Inside

The Intel Core i5-12600KF paired with the Intel Arc B390 is a peculiar combination for running Inside, a Puzzle Platformer. The CPU is a high-end desktop part, while the GPU is an integrated-class solution. The benchmark data shows that this pairing can run the game smoothly, but the experience is heavily dependent on resolution and graphical presets. The recorded data provides a clear picture of what to expect, and the results are surprisingly playable at standard resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The database contains measured frame rates for three resolutions and four quality presets. The data reveals a significant performance ceiling imposed by the graphics solution.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the results are mixed. The High preset delivers an average of 35 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. Dropping to Medium improves the average to 56 FPS, with measured minimums of 48 FPS and maximums of 65 FPS, indicating that even this setting will have noticeable dips. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, yielding an average of only 34 FPS. The only playable option at 4K is Low, which jumps to an average of 70 FPS. There are no recorded min/max values for the Low or High presets at this resolution, only the average.

Moving down to 2560x1440 (1440p) shows a substantial improvement. The Low preset achieves an average of 112 FPS. The Medium preset is also very strong, with an average of 90 FPS and a min/max range of 76 to 103 FPS, making it a solid choice for high refresh rate monitors. The High preset drops to an average of 56 FPS, just below the 60 FPS target. The Ultra preset at 1440p averages 53 FPS, which is not ideal for fast-paced action.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the combination truly shines. All presets are playable. The Low preset hits an impressive 156 FPS average. The Medium preset is not far behind with an average of 125 FPS and a min/max range of 106 to 144 FPS. The High preset maintains a solid 78 FPS average. Even the most demanding Ultra preset stays above the 60 FPS threshold, with an average of 74 FPS. This makes 1080p the definitive resolution for this hardware configuration.

Best Settings per Resolution

Based on the measured data, the goal is to find the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS at each resolution.

At 3840x2160, the only option that meets the 60 FPS target is the Low preset, which delivers an average of 70 FPS. The Medium preset falls short with an average of 56 FPS, so High and Ultra are not viable options for a smooth experience.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the best choice, providing an average of 90 FPS. This allows for a high level of visual fidelity while maintaining a comfortable frame rate. The Low preset is faster at 112 FPS, but Medium offers a better balance of quality and performance.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the clear winner, maintaining an average of 74 FPS. This means you can max out the game's settings and still enjoy a smooth experience. For players with high refresh rate monitors, the Low preset at 156 FPS or Medium at 125 FPS would be preferable, but for standard 60 Hz displays, Ultra is the optimal choice.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data indicates that this game is far more taxing on the GPU than the CPU for this specific pairing. The Intel Core i5-12600KF is a high-performance processor, and the recorded CPU benchmarks show it is capable of handling demanding workloads. However, the Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor, and its benchmark scores place it in the lower percentile of all GPUs.

The scaling between resolutions and presets confirms this bottleneck. At 1080p, the frame rates are very high, ranging from 74 FPS on Ultra to 156 FPS on Low. This suggests that the CPU is feeding the GPU enough data to achieve these numbers. However, as the resolution increases to 1440p and then to 4K, the frame rates drop significantly. For example, the Medium preset goes from 125 FPS at 1080p to 90 FPS at 1440p and then to 56 FPS at 4K. This drop-off is a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario. The rendering workload increases with resolution, and the Arc B390's limited compute power (7.680 TFLOPS FP32) becomes the limiting factor.

The CPU's role is to prepare frames and handle game logic. Given that the frame rates are high at 1080p and the CPU has a high benchmark score (23,391 in Cinebench R23 multi-core), it is unlikely to be the source of any performance issues. The data suggests that the i5-12600KF is more than sufficient for this game, and the overall performance is dictated entirely by the Arc B390's ability to render pixels at higher resolutions.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Inside at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, but only on the Low preset. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with Low settings is 70 FPS. All other presets, including Medium, High, and Ultra, fall below the 60 FPS target.

Q: What is the best setting for 1440p gaming?

A: The Medium preset is the most demanding option that stays above 60 FPS. It provides an average of 90 FPS, with minimums of 76 FPS and maximums of 103 FPS, ensuring a smooth and stable experience.

Q: Is the Ultra preset playable at 1080p?

A: Yes. The data shows an average of 74 FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, which is comfortably above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

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

A: The Intel Arc B390 has an average benchmark score of 1482. This puts it slightly ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463) and the NVIDIA GeForce 800M (1460), with delta percentages of 1.3% and 1.5% respectively. It is also ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM (1446) and the GT 710 (1443).

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: The Low preset averages 156 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 74 FPS. This represents a significant performance cost for maxing out the visual quality, but both settings are highly playable.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck for this game?

A: The benchmark data suggests the CPU is not the limiting factor. The Intel Core i5-12600KF scores well in synthetic tests, such as a 23,391 in Cinebench R23 multi-core. The frame rate scaling between resolutions points to the GPU as the primary constraint.

The Verdict

Yes, this PC can run Inside effectively, provided the resolution and settings are chosen carefully. The verdict by resolution is clear.

At 3840x2160, the system is only playable on the Low preset, which achieves an average of 70 FPS. Any higher preset will result in frame rates below the 60 FPS threshold.

At 2560x1440, the system is playable on both Low and Medium presets. The Medium preset is the recommended choice, delivering an average of 90 FPS and offering a good balance between visual quality and performance.

At 1920x1080, the system is playable on all four presets. The Ultra preset is the best choice for maximum visual fidelity, maintaining an average of 74 FPS. This makes 1080p the ideal resolution for this hardware combination, as it allows for a completely maxed-out experience.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database's ranking of tested hardware combinations for Inside, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-12600KF and Intel Arc B390 ranks 3296 out of 3716 total combos. This places it in the lower percentile of tested systems. This ranking is consistent with the GPU's low performance percentile (9th percentile of all GPUs), despite the CPU's much higher standing (79th percentile of all CPUs). The overall ranking is dragged down by the integrated graphics solution, which limits the system's ability to handle higher resolutions and settings. While the game is playable at 1080p and 1440p, the hardware combination is not competitive with systems equipped with dedicated graphics cards, as indicated by its position in the bottom 12% of the database rankings.