Inside

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i5-12400 is a 6-core, 12-thread desktop processor from the Alder Lake-S generation, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. For a puzzle platformer like Inside, the workload is far less demanding than in modern 3D titles, and this CPU’s configuration is more than sufficient to prevent frame-rate bottlenecks. The processor’s single-thread performance is particularly relevant here, as the game’s physics and logic tend to rely on fewer threads; the 3DMark single-thread score of 910 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2249 indicate strong per-core capability.

The CPU’s multi-threaded headroom, reflected in a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15935, is largely unused by Inside, but it ensures that background tasks or streaming software won’t interfere with frame pacing. The processor sits at the 77th percentile versus all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19850. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-9700, scores 19831 (a delta of 0.1%), meaning the i5-12400 is effectively tied with that older 8-core part in synthetic workloads. This parity matters little for Inside, where even a modest dual-core chip could deliver playable results, but it confirms that the CPU is not a limiting factor in any of the measured configurations.

The 18 MB of shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB L2 per core provide ample fast storage for the game’s assets, though Inside’s simple visual style does not stress cache hierarchies. The CPU’s 65 W TDP and support for DDR4/DDR5 memory indicate a balanced platform choice, but benchmark results show that the i5-12400 consistently delivers high frame rates across all settings, with the lowest average FPS recorded at 112.9 at 4K Ultra. This suggests that even in the most demanding preset, the CPU maintains frame delivery above the GPU’s output in most scenarios, shifting the bottleneck to the graphics card at higher resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX ranks 284th out of 1671 tested combos for Inside, placing it in the top 17% of all configurations. This rank reflects the GPU’s dominant role in determining frame rates, as the CPU is more than capable of feeding the graphics card. The data shows that this pairing outperforms the vast majority of systems tested, but it does not reach the absolute top tier, which is likely reserved for combinations with higher-end CPUs that provide marginal gains in low-resolution, high-FPS scenarios.

The RX 7900 XTX itself holds the 85th percentile versus all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 44019. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon Pro 580, scores 44195 (a delta of -0.4%), meaning the 7900 XTX is slightly behind that workstation card in synthetic tests, but this does not translate to real-world gaming deficits. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti, another rival, scores 44900 (a delta of -2%), indicating the 7900 XTX trails by 2% in average GPU benchmarks. Despite these small synthetic deltas, the measured FPS in Inside are exceptionally high, with the lowest average being 112.9 at 4K Ultra.

The combo rank of 284 out of 1671 suggests that while the i5-12400 is not the fastest CPU available, it does not hold the RX 7900 XTX back in this game. At 1080p, where CPU overhead is more visible, the combo still achieves a minimum average of 240.3 FPS at Ultra settings, which is far beyond display refresh rates. The rank would likely improve with a faster CPU, but the data indicates that the current pairing delivers a smooth experience across all tested resolutions, with no evidence of CPU-induced stuttering or frame drops.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data reveals a clear resolution scaling pattern that points to the GPU as the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. At 1080p High settings, the combo delivers 245.7 FPS, which drops to 192.8 FPS at 1440p and further to 120.6 FPS at 4K. This represents a 51% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K at High settings, which is consistent with the GPU’s rendering load increasing quadratically with pixel count. The CPU’s role diminishes as resolution rises, and the i5-12400’s 6 cores are sufficient to maintain frame delivery even at 1080p, where the RX 7900 XTX is capable of over 300 FPS.

The scaling from Low to Ultra settings at each resolution further confirms this dynamic. At 1080p, the difference between Low (315.1 FPS) and Ultra (240.3 FPS) is 23.8%, while at 4K, the same settings span from 238.5 FPS to 112.9 FPS, a 52.7% drop. The larger percentage drop at 4K indicates that the GPU is fully saturated at that resolution, whereas at 1080p, the CPU may still be the limiting factor at Low settings, preventing the GPU from reaching its absolute maximum. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the combo still produces 112.9 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS target for most displays, making this pairing suitable for high-refresh 4K monitors.

The 1440p results sit between the two extremes, with a Low setting average of 286 FPS and an Ultra average of 180.2 FPS. This resolution strikes a balance where both components are utilized, but the GPU remains the dominant constraint. The frame rate drop from 1080p to 1440p at Ultra settings is 25%, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is 37.4%, showing that the scaling is not linear and that the GPU’s memory bandwidth and compute resources are increasingly taxed at higher pixel counts.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo in Inside?

A: The highest average FPS is 315.1, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the RX 7900 XTX compare to its nearest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RX 7900 XTX has an average benchmark score of 44019, which is 2% lower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti (44900), but 0.4% higher than the AMD Radeon Pro 580 (44195).

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-12400 a bottleneck at 4K Ultra settings?

A: No. At 3840x2160 Ultra, the combo delivers 112.9 FPS, and the CPU’s 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient, as the GPU is the limiting factor at that resolution.

Q: What is the combo’s rank among all tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 284th out of 1671 tested combos for Inside, placing it in the top 17% of all systems.

Q: Does the CPU’s performance change significantly between 1080p and 4K?

A: The CPU’s performance is consistent, but its impact on FPS decreases as resolution rises. At 1080p Low, the CPU may limit the GPU to 315.1 FPS, while at 4K Ultra, the GPU limits the frame rate to 112.9 FPS.

Q: What are the CPU’s single-thread and multi-thread benchmark scores?

A: The i5-12400 scores 910 in 3DMark single-thread and 5890 in 3DMark max threads, with Cinebench R23 scores of 2249 (single-core) and 15935 (multi-core).

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with the Navi 31 chip, featuring 24 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 384-bit bus, delivering 960.0 GB/s of bandwidth. For Inside, a puzzle platformer with a stylized art style, this VRAM capacity is far beyond what the game requires, and the memory bandwidth ensures that texture streaming and frame buffer operations never become a constraint. The GPU’s base clock of 1929 MHz and boost clock of 2498 MHz, with a game clock of 2365 MHz, provide ample compute throughput, reflected in its 61.39 TFLOPS FP32 performance.

The GPU’s 6144 shading units and 192 ROPs are more than sufficient to handle Inside’s rendering demands, as evidenced by the measured FPS. At 4K Ultra, the card still produces 112.9 FPS, which reflects its raw power, but the data shows that even this high-end GPU cannot maintain 240 FPS at 4K Ultra, indicating that the game’s pixel shader workload scales significantly with resolution. The GPU’s 85th percentile ranking versus all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 44019, places it in the upper echelon of graphics cards, but its nearest rivals show that it is not the absolute fastest.

The RX 7900 XTX’s 24 GB VRAM is a major asset for future titles, but for Inside, the game’s 2016 release date means that even 4K textures fit comfortably within the memory pool. The GPU’s DirectX 12 Ultimate support (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4 compatibility ensure that it can handle the game’s rendering API efficiently, but the measured results show that the GPU is the primary limiter at 4K, especially at Ultra settings where the FPS drops to 112.9 from 238.5 at Low. This indicates that the GPU’s compute units, rather than its memory, are the bottleneck at higher resolutions.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the Medium preset offers the best balance between visual quality and performance across all resolutions. At 1080p Medium, the combo delivers 292.9 FPS, which is only 7% lower than Low (315.1 FPS) but provides a noticeable improvement in visual fidelity. At 1440p Medium, the frame rate is 263.3 FPS, which is still far above any display refresh rate, and at 4K Medium, the combo achieves 192.3 FPS, which is comfortably above 144 Hz for high-refresh 4K monitors.

For users with 4K displays, High settings at 120.6 FPS is also a viable option, as it provides better image quality than Medium while staying above 60 FPS. However, Ultra settings at 4K drop to 112.9 FPS, which, while playable, offers diminishing returns for the performance cost. The data suggests that Ultra is best reserved for 1080p (240.3 FPS) or 1440p (180.2 FPS) where the frame rate impact is less severe. Low settings are unnecessary for this combo, as even the most demanding preset yields triple-digit frame rates at all resolutions, making the lower visual quality of Low a poor trade-off.

The recommendation is to use Medium as the default preset, with High as an alternative for those prioritizing image quality over raw frame rate. Ultra is only advisable for 1080p users seeking maximum visual fidelity without sacrificing high refresh rates. The measured rows show no scenario where the combo drops below 112.9 FPS, so users can confidently enable higher settings without fear of stuttering or frame drops.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest frame rates across all settings. Low settings produce 315.1 FPS, Medium yields 292.9 FPS, High achieves 245.7 FPS, and Ultra drops to 240.3 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 74.8 FPS, or 23.8%, showing that even at the highest preset, the frame rate remains far above any practical refresh rate limit. This resolution is clearly CPU-limited at Low settings, as the GPU is capable of pushing beyond 315 FPS, but the i5-12400’s single-thread performance caps the output.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain exceptionally high but begin to show GPU scaling. Low settings average 286 FPS, Medium achieves 263.3 FPS, High reaches 192.8 FPS, and Ultra produces 180.2 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 105.8 FPS, or 37%, which is more pronounced than at 1080p, indicating that the GPU is becoming the primary limiter. Still, all settings at 1440p exceed 180 FPS, making this resolution ideal for high-refresh monitors.

At 3840x2160, the GPU’s workload dominates, and the frame rates scale more dramatically. Low settings deliver 238.5 FPS, Medium achieves 192.3 FPS, High drops to 120.6 FPS, and Ultra falls to 112.9 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 125.6 FPS, or 52.7%, highlighting the GPU’s saturation at 4K. Even at Ultra, the combo maintains a playable 112.9 FPS, but the data shows that High settings (120.6 FPS) offer a marginal improvement over Ultra (112.9 FPS) with only a 7.7 FPS difference, suggesting that Ultra’s extra visual features come at a high performance cost. For 4K gaming, Medium (192.3 FPS) is the sweet spot, delivering more than enough headroom for VRR displays while providing solid image quality.