Inside

The Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti delivers a remarkably strong performance profile for Inside, a 2016 Puzzle Platformer. Across all tested resolutions and settings, the combination never falls below the 60 FPS playability threshold, with the only exception being the absolute maximum preset at 4K. The data indicates that this system is not just playable but overwhelmingly capable, often delivering frame rates that are two to four times higher than the 60 FPS target.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The benchmark data reveals a clear pattern of performance scaling across resolutions and graphical settings. At 1920x1080, the system produces extraordinary frame rates that are far beyond what the game’s visuals require. With the Low preset, the average frame rate reaches 281.2 FPS, which is a figure that indicates the CPU and GPU are barely being challenged. Moving to Medium reduces the average to 226.6 FPS, still an immense margin over the playability threshold. The High preset delivers 142.5 FPS, and even the most demanding Ultra preset maintains an average of 135.8 FPS. These numbers suggest that at 1080p, the primary limitation is likely the refresh rate of the display, not the hardware.

Stepping up to 2560x1440, the performance remains exceptionally high. The Low preset at this resolution yields an average of 201 FPS, demonstrating that the 3060 Ti has ample headroom for higher pixel counts. The Medium preset produces 159.7 FPS, while High drops to 98.4 FPS. The Ultra preset, which is the most demanding configuration tested, still manages a very comfortable 96.5 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a performance reduction of roughly 29% at the Ultra settings, which is a modest cost for the increase in pixel density.

The most intensive scenario is 3840x2160, where the system’s limits begin to show. At this resolution, the Low preset still achieves a very playable 127.3 FPS, and Medium provides 101.8 FPS. The High preset drops to 64.7 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold. However, the Ultra preset at 4K results in an average of 59.3 FPS, narrowly missing the playable mark. This is the only data point in the entire set where the combo fails to clear 60 FPS, indicating that the demands of 4K combined with Ultra settings are just beyond the capabilities of this hardware configuration.

How This Combo Ranks

According to the composite ranking for Inside, this specific combination of CPU and GPU holds a rank of 2550 out of 3716 tested combos. This places it in the 31st percentile of all systems tested, meaning that roughly two-thirds of the other combinations in the database outperform it in this particular game. This rank is interesting because the absolute FPS numbers are staggeringly high, but the ranking is relative to all other hardware configurations, many of which are far more powerful and expensive.

The ranking suggests that while the i5-12400 and RTX 3060 Ti are more than sufficient for a smooth experience, they are not at the top of the performance hierarchy. The data implies that Inside is a game that scales well with hardware, and many enthusiast-grade systems with top-tier CPUs and GPUs will achieve even higher frame rates. For the average user, however, the rank is irrelevant compared to the actual frame rates, which show this combo is overwhelmingly capable of running the game at maximum settings at 1440p and High settings at 4K.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for the CPU, the Intel Core i5-12400 has an average benchmark score of 18683. The closest competitor is the AMD EPYC 7643, which scores 18697, a negligible 0.1% difference. This suggests that in CPU-bound scenarios, these two processors would perform nearly identically. Other close alternatives include the Intel Core i7-1355U with a score of 18730 (0.3% faster) and the AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 with a score of 18811 (0.7% faster). The Intel Core i3-14100F scores 18519, which is 0.9% slower than the i5-12400. For this game, any of these CPUs would provide a virtually indistinguishable experience, as the frame rates are likely not limited by the processor.

On the GPU side, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti has an average score of 16129. The AMD Radeon RX 9060 is the closest rival with a score of 16014, which is 0.7% slower. The AMD Radeon Pro 5600M and the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT both score 16351 and 16361 respectively, placing them 1.4% ahead of the 3060 Ti. The AMD Radeon R9 370X is 1.7% behind with a score of 15862. In terms of raw GPU compute, these alternatives would produce very similar frame rates in Inside, likely differing by only a few FPS at most. A user with any of these GPUs should expect comparable performance to the RTX 3060 Ti.

The Verdict

Can this PC run Inside? The data is unambiguous: yes, it can run the game exceptionally well. The verdict by resolution is clear. At 1920x1080, all four tested presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—are playable, with the Ultra preset achieving an average of 135.8 FPS. At 2560x1440, the system also runs all presets playably, with the most demanding Ultra setting producing 96.5 FPS. This makes 1440p the sweet spot, as it offers a significant resolution upgrade over 1080p while still maintaining a high frame rate at maximum settings.

At 3840x2160, the situation is slightly more nuanced. The Low, Medium, and High presets all clear the 60 FPS threshold, with High achieving 64.7 FPS. However, the Ultra preset falls just short, averaging 59.3 FPS. This means that for a flawless 4K experience with no compromises, the user would need to reduce the settings from Ultra to High. The game is still perfectly playable at 4K, but the absolute maximum graphical fidelity comes at a cost of roughly 5 FPS, which puts it just below the playable threshold. In summary, this combo can run the game at 60 FPS or higher at any resolution, provided the settings are adjusted appropriately for 4K.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest graphical preset that maintains an average of 60 FPS at 3840x2160?

A: The High preset is the most demanding setting that stays above 60 FPS at 4K, achieving an average of 64.7 FPS. The Ultra preset falls short at 59.3 FPS.

Q: Is the system capable of running the game at Ultra settings at 2560x1440?

A: Yes, the Ultra preset at 2560x1440 produces an average frame rate of 96.5 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS playability threshold.

Q: How much performance difference is there between the Low and Ultra presets at 1920x1080?

A: At 1080p, the Low preset averages 281.2 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 135.8 FPS. This represents a performance reduction of approximately 52% when moving from the lowest to the highest settings.

Q: Which component, the CPU or the GPU, is the limiting factor at 3840x2160?

A: The data shows that at 4K, the High preset achieves 64.7 FPS but Ultra drops to 59.3 FPS. This suggests the GPU is the limiting factor, as the rendering load at 4K Ultra is too heavy for the RTX 3060 Ti to maintain 60 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 3060 Ti compare to the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT in terms of benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT has an average benchmark score of 16361, which is 1.4% higher than the RTX 3060 Ti’s score of 16129. The performance difference in Inside would be minimal.

Q: At 2560x1440, what is the frame rate for the Medium preset?

A: The Medium preset at 2560x1440 produces an average frame rate of 159.7 FPS, which is more than double the 60 FPS threshold.

Best Settings per Resolution

For users seeking the highest visual quality while maintaining a minimum average of 60 FPS, the data suggests specific configurations for each resolution. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the best choice, delivering an average of 135.8 FPS. This offers the maximum visual fidelity with an enormous performance margin, leaving plenty of headroom for any potential frame rate drops in complex scenes.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset is also the optimal choice, achieving an average of 96.5 FPS. This provides a perfect balance of high resolution and high settings, with frame rates that are still significantly above the playability threshold. The 1440p Ultra experience is arguably the best way to play the game, as it offers a sharp image and smooth motion.

The situation is different at 3840x2160. The most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is High, with an average of 64.7 FPS. While the Ultra preset is technically playable at 59.3 FPS, it falls below the 60 FPS target. Therefore, for a consistent 60 FPS experience at 4K, users must select the High preset. This still provides a very high level of visual quality, and the 64.7 FPS average provides a small buffer against frame rate dips.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data provides insight into how the CPU and GPU share the workload across different resolutions and presets. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p and then to 4K shows a clear trend of increasing GPU load. At 1920x1080, the frame rates are extraordinarily high, suggesting that the system is not heavily stressed. At the Ultra preset, the average is 135.8 FPS at 1080p, which drops to 96.5 FPS at 1440p, and then to 59.3 FPS at 4K. This progression demonstrates that the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck as the pixel count increases.

The CPU’s role is more apparent at lower resolutions where the GPU is less burdened. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 281.2 FPS, a figure that is likely limited by the CPU’s ability to issue draw calls and process game logic. The fact that the frame rate at 1080p Low is nearly identical to the 1440p Low (201 FPS) and 4K Low (127.3 FPS) shows that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU at high rates, but the GPU’s rendering speed becomes the limiting factor as resolution increases.

The data indicates that the RTX 3060 Ti is the dominant component for this game, as the frame rates scale almost entirely with the resolution and settings, which are GPU-bound parameters. The i5-12400 provides ample processing power to avoid being a bottleneck, even at high frame rates. The only scenario where the CPU might be a factor is at 1080p with the Low preset, where the frame rate is so high that it approaches the practical limits of the CPU’s single-thread performance. Overall, for Inside, the GPU is the key determinant of performance, while the CPU plays a supporting but non-limiting role.