Inside

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is an overwhelmingly powerful combination for running Inside, a Puzzle Platformer from 2016. The measured data places this combo at rank 66 out of 3716 tested configurations, placing it in the top 2% of all systems. This pairing delivers performance so far beyond the game's requirements that it effectively removes any concern about frame rates, making it a system where the player can focus entirely on the game's atmospheric puzzle-solving rather than technical compromises.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 66 out of 3716 tested combinations places it in the 98th percentile of all systems tested for Inside. This is a remarkable position, indicating that this specific CPU-GPU pairing outperforms the vast majority of alternatives. The ranking is a product of the RTX 4090's immense graphics horsepower, which is the primary driver of frame rates in this title, combined with the Core Ultra 5 225's strong single-thread performance that ensures the CPU never bottlenecks the GPU at lower resolutions.

To contextualize this rank, consider the CPU's own standing. The Core Ultra 5 225 sits in the 85th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 36938. Its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks are the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F with an average score of 36945 (a 0% delta), the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D at 37018 (-0.2%), and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 at 37093 (-0.4%). These sub-1% differences in synthetic scores suggest that the CPU is not a differentiating factor at the extremely high frame rates seen in Inside. The GPU, which sits in the 88th percentile among all GPUs with an average score of 60347, is the clear performance leader in this pairing. Its nearest rivals in benchmark scores are the Intel Arc Pro A60 (60326, 0% delta), AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 (60140, 0.3%), and AMD Radeon PRO V710 (58657, 2.9%), but these are professional workstation cards, not gaming GPUs in the same performance class.

The sheer magnitude of the frame rates achieved—often exceeding 300 FPS—means the system is operating well beyond the 60 FPS playable threshold. The ranking reflects not just playability, but a level of performance that is massively over-provisioned for this title, ensuring maximum headroom for any potential frametime spikes or future content updates.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest graphical preset that maintains over 60 FPS at 4K resolution?

A: At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset achieves an average of 140 FPS, which is more than double the 60 FPS playable threshold. This makes Ultra the best setting for 4K, as it provides the highest visual quality without any performance concerns.

Q: How does the frame rate scale between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset achieves 362 FPS average, while the Ultra preset achieves 222 FPS average. The difference of 140 FPS represents a 61% reduction in frame rate when moving from the lowest to the highest settings, yet the Ultra preset still delivers nearly four times the playable threshold.

Q: Is there a measurable difference in performance between 1080p and 1440p at Medium settings?

A: Yes, the data shows a difference. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset averages 373 FPS, while at 2560x1440, the same preset averages 334 FPS. This 39 FPS difference indicates that the game is partially CPU-bound at lower resolutions, as the GPU is capable of even higher output but is limited by the CPU's frame generation capability.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for this combo at any resolution?

A: The lowest minimum FPS recorded across all tested configurations is 200 FPS, which occurs at 3840x2160 with Medium settings. Even this minimum value is more than three times the 60 FPS playable threshold, confirming there are no performance dips that would affect gameplay.

Q: How does this combo's rank compare to its position in the overall hardware landscape?

A: The combo ranks 66th out of 3716 configurations for Inside, putting it in the top 1.8% of all tested systems. This is slightly better than the individual component percentiles (CPU at 85th, GPU at 88th), suggesting the pairing is particularly well-suited for this game.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU become the limiting factor at any tested resolution?

A: The data suggests no single component is a bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 404 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it still achieves 140 FPS. The relatively small performance gap between Low and Ultra settings at each resolution (e.g., 99 FPS at 4K, 140 FPS at 1440p, 99 FPS at 1080p) indicates a balanced system where both components are working effectively without one stalling the other.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the optimal choice, delivering an average of 305 FPS. This is the most demanding setting that remains well above the 60 FPS threshold, and it provides the maximum visual fidelity the game offers at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset again is the best selection, with an average of 222 FPS. This represents a 27% performance decrease compared to 1080p Ultra, but the frame rate is still exceptionally high, leaving significant headroom for any demanding scenes.

For 3840x2160, the Ultra preset remains the recommended setting, achieving an average of 140 FPS. While this is the lowest average FPS among the tested configurations, it is still more than double the 60 FPS playable threshold, ensuring a perfectly smooth experience at the highest visual quality.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU's nearest rivals, based on synthetic benchmark scores, are the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F, AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D, and AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450. These processors have average scores within 0.4% of the Core Ultra 5 225, meaning they would deliver virtually identical frame rates in Inside. The Ryzen 5 5600F offers the closest match with a 0% delta, while the Ryzen 5 5500X3D and Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 are slightly behind at -0.2% and -0.4% respectively. In practice, any of these CPUs paired with the RTX 4090 would produce the same experience in this game, as the GPU is the dominant factor.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals are the Intel Arc Pro A60, AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48, and AMD Radeon PRO V710. The Arc Pro A60 matches the RTX 4090's average score with a 0% delta, though this is a professional graphics card not intended for gaming. The Radeon Pro Vega 48 is 0.3% ahead, and the Radeon PRO V710 is 2.9% behind. While these cards may have similar synthetic benchmark scores, the RTX 4090's gaming-specific optimizations and driver support make it the superior choice for Inside.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers exceptional performance across all settings. The Low preset achieves an average of 404 FPS, with no minimum or maximum recorded. Medium settings produce 373 FPS average, with a minimum of 317 and maximum of 429 FPS. High settings yield 311 FPS average, while Ultra settings produce 305 FPS average. The narrow spread between Low and Ultra (99 FPS) indicates the game is not heavily GPU-limited at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains extremely high. Low settings average 362 FPS, Medium averages 334 FPS with a minimum of 284 and maximum of 384 FPS, High averages 234 FPS, and Ultra averages 222 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra here is 140 FPS, showing a slightly larger impact from settings changes as the resolution increases.

At 3840x2160, the system still delivers well over 60 FPS. Low settings achieve 293 FPS average, Medium averages 235 FPS with a minimum of 200 and maximum of 270 FPS, High averages 147 FPS, and Ultra averages 140 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra shows a 153 FPS difference, demonstrating that the GPU is now the primary performance driver. All recorded average frame rates, even at the most demanding settings, are at least 2.3 times higher than the 60 FPS playable threshold.

The Verdict

This PC can absolutely run Inside with exceptional performance. The verdict data confirms that at every resolution and every preset, the system maintains average frame rates far exceeding the 60 FPS playable threshold. At 3840x2160, all four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) are playable, with the best setting being Ultra at 140 FPS. At 2560x1440, all presets are playable, with Ultra achieving 222 FPS. At 1920x1080, all presets are playable, with Ultra achieving 305 FPS.

The system not only clears the 60 FPS threshold but does so by a massive margin. Even the lowest recorded minimum FPS of 200 (at 4K Medium) is more than triple the playable threshold. This means the system has enormous performance headroom, ensuring perfectly smooth gameplay even in the most graphically intense scenes. The data indicates that the user can enable the highest possible settings at any resolution without any concern for frame rate drops.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data reveals a clear shift in component roles as resolution changes. At 1920x1080, the performance difference between Low (404 FPS) and Ultra (305 FPS) is only 99 FPS, suggesting that the CPU is playing a significant role in limiting the maximum frame rate. The GPU is capable of producing more frames, but the CPU's frame generation rate becomes a constraining factor at these extremely high frame rates.

As resolution increases to 2560x1440, the gap between Low (362 FPS) and Ultra (222 FPS) widens to 140 FPS. This indicates that the GPU is beginning to take on a more significant role, as the increased pixel count demands more graphics processing power. However, the CPU still contributes meaningfully, as evidenced by the high frame rates even at Ultra settings.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the dominant component. The difference between Low (293 FPS) and Ultra (140 FPS) expands to 153 FPS, showing that the graphics card is now the primary bottleneck. The CPU's role diminishes, but it still provides enough performance to prevent any significant frame drops, as evidenced by the 200 FPS minimum at Medium settings. Across all resolutions, the RTX 4090 provides the raw graphics power, while the Core Ultra 5 225 ensures the system never becomes CPU-bound at playable frame rates. The scaling shows a balanced system, though the GPU's influence grows with resolution, making it the more critical component for 4K gaming.