SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core Ultra 9 285 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090

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
97%
VS
GPU
97%
PROCESSOR

Intel Core Ultra 9 285

75,488 Benchmark Score
Top 3% Market Ranking
View Full Specs →
GRAPHICS CARD

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090

60,347 Benchmark Score
Top 3% 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

The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 form a desktop pairing that targets the absolute top tier of consumer computing. The CPU, built on a 3 nm process with 24 cores and 24 threads, delivers strong multi-threaded throughput, while the GPU, based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, provides substantial rendering and compute resources. This analysis examines the benchmark data to understand what this combination offers for gaming, professional workloads, and platform longevity. Note that the FACT PACK contains no measured FPS data for this exact combination; all frame rate discussion below is estimated qualitatively from the respective CPU and GPU benchmark scores.

Gaming Performance

Since no measured FPS rows exist for this specific CPU-GPU pairing in the FACT PACK, all gaming performance figures are estimates derived from the underlying benchmark scores. The GeForce RTX 4090’s 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 9223 places it in the 88th percentile of all GPUs, indicating high-end rasterization capability that should handle demanding titles at high resolutions. The GPU’s PassMark G3D score of 38194 further supports this, suggesting strong fill-rate and geometry throughput for modern game engines.

The CPU side of the equation is equally relevant for gaming. The Core Ultra 9 285’s PassMark Single Thread score of 4881 is robust, which is critical for frame pacing and physics calculations in games that rely on a few fast cores. In CPU-bound scenarios, the single-thread performance should prevent the processor from becoming the limiting factor. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6909 reinforces this, showing that the processor can handle lightly-threaded workloads with high efficiency.

For high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p or 1440p, the combination of a strong single-threaded CPU and a powerful GPU suggests that frame rates will be limited primarily by the GPU in most modern titles. At 4K resolution, the GPU becomes the dominant factor, and the RTX 4090’s 24 GB of GDDR6X memory and 1.01 TB/s bandwidth provide ample headroom for large textures and high-resolution assets. Estimates indicate that this pairing should deliver high frame rates at ultra settings across most game genres, though exact values cannot be confirmed without measured data. The GPU’s support for DirectX 12 Ultimate and 128 RT cores suggests that ray-traced effects will be capable, but again, specific FPS numbers are not available.

Upgrade Path and Platform

The platform is built around the Intel Socket 1851, which supports the Core Ultra Series 2 processors. The Core Ultra 9 285 is a 65 W TDP part, a relatively modest power draw for a 24-core processor, which leaves significant thermal headroom within most desktop chassis. The CPU supports DDR5 memory via a dual-channel bus, with a theoretical memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s, and includes ECC memory support for users who prioritize data integrity in workstation tasks.

The PCIe implementation is Gen 5 with 20 CPU lanes, providing high-bandwidth connectivity for the latest storage devices and expansion cards. The RTX 4090, however, uses a PCIe 4.0 x16 interface. This means the GPU will operate at PCIe 4.0 speeds, which is not a bottleneck for current game workloads, but the CPU’s Gen 5 lanes offer future-proofing for next-generation NVMe drives and accelerators. The suggested PSU for the GPU is 850 W, which accounts for the RTX 4090’s 450 W TDP and the rest of the system’s draw.

A sensible next upgrade for this platform would focus on storage or memory capacity, given the CPU’s support for Gen 5 storage and DDR5 memory. The GPU is already at the top of its class, and the CPU is near the top of its generation, so users are unlikely to need an immediate upgrade. The ECC memory support is a notable feature for small business workstations or research environments where memory errors are a concern.

CPU Analysis

The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 is a 24-core, 24-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, manufactured on a 3 nm process by TSMC. It has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. The processor includes 36 MB of shared L3 cache, with 192 KB of L1 and 3 MB of L2 cache per core. The lack of hyper-threading means the core count equals the thread count, which is a design choice that emphasizes power efficiency and single-thread performance.

Benchmark results show a strong multi-threaded showing. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 48945 is high, placing the CPU in the 95th percentile of all processors. This score indicates excellent performance in rendering, video encoding, and scientific computing tasks that scale across many cores. The PassMark Multithread score of 56602 corroborates this, suggesting that the CPU can handle heavy parallel workloads effectively. The PassMark Integer Math score of 164869 and Floating Point Math score of 194988 further demonstrate its capability in compute-intensive applications.

Single-thread performance is also notable. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6909 is competitive, and the PassMark Single Thread score of 4881 shows that the processor excels in tasks like web browsing, office applications, and legacy software that rely on high clock speeds. The 5.60 GHz boost clock is a key contributor here. In real workloads, this means snappy responsiveness in daily use and strong performance in lightly-threaded applications.

The processor’s average benchmark score of 75488 places it nearly neck-and-neck with the AMD EPYC 8224P, which scores 75582, a delta of -0.1%. It is also within 0.3% of the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755 and the Ryzen 7 PRO 9755X3D. This indicates that while the Core Ultra 9 285 is a top-tier consumer CPU, its performance is closely matched by some server and workstation-class chips, which often come with different platform costs and features.

Who Should Build It

This desktop build is suitable for users who need high performance across both gaming and professional workloads. The RTX 4090’s 88th percentile GPU ranking and the CPU’s 95th percentile ranking combine to a 92nd percentile overall, making this a top-tier system. For gamers at 4K resolution, the GPU’s 24 GB VRAM and high bandwidth are well-suited for ultra-quality settings, and the CPU’s strong single-thread performance ensures smooth frame delivery. For content creators, the CPU’s multi-core scores, such as the 48945 in Cinebench R23, will accelerate video rendering and 3D modeling, while the GPU’s 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 performance aids in GPU-accelerated effects.

Software developers will benefit from the CPU’s 24 cores and ECC memory support, which can be useful for compiling large codebases and running virtual machines. The PassMark Data Encryption score of 46949 and Data Compression score of 602121 indicate strong performance in security-related and archiving tasks. Students and small business workstations will find the platform reliable for office productivity, given the high single-thread scores, though the power and cost of the GPU may be overkill for basic tasks. The platform’s support for DDR5 and PCIe Gen 5 provides room to grow, making it a long-lived investment for those who need top-tier performance today.

Balance and Bottleneck

The balance between the CPU and GPU is generally well-matched, but bottleneck analysis depends on the workload. In gaming, the GPU is likely to be the primary limiter at high resolutions like 4K, where the RTX 4090’s 88th percentile performance is the deciding factor for frame rates. At lower resolutions like 1080p, the CPU’s single-thread performance becomes more relevant, and the Core Ultra 9 285’s PassMark Single Thread score of 4881 suggests it can keep up with the GPU without holding it back.

For CPU-bound workloads like video encoding or 3D rendering, the processor is the main driver. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 48945 demonstrates strong scaling, and the GPU can assist via compute, but the CPU is the primary engine. The PassMark Physics score of 3598 is lower than other sub-scores, which might indicate a relative weakness in physics simulations, but this is a niche workload. The GPU’s FP16 performance of 82.58 TFLOPS (1:1) suggests that mixed-precision workloads, such as AI inference, will be heavily GPU-accelerated, offloading work from the CPU.

The combined percentile of 92 indicates that neither component is drastically out of step with the other. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU’s average score of 75488 is close to its nearest rivals, and the GPU’s average score of 60347 is also near its rivals, such as the Intel Arc Pro A60 with a delta of 0%. This suggests a balanced system where the GPU can be the bottleneck in graphics-heavy tasks, and the CPU can be the bottleneck in compute-heavy tasks, but neither will severely limit the other in mixed workloads.

GPU Analysis

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture using a 5 nm process by TSMC. It has 16,384 shading units, 512 texture mapping units, and 176 raster operation pipelines. The GPU includes 128 RT cores and 512 tensor cores, which are dedicated to ray tracing and AI workloads, respectively. The base clock is 2235 MHz, with a boost clock of 2520 MHz, and the memory runs at 1313 MHz, effectively 21 Gbps.

The memory subsystem is substantial: 24 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s. This is critical for high-resolution textures and large datasets in rendering. The pixel rate is 443.5 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 1,290.2 GTexel/s, indicating strong fill-rate performance. The FP32 compute performance is 82.58 TFLOPS, which is high for desktop GPUs and supports heavy computational workloads.

In benchmark tests, the GPU scores 9223 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, which places it in the 88th percentile. The Geekbench OpenCL score of 255416 and Vulkan score of 271631 show strong compute and graphics performance across different APIs. The PassMark G3D score of 38194 is high, while the PassMark GPU Compute score of 26613 indicates solid general-purpose compute. The GPU’s average benchmark score of 60347 is nearly identical to the Intel Arc Pro A60, which scores 60326, a delta of 0%, and is slightly ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 by 0.3%.

The RTX 4090 is a triple-slot card, 304 mm long, requiring a 1x 16-pin power connector and a suggested 850 W PSU. It is marked as end-of-life in production status, with a successor in the GeForce 50 series. For rendering, the 128 RT cores and 512 tensor cores provide hardware acceleration for ray-traced scenes and DLSS-style upscaling, making it a capable choice for creative professionals who work with real-time renderers.

Benchmark Performance

The CPU’s benchmark suite shows a processor that excels in multi-threaded tasks. The Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multi-core scores are 4933, 20556, and 48945, respectively, showing consistent scaling across versions. The single-core scores in these tests are 696, 2901, and 6909, which are competitive for high-frequency desktop parts. The PassMark suite shows a multithread score of 56602, with integer math at 164869 and floating-point math at 194988, indicating strong arithmetic throughput. The extended instructions score of 45357 and random string sorting score of 73651 further demonstrate proficiency in diverse workloads.

The GPU’s benchmarks highlight its graphics and compute strengths. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 9223 is a modern DX12 test that shows strong gaming performance potential. Geekbench scores of 255416 in OpenCL and 271631 in Vulkan indicate good cross-platform compute capability. The PassMark DirectX tests show scores of 224 for DX10, 326 for DX11, and 150 for DX12, which are numerical values but not directly comparable across generations. The PassMark G2D score of 1299 is low, but this is a 2D graphics test that is not relevant for gaming or 3D rendering.

Combined, the CPU’s 95th percentile and GPU’s 88th percentile put the system in the 92nd percentile overall. The CPU’s average score of 75488 is within 0.3% of its nearest rivals, meaning the processor is well-positioned in its class. The GPU’s average score of 60347 is also close to its nearest rivals, showing that while it is a high-end part, there are other GPUs in its performance tier, such as the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M, which is 2.5% faster on average.

Build Overview

This build combines the Intel Core Ultra 9 285 with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 in a desktop configuration. The CPU is part of the Core Ultra Series 2, based on the Arrow Lake-S architecture, and the GPU is from the GeForce 40-series, based on Ada Lovelace. The pairing is designed for high-end desktop use, targeting users who require maximum performance in both gaming and professional applications.

The combined percentile of 92 places this system in the top tier of desktop builds. The CPU’s 95th percentile ranking indicates it is among the best-performing processors available, while the GPU’s 88th percentile shows it is a high-end graphics card, though not the absolute fastest in every metric. The system is well-suited for 4K gaming, content creation, and compute-intensive tasks. The CPU’s 24 cores and GPU’s 24 GB VRAM provide ample resources for demanding workflows, and the platform’s support for DDR5 and PCIe Gen 5 ensures it is not immediately obsolete.

The overall tier is high-end desktop, with no measured FPS data available, but the benchmark scores suggest that this build will handle any current game or application with ease. The CPU’s TDP of 65 W is low for its core count, which is efficient, while the GPU’s 450 W TDP requires a robust power supply and cooling solution. This is a system for users who need no compromises in performance.

FAQ

Q: What makes the RTX 4090 a high-end GPU for this build?

A: The RTX 4090 has 24 GB of GDDR6X memory, 128 RT cores, and 512 tensor cores, delivering 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. It scores 9223 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, placing it in the 88th percentile of all GPUs.

Q: How does the CPU’s multi-threaded performance compare to its rivals?

A: The Core Ultra 9 285 scores 48945 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, and its average benchmark score of 75488 is within 0.3% of the AMD EPYC 8224P and Ryzen 7 PRO 9755X3D, showing near-identical performance to those server and workstation chips.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to bottleneck in gaming?

A: At 4K resolution, the GPU is likely the limiting factor due to its 88th percentile ranking. At 1080p, the CPU’s strong single-thread performance, with a PassMark score of 4881, should prevent it from bottlenecking the GPU.

Q: Does the platform support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285 supports ECC memory, which is useful for workstation tasks where data integrity is critical. The memory bus is dual-channel DDR5 with a bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s.

Q: What is the GPU’s power requirement for this system?

A: The RTX 4090 has a TDP of 450 W and requires a suggested 850 W power supply. It uses a single 16-pin power connector and is a triple-slot card.

Q: How does the GPU’s compute performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GPU’s average benchmark score is 60347, which is nearly identical to the Intel Arc Pro A60 (60326, 0% delta) and slightly ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 (60140, 0.3% delta), but behind the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M (61896, 2.5% delta).

Q: What is the production status of the CPU and GPU?

A: The CPU is marked as Active in production, while the RTX 4090 is marked as End-of-life, with a successor in the GeForce 50 series. The CPU was released in late 2024, and the GPU in late 2022.

Usage Scenarios

High-refresh gaming: The RTX 4090’s 88th percentile GPU score and strong single-thread CPU performance suggest high frame rates at 1440p and 4K. The GPU’s 24 GB VRAM and 1.01 TB/s bandwidth handle high-resolution textures, while the CPU’s PassMark Single Thread score of 4881 ensures responsive gameplay.

Streaming: The CPU’s 24 cores can handle encoding workloads, with a PassMark Multithread score of 56602, while the GPU’s NVENC (implied by tensor cores) offloads video encoding. The combined 92nd percentile ensures smooth streaming and gaming simultaneously.

Video editing: The CPU’s Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 48945 accelerates timeline rendering and export, while the GPU’s 82.58 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 128 RT cores speed up effects and color grading. The 24 GB VRAM is sufficient for 8K footage.

3D rendering: In CPU-based renderers, the 24-core processor with a Cinebench R23 score of 48945 provides fast final-frame renders. In GPU-based renderers, the RTX 4090’s compute performance and 24 GB memory handle complex scenes with high polygon counts.

Software development: The CPU’s 24 threads and high single-thread score are ideal for compiling code, while the ECC memory support ensures stability for long builds. The PassMark Data Compression score of 602121 aids in package management and file operations.

Student and office work: For everyday tasks, the CPU’s PassMark Single Thread score of 4881 delivers snappy application launches and web browsing. The system is overkill for this use case, but the platform’s DDR5 support and PCIe Gen 5 provide future-proofing for academic projects involving large datasets.