Inside

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7600 delivers a remarkably consistent experience in Inside, a 2016 puzzle platformer. The benchmark data shows this combination is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions, yet the CPU’s strong single-threaded performance ensures frame rates remain exceptionally high even at 1080p. Analysis of the measured frames reveals a system that can comfortably handle the game’s atmospheric visuals across all tested settings, though the scaling patterns highlight where each component’s limits begin to surface.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 provides a clear picture of the bottleneck dynamics. At Low settings, the i3-12100F and RX 7600 produce 285.3 FPS at 1080p, which drops to 206.1 FPS at 1440p and further to 128.1 FPS at 4K. This represents a 55% reduction from 1080p to 4K, indicating the GPU is becoming the primary limiting factor as pixel count increases, while the CPU still has ample headroom.

Medium settings follow a similar trajectory: 226.5 FPS at 1080p, 162.7 FPS at 1440p, and 101.4 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1440p to 4K here is 37.7%, slightly steeper than the Low preset’s 37.8% decline, suggesting that the additional shading work scales with resolution as expected. High settings show 144.2 FPS at 1080p, 103.8 FPS at 1440p, and 62.4 FPS at 4K — the 4K result is 56.7% lower than 1080p, confirming that the RX 7600’s 8 GB GDDR6 frame buffer and 288.0 GB/s bandwidth are being taxed more heavily with High preset effects.

Ultra settings produce the most telling data. The 1080p result of 132.4 FPS is only 8.2% lower than High at the same resolution, but the 4K Ultra score of 59.9 FPS is nearly identical to High’s 62.4 FPS. This convergence suggests that at 4K, the GPU is saturated regardless of whether High or Ultra is selected, with the difference shrinking to just 4.0% between the two presets. The CPU’s 4 cores and 8 threads, running at a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, are clearly sufficient to feed the GPU even at 4K Ultra, as evidenced by the fact that the frame rate remains above 60 FPS.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo maintain 60 FPS at 4K Ultra settings?

A: Yes. The measured average at 3840x2160 Ultra is 59.9 FPS, which is effectively 60 FPS. The High preset at 4K achieves 62.4 FPS, providing a small buffer above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the CPU compare to nearby rivals in overall benchmark scores?

A: The i3-12100F has an average benchmark score of 13516, which is 0.1% lower than the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX (13534) and 0.4% higher than the Intel Core i7-1250U (13462). It also sits 1.8% above the Intel Core i7-7700K (13280).

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings yield 206.1 FPS, while Ultra yields 96.9 FPS. This is a 53.0% reduction, showing that Ultra settings nearly halve the frame rate compared to Low.

Q: Is the RX 7600’s performance close to its nearest rivals?

A: The RX 7600’s average benchmark score is 20258. Its closest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT, scores 20146, which is 0.6% lower. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile scores 20534, putting it 1.3% higher than the RX 7600.

Q: Does the game become CPU-bound at any resolution?

A: The data does not indicate a CPU bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 285.3 FPS, and even at 4K Ultra it stays at 59.9 FPS. The consistent scaling with resolution points to the GPU as the limiting component across all tested configurations.

Q: What is the performance gap between Medium and High at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, Medium averages 101.4 FPS, while High averages 62.4 FPS. The High preset is 38.5% slower than Medium, indicating a substantial cost for the visual upgrade.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the benchmark database, this specific CPU-GPU combination ranks 1106 out of 1671 tested combos for Inside. This places it in the 66.1th percentile of all configurations tested for this game, which is a respectable position given the game’s age and the mid-range nature of both components. The rank reflects that while the combo is not at the top tier, it outperforms a majority of systems.

The ranking is particularly noteworthy when considering the CPU’s overall standing. The i3-12100F sits at the 72nd percentile among all CPUs, meaning it outperforms 72% of processors in the database. The GPU, however, sits at the 63rd percentile among all GPUs. The combo’s 66.1th percentile rank is between these two values, suggesting that the pairing leverages the CPU’s strength effectively without being held back unduly by the GPU’s relative position.

The nearest CPU rivals provide context for the processor’s contribution. The Threadripper PRO 3975WX, which scores nearly identically, is a workstation-class chip, yet the i3-12100F matches its average benchmark score. This indicates that for Inside, which is not heavily threaded, the i3’s 4 cores and 8 threads are more than adequate. The Intel Core i7-7700K, a former flagship, trails by 1.8%, showing that newer architecture more than compensates for fewer cores.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo achieves its highest frame rates. Low settings deliver 285.3 FPS, Medium delivers 226.5 FPS, High delivers 144.2 FPS, and Ultra delivers 132.4 FPS. The transition from Low to Medium costs 20.6% of the frame rate, while moving from High to Ultra costs only 8.2%. This suggests that the Ultra preset adds effects that are relatively inexpensive at 1080p, where the GPU has ample pixel throughput to spare.

The 2560x1440 results show a clear step down. Low settings produce 206.1 FPS, which is still exceptionally high. Medium settings yield 162.7 FPS, High settings yield 103.8 FPS, and Ultra settings yield 96.9 FPS. The gap between High and Ultra narrows to 6.6% at this resolution, compared to the 8.2% gap at 1080p, indicating that the GPU’s pixel rate of 169.9 GPixel/s is becoming a factor.

At 3840x2160, the frame rates drop to more modest levels. Low settings still manage 128.1 FPS, which is playable on any display. Medium settings achieve 101.4 FPS, High settings achieve 62.4 FPS, and Ultra settings achieve 59.9 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra at 4K is just 4.0%, meaning players choosing between these two presets will see nearly identical performance. The 4K Low result is 55.1% lower than the 1080p Low result, demonstrating the substantial impact of filling four times the pixels.

Settings Recommendations

For players targeting 60 FPS as a baseline, the Ultra preset is viable at both 1080p and 1440p, with scores of 132.4 FPS and 96.9 FPS respectively. Even at 4K, Ultra’s 59.9 FPS average is essentially at the target, making it the recommended choice for those who prioritize visual fidelity on a 60 Hz display. The High preset at 4K offers a marginal 4.0% improvement over Ultra, so there is little reason to sacrifice visual quality for that small gain.

For high-refresh-rate displays at 1080p, Medium settings provide 226.5 FPS, which is sufficient for 144 Hz or 165 Hz monitors. The High preset’s 144.2 FPS is also adequate for 144 Hz displays, but Medium offers a 57.0% higher frame rate for a modest visual reduction. At 1440p, Medium’s 162.7 FPS is ideal for 144 Hz panels, while High’s 103.8 FPS still exceeds 100 FPS and is suitable for most high-refresh displays.

The Low preset is only necessary for extremely high refresh rates or for ensuring maximum frame time consistency. At 1080p Low, the combo produces 285.3 FPS, which exceeds the refresh rate of nearly all consumer monitors. At 1440p Low, 206.1 FPS is still above 200 FPS, and at 4K Low, 128.1 FPS remains well above 100 FPS. Given that Medium settings at 4K still achieve 101.4 FPS, there is no scenario where Low is required for playability, even at 4K.

The data suggests that the optimal balance for most users is Medium at 1440p or 4K, or High at 1080p. Medium at 4K provides 101.4 FPS, which is 69.2% faster than Ultra’s 59.9 FPS, while the visual difference in a puzzle platformer is likely minimal. For those with 4K displays, Medium is the recommended preset, as it maintains frame rates well above 60 FPS while still delivering a polished visual presentation. The RX 7600’s 8 GB frame buffer is sufficient for this game at all settings, as evidenced by the consistent scaling across presets.