SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core Ultra 9 285K + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080

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

95 / 100
ULTIMATE READY

Apex Performer

Top 5% 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
92%
PROCESSOR

Intel Core Ultra 9 285K

83,807 Benchmark Score
Top 3% Market Ranking
View Full Specs →
GRAPHICS CARD

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080

23,172 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
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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 9 285K + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080

This desktop pairing combines Intel's flagship 24-core Arrow Lake processor with NVIDIA's Ampere-generation RTX 3080, creating a system that sits at the 82nd percentile overall. The CPU is a top-tier performer with a 96th percentile ranking among all processors, while the GPU holds a more modest 68th percentile position, making this a CPU-dominant configuration where the processor's capabilities outpace the graphics card's headroom. No measured FPS data exists for this exact combination, so all frame rate expectations in this analysis are estimated from the benchmark scores rather than direct testing.

Usage Scenarios

High-refresh gaming: The RTX 3080's 29.77 TFLOPS FP32 compute and 68 RT cores provide strong raw graphics throughput, but the CPU's 96th percentile ranking means the processor will rarely be the limiting factor. Based on the GPU's 68th percentile position, expect smooth 1440p gameplay in most titles, though 4K high-refresh may exceed what the 10 GB GDDR6X frame buffer can consistently deliver. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 4407 indicates solid DirectX 12 performance, but not top-tier by current standards.

Streaming: The 285K's 24 threads and strong multi-core scores — including a Cinebench R23 multi-core result of 42522 — leave ample headroom for encoding while gaming. The CPU's PassMark multithread score of 67260 suggests it can handle simultaneous game rendering and stream encoding without significant frame drops. The RTX 3080's 272 tensor cores also enable hardware-accelerated encoding offload, though the CPU alone has enough compute for software encoding at moderate bitrates.

Video editing: Multi-core performance is exceptional here. The Geekbench multi-core score of 26702 and Cinebench R20 multi-core result of 24003 indicate fast timeline scrubbing, effect rendering, and export times. The GPU's 10 GB VRAM and 760.3 GB/s memory bandwidth accelerate GPU-accelerated effects and color grading, though 4K timelines with heavy effects may occasionally hit VRAM limits. The 285K's 36 MB shared L3 cache helps with large media file working sets.

3D rendering: This is where the combination shines unevenly. CPU-based rendering in applications like Blender or V-Ray will benefit from the 285K's 42522 Cinebench R23 multi-core score and 172379 PassMark integer math result. GPU rendering via the RTX 3080 benefits from 8704 shading units and 272 tensor cores, but 10 GB VRAM constrains scene complexity. The 68th percentile GPU ranking versus the CPU's 96th means rendering workloads will often be GPU-limited after the first pass.

Software development: The 285K's 24 cores and 24 threads handle parallel compilation efficiently, with PassMark data compression score of 790052 showing strong throughput for large builds. The 102.4 GB/s memory bandwidth and dual-channel DDR5 support provide adequate bandwidth for multi-threaded development tools. The CPU's single-core PassMark score of 5087 ensures responsive IDE interaction and fast single-threaded toolchain stages.

Student and office work: This is substantial overkill for typical productivity. The 285K's single-core Cinebench R23 score of 2377 and PassMark single-thread result of 5087 handle document processing, spreadsheets, and web browsing with extreme ease. The RTX 3080's 320 W TDP means this is not an energy-efficient choice for light workloads, and the 125 W CPU TDP adds to the system's power draw. Office tasks will never stress either component to meaningful levels.

Benchmark Performance

The CPU achieves an average benchmark score of 83807, placing it at the 96th percentile of all processors. Its closest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus, scores 84003 — a negligible 0.2% difference — while the AMD EPYC 4584PX trails by 0.9% at 83090 and the EPYC 9135 is 1% behind at 82980. The AMD EPYC 7F72 leads by 1.5% at 85072. This places the 285K in elite company, competitive with server-class silicon.

The GPU's average benchmark score is 23172, ranking at the 68th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are remarkably close: the NVIDIA P106-100 scores 23249 (-0.3%), AMD Radeon Pro Vega 16 scores 23250 (-0.3%), and AMD Radeon RX 6600M scores 23273 (-0.4%). The AMD Radeon R9 M290X trails by 0.4% at 23276. This clustering shows the RTX 3080 sits in a crowded mid-to-upper tier, with the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 4407 and PassMark G3D score of 25086 providing context for its actual graphics capability.

The combined picture is a system where the CPU outperforms the GPU by a wide margin. The 96th versus 68th percentile gap means many applications will be bottlenecked by graphics performance, especially at higher resolutions. The overall 82nd combined percentile reflects this imbalance — a strong processor carrying a good-but-not-great graphics card.

CPU Analysis

The Intel Core Ultra 9 285K is a 24-core, 24-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, built on TSMC's 3 nm process. It has no hyper-threading, which makes its 42522 Cinebench R23 multi-core score particularly impressive — it achieves this with physical cores alone. The base clock of 3.70 GHz boosts to 5.70 GHz, and the 36 MB shared L3 cache supports high-bandwidth workloads. The 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die show a dense, efficient design.

Single-thread performance is strong but not class-leading: the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2377 and Geekbench single-core result of 2870 indicate excellent everyday responsiveness. The PassMark single-thread score of 5087 confirms this. For multi-threaded workloads, the CPU is exceptional — the Cinebench R15 multi-core score of 6494, R20 score of 24003, and R23 score of 42522 all point to sustained heavy multi-core performance.

Specialized workloads show specific strengths. PassMark data compression at 790052 indicates strong archival and database performance, while data encryption at 57745 shows capable security processing. Floating-point math at 224324 and integer math at 172379 demonstrate broad compute ability, though extended instructions at 62277 and physics at 3938 are more moderate. The 541 find-prime-numbers score is notably low, suggesting this CPU prioritizes general throughput over specific mathematical operations.

The CPU supports DDR5 memory with dual-channel architecture and 102.4 GB/s bandwidth, plus ECC memory for workstation reliability. It uses the Intel Socket 1851 and provides 20 PCIe Gen 5 lanes from the CPU, ensuring modern connectivity. The integrated Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU provides basic display output, though this pairing will use the discrete RTX 3080 for all graphics work.

Balance and Bottleneck

This system has a clear CPU-forward balance. The 285K's 96th percentile ranking versus the RTX 3080's 68th percentile means the GPU is the limiting factor in most graphics-intensive workloads. The 28-percentile point gap is substantial, indicating that the CPU has significant untapped headroom in gaming and GPU-accelerated tasks.

In gaming, the CPU's 5087 PassMark single-thread score and 2377 Cinebench R23 single-core result ensure that frame pacing and physics calculations are handled without issue. The bottleneck emerges from the GPU: at 1080p, the CPU may occasionally hold back the GPU in very light scenes, but at 1440p and 4K, the RTX 3080's 68th percentile performance becomes the ceiling. The 10 GB VRAM is the most likely constraint in modern titles at high resolutions and texture settings.

For productivity, the CPU dominates. Rendering, compilation, and data processing workloads will be GPU-limited only when using GPU acceleration. Pure CPU tasks like the PassMark multithread score of 67260 show the processor can handle almost anything thrown at it, while the GPU's 14397 PassMark GPU compute score is respectable but not exceptional.

The practical takeaway is that this pairing is CPU-overqualified for gaming but well-suited for mixed workloads. Users who primarily game would benefit from a stronger GPU, while those who do CPU-heavy work alongside moderate graphics tasks will find the balance appropriate.

Gaming Performance

No measured FPS rows exist for this exact combination, so all frame rate figures below are estimates derived from the benchmark scores rather than direct testing. The RTX 3080's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 4407 and PassMark G3D score of 25086 provide the basis for these expectations.

At 1080p, the RTX 3080's 29.77 TFLOPS FP32 compute should deliver high frame rates in most titles, with the 285K's strong single-core performance ensuring no CPU bottleneck. Expect 100+ FPS in competitive shooters and 60-90 FPS in demanding AAA titles at ultra settings. The 10 GB VRAM is adequate at this resolution.

At 1440p, expect 60-100 FPS in most games at high-to-ultra settings. The GPU's 68th percentile ranking suggests it handles this resolution well, though the 10 GB frame buffer may require texture quality reductions in some newer titles. The 320-bit memory bus and 760.3 GB/s bandwidth help maintain consistent frame times.

At 4K, expect 30-60 FPS depending on the title and settings. The RTX 3080's 68th percentile places it below enthusiast-class 4K cards, and the 10 GB VRAM will be a hard limit in several modern games. Ray tracing at 4K will be particularly demanding on the 68 RT cores, so expect performance to drop significantly with RT enabled.

Esports titles like CS2, Valorant, and Fortnite will run at very high frame rates given the CPU's 5087 single-thread score, likely exceeding 200 FPS at 1080p with competitive settings. The GPU's compute capabilities are more than sufficient for these lighter workloads.

FAQ

Q: Is this a good pairing for 4K gaming?

A: The RTX 3080's 68th percentile ranking and 10 GB VRAM make it a moderate 4K performer. Based on the 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 4407, expect 30-60 FPS at 4K in most titles, with some games requiring reduced settings due to the 10 GB frame buffer limit.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The 285K averages 83807 in benchmarks, sitting 0.2% below the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus (84003) and 0.9% above the AMD EPYC 4584PX (83090). It trails the AMD EPYC 7F72 by 1.5% (85072) but leads the EPYC 9135 by 1% (82980).

Q: Will the CPU bottleneck the GPU in games?

A: No. The 285K's 96th percentile ranking far exceeds the GPU's 68th percentile, so the RTX 3080 will be the limiting factor in gaming. The CPU's 5087 PassMark single-thread score ensures it will not hold back frame rates.

Q: What is the GPU's memory configuration?

A: The RTX 3080 features 10 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 320-bit bus, providing 760.3 GB/s of bandwidth. The memory clock runs at 1188 MHz, which translates to 19 Gbps effective. This configuration supports strong 1440p performance but limits 4K texture-heavy workloads.

Q: Is the CPU good for overclocking?

A: The 285K has an unlocked multiplier, supporting overclocking. Its base clock of 3.70 GHz and boost clock of 5.70 GHz provide headroom for manual tuning. The 125 W TDP suggests there is thermal and power margin for overclocking, though results will vary by cooling solution.

Q: How does the GPU compare to nearby competitors?

A: The RTX 3080's average benchmark score of 23172 is nearly identical to several rivals: the P106-100 scores 23249 (-0.3%), Radeon Pro Vega 16 scores 23250 (-0.3%), and RX 6600M scores 23273 (-0.4%). This indicates a tight cluster of similar-performance GPUs.

Q: What is the combined system percentile?

A: The pairing achieves an 82nd combined percentile, reflecting the CPU's 96th percentile strength and the GPU's 68th percentile capability. This places the overall system in the upper tier of desktop configurations, though the GPU drags the total down from what the CPU alone could achieve.

GPU Analysis

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 uses the GA102 chip on Samsung's 8 nm process, packing 28,300 million transistors into a 628 mm² die. The transistor density of 45.1M per mm² is moderate by modern standards, but the architecture delivers substantial performance through sheer scale. The 8704 shading units, 272 TMUs, and 96 ROPs provide strong raw rasterization throughput.

Memory configuration is a defining feature: 10 GB of GDDR6X on a 320-bit bus delivers 760.3 GB/s bandwidth. This is ample for 1440p gaming and most productivity tasks, but the capacity ceiling becomes apparent in 4K and VR workloads. The 68 RT cores and 272 tensor cores enable hardware ray tracing and DLSS support, though the Ampere generation's RT performance is a step behind newer architectures.

Clock speeds are modest by current standards: 1440 MHz base and 1710 MHz boost. The 320 W TDP and dual-slot cooler design indicate this is a power-hungry card that requires adequate case airflow and a 700 W recommended PSU. The 1x 12-pin power connector is notable, requiring an adapter for most PSUs. The card measures 285 mm in length, 112 mm in height, and 40 mm in width, making it a standard dual-slot GPU that fits most mid-tower cases.

Benchmark results show a capable mid-to-upper-tier GPU. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 4407 and PassMark G3D score of 25086 indicate solid DirectX 12 and general graphics performance. The Geekbench OpenCL score of 152423 shows strong compute capability, while Vulkan at 33620 is more moderate. The PassMark GPU compute score of 14397 trails the G3D score, suggesting compute workloads are less efficient than pure graphics. The low PassMark DirectX 9 (258) and DirectX 10 (170) scores reflect the architecture's focus on modern APIs rather than legacy support.

Build Overview

This is a desktop-class build combining Intel's flagship Core Ultra 9 285K processor with NVIDIA's RTX 3080 graphics card. The CPU represents the top of Intel's Arrow Lake stack, released on 2024-10-23 with a launch MSRP of $589, while the GPU is from the GeForce 30-series, released on 2020-08-31 with a launch MSRP of 699 USD. The production status differs significantly: the CPU is active, while the GPU is end-of-life, meaning this pairing is best assembled with new CPU stock and used or old-stock GPU inventory.

The 82nd combined percentile places this system in the upper tier of desktop configurations. The CPU's 96th percentile is exceptional, rivaling server processors from AMD's EPYC line, while the GPU's 68th percentile is solidly mid-to-upper range. This creates a system that excels at CPU-bound workloads — rendering, compilation, data processing — while providing good but not top-tier graphics performance.

The platform uses the Intel Socket 1851 with DDR5 memory support, PCIe Gen 5 lanes from the CPU, and ECC memory capability. The GPU connects via PCIe 4.0 x16, which is backward compatible with the CPU's Gen 5 lanes. The system supports modern APIs including DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, ensuring broad software compatibility.

Who Should Build It

High-refresh 1440p gamers will find this pairing well-suited, as the RTX 3080's 68th percentile and 10 GB VRAM handle most titles at high settings with strong frame rates. The CPU's single-core performance prevents any processor-induced stutter or frame pacing issues, and the 285K's 24 threads provide headroom for background tasks while gaming.

Content creators working with video editing and 3D rendering will benefit most from this build. The 42522 Cinebench R23 multi-core score accelerates CPU render times, while the GPU's 8704 shading units and 29.77 TFLOPS FP32 accelerate GPU-accelerated effects. The 10 GB VRAM is workable for 1080p and 1440p projects but will require proxy workflows for 4K or complex compositions.

Software developers compiling large codebases will appreciate the 24-core CPU with 172379 PassMark integer math score and 790052 data compression score. The processor handles parallel builds efficiently, and ECC memory support provides data integrity for critical work. The GPU's compute capability is a bonus for CUDA-accelerated development tasks.

Students and small business users with demanding workloads — CAD, simulation, data analysis — will find the CPU's 96th percentile performance valuable, though the GPU's 320 W TDP makes this an energy-hungry choice for light usage. The 125 W CPU TDP plus 320 W GPU TDP means this system requires a robust PSU and adequate cooling.

GPU-focused gamers or creators should look elsewhere. The RTX 3080's 68th percentile is the system's weakest link, and users prioritizing graphics over compute would be better served by a less powerful CPU paired with a stronger GPU. This build is for those who need exceptional CPU performance with good, not great, graphics capability.