Inside

Inside is a puzzle platformer from 2016 that, on paper, should not stress a modern desktop. Yet the measured frame rates for the Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti tell a more nuanced story about where bottlenecks appear and how settings dictate the experience. The data shows a system capable of triple-digit frame rates even at 4K, but the scaling between resolutions and presets reveals a title that is far more sensitive to certain hardware characteristics than its minimalist visuals suggest. This analysis examines the measured FPS rows to understand the interplay between the CPU’s six cores, the GPU’s 12 GB of memory, and the game’s rendering demands.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for this combo shows a clear and predictable drop as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160, but the magnitude of that drop varies dramatically depending on the settings preset. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 320 FPS at 1080p to 286 FPS at 1440p, then to 206 FPS at 4K. This represents a 35.6% reduction from 1080p to 4K, which is substantial but still leaves the system far above any display’s refresh rate. The Medium preset shows a similar pattern: 295 FPS at 1080p drops to 263 FPS at 1440p and then to 165 FPS at 4K, a 44.1% decline from the lowest to highest resolution. High settings start at 228 FPS at 1080p, fall to 164 FPS at 1440p, and bottom out at 103 FPS at 4K — a 54.8% drop. Ultra settings follow the steepest curve, going from 218 FPS at 1080p to 156 FPS at 1440p and finally 98 FPS at 4K, a 55.0% reduction.

These figures imply that at lower presets, the GPU is not the primary limiting factor even at 4K. The gap between Low and Medium at 1080p is only 25 FPS (320 vs 295), while at 4K the gap widens to 41 FPS (206 vs 165). This suggests that as resolution climbs, the GPU’s shading and memory throughput become more relevant, but the CPU still has headroom. The most telling comparison is between High and Ultra at 4K: only 5 FPS separates them (103 vs 98), indicating that the Ultra preset’s additional demands are nearly maxing out the GPU’s capabilities at that resolution. At 1080p, High and Ultra are similarly close (228 vs 218), but the absolute frame rates are so high that the difference is imperceptible. The data strongly implies that this game is not a typical GPU-bound stress test; instead, the scaling pattern points to a title where pixel count matters, but the engine’s efficiency keeps even 4K playable across all presets.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti brings substantial resources to this puzzle platformer: 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 912.4 GB/s. The memory clock runs at 1188 MHz, effective 19 Gbps, while the GPU’s boost clock reaches 1665 MHz. These specifications are far beyond what a game like Inside should need, yet the measured FPS shows the GPU still becomes the bottleneck at 4K Ultra, where the average drops to 98 FPS. The GPU’s compute capabilities are equally impressive — 10,240 shading units, 320 texture mapping units, and 112 raster output pipelines. Its FP32 throughput is 34.10 TFLOPS, with a pixel rate of 186.5 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 532.8 GTexel/s.

Looking at the measured rows, the GPU’s role becomes clearer when comparing the 1440p Medium (263 FPS) to 4K Medium (165 FPS). The 98 FPS drop from increasing resolution by 2.25x the pixel count indicates that the RTX 3080 Ti’s raw fill rate is being taxed, but not overwhelmed. At 1080p Low, the 320 FPS average suggests the GPU is not the limiting factor; the CPU or engine logic likely caps performance. The GPU’s benchmark scores reinforce its high tier: a Passmark G3D score of 26896 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5077 place it in the 83rd percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in aggregate benchmarks are the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 (0.8% higher score) and the NVIDIA Tesla M40 24 GB (1.2% lower), which are not gaming-focused cards, highlighting how the RTX 3080 Ti’s gaming performance is not directly comparable to those workstation parts.

The VRAM capacity of 12 GB is never a concern in this game, as the measured FPS at 4K Ultra (98 FPS) shows no signs of memory-related stuttering or frame drops — the min FPS is not reported for Ultra, but the average is stable. The GPU’s 912.4 GB/s bandwidth is more than sufficient for the game’s textures, which are modest by modern standards. The data suggests that the RTX 3080 Ti is overprovisioned for Inside at every resolution except possibly 4K Ultra, where its 98 FPS average still exceeds typical 60 Hz displays. The card’s 350 W TDP and dual-slot design are irrelevant to the measured performance, but the frame rates confirm that this GPU can handle the game’s maximum load without breaking a sweat.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. Its cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3. The CPU’s benchmark scores show strong single-threaded performance: a 3DMark single-thread score of 909, a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1680, and a Passmark single-thread score of 3481. Multi-threaded scores are equally solid, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 12380 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 9472. These numbers place the CPU in the 73rd percentile among all processors, with its nearest rivals being the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (0% delta) and the Intel Core i5-1335U (0.3% delta).

In the context of Inside’s measured FPS, the CPU’s role is most evident at lower resolutions and settings. At 1080p Low, the system hits 320 FPS, which is likely near the engine’s frame rate cap or the CPU’s ability to feed the GPU. The boost clock of 4.40 GHz on a single core is crucial for a game that may not use all 12 threads efficiently. The 3DMark 2-thread score of 1699 and 4-thread score of 3067 suggest that the game’s primary thread benefits from the high boost clock, but the six physical cores provide enough headroom for background tasks. The L3 cache of 18 MB shared among cores is ample for a game with limited asset streaming.

Comparing 1080p High (228 FPS) to 1440p High (164 FPS) shows a 64 FPS drop, which is larger than the 55 FPS drop from 1440p to 4K (164 to 103). This non-linear scaling hints that at 1080p, the CPU is still contributing to the performance ceiling, while at 4K, the GPU takes over as the dominant constraint. The CPU’s Passmark physics score of 1202 and data compression score of 233327 are not directly relevant to gaming, but they indicate a processor that can handle complex simulations if needed. The 65 W TDP and Intel Socket 1700 platform are standard, but the lack of integrated graphics means the discrete GPU is mandatory. For this game, the i5-12400F’s single-thread performance appears sufficient, as even the 4K Ultra average of 98 FPS does not suggest CPU starvation — the frame rate is high enough that any CPU limitation would manifest as inconsistent frame times, which are not recorded in the data.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS rows provide clear guidance on which preset offers the best balance of visual fidelity and performance. At 1080p, all four presets exceed 218 FPS, so the Ultra preset is the obvious choice for any high-refresh-rate monitor — the 218 FPS average is only 10 FPS lower than High (228 FPS) and 102 FPS lower than Low (320 FPS), but the visual improvements from Ultra are worth the minimal cost. At 1440p, Ultra delivers 156 FPS, which is still well above 144 Hz, making it the recommended preset for that resolution as well. The gap between High (164 FPS) and Ultra (156 FPS) is just 8 FPS, so there is no reason to drop below Ultra.

At 4K, the decision becomes more nuanced. Ultra averages 98 FPS, which is playable on a 60 Hz display but not on a 120 Hz or 144 Hz panel. High averages 103 FPS, only 5 FPS higher, so the choice between High and Ultra at 4K is nearly inconsequential in terms of performance. The Medium preset at 4K jumps to 165 FPS, a 67% improvement over Ultra, but this comes with a visible reduction in shadow quality, texture filtering, and other effects that Inside uses to create its atmospheric mood. For a game that relies on lighting and silhouette, the Medium preset’s 140 FPS minimum (the only preset with a reported min FPS at 4K) might introduce occasional dips that are noticeable. The data suggests that at 4K, High is the sweet spot: it maintains 103 FPS average while preserving most of the visual detail, and the 5 FPS difference from Ultra is unlikely to be perceptible, whereas the 62 FPS difference from Medium is a substantial trade-off.

For players targeting 120 FPS at 4K, none of the presets achieve that with this combo, as even Low only reaches 206 FPS. However, if frame rate is the priority, Low at 4K provides 206 FPS, which is more than double the Ultra number, but the visual degradation is severe. The measured data indicates that the best experience per the measured rows is 1440p Ultra (156 FPS) for high refresh rates, or 4K High (103 FPS) for maximum resolution with playable performance. The Medium preset’s reported min FPS of 223 at 1440p and 251 at 1080p shows that even the lowest frames stay above 200 FPS at those resolutions, making Medium a safe fallback if any stability concerns arise.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core i5-12400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti holds a combo rank of 928 out of 3716 tested combos in Inside. This places it in the top 25% of all systems tested for this game. The rank is notable because the CPU is a mid-range 12th-gen part (73rd percentile among CPUs) while the GPU is a high-end 30-series card (83rd percentile among GPUs). The combination’s rank suggests that Inside’s performance is heavily influenced by the GPU, as the RTX 3080 Ti’s high percentile likely drives the combo upward despite the CPU being only slightly above average.

Looking at the measured FPS, the combo’s 4K Ultra average of 98 FPS is a strong indicator of why it ranks where it does. Many combos with weaker GPUs would struggle to hit 60 FPS at 4K Ultra, while this system nearly doubles that threshold. The 1080p Low score of 320 FPS also demonstrates that the combo can push beyond typical display limits, which is a factor in its ranking. The rank of 928 out of 3716 means that 2788 combos are slower, which is a solid position, but it also implies that 927 combos are faster — likely featuring newer GPUs like the RTX 5070 (which is a nearest rival to the 3080 Ti with a 2% higher aggregate score) or higher-end CPUs that reduce any potential CPU bottleneck at low resolutions.

The CPU’s nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS and Intel Core i5-1335U, have nearly identical aggregate benchmark scores (within 0.3%), so the combo’s rank in Inside is unlikely to be affected by swapping between those CPUs. The GPU’s nearest rivals are less relevant because the RTX 3080 Ti’s nearest rivals in aggregate benchmarks are workstation cards (Radeon Pro 5300, Tesla M40), which would perform far worse in gaming. This suggests that the RTX 3080 Ti’s gaming performance is uniquely strong for its benchmark tier, and the combo rank of 928 reflects that advantage in a game that is largely GPU-bound at higher resolutions. The data implies that upgrading the CPU would yield minimal gains in Inside, while upgrading the GPU could push the combo higher in the rankings.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 4K Ultra with this combo?

A: The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 98 FPS. This is the lowest average across all resolution and preset combinations, but it remains well above 60 FPS for smooth gameplay.

Q: How much faster is 1080p Low compared to 4K Ultra?

A: The 1080p Low preset averages 320 FPS, while 4K Ultra averages 98 FPS. This represents a 222 FPS difference, or roughly 3.3x higher frame rate at the lower resolution and settings.

Q: Does the 12 GB VRAM on the RTX 3080 Ti ever become a limiting factor in Inside?

A: The measured data shows no evidence of VRAM limitation. The 4K Ultra preset maintains a 98 FPS average, and the GPU’s 912.4 GB/s bandwidth appears sufficient for the game’s demands, as no min FPS dips are reported that would suggest memory pressure.

Q: Which preset provides the highest minimum FPS at 1440p?

A: The Medium preset at 2560x1440 reports a minimum FPS of 223, with an average of 263 FPS and a maximum of 302 FPS. This is the only preset at 1440p with a reported min FPS, indicating stable frame delivery.

Q: How does this combo’s performance rank compared to other tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 928 out of 3716 tested combos in Inside, placing it in the top 25% of systems. This rank is driven by the RTX 3080 Ti’s strong GPU performance, which is in the 83rd percentile among all GPUs.

Q: What is the FPS difference between High and Ultra at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, High averages 103 FPS while Ultra averages 98 FPS, a difference of only 5 FPS. This makes High and Ultra nearly interchangeable in performance at 4K, with Ultra providing slightly better visuals at a negligible cost.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete set of measured frame rates for this combo is as follows. At 1920x1080, Low settings produce an average of 320 FPS, Medium averages 295 FPS with a minimum of 251 and maximum of 339, High averages 228 FPS, and Ultra averages 218 FPS. At 2560x1440, Low averages 286 FPS, Medium averages 263 FPS with a minimum of 223 and maximum of 302, High averages 164 FPS, and Ultra averages 156 FPS. At 3840x2160, Low averages 206 FPS, Medium averages 165 FPS with a minimum of 140 and maximum of 190, High averages 103 FPS, and Ultra averages 98 FPS. Only the Medium preset at each resolution reports min and max FPS values, which show a consistent pattern: at 1080p, the range is 251-339 FPS; at 1440p, it is 223-302 FPS; and at 4K, it is 140-190 FPS. The delta between min and max narrows as resolution increases (88 FPS at 1080p, 79 FPS at 1440p, 50 FPS at 4K), suggesting that the game’s frame pacing becomes more consistent at higher resolutions where the GPU is more uniformly loaded. The Low preset at 4K (206 FPS) is nearly identical to the High preset at 1080p (228 FPS), highlighting how resolution and settings trade off against each other. The Ultra preset shows the smallest absolute difference across resolutions: 218 FPS at 1080p, 156 FPS at 1440p, and 98 FPS at 4K, a total drop of 120 FPS. In contrast, the Low preset drops from 320 to 206 FPS, a 114 FPS reduction, meaning that the high-end preset scales slightly worse with resolution, likely due to additional shading effects that multiply with pixel count. These exact numbers form the basis for all recommendations and rankings, and they confirm that this combo is exceptionally capable for Inside, with no configuration falling below 98 FPS average.