Inside

Inside is a 2016 puzzle platformer that places very modest demands on modern hardware, and the measured results for the Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti confirm this. The data shows a configuration that is firmly entry-level by today’s standards, capable of smooth gameplay at standard resolutions but struggling to maintain playable frame rates at 4K with higher visual fidelity. The following analysis breaks down how this specific CPU-GPU combination handles the game across different resolutions and settings, drawing exclusively from the measured FPS data and component specifications.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic pattern of GPU-bound performance, with the GTX 1050 Ti acting as the primary constraint. At 1080p with High settings, the configuration produces an average of 54 FPS. Moving to 1440p drops that average to 39 FPS, a reduction of roughly 28%. Stepping up to 4K further reduces the average to 25 FPS, which is a 54% decrease from the 1080p High result. This steep decline as resolution increases is a clear indicator that the GPU’s pixel throughput is the limiting factor.

The scaling pattern is even more pronounced at the Low preset. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 109 FPS on average, which is a very playable and fluid experience. At 1440p Low, the average falls to 78 FPS, a 28% drop that mirrors the High preset’s scaling. However, at 4K Low, the average plummets to 49 FPS, a 55% reduction from 1080p. This consistent halving of performance when quadrupling the pixel count from 1080p to 4K strongly suggests that the 4 GB frame buffer and the 112.1 GB/s memory bandwidth of the GTX 1050 Ti are being saturated.

The data indicates that the CPU is not a bottleneck at any resolution. The i3-12100F, with its 4 cores and 8 threads, provides ample headroom for a game of this era. The frame rate differences between 1080p and 1440p at the same settings are far larger than any potential CPU limitation would cause. For instance, the jump from 87 FPS at 1080p Medium to 62 FPS at 1440p Medium represents a 29% performance loss, which is almost entirely attributable to the increased rendering load on the GPU.

The overall trend is clear: this is a GPU-limited scenario across all tested resolutions. The GTX 1050 Ti’s 25th percentile ranking among all GPUs and its average benchmark score of 4193 place it well below the performance tier needed for high-resolution gaming. The 4K results, in particular, show that the card is overextended, with even the Low preset failing to reach 60 FPS. The 1440p results are borderline, offering playable averages but with the Medium preset’s minimum of 53 FPS indicating that frame pacing can be an issue. Only at 1080p does this combination consistently deliver smooth performance across all presets.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured frame rates, the optimal settings for this hardware depend entirely on the target resolution and the desired frame rate. For a 60 FPS target at 1080p, the Medium preset is the sweet spot, delivering an average of 87 FPS with a minimum of 74 FPS. This provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS, ensuring a smooth experience even during more demanding scenes. The High preset at 1080p drops to 54 FPS average, which is technically playable but misses the 60 FPS mark, while the Ultra preset at 52 FPS offers no tangible benefit over High and sits further from the target.

At 1440p, the data suggests that the Low preset is the only reliable option for a fluid experience. The Low preset achieves an average of 78 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold. The Medium preset at 1440p produces an average of 62 FPS, but its minimum of 53 FPS means that the experience will not be consistently smooth. The High and Ultra presets at 1440p, with averages of 39 FPS and 37 FPS respectively, fall below the acceptable threshold for most players.

For 4K gaming, the measured results are less encouraging. The Low preset is the only one that approaches playability, with an average of 49 FPS. However, this is still below 60 FPS, and the lack of a reported minimum frame rate suggests that performance can vary. All other 4K presets — Medium at 39 FPS, High at 25 FPS, and Ultra at 23 FPS — are not suitable for a responsive gaming experience. The Medium preset’s minimum of 33 FPS further confirms that 4K is not a viable option for this configuration.

The recommendation is to prioritize the Medium preset at 1080p for the best balance of visual quality and performance. At 1440p, users should accept the Low preset to maintain a high frame rate. The 4K resolution should be avoided entirely, as even the lowest settings fail to provide a consistently smooth experience. The data shows a clear trade-off: visual fidelity must be sacrificed significantly as resolution increases, and the GTX 1050 Ti does not have the raw power to handle this game at high resolutions with higher presets.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti is the decisive component in this configuration’s performance profile. Its specifications are modest: 768 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 32 render output units. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1291 MHz and a boost clock of 1392 MHz, with memory clocked at 1752 MHz (7 Gbps effective). This hardware configuration yields a pixel rate of 44.54 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 66.82 GTexel/s, with a FP32 performance of 2.138 TFLOPS.

The 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus provides 112.1 GB/s of bandwidth. This is the most likely bottleneck at higher resolutions. The measured FPS data supports this, as the performance drop from 1440p to 4K is severe across all presets. For example, at High settings, the average frame rate falls from 39 FPS at 1440p to 25 FPS at 4K, a 36% reduction. This is a larger proportional drop than the 28% reduction seen from 1080p to 1440p, indicating that the memory system is being overwhelmed at 4K.

The GPU’s overall standing is low, with a percentile ranking of 25 against all GPUs and an average benchmark score of 4193. Its nearest rivals in the benchmark database include the AMD Radeon R5 M330 (0.6% slower), the NVIDIA Quadro K2100M (1% slower), and the NVIDIA Quadro K3000M (1.1% faster). These are all older or entry-level parts, confirming the GTX 1050 Ti’s position at the bottom of the performance stack. The GPU’s DirectX 12 benchmark score of 26 and DirectX 11 score of 45 show that it is not well-suited for modern API workloads, although Inside is a lighter title.

The GPU’s launch MSRP is 139 USD, but this does not reflect its current performance capabilities. The data shows that the GTX 1050 Ti is sufficient for 1080p gaming in Inside, but its limitations become immediately apparent at higher resolutions. The 4 GB VRAM is sufficient for this game’s art style, but the bandwidth is not, leading to the significant frame rate drops observed at 4K.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Inside with this hardware?

A: The measured data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where all presets provide playable frame rates. The lowest average at 1080p is 52 FPS on the Ultra preset, while the Medium preset delivers 87 FPS. At 1440p and 4K, most presets fall below 60 FPS.

Q: Can this configuration run Inside at 4K?

A: Technically yes, but not well. The only 4K preset with a playable average is Low, at 49 FPS. The Medium preset averages 39 FPS with a minimum of 33 FPS, and the High and Ultra presets average 25 FPS and 23 FPS respectively, which are not smooth.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck in this game?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck. Frame rates drop significantly as resolution increases, from 109 FPS at 1080p Low to 49 FPS at 4K Low, which is a pattern consistent with GPU limitations. The i3-12100F has sufficient processing power for this title.

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: The average frame rate at 1920x1080 with the Medium preset is 87 FPS, with a minimum of 74 FPS and a maximum of 100 FPS. This is the recommended preset for a 60 FPS experience at this resolution.

Q: How does the GTX 1050 Ti compare to its nearest rivals in the benchmark database?

A: The GTX 1050 Ti has an average benchmark score of 4193. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon R5 M330, scores 4170, which is 0.6% slower. The NVIDIA Quadro K2100M is 1% slower, while the NVIDIA Quadro K3000M is 1.1% faster.

Q: Does the GTX 1050 Ti have enough VRAM for Inside at 4K?

A: The GPU has 4 GB of GDDR5 memory with 112.1 GB/s bandwidth. The severe performance drop at 4K, where the Low preset only achieves 49 FPS, suggests that while the VRAM capacity may be sufficient, the bandwidth is a limiting factor for higher resolutions.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i3-12100F plays a supporting role in this configuration, and the benchmark results show it is more than capable of handling Inside’s demands. This processor features 4 cores and 8 threads, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. It is built on Intel’s Alder Lake architecture using a 10 nm process node. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3 cache.

The CPU’s benchmark scores are respectable for a quad-core part. In Cinebench R23, it scores 11860 points in the multicore test and 1674 points in the single-core test. Its Geekbench scores are 7252 for multicore and 1932 for single-core. These results place the i3-12100F in the 68th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 13494. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core 3 N355 (0% delta), the Intel Core i5-9500 (0.3% faster), and the Intel Core 5 120UL (0.7% slower).

These scores are far above what a puzzle platformer like Inside requires. The game’s low system demands are evident in the consistent frame rates across different resolutions. If the CPU were a bottleneck, we would expect to see similar frame rates regardless of resolution, as the CPU would be maxed out. Instead, the frame rates scale inversely with resolution, dropping from 109 FPS at 1080p Low to 49 FPS at 4K Low, which is a GPU-bound signature.

The i3-12100F’s single-thread performance, as evidenced by its 1674 point Cinebench R23 single-core score, is particularly strong for a budget chip. This is beneficial for games that rely heavily on a single thread. The 3.30 GHz base clock and 4.30 GHz boost clock provide good responsiveness. The processor’s 58 W TDP and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory make it a versatile platform component, but in this specific pairing, its primary job is to feed the GTX 1050 Ti without holding it back, a task it accomplishes with ease.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data represents the exact measured average frame rates for the Intel Core i3-12100F and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti combination in Inside.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 109 FPS average
• Medium: 87 FPS average, with a minimum of 74 FPS and a maximum of 100 FPS
• High: 54 FPS average
• Ultra: 52 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 78 FPS average
• Medium: 62 FPS average, with a minimum of 53 FPS and a maximum of 72 FPS
• High: 39 FPS average
• Ultra: 37 FPS average

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 49 FPS average
• Medium: 39 FPS average, with a minimum of 33 FPS and a maximum of 45 FPS
• High: 25 FPS average
• Ultra: 23 FPS average

These numbers paint a clear picture. At 1080p, the configuration is capable of high frame rates on lower presets, but the jump to High and Ultra presets causes a significant drop, indicating a shift from a CPU-friendly environment to a GPU-limited one. The 1440p results show a similar pattern, with only the Low preset maintaining an average above 60 FPS. The 4K results are uniformly poor, with no preset reaching an average of 50 FPS.

The Medium preset is the only one with reported minimum and maximum frame rates, providing additional insight. At 1080p, the minimum of 74 FPS shows good frame consistency. At 1440p, the minimum drops to 53 FPS, which indicates some frame pacing issues. At 4K, the minimum falls to 33 FPS, confirming that the experience is not smooth. The lack of min/max data for other presets means we can only assess their averages, but the trends are consistent across the board.

The performance gap between the Low and Medium presets is substantial at every resolution, with Medium being roughly 20% slower than Low. The gap between High and Ultra is much smaller, suggesting that these two presets are visually similar and place a similar load on the GPU. The overall data confirms that the GTX 1050 Ti is the limiting factor, and the i3-12100F is not a constraint in this game.