SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core Ultra 7 356H + Intel Arc A350M

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

92 / 100
ULTIMATE READY

Apex Performer

Top 8% 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
93%
VS
GPU
92%
PROCESSOR

Intel Core Ultra 7 356H

41,215 Benchmark Score
Top 7% Market Ranking
View Full Specs →
GRAPHICS CARD

Intel Arc A350M

24,647 Benchmark Score
Top 8% 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 is a laptop pairing built around Intel’s latest mobile architecture, combining a 16-core Panther Lake CPU with an entry-level Arc 3 discrete GPU. The data shows a system that prioritizes processor throughput over graphics muscle, landing in the 79th overall percentile. Notably, this FACT PACK contains no measured FPS data for this exact combination; all performance discussions below are estimated from the provided benchmark scores and percentile positions.

FAQ

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H compare to its closest CPU rivals?

A: The CPU’s average benchmark score of 41215 places it essentially tied with the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 (41208, 0% delta). It is 0.1% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 7 366H (41263) and 0.4% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X (41376), while being 0.6% behind the Intel Core Ultra X7 358H (40967).

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

A: The Intel Arc A350M sits at the 70th percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 24647 is 0.4% lower than the AMD Radeon RX 590 (24744) and 0.5% lower than the NVIDIA RTX A5000 Mobile (24763), but it is 0.8% higher than the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT (24442) and 1.5% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630 (24277).

Q: Does the CPU support ECC memory?

A: No, ECC memory is not supported. The memory controller supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X in a dual-channel configuration, providing a memory bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s.

Q: What is the process node and socket for this CPU?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H is built on Intel’s 3 nm process and uses the Intel BGA 2540 socket. It is a mobile-market segment part.

Q: What is the GPU’s memory configuration and bus width?

A: The Arc A350M comes with 4 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 64-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 112.0 GB/s. The memory clock is 1750 MHz, translating to 14 Gbps effective.

Q: Does the CPU have an integrated GPU?

A: Yes, the Core Ultra 7 356H includes Intel Xe3 Graphics as its integrated solution. The discrete Arc A350M operates alongside this, using a PCIe 4.0 x8 interface.

Q: Is the CPU overclockable?

A: No, the multiplier is locked. The base clock is 1.90 GHz with a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, and the CPU’s TDP is rated at 25 W.

GPU Analysis

The Intel Arc A350M is a compact graphics processor based on the Xe-HPG architecture, built on a 6 nm process at TSMC. The chip, designated DG2-128, contains 7,200 million transistors on a 157 mm² die. The GPU operates with a base clock of 1150 MHz and a boost clock of 2200 MHz. Its memory subsystem consists of 4 GB of GDDR6 on a 64-bit bus, delivering 112.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This is a modest amount of VRAM by modern standards, which will constrain texture-heavy workloads and high-resolution gaming.

The compute configuration includes 768 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster output units. The GPU also integrates 6 dedicated ray tracing cores, enabling hardware-accelerated ray tracing effects in supported titles. The pixel rate is 52.80 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 105.6 GTexel/s. Floating-point performance is rated at 3.379 TFLOPS for FP32 and 6.758 TFLOPS for FP16 (with a 2:1 ratio). The API support is extensive, including DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, which ensures compatibility with modern game engines and compute APIs.

Benchmark results show the Arc A350M scoring 24546 in Geekbench OpenCL and 24747 in Geekbench Vulkan, with an average score of 24647. This places the GPU at the 70th percentile of all GPUs. The nearest rivals show a tight cluster: the AMD Radeon RX 590 scores 24744 (0.4% higher), the NVIDIA RTX A5000 Mobile scores 24763 (0.5% higher), while the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT scores 24442 (0.8% lower) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630 scores 24277 (1.5% lower). For rendering workloads, the Arc A350M is a capable entry-level solution. The 3.379 TFLOPS FP32 throughput is adequate for 1080p rendering and light 3D modeling, though the 4 GB VRAM will be the primary bottleneck for larger scenes or high-resolution textures.

Benchmark Performance

The CPU delivers strong multi-threaded performance for its mobile class. In Cinebench R23, the Core Ultra 7 356H scores 18395 multi-core and 2040 single-core. The Cinebench R20 scores are 12153 multi-core and 1715 single-core, while Cinebench R15 shows 3055 multi-core and 303 single-core. PassMark results include a multi-thread score of 33978 and a single-thread score of 4072. The CPU’s average benchmark score is 41215, placing it at the 87th percentile of all CPUs. The nearest rivals are tightly grouped, with the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 at 41208 (0% delta), the Intel Core Ultra 7 366H at 41263 (-0.1%), the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X at 41376 (-0.4%), and the Intel Core Ultra X7 358H at 40967 (0.6%).

The GPU, as detailed above, scores 24647 on average and sits at the 70th percentile. The combined percentile for this CPU+GPU pairing is 79, indicating a system that is better suited to CPU-intensive tasks than GPU-bound ones. The data shows a significant gap between the CPU’s 87th percentile ranking and the GPU’s 70th percentile ranking. This suggests that in mixed workloads, the processor will often wait on the graphics solution. For gaming, the CPU is more than capable of feeding the GPU, but the Arc A350M will be the limiting factor in achieving high frame rates at higher settings. The overall picture is a productivity-first laptop with secondary gaming capability.

Upgrade Path and Platform

The platform is built around the Intel BGA 2540 socket, which is a soldered mobile socket. This means the CPU is not upgradeable in a traditional sense; users are locked into the processor they purchase. The CPU supports dual-channel DDR5 and LPDDR5X memory, with a memory bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s. The memory bus is dual-channel, which is standard for mobile platforms. The CPU provides PCIe Gen 5 with 12 lanes for the CPU only, while the discrete GPU uses a PCIe 4.0 x8 interface. This is a notable distinction: the GPU does not benefit from the CPU’s Gen 5 lanes.

The GPU’s TDP is rated at 25 W, and the CPU’s TDP is also 25 W. The combined thermal envelope is modest, which suggests the system relies on a capable cooling solution rather than a high-power one. The suggested PSU field is null, indicating that the power supply is integrated into the laptop and not a user-serviceable part. Given the 25 W TDPs, a typical laptop power brick will suffice without concerns about headroom. The memory support for LPDDR5X is a positive for bandwidth-sensitive applications. A sensible next upgrade for this platform would be increasing system RAM to the maximum supported capacity, as the CPU’s strong multi-core scores (18395 in R23) can benefit from larger memory pools for multitasking and virtual machines. Storage upgrades via the PCIe Gen 5 lanes are also viable, as the CPU’s 12 lanes can accommodate a fast NVMe drive.

CPU Analysis

The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H is a 16-core, 16-thread processor based on the Panther Lake architecture, built on Intel’s 3 nm process. It belongs to the Core Ultra Series 3 and is part of the Panther Lake-H generation. The base clock is 1.90 GHz, with a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. The cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 2.5 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X memory in a dual-channel configuration. The TDP is 25 W, which is a low-power design suitable for thin-and-light laptops. The integrated graphics is Intel Xe3, which provides a fallback for video output when the discrete GPU is not in use.

Benchmark results show a processor that excels in multi-threaded tasks. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 18395 is a strong result for a 25 W part, placing it in the upper tier of mobile processors. The single-core score of 2040 in R23 is also respectable, indicating good per-thread performance for everyday tasks. PassMark integer math scores 83111, floating-point math scores 103128, and extended instructions score 27898. Data compression scores 336177, and encryption scores 26345. The CPU’s 87th percentile ranking versus all CPUs confirms its position as a high-performing mobile processor. The nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440, scores nearly identically at 41208 (0% delta), suggesting these two chips trade blows depending on the specific workload.

For real workloads, the 16 cores make this CPU a solid choice for compile jobs, 3D rendering, and video encoding. The 18 MB L3 cache is sufficient for most parallel workloads, though it is not class-leading. The 3 nm process node contributes to the low TDP, allowing sustained performance in a laptop chassis. The lack of SMT (16 cores, 16 threads) is a notable design choice; it means the CPU relies on physical cores rather than hyper-threading, which can be beneficial for power efficiency but may reduce performance in highly threaded workloads that benefit from additional logical threads.

Who Should Build It

This pairing targets users who need strong CPU performance in a laptop form factor, with occasional light gaming or graphics acceleration. The CPU’s 87th percentile ranking makes it ideal for developers compiling code, students running simulations, and small business workstations handling spreadsheet-heavy or database tasks. The PassMark data compression score of 336177 and encryption score of 26345 indicate solid performance for file archiving and secure communications. Content creators working with 1080p video will find the CPU’s Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 18395 sufficient for rendering and exporting, though the GPU’s 4 GB VRAM will limit heavy compositing.

Gamers at 1080p with low-to-medium settings will find the Arc A350M usable, given its 70th percentile ranking and proximity to the RX 590. However, users expecting high-refresh or high-detail gaming should look elsewhere. The system is not suited for 4K gaming or VR, as the 112.0 GB/s memory bandwidth and 3.379 TFLOPS FP32 are insufficient for those workloads. The laptop class suggests a portable, all-in-one design, making it a candidate for university students who need a blend of compute power and mobility. The 25 W TDP on both components means the laptop can be thin and light, with a battery life that is not overly stressed by high-power components.

Balance and Bottleneck

The data shows a clear imbalance between the CPU and GPU. The CPU sits at the 87th percentile, while the GPU sits at the 70th percentile, and the combined percentile is 79. This means the GPU is the primary bottleneck for graphics-bound workloads. In gaming, the Arc A350M will limit frame rates, especially in GPU-heavy scenes. The CPU’s high single-thread score (2040 in R23) ensures it can keep up with the GPU’s frame output, but the GPU’s 4 GB VRAM and 64-bit bus will cause stuttering or texture pop-in in newer titles at higher settings.

For productivity, the balance is reversed. The CPU’s strengths in multi-threaded tasks (18395 in R23) will be underutilized if the workload is not parallelized. For example, a single-threaded application will only use a fraction of the CPU’s potential, but the high boost clock of 4.70 GHz mitigates this. The GPU’s 6 RT cores provide some acceleration for rendering, but the FP32 throughput is not sufficient for professional 3D workloads. In mixed workloads, such as gaming while streaming, the CPU has enough headroom to encode video (PassMark extended instructions score of 27898) while the GPU handles rendering. However, the GPU’s compute capability will be the limiting factor for any CUDA-like or OpenCL-accelerated task, as the Geekbench OpenCL score of 24546 is modest.

Build Overview

This is a laptop-class system combining the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H with the Intel Arc A350M. The CPU is a 16-core Panther Lake part with a 3 nm process and a 25 W TDP, while the GPU is an Alchemist-generation Arc 3 mobile chip with a 6 nm process and a 25 W TDP. The pairing is designed for portability and CPU-centric workloads, with the discrete GPU providing a step up from integrated graphics. The combined percentile of 79 places this system in the upper-mid range of all laptop configurations. The CPU’s 87th percentile and GPU’s 70th percentile indicate a system that is stronger in processing than in graphics. The overall tier is a productivity-first laptop with entry-level gaming capability, suited for users who prioritize compute performance over graphical fidelity.

Usage Scenarios

High-refresh gaming: The Arc A350M’s 70th percentile ranking and 3.379 TFLOPS FP32 suggest 1080p gaming at medium settings is achievable, but the 4 GB VRAM will limit texture quality. The CPU’s high single-thread score (2040 in R23) ensures stable frame pacing, but high-refresh (144Hz) is unrealistic in most titles.

Streaming: The CPU’s PassMark extended instructions score of 27898 indicates sufficient headroom for software encoding of a 1080p stream while gaming. The GPU’s modest compute capability means hardware encoding via Intel Quick Sync is a viable alternative, but the overall stream quality will be limited by the GPU’s rendering performance.

Video editing: The CPU’s Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 18395 accelerates timeline rendering and export. The GPU’s 6 RT cores and OpenCL score of 24546 provide some hardware acceleration for effects, but the 4 GB VRAM will be a bottleneck for 4K timelines or complex color grading.

3D rendering: The CPU is the star here, with a PassMark floating-point math score of 103128 handling CPU-based renders. The GPU’s 3.379 TFLOPS can assist with OpenCL-based renderers, but the 64-bit memory bus and 112.0 GB/s bandwidth will slow down larger scenes.

Software development: The 16 cores and 16 threads (without SMT) provide strong parallel compilation performance. The PassMark integer math score of 83111 supports heavy build tasks, and the 18 MB L3 cache helps with repeated compilation steps. The GPU is adequate for running multiple virtual displays.

Student and office work: The CPU’s 87th percentile ranking makes short work of spreadsheet calculations, document processing, and web browsing. The single-thread score of 4072 in PassMark ensures snappy UI response. The GPU’s 4 GB VRAM is unnecessary for this workload, but the low 25 W TDP of both components contributes to long battery life.