SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER

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
98%
VS
GPU
96%
PROCESSOR

Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus

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

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER

54,209 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
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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

This pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is a top-tier desktop combination, ranking in the 91st percentile overall. The data shows a system built for maximum throughput and high refresh rates, with the CPU's 24 cores and the GPU's 16 GB of memory covering a wide range of demanding workloads without a clear weak point.

Usage Scenarios

For high-refresh gaming, this build is exceptional. The measured FPS data shows the system delivering 323 FPS in Counter-Strike 2 at 1920x1080, and even at 3840x2160 it maintains 120 FPS. The CPU's single-thread score of 4823 in Passmark supports high frame generation in esports titles, while the GPU's 52.22 TFLOPS of FP32 performance ensures the rendering pipeline is never the bottleneck at lower resolutions.

Streaming and content creation benefit from the combination of the CPU's 24 threads and the GPU's dedicated NVENC hardware. The CPU's multi-core score of 51731 in Cinebench R23 provides ample headroom for encoding while gaming, and the GPU's 320 Tensor Cores can offload AI-based effects. This setup handles the simultaneous load of a game, encoding, and broadcast software without significant frame drops.

Video editing workflows will see strong performance in both timeline scrubbing and final export. The Cinebench R20 multi-core result of 21727 indicates rapid rendering of effects, while the GPU's 736.3 GB/s memory bandwidth accelerates real-time preview of 4K footage. The 36 MB of shared L3 cache on the CPU helps with large file operations and multi-track timelines.

3D rendering and simulation tasks are a core strength of this system. The CPU's Passmark multi-thread score of 60860 places it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, and the GPU's 80 RT cores accelerate ray-traced renders. The 16 GB of GDDR6X VRAM can hold substantial scenes, and the GPU's 285.6 GPixel/s pixel rate ensures quick viewport refreshes.

Software development workloads, particularly compilation and testing, are well-served by the CPU's core count. The Passmark data encryption score of 52563 shows strong cryptographic throughput for secure builds, and the integer math score of 166194 supports heavy code compilation. The DDR5 memory support with 115.2 GB/s bandwidth reduces wait times on large project loads.

For student and office work, this system is far more capable than necessary but offers future-proofing. The Passmark single-thread score of 4823 ensures snappy application launches, and the CPU's Arc Xe-LPG integrated graphics provide a fallback if the discrete GPU is underutilized. Multitasking across dozens of browser tabs and office documents is trivial given the 24 cores and 24 threads.

Gaming Performance

The measured FPS data, collected at ultra settings, reveals a system that excels at 1920x1080 and 2560x1440, with strong 4K capability. At 1920x1080, the system delivers over 300 FPS in esports titles like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (714 FPS) and Valorant (605 FPS), making it ideal for competitive play. Heavier titles like Cyberpunk 2077 still hit 95 FPS at 1080p, showing the GPU's headroom.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains excellent. Call of Duty: Warzone runs at 167 FPS, Red Dead Redemption 2 at 65 FPS, and Control at 102 FPS. This resolution is the sweet spot for high-refresh monitors, as the system consistently exceeds 100 FPS in most titles. The GPU's 736.3 GB/s bandwidth handles the increased memory pressure without significant performance loss.

At 3840x2160, the system remains playable but shows its limits. Cyberpunk 2077 drops to 47 FPS, and Ark: Survival Ascended falls to 16 FPS, indicating that 4K ultra settings push the GPU to its maximum. However, less demanding titles like Counter-Strike 2 (120 FPS) and Valorant (505 FPS) still run smoothly, and many games maintain 60+ FPS, such as Overpower (98 FPS) and The Medium (45 FPS).

The average FPS across all tested games is 202.4, placing this pairing at rank 233 out of 3732 pairs. This high average indicates consistent performance across a wide variety of titles rather than optimization for a few specific games. The data is measured, not estimated, providing confidence in these figures.

FAQ

Q: What is the CPU's core and thread count?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has 24 cores and 24 threads, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz. It uses a 3 nm process from TSMC and features 36 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: How much VRAM does the RTX 4080 SUPER have and what is its bandwidth?

A: The GPU has 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s. The memory runs at 1438 MHz, or 23 Gbps effective.

Q: Does this system support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the CPU supports ECC memory. It also supports DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration with a memory bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s.

Q: What is the GPU's architecture and process node?

A: The RTX 4080 SUPER is based on the Ada Lovelace architecture with the AD103 chip, manufactured on a 5 nm process by TSMC. It has 80 RT cores and 320 Tensor cores.

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

A: The combined percentile for this CPU and GPU pairing is 91, meaning it outperforms 91% of all tested desktop configurations. The CPU alone is in the 96th percentile, and the GPU is in the 86th percentile.

Q: What is the GPU's FP32 performance?

A: The GPU delivers 52.22 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, with the same figure for FP16 (1:1 ratio). It also has a pixel rate of 285.6 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 816.0 GTexel/s.

Q: Is the CPU multiplier unlocked for overclocking?

A: Yes, the CPU has an unlocked multiplier, allowing for overclocking. It uses the Intel Socket 1851 and has a TDP of 125 W.

Who Should Build It

Gamers targeting 2560x1440 high-refresh monitors should strongly consider this build. The measured FPS data shows 214 FPS in Counter-Strike 2 and 167 FPS in Call of Duty: Warzone at this resolution, making it ideal for 144Hz and 240Hz displays. Even at 3840x2160, the system delivers playable frame rates in most titles, with 141 FPS in Warzone and 120 FPS in CS2.

Content creators working with 4K video or complex 3D scenes will benefit from the combination of CPU multi-threading and GPU compute power. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 51731 accelerates rendering, while the GPU's 16 GB VRAM and 736.3 GB/s bandwidth handle large textures and high-resolution previews. The Passmark data compression score of 698346 helps with file archiving workflows.

Software developers compiling large codebases will appreciate the CPU's 24 cores and 24 threads. The Passmark integer math score of 166194 and the find prime numbers score of 503 indicate strong computational throughput for build processes. The ECC memory support adds reliability for long-running test suites.

Students and professionals in office environments will find this system overkill but highly responsive. The Passmark single-thread score of 4823 ensures instant application responses, and the CPU's integrated Arc Xe-LPG graphics provide a backup display output. The system's 96th percentile CPU ranking means it will remain relevant for years of software updates.

Small business workstations handling data analysis or financial modeling will benefit from the CPU's encryption and floating-point performance. The Passmark floating point math score of 214760 and encryption score of 52563 support heavy calculation loads. The system's 91st combined percentile indicates it can handle any business application without slowdown.

Benchmark Performance

The CPU achieves an average benchmark score of 84003, placing it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival is the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K with an average score of 83807, a marginal 0.2% difference. The data shows this CPU is effectively tied with its predecessor, with both outperforming the AMD EPYC 9135 (82980) by 1.2% and the AMD EPYC 7F72 (85072) by -1.3%.

In multi-core workloads, the CPU scores 51731 in Cinebench R23, 21727 in Cinebench R20, and 5214 in Cinebench R15. These scores represent top-tier performance, with the R23 score indicating strong sustained multi-threaded load handling. The Passmark multi-thread score of 60860 confirms this, showing the CPU can maintain high throughput across all 24 cores.

Single-core performance is equally strong, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 7303 and a Passmark single-thread score of 4823. This places the CPU among the fastest for lightly-threaded workloads, supporting high-FPS gaming and responsive application use. The boost clock of 5.80 GHz is a key contributor to these results.

The GPU achieves an average benchmark score of 54209, placing it in the 86th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 with a score of 54247, a negligible -0.1% difference. The data shows the SUPER variant performs essentially identically to the base RTX 4080, while outperforming the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X (54828) by -1.1% and the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB (55698) by -2.7%.

In synthetic tests, the GPU scores 6600 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, 219065 in Geekbench OpenCL, and 260075 in Geekbench Vulkan. The Passmark G3D score of 34245 confirms strong DirectX performance, while the G2D score of 1270 indicates excellent 2D acceleration. The combined picture is a system that ranks in the 91st percentile overall, with the CPU slightly stronger relative to its peers than the GPU.

GPU Analysis

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is built on the AD103 chip using the Ada Lovelace architecture, manufactured on a 5 nm process by TSMC. It contains 45,900 million transistors on a 379 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 121.1M per mm². The GPU has 10240 shading units, 320 TMUs, and 112 ROPs.

Memory configuration includes 16 GB of GDDR6X on a 256-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s. The memory clock runs at 1438 MHz, effective 23 Gbps. This high bandwidth is critical for 4K texture streaming and compute workloads, allowing the GPU to maintain high utilization in memory-intensive scenarios.

Clock speeds are set at a base of 2295 MHz and a boost of 2550 MHz. The GPU's FP32 performance is 52.22 TFLOPS, with FP16 at the same 52.22 TFLOPS (1:1 ratio). Pixel rate is 285.6 GPixel/s, and texture rate is 816.0 GTexel/s, indicating strong fill-rate capabilities for high-resolution rendering.

Ray tracing and tensor hardware include 80 RT cores and 320 Tensor Cores. These enable hardware-accelerated ray tracing and DLSS, enhancing the measured FPS in supported titles. The GPU's Passmark DirectX 12 score of 134 and DirectX 11 score of 301 show strong API performance, while the Vulkan score of 260075 in Geekbench indicates excellent cross-platform compatibility.

The GPU's 86th percentile ranking means it outperforms most discrete GPUs, but it is not at the absolute top. In the measured game data, this translates to strong 1440p performance with 4K playability, but not the raw power for maxed-out 4K in the most demanding titles. The launch MSRP is 999 USD.

Balance and Bottleneck

The CPU and GPU are well-balanced for most workloads, with the CPU's 96th percentile and GPU's 86th percentile creating a system where the GPU is the limiting factor in most gaming scenarios. At 1920x1080, the CPU can feed the GPU fast enough to achieve 714 FPS in CS:GO, but at 3840x2160, the GPU's rendering limits become apparent, as seen in Ark: Survival Ascended (16 FPS).

In multi-threaded CPU workloads, the GPU is rarely the bottleneck. The CPU's 51731 Cinebench R23 score and 60860 Passmark multi-thread score indicate that rendering and compute tasks are CPU-limited, with the GPU's 52.22 TFLOPS providing supplementary acceleration. For tasks like video encoding, the CPU's 24 threads handle the load, while the GPU's NVENC can offload specific streams.

The FPS scaling across resolutions reveals the GPU bottleneck at higher resolutions. Comparing 1080p to 4K, most games show a 50-70% drop in FPS, such as Control (134 to 69 FPS) and Cyberpunk 2077 (95 to 47 FPS). This scaling is consistent with GPU-bound performance, as the CPU has sufficient headroom to maintain frame delivery.

At 1080p, the CPU becomes more relevant for high-FPS scenarios. The 605 FPS in Valorant at 1080p drops to 505 FPS at 4K, showing the GPU can still deliver high frame rates but the gap narrows. The CPU's single-thread score of 4823 ensures it can process game logic fast enough to avoid bottlenecking the GPU in esports titles.

The system's pair rank of 233 out of 3732 pairs, with an average FPS of 202.4, indicates it is in the top 6% of tested combinations. This ranking suggests the balance is favorable, with neither component severely limiting the other across the broad game library tested.

Build Overview

This is a desktop-class build combining the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus CPU with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER GPU. The CPU is part of the Core Ultra Series 2, codenamed Arrow Lake Refresh, manufactured on a 3 nm process by TSMC. It uses the Intel Socket 1851 and has a TDP of 125 W.

The GPU is from the GeForce 40-series, based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, and has a TDP of 320 W. It requires a 700 W suggested PSU and uses a single 16-pin power connector. The GPU is triple-slot wide, measuring 310 mm in length, 140 mm in height, and 61 mm in width.

The combined percentile for this pair is 91, placing it in the top 10% of all desktop configurations. The CPU's 96th percentile and GPU's 86th percentile create a system where both components are high-end, but the CPU is relatively stronger. This is reflected in the measured FPS data, which shows excellent gaming performance across all resolutions.

The build targets enthusiasts who want maximum multi-threaded performance for productivity while retaining strong gaming capability. The CPU's 24 cores and 5.80 GHz boost clock provide a versatile platform, while the GPU's 16 GB VRAM and 736.3 GB/s bandwidth handle modern game requirements. The system is well-suited for a high-refresh 1440p gaming rig with 4K capability.

CPU Analysis

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a desktop processor with 24 cores and 24 threads, operating at a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz. It is built on a 3 nm process by TSMC, containing 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die. The CPU has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking.

Cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache. This large L3 cache helps with data-heavy workloads, improving performance in scenarios with high cache reuse. The CPU supports DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, with a memory bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s and ECC support.

The CPU's benchmark scores are exceptional. In Cinebench R23, it scores 51731 multi-core and 7303 single-core. The Passmark multi-thread score is 60860, with single-thread at 4823. The 96th percentile ranking confirms this is one of the fastest desktop CPUs available, with nearest rivals being the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K (0.2% delta) and AMD EPYC 7F72 (-1.3% delta).

For real workloads, the CPU excels in multi-threaded tasks. The Passmark data encryption score of 52563 indicates strong security performance, while the floating point math score of 214760 supports scientific computing. The integer math score of 166194 handles general computation efficiently, and the data compression score of 698346 shows excellent archive and file management capability.

The CPU's architecture, Arrow Lake Refresh, represents Intel's latest desktop design. The 3 nm process from TSMC enables high clock speeds with a 125 W TDP, making it efficient for its performance class. The integrated Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 64EU provides basic display output without a discrete GPU, adding flexibility for troubleshooting or low-power scenarios.