Inside

The Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 delivers exceptional performance in Inside, a 2016 Puzzle Platformer. The data shows this combination is capable of running the game at extremely high frame rates across all tested resolutions and settings, with the primary bottleneck shifting to the CPU only at the lowest settings and resolutions. The benchmark results confirm that this pairing is massively overqualified for the title, providing a fluid experience even at 4K Ultra.

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

The Intel Core i5-12400 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. Its 18 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel memory support for DDR4 and DDR5 make it a solid mid-range performer, placing it in the 77th percentile of all CPUs. In synthetic benchmarks, the chip scores 15,935 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2,249 in single-core, with a Passmark multithread score of 18,747 and a single-thread score of 3,456.

For Inside, a game that is not heavily threaded, the single-core performance is the most relevant metric. The i5-12400’s single-core strength is sufficient to drive the RTX 5090 without becoming a limiting factor in most scenarios. The data shows that at 4K High, the combo achieves 154.6 FPS, and at 1080p High, it reaches 245.4 FPS. This indicates that the CPU can feed the GPU effectively even at lower resolutions where the CPU load is proportionally higher. The processor’s 65W TDP and 10nm process node (Intel 7) contribute to its efficiency, though the game’s modest requirements mean the CPU is rarely taxed. The nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score are the Intel Core i7-9700 (0.1% ahead) and the Intel Core i7-8700 (0.2% behind), confirming that the i5-12400 sits in a competitive performance tier that pairs well with a flagship GPU.

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

The benchmark data reveals a clear hierarchy across settings presets, but the optimal choice depends on the target resolution and refresh rate. At 4K, the High preset delivers 154.6 FPS, while Ultra drops to 146 FPS. The Medium preset offers 224.8 FPS, and Low pushes to 241.9 FPS. For a 60Hz or even 120Hz 4K display, High is the recommended balance, providing a 5.9% performance uplift over Ultra while maintaining visual fidelity. However, for 1440p, the High preset achieves 217.8 FPS, which is nearly identical to the Ultra preset’s 217.4 FPS; in this case, Ultra is the clear choice since the performance cost is negligible. At 1080p, High yields 245.4 FPS, while Ultra produces 241.7 FPS, a difference of only 1.5%. Given that these frame rates are far beyond typical 144Hz or 240Hz refresh rates, the Ultra preset is recommended for 1080p and 1440p to maximize visual quality without sacrificing smoothness. The Low preset at 1080p reaches 317.3 FPS, but this is only relevant for competitive play at extremely high refresh rates, which is not the target audience for a puzzle platformer.

FAQ

Q: How does the i5-12400 compare to its closest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The i5-12400 has an average benchmark score of 19,850, placing it 0.1% ahead of the Intel Core i7-9700 and 0.2% behind the Intel Core i7-8700. It also outperforms the Intel Core i5-11600K by 0.4%, while the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX is 0.4% faster.

Q: What is the maximum frame rate achievable with this combo at 1080p?

A: At 1080p with the Low preset, the combo reaches 317.3 FPS. The Medium preset achieves 291 FPS, while High and Ultra deliver 245.4 FPS and 241.7 FPS, respectively.

Q: Is the RTX 5090’s 32 GB of VRAM necessary for this game?

A: The data does not indicate VRAM usage, but the RTX 5090 features 32 GB of GDDR7 memory with a 512-bit bus and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth. For Inside, a game from 2016, this capacity is far beyond requirements, ensuring no memory-related bottlenecks at any setting.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 169th out of 1,671 tested combos, placing it in the top 10% of all configurations. This is a strong result, though the game’s age means many lower-end combos also achieve high frame rates.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between 4K High and 4K Ultra?

A: The 4K High preset averages 154.6 FPS, while Ultra averages 146 FPS, a difference of 8.6 FPS or roughly 5.6%. This is a small penalty for the visual upgrade.

Q: Does the CPU limit the GPU at any tested resolution?

A: At 1080p Low, the combo hits 317.3 FPS, which is the highest recorded. The scaling from 4K to 1080p shows a typical GPU-bound pattern, but the CPU’s single-thread score of 2,249 in Cinebench R23 suggests it can sustain these high frame rates without becoming a bottleneck.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-12400 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 achieves a rank of 169 out of 1,671 tested combos in Inside. This places the configuration in the top 10% of all tested systems, which is impressive given that the game is not demanding by modern standards. The ranking reflects the raw power of the RTX 5090, which sits in the 94th percentile of all GPUs, combined with a capable mid-range CPU that does not hold it back. The data shows that the combo’s performance is consistent across resolutions, with the 4K Ultra score of 146 FPS being the lowest recorded, yet still far above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. Compared to other combos, this pairing is overkill, but it delivers a flawless experience with headroom for future titles. The nearest GPU rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D, is 0.1% faster on average, while the RTX 5050 Mobile is 0.2% faster, indicating that the desktop RTX 5090 is at the top of its class.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is a flagship GPU based on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture, built on a 5nm process by TSMC. It features 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s. The GPU’s base clock is 2017 MHz with a boost clock of 2407 MHz, and it has a massive 92,200 million transistors on a 750 mm² die. In synthetic benchmarks, the RTX 5090 scores 39,650 in Passmark G3D and 14,411 in 3DMark Steel Nomad, placing it in the 94th percentile of all GPUs.

For Inside, the RTX 5090’s sheer horsepower is evident in the measured FPS. At 4K Ultra, it produces 146 FPS, and at 1080p Low, it reaches 317.3 FPS. The GPU’s 32 GB VRAM is far more than the game requires, ensuring no texture or memory-related stutters. The 1,636.8 GTexel/s texture rate and 423.6 GPixel/s pixel rate allow the card to handle the game’s 2D side-scrolling visuals with ease, rendering at high frame rates even at 4K. The GPU’s TDP of 575W and suggested 950W PSU are not concerns for this title, as the workload is light, but the benchmark results confirm that the RTX 5090 is the dominant component in this pairing, driving performance across all settings. The card’s nearest rivals, such as the RTX 5090 D (0.1% faster) and the RTX 5050 Mobile (0.2% faster), are statistically tied in average scores, but the desktop RTX 5090’s performance here is unmatched in real-world gaming.

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

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest frame rates. The Low preset averages 317.3 FPS, Medium averages 291 FPS, High averages 245.4 FPS, and Ultra averages 241.7 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra shows a 23.8% drop, reflecting the increased GPU load at higher settings. At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 282.5 FPS, Medium averages 260.2 FPS, High averages 217.8 FPS, and Ultra averages 217.4 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra at 1440p is just 0.2%, making Ultra the better choice for visual fidelity. At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 241.9 FPS, Medium averages 224.8 FPS, High averages 154.6 FPS, and Ultra averages 146 FPS. The gap between High and Ultra at 4K is 5.6%, which is more pronounced than at lower resolutions due to the higher pixel count stressing the GPU. Across all resolutions, the Low preset provides the highest FPS, but the Medium preset offers a balanced experience, with 4K Medium delivering 224.8 FPS, well above the 144Hz refresh rate of most high-end monitors.

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

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the classic behavior of a GPU-bound system. At the Low preset, the average FPS drops from 317.3 at 1080p to 282.5 at 1440p (an 11% decrease) and then to 241.9 at 4K (a 23.8% decrease from 1080p). At the High preset, the drop is steeper: 245.4 FPS at 1080p falls to 217.8 at 1440p (11.2% decrease) and then to 154.6 at 4K (37% decrease from 1080p). The larger percentage drop at High settings indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting component, as the increased resolution and shading complexity tax the RTX 5090’s pixel and texture throughput. However, the CPU’s role is not entirely negligible; at 1080p Low, the frame rate of 317.3 FPS approaches the practical limit for the i5-12400’s single-thread performance, as evidenced by its 3,456 Passmark single-thread score. The data suggests that while the GPU is the main bottleneck at 4K, the CPU begins to cap performance at 1080p Low, where the frame rate is 31% higher than at 4K Low. Overall, the combo scales predictably with resolution, and the RTX 5090’s 32 GB VRAM and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth ensure that memory bandwidth is never a constraint, even at 4K Ultra with 146 FPS.