermal constraints of the mobile form factor.

The PassMark multithread score of 13296 and single-thread score of 2996 corroborate the Cinebench results. The data compression score of 137133 is strong, indicating good memory subsystem performance and efficient thread utilization. The floating point math score of 33581 and integer math score of 50387 show balanced compute capabilities across different workload types.

The CPU's average benchmark score of 17074 places it in the 71st percentile, with nearest rivals including the AMD EPYC 7573X, Intel Core i5-11400, and AMD Ryzen 5 3600 — all within 0.3% of the Ultra 7 164U's average score. This is a telling comparison: a low-power mobile chip matching the performance of desktop processors from a few years ago. The release date of December 13, 2023, and launch MSRP of $448 position this as a premium mobile processor at its introduction.

For real-world workloads, the CPU's 12 cores and 14 threads handle parallel tasks like video encoding and 3D rendering competently, as the Cinebench scores indicate. The single-thread performance, while not exceptional, is sufficient for everyday applications and responsive system operation. The data encryption score of 8838 suggests adequate security performance for encrypted storage and VPN traffic.

# Usage Scenarios

High-Refresh Gaming: The Arc A530M's 85th percentile GPU ranking suggests this system can drive high-refresh displays in many titles, but the CPU's 71st percentile and modest single-core score of 1590 in Cinebench R23 may limit frame rates in CPU-bound scenarios. The GPU's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 224.0 GB/s bandwidth provide sufficient resources for 1080p gaming with high settings, though the CPU's single-thread performance could cap frame rates in esports titles.

Streaming: The CPU's 12 cores and 14 threads, combined with a PassMark multithread score of 13296, provide enough parallel compute for software encoding at reasonable quality settings. The GPU's Geekbench OpenCL score of 49735 suggests it can assist with encoding tasks, though the lack of dedicated tensor cores means AI-based encoding enhancements are not available. The data compression score of 137133 indicates efficient handling of stream data.

Video Editing: The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 8766 shows the CPU can handle video editing timelines with moderate complexity. The GPU's FP32 performance of 3.994 TFLOPS and texture rate of 124.8 GTexel/s provide acceleration for effects and color grading. The 8 GB VRAM is adequate for 1080p and some 4K editing, though very long timelines or heavy effects stacks may strain the system.

3D Rendering: The CPU's Cinebench R23 multicore score of 8766 and the GPU's OpenCL score of 49735 combine to offer competent rendering performance for hobbyist and semi-professional work. The GPU's 12 RT cores provide hardware-accelerated ray tracing, which can significantly speed up ray-traced renders in compatible applications. The 11,500 million transistors and 269 mm² die size indicate a substantial GPU for the mobile segment.

Software Development: The CPU's PassMark integer math score of 50387 and extended instructions score of 7918 support compilation workloads reasonably well. The 12 cores and 14 threads allow for parallel builds, and the 12 MB shared L3 cache helps with frequently accessed code and data. The data encryption score of 8838 supports secure development practices like encrypted repositories and VPN connections.

Student and Office Work: The CPU's 9-watt TDP and efficient design make this system well-suited for all-day battery life in academic settings. The single-thread score of 2996 in PassMark ensures responsive application performance for word processing, spreadsheets, and web browsing. The integrated Arc Xe-LPG graphics with 64 EU provides adequate display output for presentations and multimedia.

# Who Should Build It

The target user for this CPU+GPU pairing is someone who needs a laptop that can handle both productivity and gaming without excelling at either. The 78th combined percentile places this system in the upper-middle tier of laptops, suitable for users who want a single device for work and play.

Gamers at 1080p resolution will find the Arc A530M's 85th percentile GPU performance sufficient for most titles at medium to high settings. The GPU's nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 5600M (deltaPct 0), is a known quantity in the gaming laptop space, providing a reference point for expected performance. However, gamers seeking maximum frame rates at 1440p or above should look at higher-tier GPUs.

Content creators working with video, photos, and 3D assets will appreciate the CPU's 12 cores and the GPU's 3.994 TFLOPS of FP32 compute. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 8766 indicates the system can handle rendering tasks that would overwhelm lesser laptops, though it will not compete with dedicated workstation machines. The GPU's 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for most creative applications.

Developers and engineers who need a portable machine for coding, testing, and light virtualization will find the CPU's 12 threads and 12 MB L3 cache beneficial. The PassMark multithread score of 13296 supports parallel build processes, and the efficient 9-watt TDP means the system can sustain performance on battery power.

Students and small business users who need a versatile laptop for coursework, document creation, and occasional entertainment will find this pairing well-matched. The integrated graphics provide a power-efficient fallback for basic tasks, while the discrete GPU handles more demanding applications when needed.

# GPU Analysis

The Intel Arc A530M is built on the Xe-HPG architecture, specifically the DG2-256 chip manufactured on TSMC's 6 nm process. The GPU contains 11,500 million transistors on a 269 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 42.8 million per square millimeter. This is a substantial GPU for the mobile segment, reflecting Intel's ambition to compete in the discrete graphics market.

The memory subsystem consists of 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, providing 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The memory clock is 1750 MHz, with an effective data rate of 14 Gbps. This configuration is typical for a mid-range mobile GPU, offering enough bandwidth for 1080p gaming and moderate 1440p performance. The pixel rate is 62.40 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 124.8 GTexel/s, derived from 48 ROPs and 96 TMUs respectively.

The GPU's compute resources include 1536 shading units, 12 RT cores, and an FP32 performance of 3.994 TFLOPS. The FP16 performance is 7.987 TFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio, indicating that the GPU can accelerate mixed-precision workloads. The base clock is 900 MHz with a boost clock of 1300 MHz, and the TDP is rated at 65 watts. The bus interface is PCIe 4.0 x8, and the GPU supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

Benchmark results for the GPU are limited to Geekbench scores — 49735 in OpenCL and 43492 in Vulkan. These scores place the GPU at the 85th percentile, with an average benchmark score of 46614. The nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 5600M (deltaPct 0), AMD Radeon RX 6550M (deltaPct -0.2), NVIDIA RTX A2000 (deltaPct 1.2), and NVIDIA RTX 5880 Ada Generation (deltaPct 1.4). The fact that a mobile Arc GPU trades nearly evenly with the RTX 5880 Ada Generation in these synthetic benchmarks is noteworthy, though it should be noted that Geekbench scores do not always translate directly to gaming performance.

The GPU's 12 RT cores provide hardware-accelerated ray tracing, a feature that is becoming increasingly important in modern games. The DirectX 12 Ultimate support ensures compatibility with the latest graphics features, including mesh shaders and variable rate shading. However, the lack of dedicated tensor cores means that AI-based features like DLSS (on NVIDIA) or FSR (on AMD) may not be fully accelerated, though FSR can run on any GPU.

For rendering workloads, the GPU's 3.994 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 124.8 GTexel/s texture rate provide reasonable throughput for 3D modeling and animation tasks. The 8 GB VRAM is adequate for most scenes, though very large textures or complex scenes may exceed this capacity. The 224.0 GB/s bandwidth is sufficient for the GPU's compute capabilities, though it is not exceptional by modern standards.

# FAQ

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 7 164U compare to the AMD Ryzen 5 3600?

A: The two processors have nearly identical average benchmark scores — 17074 for the Ultra 7 164U and 17035 for the Ryzen 5 3600, a deltaPct of 0.2. This means the 9-watt mobile Intel chip performs on par with the desktop AMD processor from several years ago.

Q: What is the GPU's performance relative to the NVIDIA RTX A2000?

A: The Arc A530M's average benchmark score of 46614 is 1.2% higher than the RTX A2000's score of 46043. This places the two GPUs in the same performance tier, with the Intel part having a slight edge in synthetic benchmarks.

Q: Does this laptop support hardware ray tracing?

A: Yes, the Arc A530M includes 12 RT cores and supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), which includes hardware-accelerated ray tracing. This allows for ray-traced lighting and reflections in compatible games and applications.

Q: What is the CPU's cache configuration?

A: The Core Ultra 7 164U has 112 KB of L1 cache per core, 2 MB of L2 cache per core, and 12 MB of shared L3 cache. This configuration provides each core with generous private cache while allowing efficient data sharing across all 12 cores.

Q: Can this system handle 4K video editing?

A: The CPU's Cinebench R23 multicore score of 8766 and the GPU's 8 GB VRAM provide enough resources for some 4K editing, but performance may be limited with long timelines or heavy effects. The GPU's 224.0 GB/s bandwidth and 3.994 TFLOPS FP32 performance support hardware acceleration for effects and color grading.

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

A: The combined percentile is 78, meaning this system outperforms 78% of all laptop configurations in the benchmark database. This places it in the upper-middle tier of mobile computing performance.

Q: How much power does each component consume?

A: The CPU has a TDP of 9 watts, reflecting its ultra-low-power mobile design. The GPU has a TDP of 65 watts, which is typical for a mid-range discrete mobile GPU. The combined power draw of approximately 74 watts is manageable for most laptop cooling solutions.

# Build Overview

This build pairs the Intel Core Ultra 7 164U with the Intel Arc A530M in a laptop form factor, as indicated by the buildClass field. The CPU is a 12-core, 14-thread mobile processor from the Core Ultra Series 1, built on the Meteor Lake architecture with a 7 nm process. The GPU is an Arc A530M from the Alchemist generation, built on the Xe-HPG architecture with a 6 nm TSMC process.

The combined percentile of 78 places this system in the upper-middle tier of laptop performance. The CPU's 71st percentile and the GPU's 85th percentile indicate that the graphics solution is the stronger component, providing the majority of the system's overall performance capability. The CPU's average benchmark score of 17074 and the GPU's average score of 46614 create a balanced platform for gaming and productivity.

The CPU's launch MSRP is $448, reflecting its premium positioning at release. The GPU has no launch MSRP listed, which is common for mobile GPUs that are typically sold as part of complete laptop systems rather than as standalone components. The CPU's release date of December 13, 2023, and the GPU's release date of July 31, 2023, indicate a pairing of recent-generation components.

This system is best characterized as a mid-range to upper-mid-range laptop that prioritizes GPU performance over CPU performance. The 9-watt CPU is designed for efficiency, while the 65-watt GPU provides a significant boost in graphics-intensive workloads. This asymmetry makes the system well-suited for users who spend more time in GPU-accelerated applications than in CPU-bound tasks.

# Gaming Performance

The FACT PACK contains no measured FPS data for this exact CPU+GPU combination. The measuredFpsUltraByGame field is empty, and dataIsMeasured is false. All frame rate discussion below is therefore estimated from the benchmark scores and should be treated as approximate expectations rather than verified results.

Based on the GPU's 85th percentile ranking and its similarity to the AMD Radeon RX 5600M (deltaPct 0) and RX 6550M (deltaPct -0.2), the Arc A530M should deliver playable frame rates at 1080p with high settings in most modern games. The 8 GB VRAM and 224.0 GB/s bandwidth provide sufficient resources for 1080p textures and effects. The 62.40 GPixel/s pixel rate supports high-resolution rendering, while the 124.8 GTexel/s texture rate handles detailed textures.

The CPU's single-thread performance, measured at 1590 in Cinebench R23 and 2996 in PassMark, may become a limiting factor in CPU-bound games. Titles with heavy physics simulations, complex AI, or poor multithreading may see frame rates capped by the processor. The 12 cores and 14 threads help with well-optimized titles, but the low 1100 MHz base clock could result in inconsistent performance during sustained gaming sessions.

At 1080p with ultra settings, esports titles like competitive shooters and MOBAs should achieve high frame rates, likely exceeding 60 FPS in most scenarios. The GPU's 3.994 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 12 RT cores provide enough compute for modern game engines. However, the CPU's single-thread limitations may prevent frame rates from reaching the highest levels in CPU-bound scenarios.

For AAA titles at 1080p, the system should manage 30-60 FPS at high settings, with performance varying based on the game's optimization. The GPU's 85th percentile ranking suggests it outperforms the majority of mobile GPUs, but the CPU's 71st percentile indicates it may struggle with the most demanding game logic. The RT cores enable ray tracing, though enabling this feature will reduce frame rates significantly.

At 1440p, the system will likely require reduced settings to maintain playable frame rates. The 224.0 GB/s bandwidth and 8 GB VRAM are sufficient for 1440p textures, but the GPU's 3.994 TFLOPS compute may be insufficient for high frame rates at this resolution. Users should expect 30-45 FPS at medium settings in demanding titles, with lighter games achieving higher frame rates.

The GPU's nearest rival, the RTX 5880 Ada Generation (deltaPct 1.4), is a professional workstation GPU, suggesting the Arc A530M has strong compute capabilities beyond gaming. However, gaming performance depends on driver optimization and game-specific factors that are not captured in synthetic benchmarks. Intel's Arc drivers have improved since launch, but some games may still show suboptimal performance compared to equivalent AMD or NVIDIA parts.

Rate My PC: Intel Core Ultra 7 164U + Intel Arc A530M

Power Build

System Balance Analysis

Intel Core Ultra 7 164U

Intel Arc A530M

Market Position

Game Performance Benchmarks

Cyberpunk 2077

Red Dead Redemption 2

Microsoft Flight Simulator

Control

Call of Duty: Warzone

Fortnite

Performance Insights

Strong Performance

Performance Tiers Explained

Ultimate

High-End

Mid-Range

Entry Level

Legacy

4K Gaming Performance

Cyberpunk 2077

Red Dead Redemption 2

Microsoft Flight Simulator

Control

Call of Duty: Warzone

Fortnite

1440p Gaming Performance

Cyberpunk 2077

Red Dead Redemption 2

Microsoft Flight Simulator

Control

Call of Duty: Warzone

Fortnite

1080p Gaming Performance

Cyberpunk 2077

Red Dead Redemption 2

Microsoft Flight Simulator

Control

Call of Duty: Warzone

Fortnite

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