Inside

Inside is a puzzle platformer with modest visual demands, yet the measured performance of the Intel Core i3-12100F and AMD Radeon RX 9060 combination reveals a clear scaling pattern that defines the experience. The data shows this pairing delivers exceptionally high frame rates across all tested settings, making it suitable for high-refresh-rate displays, while the performance scaling between resolutions and presets provides insight into which component is the primary driver in this title.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 demonstrates a predictable decline, but the magnitude of that decline varies significantly by settings preset. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 155 at 1080p to 111 at 1440p, then further to 70 at 4K. This represents a 28% reduction from 1080p to 1440p, and another 37% reduction from 1440p to 4K. The cumulative effect from 1080p to 4K is a 55% performance loss, which is substantial but leaves the game comfortably playable at all three resolutions.

The Low preset shows a steeper absolute drop: 309 FPS at 1080p falls to 222 at 1440p (a 28% decline) and then to 140 at 4K (a 37% decline from 1440p). The percentage losses are nearly identical to High, suggesting that the scaling penalty is consistent regardless of preset. This uniformity indicates that the rendering workload scales similarly across settings, with resolution being the dominant factor in performance degradation.

Medium settings present the only rows with full min/max data, allowing for a more complete picture. At 1080p Medium, the average is 247 FPS with a minimum of 210 and maximum of 284. Moving to 1440p Medium, the average falls to 178 FPS with a range of 151–204. At 4K Medium, the average drops to 112 FPS with a range of 95–128. The spread between minimum and maximum FPS narrows as resolution increases, from a 74 FPS gap at 1080p to 53 FPS at 1440p and 33 FPS at 4K. This tightening suggests that higher resolutions create more consistent frame pacing, likely because the GPU becomes more uniformly saturated.

The Ultra preset mirrors the High preset pattern: 147 FPS at 1080p, 106 at 1440p, and 66 at 4K. These numbers are only slightly below High, indicating that the additional Ultra effects impose a modest overhead relative to High. The resolution scaling from 1080p to 4K on Ultra is a 55% reduction, identical to High, reinforcing that the resolution penalty is consistent across the upper presets.

The 4K performance at High and Ultra (70 and 66 FPS respectively) suggests that the limiting component shifts toward the GPU at this resolution, as the pixel throughput demands increase fourfold compared to 1080p. At 1080p, the extremely high frame rates — exceeding 300 FPS on Low — indicate that the CPU has ample headroom and is not the primary bottleneck. The data supports a conclusion that this combination is GPU-limited at 4K, CPU-limited at 1080p, and balanced at 1440p.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9060 features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth. For a game like Inside, which is not known for massive texture loads, this memory configuration is more than adequate. The GPU's 1792 shading units, 112 texture mapping units, and 64 render output units provide the raw throughput necessary for the high frame rates observed. The boost clock of 2990 MHz and game clock of 2400 MHz indicate a high-frequency design that contributes to the strong performance in this title.

The GPU's benchmark scores place it in the 59th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 16014. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, scores 16129, which is 0.7% higher. This near-parity suggests the RX 9060 is a competitive mid-range performer. In the context of Inside, the GPU's capabilities are more than sufficient, as evidenced by the 4K Ultra average of 66 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold typically considered smooth.

The 4K results are particularly telling for the GPU's role. At 4K High, the average of 70 FPS indicates the GPU is handling the increased pixel load effectively. The transition from High to Ultra at 4K costs only 4 FPS (from 70 to 66), suggesting the Ultra preset's additional effects are not heavily GPU-intensive. Conversely, the jump from Medium to High at 4K costs 42 FPS (from 112 to 70), indicating that the High preset introduces significant GPU workload compared to Medium.

The GPU's memory bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s appears sufficient for this title, as no stuttering or frame drops are evident in the measured data. The 8 GB capacity is unlikely to be a limiting factor given the game's release date in 2016 and its relatively simple visual style. The GPU's RDNA 4.0 architecture and 4 nm process node from TSMC contribute to its efficiency, allowing it to maintain high clocks without excessive power draw, though the 132 W TDP is moderate.

The FP32 performance of 21.43 TFLOPS and texture rate of 334.9 GTexel/s provide theoretical context for the observed frame rates. At 1080p Low, the 309 FPS average suggests the GPU is far from saturated, with the CPU likely becoming the limiting factor at this extreme frame rate. The GPU's pixel rate of 191.4 GPixel/s helps explain why 4K performance remains respectable, as the 3840x2160 resolution requires approximately 8.3 million pixels per frame, and the GPU can theoretically process over 23 such frames per millisecond.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance for optimizing the experience across different display configurations. For 1080p users, the Medium preset at 247 FPS average offers an excellent balance, with minimums of 210 FPS ensuring smooth gameplay even in demanding scenes. The High preset at 155 FPS is also viable, but the 92 FPS difference between Medium and High suggests that Medium provides a substantial performance headroom with likely minimal visual difference given the game's art style.

For 1440p, the Medium preset at 178 FPS is the recommended choice. The minimum of 151 FPS remains well above the 144 Hz refresh rate common on 1440p monitors, ensuring that even the most intense scenes stay smooth. High at 111 FPS is acceptable for 60 Hz displays but may not fully utilize 120 Hz or higher refresh rate panels. The Ultra preset at 106 FPS offers diminishing returns over High, with only a 5 FPS penalty, making it a viable option if the user prioritizes visual fidelity.

At 4K, the Medium preset at 112 FPS is the standout recommendation. It provides a 42 FPS advantage over High while maintaining a minimum of 95 FPS, which is comfortably above the 60 FPS standard. The High and Ultra presets at 70 and 66 FPS respectively are playable but offer less headroom for demanding scenes. Given that the minimum FPS data is only available for Medium, this preset also offers the most predictable performance profile.

The Low preset, while delivering exceptional frame rates (309 FPS at 1080p, 222 at 1440p, 140 at 4K), is likely unnecessary for a game with Inside's aesthetic, which relies on atmospheric lighting and shadow play. The jump from Low to Medium costs 62 FPS at 1080p (309 to 247) and 66 FPS at 1440p (222 to 178), but these are acceptable trade-offs for improved visual quality. Overall, the data indicates that Medium is the sweet spot across all resolutions, offering the best combination of high average FPS, documented minimums, and visual quality.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i3-12100F and AMD Radeon RX 9060 ranks 1615 out of 2887 tested combos in Inside. This places it in the 56th percentile of all configurations, indicating a slightly above-average performance level for this game. The rank is influenced by both the CPU and GPU, but given the game's relatively low demands, the GPU likely plays a larger role in determining overall performance.

The CPU's percentile rank of 68 against all CPUs suggests it is a solid performer, with an average benchmark score of 13494. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core 3 N355, scores 13492, a negligible 0% difference. The Core i5-9500 scores 13452, which is 0.3% lower, while the Core 5 120UL scores 13594, 0.7% higher. These comparisons indicate the i3-12100F sits in a tight competitive cluster, offering performance comparable to older i5 parts.

The GPU's percentile rank of 59 against all GPUs is lower than the CPU's, suggesting the GPU is the slightly weaker component in this pairing. With an average benchmark score of 16014, the RX 9060 trails the RTX 3060 Ti by 0.7% and leads the Radeon R9 370X by 1% and the RX 7700 by 1%. This positioning means the GPU is competitive but not class-leading, which aligns with the observed Inside performance where the 4K results are good but not exceptional.

The combo rank of 1615 out of 2887 suggests that many combinations outperform this pairing in Inside, likely due to more powerful GPUs. However, the measured frame rates show that this combination delivers excellent playability at all resolutions, with even the most demanding preset (4K Ultra) maintaining 66 FPS average. The rank reflects the hardware's overall capability across a broader benchmark suite rather than specifically optimizing for Inside's modest requirements.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU-GPU combination in Inside?

A: The data shows that 1440p Medium provides the best balance, with an average of 178 FPS and a minimum of 151 FPS. This delivers smooth gameplay on high-refresh-rate displays while maintaining visual quality. At 4K Medium, the average drops to 112 FPS, which is still excellent but offers less headroom.

Q: How does the RX 9060 compare to its closest rival in terms of benchmark scores?

A: The RX 9060 has an average benchmark score of 16014, which is 0.7% lower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti's score of 16129. It is 1% higher than both the AMD Radeon R9 370X and AMD Radeon RX 7700, which score 15862 and 15852 respectively.

Q: Does the 8 GB VRAM on the RX 9060 cause any issues in Inside?

A: No issues are observed in the measured data. The game's 2016 release date and relatively simple visual style mean 8 GB is more than sufficient. The 4K Ultra preset achieves a 66 FPS average, indicating memory capacity is not a limiting factor.

Q: Is the Core i3-12100F a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the CPU becomes the limiting factor at 1080p Low, where the average FPS reaches 309. This extremely high frame rate indicates the GPU is not saturated, and the CPU's 4 cores and 8 threads are handling the game logic and draw calls effectively.

Q: What is the FPS difference between High and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, High averages 111 FPS while Ultra averages 106 FPS, a difference of only 5 FPS. This small gap suggests the Ultra preset's additional effects are not particularly demanding in this game.

Q: How does the combo's performance in Inside compare to its overall ranking?

A: The combo ranks 1615 out of 2887 tested combinations, placing it in the 56th percentile. Despite this mid-pack ranking, the measured Inside performance is excellent, with no resolution or preset combination dropping below 66 FPS average.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured data provides a comprehensive view of performance across all tested configurations. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves 309 FPS average, Medium reaches 247 FPS with a range of 210–284, High delivers 155 FPS, and Ultra produces 147 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra is 162 FPS, demonstrating the significant impact of settings on frame rate at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, performance scales downward as expected. Low averages 222 FPS, Medium averages 178 FPS with a range of 151–204, High averages 111 FPS, and Ultra averages 106 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra narrows to 116 FPS, reflecting the increased GPU load at higher resolution. The Medium preset's minimum of 151 FPS is notable, as it remains above the 144 Hz threshold common on gaming monitors.

At 3840x2160, the performance envelope tightens further. Low averages 140 FPS, Medium averages 112 FPS with a range of 95–128, High averages 70 FPS, and Ultra averages 66 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 74 FPS, less than half the gap seen at 1080p. This compression indicates that the GPU is becoming the primary bottleneck at 4K, with settings having a reduced relative impact on performance.

The Medium preset is the only one with complete min/max data across all resolutions, allowing for frame time analysis. At 1080p, the 210 FPS minimum represents a comfortable 15% drop from the 247 average. At 1440p, the 151 FPS minimum is a 15% drop from 178. At 4K, the 95 FPS minimum is a 15% drop from 112. This consistent 15% variance across resolutions suggests stable frame pacing, with no resolution-specific stuttering or spikes.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a quad-core processor with 8 threads, based on the Alder Lake architecture on a 10 nm process. Its base clock of 3.30 GHz and boost clock of 4.30 GHz provide solid single-threaded performance, which is crucial for a game like Inside that may not fully utilize many cores. The CPU's benchmark scores confirm its capability: Cinebench R23 multicore reaches 11860, while single-core achieves 1674. These scores indicate a processor that excels in lightly-threaded workloads, which is typical for puzzle platformers.

The CPU's 12 MB of shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB L2 cache per core provide sufficient memory hierarchy for game data. The 4 cores and 8 threads are likely more than adequate for Inside, which was released in 2016 and designed to run on much older hardware. The CPU's percentile rank of 68 against all CPUs places it above average, with an average benchmark score of 13494. Its nearest rivals — the Core 3 N355 at 13492, Core i5-9500 at 13452, and Core 5 120UL at 13594 — all sit within 1% of its score, confirming its position in a competitive mid-range segment.

In the context of Inside, the CPU's role is most evident at 1080p Low, where the 309 FPS average likely approaches the CPU's limit for frame generation. The 3DMark scores provide additional context: single-thread score of 893, 4-thread score of 2859, and max-thread score of 4023. The scaling from 2 threads (1659) to 4 threads (2859) shows a 72% improvement, while scaling to 8 threads (4026) yields only a 41% improvement over 4 threads. This indicates diminishing returns beyond 4 threads, aligning with the CPU's quad-core design.

The CPU's PassMark scores further illustrate its strengths: single-thread performance of 3444, multithread of 14015, and physics of 985. The floating-point math score of 31977 and integer math of 40978 suggest robust arithmetic capabilities, though these are unlikely to be stressed significantly by Inside. The CPU's 58 W TDP and Intel Socket 1700 compatibility make it an efficient, accessible choice, though this analysis does not consider pricing.

The combination of this CPU with the RX 9060 ensures that the GPU is rarely starved of data. At 4K, where the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck, the CPU's headroom means frame rates are limited by GPU throughput rather than CPU processing. This balanced pairing allows the system to deliver the high frame rates observed across all tested configurations, with the CPU proving more than sufficient for this title's demands.