Inside

The Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT is an exceptionally high-performing combination for Inside, delivering frame rates that vastly exceed display refresh rate capabilities at every tested setting. The data shows a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, with the CPU only becoming a limiting factor at 1080p with lower graphical presets. This is a benchmark result where the hardware is so far ahead of the game's demands that the primary differentiator between configurations is not playability, but the sheer headroom available for future titles or higher refresh rate displays.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic pattern of increasing GPU load, with the frame rate dropping as the resolution climbs. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 246.2 FPS at 1920x1080 to 178.3 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 27.6%. The most significant drop occurs when moving from 1440p to 4K, where the average FPS falls from 178.3 to 114.8, a 35.6% decrease. This steep decline at 4K clearly indicates that the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT is becoming the primary limiting component, as the pixel throughput demand at 3840x2160 is substantial.

The scaling pattern is similar across other presets, but the magnitude of the drop from 1440p to 4K is consistent, regardless of the settings level. For instance, at Medium settings, the frame rate drops from 262.4 FPS at 1440p to 177.8 FPS at 4K, a 32.2% reduction. At Low settings, the drop is from 282.9 FPS to 225.8 FPS, a 20.2% reduction, which is the smallest relative decrease. This smaller drop at Low settings suggests that even at 4K, the CPU is still able to feed the GPU enough data to maintain a relatively high frame rate, but the GPU's rendering workload is still the dominant factor. The data indicates that this combo is never CPU-bound at 4K, as even the lowest preset maintains a 225.8 FPS average.

FAQ

*Q: What is the maximum average frame rate achievable with this combo in Inside?*

A: The highest recorded average frame rate is 318.1 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This indicates the system's immense headroom for high-refresh-rate gaming at lower resolutions.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K with the highest visual fidelity?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the combo produces an average of 105.8 FPS. This is still well above the 60 FPS standard for smooth gameplay, confirming that the RX 7900 XT can handle maximum settings at 4K.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the scaling between Low and Ultra settings is relatively small, with a difference of 82.1 FPS (318.1 vs 236.0). This suggests that at lower resolutions, the Intel Core i5-12400's performance becomes more significant, though the GPU is still the primary bottleneck.

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

A: The average frame rate drops from 178.3 FPS on High to 170.6 FPS on Ultra at 2560x1440, a difference of 7.7 FPS. This is a minor performance cost for the visual uplift of the Ultra preset.

*Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations for Inside?*

A: The combo holds a rank of 339 out of 1671 tested combinations. This places it in the top 20.3% of all systems benchmarked for this game, demonstrating its high overall performance level.

Q: Does the game support high refresh rates at 4K?

A: Yes, the data shows that even at 4K with High settings, the average frame rate is 114.8 FPS. This is sufficient to drive a 120Hz display, and with Low settings at 4K, the 225.8 FPS average can support a 240Hz monitor.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT is the dominant force in this configuration, and its specifications align perfectly with the measured performance. The GPU features 20 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 320-bit bus, providing a substantial 800.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth. For a game like Inside, which has a relatively simple art style, this bandwidth is more than sufficient, preventing any memory-related bottlenecks even at 4K Ultra settings. The GPU's high pixel rate of 459.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 804.4 GTexel/s are key contributors to its ability to maintain high frame rates at demanding resolutions.

The clock speeds also play a crucial role in the observed results. With a boost clock of 2394 MHz and a game clock of 2025 MHz, the GPU is able to sustain high throughput. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 105.8, which is a demanding workload that relies on the GPU's raw compute power. The GPU's benchmark scores corroborate this, with a Passmark G3D score of 29009 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5623, positioning it in the 82nd percentile of all GPUs. This high percentile is reflected in the game's performance, as the GPU is able to scale effectively from 1080p to 4K, with the frame rate decreasing proportionally to the increase in pixel count.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database for Inside, this specific combination of the Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT achieves a rank of 339 out of 1671 tested combos. This places the system in the top 20.3% of all configurations, which is a strong result, though not a top-tier one. The ranking suggests that while this combo is exceptionally fast, there are other systems with more powerful CPUs or GPUs that achieve higher average frame rates, particularly at lower resolutions where the CPU can become a more significant factor.

The rank is likely influenced by the CPU's performance, as the i5-12400 is a mid-range processor. The benchmark results for the CPU show a Passmark multithread score of 18747 and a single-thread score of 3456, placing it in the 77th percentile of all CPUs. While this is a good score, it is not at the level of high-end processors, which might allow other combos to push higher frame rates at 1080p. However, at 4K, the GPU is the clear bottleneck, and the combo's rank is likely much higher relative to other systems, as the CPU's role diminishes. The data indicates a balanced system, but one where the GPU is clearly the performance leader.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400 provides a solid foundation for this GPU, though its role is secondary in Inside. With 6 cores and 12 threads, and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, the CPU is more than capable of handling the game's logic and physics. The benchmark results show a strong single-thread performance, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2249, which is crucial for games that are not heavily multi-threaded. The CPU's performance relative to its rivals is tightly clustered, with a 0.1% difference from the Intel Core i7-9700 and a -0.2% difference from the Intel Core i7-8700, indicating that it is in the same performance class as these older i7 parts.

The data suggests that the CPU is not a limiting factor at 4K, as the frame rates scale primarily with resolution. However, at 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra settings is 82.1 FPS, which is a larger absolute gap than at 4K. This indicates that at lower resolutions, the CPU's ability to submit draw calls becomes more relevant, and the i5-12400's 18 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel memory support are sufficient to keep the GPU fed. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 5873 and 4-thread score of 3012 show that the CPU's multi-threaded capabilities are robust, ensuring that the game's background tasks do not interfere with frame pacing.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates for this combo show a consistent hierarchy across all resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from a high of 318.1 on Low to a low of 236.0 on Ultra. The Medium preset at 294.4 FPS and High at 246.2 FPS fill out the middle. The gap between Low and Medium is 23.7 FPS, while the gap between Medium and High is 48.2 FPS, indicating that the High preset introduces a significant graphical load. The difference between High and Ultra is a smaller 10.2 FPS, suggesting diminishing returns for the highest settings at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates are still exceptionally high. Low settings produce an average of 282.9 FPS, while Medium drops to 262.4 FPS. The High preset yields 178.3 FPS, and Ultra is slightly lower at 170.6 FPS. The drop from Medium to High is substantial at 84.1 FPS, which is a much larger relative decrease than at 1080p. This indicates that the higher resolution amplifies the cost of the High and Ultra presets. At 3840x2160, the performance remains excellent. Low settings average 225.8 FPS, Medium 177.8 FPS, High 114.8 FPS, and Ultra 105.8 FPS. The data shows that the gap between Medium and High is the most significant at 63.0 FPS, highlighting that the High preset is the most demanding step in the settings ladder.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and refresh rate. For users with a 1080p display, the Ultra preset at 236.0 FPS is the clear choice, as it provides the highest visual quality while still delivering frame rates that far exceed any standard display's refresh rate. Even at 4K, the Ultra preset's 105.8 FPS average is sufficient for a smooth experience on a 120Hz monitor, making it the recommended setting for maximum fidelity.

For those with a 1440p 240Hz display, the High preset at 178.3 FPS is the best balance, as it offers a significant visual upgrade over Medium while still hitting the high refresh rate target. The Ultra preset at 170.6 FPS is also viable, only 7.7 FPS lower than High. However, the data shows that the most significant performance cost is between Medium and High, so the Medium preset at 262.4 FPS is recommended for users who prioritize maximum frame rates over visual detail. The Low preset is not necessary on this hardware, as the GPU is powerful enough to handle higher settings without compromising playability, making it a non-optimal choice for a system of this caliber.