Inside

The Intel Core i5-14600K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is a formidable combination for Inside, a 2016 puzzle platformer. Benchmark data shows this system delivers exceptionally high frame rates across all tested resolutions and presets, with the lowest average being 99.3 FPS at 4K Ultra. This hardware is far beyond what the game demands, providing a smooth experience even at maximum settings on the most demanding resolution tested. The data indicates a clear path to a flawless 60+ FPS experience at every setting combination measured.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this configuration covers three resolutions (1920x1080, 2560x1440, 3840x2160) and four quality presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra). At 1080p, the performance is exceptionally high. The Low preset averages 390.9 FPS, while Medium is slightly lower at 363 FPS. Moving to High yields 226.4 FPS, and the Ultra preset still maintains a very high 215.4 FPS average. All of these figures are far above the 60 FPS playable threshold, indicating massive headroom for high-refresh-rate monitors.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain extremely high, though the scaling from 1080p shows the GPU beginning to do more work. The Low preset delivers an average of 327.9 FPS, and Medium drops to 263.1 FPS. The High preset achieves 165.2 FPS, while Ultra produces 158.2 FPS. The performance delta between 1080p and 1440p is significant, with the Low preset seeing a drop of 63 FPS, but the overall experience remains exceptionally fluid.

At 3840x2160, the system still delivers well above the 60 FPS threshold for all presets. The Low preset averages 206.8 FPS, and Medium comes in at 168 FPS. High settings yield 101.5 FPS, while Ultra is the most demanding, producing 99.3 FPS. This is the only resolution where the frame rate approaches triple digits, yet it still clears the playable threshold by a wide margin. The data shows a consistent pattern: performance scales predictably with resolution, but never falls below a level that would compromise gameplay smoothness for this title.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results indicate that this pairing of the Intel Core i5-14600K and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is heavily GPU-limited at higher resolutions, but the CPU's strength becomes apparent at lower ones. The scaling between 1080p and 4K provides a clear picture. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 390.9 FPS, which is a very high number that suggests the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough data to reach such rates. As resolution increases to 1440p, the frame rate drops to 327.9 FPS, and at 4K it falls to 206.8 FPS. This drop-off is primarily due to the increased rendering load on the GPU.

The role of the GPU becomes more dominant as resolution and settings increase. The transition from Medium to High at each resolution shows a significant performance cost, which is characteristic of more complex pixel shading and geometry work. For instance, at 4K, the drop from Medium (168 FPS) to High (101.5 FPS) is a 66.5 FPS reduction, highlighting the GPU's workload. The difference between High and Ultra is smaller, with a 2.2 FPS drop at 4K, suggesting that Ultra settings in Inside are not much more demanding than High.

The CPU's role is most apparent when comparing the Low preset across resolutions. The jump from 4K Low (206.8 FPS) to 1440p Low (327.9 FPS) is substantial, but the jump from 1440p Low to 1080p Low (390.9 FPS) is smaller in comparison. This suggests that while the GPU is still the primary bottleneck at 1440p, the CPU's limit is being approached at 1080p. The Core i5-14600K, with its high single-thread performance, is sufficient to drive even these extreme frame rates, but the data suggests the GPU is the limiting factor in most scenarios.

FAQ

*Q: Can this PC run Inside at 4K resolution with maximum settings?*

A: Yes. The benchmark data shows an average of 99.3 FPS at 3840x2160 with the Ultra preset, which is well above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the difference in performance between the High and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: The average frame rate at 2560x1440 on High is 165.2 FPS, while the Ultra preset achieves 158.2 FPS. This is a difference of 7 FPS, indicating that the Ultra preset has a minimal performance cost in this game.

Q: How does the performance scale from 1080p to 4K on the Low preset?

A: The average frame rate at 1920x1080 on Low is 390.9 FPS. At 2560x1440, it is 327.9 FPS, and at 3840x2160, it is 206.8 FPS. Performance drops by roughly 16% from 1080p to 1440p and by another 37% from 1440p to 4K.

Q: Is the RTX 3080 Ti or the Core i5-14600K more likely to be the bottleneck at 1080p?

A: At 1080p with the Low preset, the system reaches 390.9 FPS. This high number suggests the CPU is nearing its limit, as the GPU has less work to do at this resolution. The GPU becomes the clear bottleneck as resolution and settings increase.

Q: Are all presets playable at 60 FPS at every resolution tested?

A: Yes. The lowest average frame rate recorded is 99.3 FPS at 4K Ultra. All other combinations of resolution and preset exceed this figure, confirming that every setting is playable.

Q: How does this system compare to other hardware in terms of overall benchmark scores?

A: The CPU has a benchmark percentile of 90 compared to all CPUs, with an average score of 48618. The GPU has a percentile of 83 compared to all GPUs, with an average score of 41187. This places them in the upper echelon of their respective categories.

The Verdict

This PC can run Inside flawlessly. The verdict data confirms that all tested resolutions and presets are playable, meaning they all achieve an average frame rate at or above the 60 FPS threshold. At 1920x1080, the best settings are Ultra, with an average of 215.4 FPS. At 2560x1440, the best settings are also Ultra, delivering 158.2 FPS. Even at the demanding 3840x2160 resolution, the system can run the game at Ultra settings with an average of 99.3 FPS.

The data shows no scenario where this hardware struggles to maintain smooth gameplay. The lowest performance point, which occurs at 4K Ultra, is still nearly 40% above the 60 FPS playable threshold. This system provides a high-refresh-rate experience even at 1440p and a solid 4K experience. For a game like Inside, which relies on atmosphere and precise platforming, the high frame rates ensure a responsive and visually fluid experience with no compromise on visual quality.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for the CPU and GPU provides context for what other hardware would deliver similar performance. The Intel Core i5-14600K has an average benchmark score of 48618. Its closest competitor is the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H, which scores 48698, a performance delta of -0.2%. The AMD EPYC 4345P scores 48470, a delta of 0.3%. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX scores 48287, a delta of 0.7%, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 scores 48995, a delta of -0.8%. These processors would offer a nearly identical level of CPU performance in Inside.

For the GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti has an average benchmark score of 41187. The AMD Radeon Pro 5300 scores 40870, representing a performance delta of 0.8%. The NVIDIA Tesla M40 24 GB scores 41707, a delta of -1.2%. The NVIDIA Tesla M40 scores 41897, a delta of -1.7%. Finally, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 scores 40377, a delta of 2%. These GPUs would provide a very similar level of graphical performance. A system pairing any of these CPUs with any of these GPUs would likely produce frame rates in Inside that are very close to the ones measured for the i5-14600K and RTX 3080 Ti combination.

Best Settings per Resolution

For the best visual experience that still maintains a high frame rate, the Ultra preset is the optimal choice at every resolution tested. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset runs at an average of 215.4 FPS, providing the maximum visual fidelity with a frame rate high enough for the fastest displays. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset achieves 158.2 FPS, which is still well above the 60 FPS threshold and suitable for high-refresh-rate 1440p monitors.

At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset is also the best choice, with an average frame rate of 99.3 FPS. This is comfortably above the 60 FPS playable threshold, ensuring a smooth experience on a 4K display. Since the game is not demanding on this hardware, there is no reason to lower the settings. The performance headroom is so large that even the most demanding preset leaves significant FPS on the table, making the Ultra preset the clear recommendation for all resolutions.