Inside

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D lands at rank 313 out of 2887 tested combos for Inside. That places this configuration in the top 11% of all tested systems for this specific game, which is a strong showing given the asymmetric nature of the pairing. The combo outperforms the vast majority of tested hardware, though it does not crack the top tier, where more balanced CPU-GPU pairings typically reside.

The ranking reflects a peculiar dynamic. The RTX 5090 D is an absolute monster of a GPU, sitting in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs tested. The Core i3-12100F, by contrast, is a modest 4-core/8-thread part that ranks in the 68th percentile of all CPUs. That gap in relative standing between the two components is the defining characteristic of this build. In a game like Inside, which is a 2D puzzle platformer from 2016, the GPU is rarely the limiting factor. The data suggests this combo still delivers a top-tier experience, but the CPU is likely holding the system back from reaching even higher ranks.

Compared to other combos in the database, this pairing's 313rd place finish out of 2887 is respectable. It indicates that despite the CPU's budget-oriented positioning, the sheer brute force of the RTX 5090 D compensates enough to push the system well above the median. The delta between this combo and the very top performers is likely due to CPU-bound scenarios, where the i3-12100F's four physical cores become a bottleneck. For a game with the graphical simplicity of Inside, the ranking is more about CPU headroom than GPU capability.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is the centerpiece of this configuration, and its specifications are staggering. It features 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s. The GPU has 21,760 shading units, 680 TMUs, and 176 ROPs, with base and boost clocks of 2017 MHz and 2407 MHz respectively. This is a card designed for 4K gaming at maximum settings, not for a 2D indie title like Inside.

Given the game's 2016 release date and its 2D side-scrolling nature, the RTX 5090 D is operating at a fraction of its potential. The measured FPS data confirms this. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 315 FPS average, which is likely near the engine's practical limit. The GPU is so far ahead of what Inside requires that it effectively becomes a non-factor in performance. The 32 GB VRAM is entirely unused; the game would run comfortably on a fraction of that capacity.

The GPU's benchmark scores reflect its raw power. It achieves a Passmark G3D score of 44,065 and a Geekbench OpenCL score of 310,674. In the database, the RTX 5090 D sits at the 92nd percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 77,712. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT, which is 1.6% behind, and the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB, which is 2.4% behind. The 5090 D is clearly a top-tier part, but in this specific game, those advantages are moot. The GPU's role here is to ensure that no matter what settings or resolution are thrown at it, the frame rate remains astronomically high.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, fabricated on Intel's 10 nm process. It has a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, with a 12 MB L3 cache. This is a budget-conscious part, with a launch MSRP of $97, and it is not multiplier-unlocked. Its benchmark scores are modest: Cinebench R23 multicore is 11,860, and single-core is 1,674. The CPU sits at the 68th percentile of all CPUs.

In Inside, the CPU's role is more critical than the GPU's, simply because the game is not graphically demanding. The i3-12100F's four cores are sufficient to run the game's logic, but the data indicates it may be the limiting factor at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 315 FPS. At 1080p Ultra, it drops to 238 FPS. That 77 FPS gap between Low and Ultra settings is primarily due to GPU load, but the fact that 1080p Low cannot exceed 315 FPS suggests a CPU or engine ceiling.

The CPU's nearest rivals in the database include the Intel Core 3 N355, which is essentially tied, and the Intel Core i5-9500, which is 0.3% faster. The Core i7-1250U is 1.1% faster. These comparisons show that the i3-12100F is competitive with older i5 parts, but it lacks the multi-core headroom of modern 6-core or 8-core chips. For a game like Inside, which is not heavily threaded, the single-core performance is what matters most. The i3-12100F's 3DMark single-thread score of 893 is decent, but it is not exceptional. In CPU-bound moments, this could cause frame dips, though the average FPS data does not show any severe drops.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions (1080p, 1440p, and 4K) and four settings (Low, Medium, High, Ultra). At 1080p, the combo delivers 315 FPS on Low, 291 FPS on Medium, 242 FPS on High, and 238 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset shows a minimum FPS of 247 and a maximum of 334, indicating some variance but generally stable performance. The gap between Low and Ultra is 77 FPS, which is substantial but not unexpected given the GPU's headroom.

Moving to 1440p, the numbers remain high. Low delivers 282 FPS, Medium hits 260 FPS, High achieves 217 FPS, and Ultra drops to 213 FPS. The Medium preset again shows the only min/max data: 221 FPS minimum and 299 FPS maximum. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is noticeable but not severe. At 1080p Low, the system hits 315 FPS, but at 1440p Low, it drops to 282 FPS, a 33 FPS reduction. This indicates the GPU is beginning to take on more load, but it is still far from being taxed.

At 4K, the performance remains excellent. Low delivers 242 FPS, Medium hits 223 FPS, High achieves 160 FPS, and Ultra drops to 153 FPS. The Medium preset shows a minimum of 190 FPS and a maximum of 256 FPS. The drop from 1440p to 4K is more pronounced. At 1440p High, the system hits 217 FPS, but at 4K High, it falls to 160 FPS, a 57 FPS reduction. This shows that the GPU is finally being exercised at 4K, though it still maintains frame rates that are far beyond what most displays can show. The 4K Ultra result of 153 FPS is still exceptionally high for any game, let alone a 2D platformer.

Resolution Scaling

The scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the bottleneck dynamics of this combo. At Low settings, the system goes from 315 FPS at 1080p to 282 FPS at 1440p, a 10.5% drop, and then to 242 FPS at 4K, a 14.2% drop from 1440p. This is a relatively gentle decline, indicating that at Low settings, the CPU is still holding things back. The fact that 1080p Low cannot exceed 315 FPS suggests a CPU or engine limit, not a GPU limit. If the GPU were the constraint, we would expect a larger drop from 1080p to 1440p.

At Ultra settings, the scaling is different. The system goes from 238 FPS at 1080p to 213 FPS at 1440p, a 10.5% drop, and then to 153 FPS at 4K, a 28.2% drop from 1440p. The 4K Ultra result is the most GPU-dependent of all the measured points. The larger drop from 1440p to 4K at Ultra settings indicates the GPU is becoming the limiting factor at this resolution and settings combination. However, even at 4K Ultra, the system still delivers 153 FPS, which is far beyond the 60 FPS standard.

The data suggests that at 1080p and 1440p, the CPU is the primary limiter, especially at Low and Medium settings. The GPU has so much headroom that it is not the constraint. At 4K, particularly at High and Ultra settings, the GPU begins to take over as the limiting component. This is the expected behavior for a system with a high-end GPU and a mid-range CPU. The 4K results show where the RTX 5090 D's power is actually being utilized, while the 1080p results expose the CPU's limitations.

Settings Recommendations

For this combo, the best experience depends on the target display and refresh rate. If the user has a 1080p or 1440p 240 Hz monitor, the Medium preset is the sweet spot. At 1080p Medium, the system delivers 291 FPS average with a minimum of 247 FPS, which is well above the 240 Hz threshold. At 1440p Medium, it hits 260 FPS average with a minimum of 221 FPS, which is also above 240 Hz but with a smaller margin. The Medium preset provides a solid balance of visual fidelity and performance, ensuring the frame rate stays high even in demanding scenes.

For 4K gaming, the High preset is the recommended choice. At 4K High, the system delivers 160 FPS average, which is far beyond the 60 FPS standard and even exceeds the 144 Hz refresh rate common on many 4K monitors. The Ultra preset at 4K drops to 153 FPS, which is only a 7 FPS difference from High. Given that the visual difference between High and Ultra in a 2D puzzle platformer is likely negligible, Ultra is also viable. However, High provides a slightly higher average and is the safer choice for maintaining a stable frame rate.

The Low preset is not recommended for this game. It offers no tangible benefit over Medium at 1080p or 1440p, as the frame rates are already exceptionally high. At 4K Low, the system hits 242 FPS, but the visual downgrade is unnecessary. The game's art style benefits from higher settings, and the GPU has more than enough power to handle them. The data shows that the Medium and High presets offer the best combination of performance and visual quality. For a game like Inside, which emphasizes atmosphere and visual storytelling, the Ultra preset at 1440p or 4K is also a reasonable choice, as the system maintains high frame rates even at maximum settings. Ultimately, the Medium preset at 1440p or the High preset at 4K provides the best experience per the measured rows, ensuring a smooth and visually pleasing playthrough.