SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus + AMD Radeon RX 7700

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

93 / 100
ULTIMATE READY

Apex Performer

Top 7% 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
98%
VS
GPU
89%
PROCESSOR

Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus

84,003 Benchmark Score
Top 2% Market Ranking
View Full Specs →
GRAPHICS CARD

AMD Radeon RX 7700

15,852 Benchmark Score
Top 11% 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 290K Plus paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 represents a desktop configuration that combines a top-tier 24-core processor with a mid-range 16 GB graphics card. The data shows a system with exceptional computational strength, but one where the GPU is clearly the limiting factor in graphics-intensive tasks. This analysis examines the benchmark results to define the precise capabilities and balance of this pairing.

GPU Analysis

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture and the Navi 32 chip, manufactured on a 5 nm process at TSMC. The GPU contains 2560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 96 render output units, alongside 40 dedicated ray tracing cores. It operates at a base clock of 1900 MHz, a game clock of 2041 MHz, and a boost clock of 2459 MHz. Memory duties are handled by 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, yielding a memory bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s. The card's compute capabilities are rated at 25.18 TFLOPS for FP32 and FP16 operations.

In the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, the GPU scores 2865 points. Its PassMark G3D score is 20974, with a GPU compute score of 10963. The GPU sits at the 58th percentile among all GPUs, placing it slightly above the median but firmly in the mid-range segment. The nearest rival data shows a very tight grouping: the AMD Radeon R9 370X is just 0.1% behind, the AMD Radeon RX 9060 is 1% ahead, and the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 is 1.1% behind. More notably, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is 1.7% ahead in average score. This indicates the RX 7700 is performance-equivalent to an older enthusiast card, rather than a clear generational leap.

For rendering workloads, the 624.1 GB/s of memory bandwidth provides solid throughput for texture streaming and high-resolution assets. The 40 ray tracing cores enable hardware-accelerated ray tracing, but the overall GPU tier suggests this will be a secondary feature rather than a primary strength. The pixel rate of 236.1 GPixel/s and texture rate of 393.4 GTexel/s are adequate for 1080p and 1440p rendering, but the 58th percentile ranking implies that 4K gaming will stress the card significantly. The DirectX 12 Ultimate support and Vulkan 1.4 API compatibility ensure modern game titles are supported, but the raw compute power will dictate performance limits.

Benchmark Performance

The CPU delivers outstanding multi-core performance. In Cinebench R23, it scores 51731 points multi-core and 7303 points single-core. The Cinebench R20 results show 21727 multi-core and 3067 single-core, while Cinebench R15 shows 5214 multi-core and 736 single-core. The PassMark suite reinforces this with a multithread score of 60860 and a single-thread score of 4823. The CPU's average benchmark score is 84003, placing it at the 96th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals are clustered tightly: the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K is 0.2% behind, the AMD EPYC 4584PX is 1.1% behind, and the AMD EPYC 9135 is 1.2% behind, while the AMD EPYC 7F72 is 1.3% ahead. This places the 290K Plus at the very top of consumer desktop performance, essentially tied with the previous flagship.

The GPU's average benchmark score is 15852, with a PassMark G3D score of 20974. The combined system percentile is 77, which reflects the substantial gap between the CPU's elite status and the GPU's mid-range position. The pair ranks 1735 out of 3732 pairs by average FPS across games, with an average of 126.5 FPS. This combined picture shows a system that excels at CPU-bound tasks but will not deliver top-tier frame rates in GPU-heavy scenarios. The 96th percentile CPU paired with a 58th percentile GPU creates a lopsided profile where the processor has significant headroom in gaming workloads.

FAQ

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus compare to its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K?

A: The 290K Plus has an average benchmark score of 84003, which is 0.2% higher than the 285K's 83807. This is a negligible difference, effectively making them performance equals in aggregate benchmarks.

Q: What is the GPU's relative standing among all graphics cards?

A: The Radeon RX 7700 sits at the 58th percentile among all GPUs. Its average score of 15852 is within 1.7% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, which scores 16129.

Q: What is the system's combined performance percentile?

A: The combined percentile for this CPU and GPU pairing is 77, indicating it outperforms 77% of all tested system configurations.

Q: What is the average frame rate across all tested games?

A: The pair achieves an average of 126.5 FPS across all games in the measured dataset, ranking 1735th out of 3732 pairs.

Q: Does the CPU support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus supports ECC memory, which is a feature typically associated with workstation and server platforms.

Q: What is the GPU's memory configuration?

A: The Radeon RX 7700 has 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 624.1 GB/s of bandwidth.

Q: What is the power draw and recommended PSU for the GPU?

A: The GPU has a TDP of 200 W and the suggested power supply is 550 W, requiring two 8-pin power connectors.

Balance and Bottleneck

The performance data clearly indicates a CPU-bound system with a GPU bottleneck in gaming scenarios. The CPU's 96th percentile ranking against the GPU's 58th percentile creates a significant imbalance. In CPU-intensive workloads like Cinebench R23, the 290K Plus delivers 51731 multi-core points, demonstrating no competition. However, in gaming, the pair's average FPS of 126.5 across all games, with a rank of 1735 out of 3732, shows that the GPU is the limiting factor.

Evidence from specific games reinforces this. In Counter-Strike 2, the system achieves 195 FPS at 1080p but drops to 72 FPS at 4K. Similarly, Valorant runs at 447 FPS at 1080p but falls to 305 FPS at 4K. These scaling patterns show the CPU can drive high frame rates when the GPU is not saturated, but the GPU's limits are reached at higher resolutions. The CPU's PassMark data compression score of 698346 and encryption score of 52563 are far above typical gaming requirements, meaning it will never be the constraint in gaming. Conversely, the GPU's PassMark G3D score of 20974 is modest, and its 58th percentile placement shows it will cap performance in graphics-heavy titles.

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K is the clearest evidence of the bottleneck. In Call of Duty: Warzone, the system drops from 188 FPS at 1080p to 141 FPS at 4K, a 25% reduction. In Cyberpunk 2077, the drop is from 58 FPS to 28 FPS, a 52% reduction. These significant drops indicate the GPU is the primary constraint as resolution increases. The CPU's performance is so far ahead that it would not show such dramatic scaling if it were the limiting factor. For productivity tasks, the system is balanced in favor of the CPU, meaning workloads like compilation, rendering, and data processing will run at the CPU's full potential.

Who Should Build It

This configuration targets users who prioritize CPU performance above all else but still require a capable GPU for mainstream gaming and graphics work. The 96th percentile CPU makes this an excellent choice for software developers who compile large codebases, researchers running simulations, or professionals handling data encryption and compression workloads. The PassMark integer math score of 166194 and floating point math score of 214760 indicate strong performance in computational tasks. Students in computer science or engineering fields would benefit from the CPU's multi-threaded capabilities for parallel processing assignments and virtual machines.

Content creators who work with video encoding or 3D rendering will find the CPU's Cinebench R23 score of 51731 particularly useful for CPU-based rendering tasks. However, the 58th percentile GPU means GPU-accelerated rendering will be less impressive. Small business workstations handling database operations or financial modeling would benefit from the CPU's data compression score of 698346. Gamers at 1080p and 1440p will find the system adequate for most titles, but those seeking 4K high-refresh gaming would need a stronger GPU. The 16 GB VRAM does provide future-proofing for texture-heavy workloads, even if raw compute is limited.

Gaming Performance

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of gaming performance across 51 titles at three resolutions. At 1080p, the system delivers high frame rates in competitive titles: Valorant hits 447 FPS, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive reaches 431 FPS, and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege achieves 232 FPS. These esports titles run exceptionally well, making the system ideal for competitive play. Call of Duty: Warzone runs at 188 FPS, and Roblox delivers 252 FPS at 1080p.

At 1440p, performance remains strong for most titles. Valorant maintains 381 FPS, Warzone drops to 167 FPS, and Counter-Strike 2 runs at 129 FPS. More demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077 run at 43 FPS, Red Dead Redemption 2 at 39 FPS, and The Medium at 34 FPS. These numbers show that 1440p is playable but not at high refresh rates for AAA titles. At 4K, the GPU's limitations become apparent. Valorant still delivers 305 FPS, and Warzone manages 141 FPS, but Cyberpunk 2077 drops to 28 FPS, Red Dead Redemption 2 to 26 FPS, and Ark: Survival Ascended to just 9 FPS. The average FPS across all games is 126.5, but this figure is skewed by the excellent performance in lighter titles.

The data shows a clear pattern: the system excels in competitive and mid-weight games but struggles with the most demanding AAA titles at high resolutions. Games like Fortnite (94 FPS at 1080p), Apex Legends-style shooters, and Minecraft (192 FPS at 1080p) run smoothly, but graphically intensive titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and The Medium require reduced settings or lower resolutions for acceptable frame rates.

CPU Analysis

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor from the Core Ultra Series 2, based on the Arrow Lake Refresh codename and manufactured on a 3 nm process at TSMC. It has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz, with a TDP of 125 W. The cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 cache per core, 3 MB of L2 cache per core, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU supports DDR5 memory in dual-channel mode with a memory bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s, and it includes ECC memory support.

The benchmark results place this CPU at the absolute top of consumer desktop performance. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 51731 is 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, making it the fastest consumer CPU in the database. The single-core score of 7303 is equally impressive, indicating excellent per-thread performance for legacy applications and lightly-threaded workloads. The PassMark multithread score of 60860 and single-thread score of 4823 confirm this dual strength. The CPU's average benchmark score of 84003 and 96th percentile ranking show it outperforms nearly all other CPUs, including server-class parts like the AMD EPYC 4584PX and EPYC 9135, which it leads by 1.1% and 1.2% respectively.

For real workloads, the CPU's performance is transformative for multi-threaded tasks. The PassMark data encryption score of 52563 and data compression score of 698346 indicate strong performance in security and archiving tasks. The extended instructions score of 52338 shows robust SIMD and vector processing capabilities. The floating point math score of 214760 is particularly relevant for scientific computing and engineering simulations. The CPU's 24 cores are all performance-oriented, with no efficiency core asymmetry, making it predictable for workload scheduling. The 5.80 GHz boost clock provides excellent single-thread responsiveness for office applications and web browsing.

Upgrade Path and Platform

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus uses the Intel Socket 1851 platform, which is the latest desktop socket from Intel. The CPU supports DDR5 memory in dual-channel mode with ECC capability, and it provides PCIe Gen 5 with 20 lanes from the CPU. This PCIe implementation supports the fastest available GPUs and NVMe storage devices. The CPU has an integrated Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU, which provides basic display output and hardware acceleration for media tasks without a discrete GPU.

The platform's multi-core performance headroom means the CPU will not need upgrading for several generations. With 24 cores and a 96th percentile ranking, the 290K Plus is already at the top of its class. The GPU, however, offers a clear upgrade path. The RX 7700's 58th percentile ranking and 200 W TDP leave significant room for a more powerful GPU. The PCIe 4.0 x16 interface on the GPU is backward compatible with PCIe 5.0 slots, so a future GPU upgrade would work without platform changes. The suggested PSU of 550 W for the RX 7700 means a stronger GPU would require a PSU upgrade, but the CPU's 125 W TDP leaves power budget headroom.

Memory upgrades are also possible, as the platform supports DDR5 with dual-channel configuration. The 115.2 GB/s memory bandwidth is sufficient for current applications, but future workloads may benefit from higher-capacity or faster DDR5 kits. The PCIe Gen 5 lanes allow for the fastest NVMe SSDs, which would improve load times and data-intensive workflows. The platform's ECC memory support is a unique feature for a consumer CPU, making it suitable for workstations requiring data integrity. The integrated graphics provide a fallback for troubleshooting and basic display tasks, though the discrete GPU handles all graphics workloads.

Build Overview

This build pairs the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus, a 24-core desktop processor from the Core Ultra Series 2, with the AMD Radeon RX 7700, a 16 GB graphics card from the Radeon RX 7000 series. The system class is desktop, and the combined percentile is 77, placing it in the upper-middle tier of all tested configurations. The CPU is in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU is in the 58th percentile, creating a significant performance disparity.

The pair's average FPS across all games is 126.5, with a rank of 1735 out of 3732 pairs. This places the system in the 46th percentile by gaming performance, meaning it is slightly below average for gaming despite having a top-tier CPU. The CPU's average benchmark score of 84003 is elite, while the GPU's average score of 15852 is mid-range. This is a workstation-class CPU paired with a mainstream gaming GPU, making it a hybrid build that prioritizes compute performance over graphics. The system is best described as a high-performance desktop for productivity with respectable gaming capabilities, rather than a dedicated gaming rig.

Usage Scenarios

High-refresh gaming: At 1080p, the system delivers 447 FPS in Valorant and 431 FPS in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, making it excellent for competitive esports. At 1440p, Counter-Strike 2 runs at 129 FPS and Call of Duty: Warzone at 167 FPS, which supports high-refresh monitors in these titles. The 126.5 average FPS across all games indicates strong overall gaming performance at lower resolutions.

Streaming: The CPU's 24 cores and 96th percentile ranking provide ample headroom for simultaneous game capture, encoding, and streaming. The PassMark multithread score of 60860 ensures that encoding tasks will not impact game performance, though the GPU's 58th percentile ranking may limit in-game frame rates during streaming at high resolutions.

Video editing: The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 51731 accelerates video encoding and rendering tasks in software. The CPU's data compression score of 698346 helps with project file management and archive operations. The 16 GB GPU VRAM provides capacity for effects and color grading, though the GPU's compute score of 10963 limits GPU-accelerated effects.

3D rendering: CPU-based rendering will be extremely fast, with the 24 cores providing near-linear scaling in multi-threaded render engines. The floating point math score of 214760 supports complex scene calculations. GPU-based rendering will be slower relative to the CPU, but the 25.18 TFLOPS FP32 performance is adequate for moderate workloads.

Software development: The CPU's 96th percentile ranking makes it ideal for compiling large codebases. The integer math score of 166194 and random string sorting score of 79744 indicate strong performance in data processing and algorithm execution. The 24 threads allow for parallel builds and efficient multitasking across development tools.

Student and office work: The single-thread score of 4823 and boost clock of 5.80 GHz provide responsive performance for everyday applications. The system's productivity scores are far above requirements for document processing, spreadsheets, and web browsing. The integrated graphics provide a backup for display output, and the 16 GB GPU VRAM handles multiple monitors comfortably.