Inside

Inside is a 2D puzzle-platformer from 2016, and its modest visual demands mean that even mid-range modern hardware can push frame rates far beyond display refresh rates. The data for the Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB shows a configuration that is overwhelmingly GPU-limited at higher resolutions but reveals a surprisingly strong CPU bottleneck at 1080p with lower settings. This analysis breaks down the measured performance across resolutions and presets, examining where the limiting component shifts and what that means for the player experience.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K in Inside follows a predictable pattern, but the magnitude of the drops reveals a system that is heavily constrained by the graphics card at higher pixel counts. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 192 FPS at 1920x1080 to 138 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 54 FPS, and then further down to 87 FPS at 3840x2160. The drop from 1440p to 4K is a substantial 51 FPS, indicating that the RTX 5060 Ti is working progressively harder to fill those additional pixels, with the 4K result landing just above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

The scaling pattern shifts dramatically when looking at Low settings. At 1080p, the system achieves a massive 320 FPS, but this falls to 276 FPS at 1440p and then plummets to 173 FPS at 4K. The relative drop from 1080p to 1440p is just 13.75%, which is relatively modest, but the jump to 4K introduces a 37.3% reduction from the 1440p figure. This non-linear scaling suggests that while the CPU can keep up at lower resolutions, the GPU's pixel throughput becomes the dominant factor as resolution climbs, particularly at the jump from 1440p to 4K.

Ultra settings present the most challenging scenario for this hardware combination. The frame rate starts at 183 FPS at 1080p, drops to 131 FPS at 1440p, and reaches a low of 83 FPS at 4K. The 52 FPS gap between 1080p and 4K at Ultra is nearly identical to the 54 FPS gap seen at High settings, indicating that the additional graphical effects in Ultra do not disproportionately impact resolution scaling. The 4K Ultra result remains comfortably above 60 FPS, which is notable for a game of this age, though it does not leave much headroom for demanding scenes.

Medium settings offer the only complete dataset with minimum and maximum frame rates recorded. The average FPS scales from 295 at 1080p, to 221 at 1440p, and finally to 139 at 4K. The minimum frame rates follow suit: 251 FPS at 1080p, 188 FPS at 1440p, and 118 FPS at 4K. The minimum at 4K is still well above 60 FPS, suggesting that even in the most demanding moments captured, the system maintains fluid performance. The scaling here is consistent, with each resolution step reducing average FPS by roughly 74-82 FPS, a linear pattern that speaks to a balanced workload distribution.

What the data makes clear is that this game is not a stress test for the RTX 5060 Ti at 1080p, where the CPU becomes the primary limiter. At 4K, however, the GPU is clearly the bottleneck, as evidenced by the 4.1x difference in frame rate between Low (173 FPS) and Ultra (83 FPS) at that resolution. The 1080p Low result of 320 FPS versus the 1080p Ultra result of 183 FPS shows a 1.75x swing that is primarily attributable to GPU load, yet the CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads still manage to feed frames fast enough to avoid a hard cap.

Settings Recommendations

For players targeting a 60 FPS experience, which is the standard for smooth gameplay in a puzzle platformer, every measured setting and resolution combination in the dataset exceeds this threshold. The lowest recorded average is 83 FPS at 4K Ultra, which still provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. This means that the choice of settings is less about hitting a playable frame rate and more about balancing visual fidelity against the desire for higher refresh rates.

At 4K, the High preset delivers 87 FPS, which is only 4 FPS higher than the Ultra preset's 83 FPS. Given the minimal performance difference, Ultra is the recommended choice for 4K displays, as the visual improvements come at a negligible cost to frame rate. The Medium preset at 4K offers 139 FPS, a significant 52 FPS improvement over High, but this comes at the cost of reduced graphical detail. For players with 4K displays, Ultra provides the best experience per the measured data, as it maintains a frame rate high enough to be smooth while maximizing visual quality.

At 1440p, the High preset achieves 138 FPS, which is identical to the 4K High result at 87 FPS being a 51 FPS difference. The Ultra preset at 1440p runs at 131 FPS, just 7 FPS slower than High. This narrow gap suggests that Ultra is again the preferred option for 1440p, as the performance penalty is minimal relative to the visual upgrade. The Medium preset at 221 FPS is only relevant for players with 240 Hz displays, who might prefer the higher frame rate over visual fidelity.

The 1080p results are where the CPU starts to show its influence. High settings run at 192 FPS, while Ultra runs at 183 FPS, a difference of only 9 FPS. The Low preset hits 320 FPS, which is nearly double the Ultra figure, indicating that at Low settings, the CPU is likely the limiting factor. For 1080p displays with 144 Hz refresh rates, High settings provide the best balance, as the 192 FPS average exceeds the refresh rate while maintaining a higher level of visual detail than Low. The Medium preset at 295 FPS is only useful for 240 Hz or higher refresh rate monitors, where the extra frames are perceptible.

The recommended preset depends heavily on the display's refresh rate and resolution. For 4K and 1440p, Ultra is the clear winner, as it delivers frame rates that are both fluid and visually superior. For 1080p, High settings are the sweet spot, offering a 192 FPS average that exceeds most high-refresh monitors while preserving visual quality. Players with 240 Hz 1080p displays might consider Medium at 295 FPS, but the visual trade-off is substantial for the frame rate gain.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB is the dominant component in this configuration for Inside's performance at higher resolutions. The GPU's 8 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus provides 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is more than sufficient for a game released in 2016 with relatively simple textures. The memory clock runs at 1750 MHz, effectively 28 Gbps, and the card's 4608 shading units process the game's 2D rendering workload efficiently.

The GPU's boost clock of 2572 MHz, up from a base of 2407 MHz, allows it to maintain high throughput during extended gaming sessions. The measured performance at 4K Ultra (83 FPS) versus 4K Low (173 FPS) shows a 2.08x scaling factor, which is close to the theoretical limit of what the GPU can deliver when the CPU is not the bottleneck. This scaling indicates that the GPU is fully utilized at 4K, with the settings changes directly translating to frame rate changes.

The GPU's percentile ranking of 29 places it in the lower half of all GPUs in the benchmark database, with an average benchmark score of 4901. Its nearest rivals in the database include the AMD FirePro W5130M (avgScore 4904, deltaPct -0.1) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450 (avgScore 4893, deltaPct 0.2). These comparisons are based on synthetic benchmarks, not gaming performance, but they indicate that the RTX 5060 Ti is not a high-end part in the broader GPU landscape.

In Inside specifically, the GPU's role becomes more pronounced as resolution increases. At 1080p Low, the frame rate of 320 FPS is likely capped by the CPU, as the GPU could theoretically render more frames if the CPU could feed them faster. At 4K Ultra, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor, as the frame rate drops to 83 FPS, a 4.1x reduction from the 1080p Low result. The GPU's 48 ROPs and 144 TMUs handle the game's pixel and texture work efficiently, but the 4K resolution demands significant pixel throughput that the card can only partially deliver.

The 8 GB VRAM capacity is not a limiting factor in Inside, as the game's texture sizes are modest by modern standards. The measured frame rates show no signs of VRAM-related stuttering, with the minimum FPS at 4K Medium (118 FPS) remaining high. The GPU's PCIe 5.0 x8 interface provides ample bandwidth for data transfer, though the game's simple geometry means this is rarely a bottleneck.

FAQ

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

A: The highest measured average frame rate is 320 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This represents the ceiling for this configuration, likely limited by the CPU rather than the GPU.

Q: Can this system run Inside at 4K with Ultra settings?

A: Yes, the measured average frame rate at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 83 FPS. This is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the RTX 5060 Ti compare to its closest GPU rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 5060 Ti has an average benchmark score of 4901, which is nearly identical to the AMD FirePro W5130M at 4904 (deltaPct -0.1) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450 at 4893 (deltaPct 0.2).

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

A: At 2560x1440, High settings deliver 138 FPS while Ultra delivers 131 FPS, a difference of only 7 FPS. This makes Ultra the recommended choice for 1440p displays.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck at 1080p with Low settings?

A: The data suggests the CPU is the limiting factor at 1080p Low, as the 320 FPS result is substantially higher than the GPU-bound 4K results, indicating the CPU cannot feed frames fast enough to fully saturate the GPU.

Q: What are the minimum frame rates recorded for Medium settings?

A: The minimum FPS for Medium settings are 251 FPS at 1080p, 188 FPS at 1440p, and 118 FPS at 4K. These figures indicate consistent performance without significant frame drops.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400F serves as the supporting component in this configuration, and its influence on Inside's performance becomes evident only at lower resolutions and settings. The CPU features 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. This Alder Lake-S architecture part, built on Intel's 10 nm process, provides ample single-thread performance for a game that primarily relies on a few threads for gameplay logic.

The CPU's single-thread performance is strong, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1680 and Geekbench single-core score of 1964. These metrics are relevant because Inside's engine, like many 2D platformers, likely has a primary game thread that cannot be fully parallelized. The 3DMark single-thread score of 909 and 2-thread score of 1699 further confirm that the CPU excels at the type of low-thread-count workloads this game presents.

The CPU's multi-threaded capabilities are less critical for Inside but still contribute to overall system responsiveness. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 12380 and Geekbench multi-core score of 9472 show that the 12 threads can handle background tasks without interfering with game performance. The PassMark multi-thread score of 19433 and the 3DMark 16-thread score of 5895 indicate that the CPU has sufficient headroom for any auxiliary processes.

The CPU's percentile ranking of 73 places it in the upper quartile of all CPUs in the benchmark database, with an average benchmark score of 19039. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (avgScore 19047, deltaPct 0) and the Intel Core i5-1335U (avgScore 18982, deltaPct 0.3). These comparisons show that the i5-12400F is a competitive mid-range processor, though its performance in Inside is more dependent on single-thread speed than multi-thread aggregates.

The evidence of CPU limitation at 1080p Low is clear when examining the frame rate scaling. At 1080p Low, the system hits 320 FPS, but at 1440p Low, it only drops to 276 FPS, a 13.75% reduction. If the GPU were the sole bottleneck, the drop from 1080p to 1440p would be more significant, as the pixel count increases by 1.78x. The relatively modest drop suggests that the CPU is preventing the GPU from reaching its full potential at 1080p, with the bottleneck shifting to the GPU as resolution increases.

The CPU's L3 cache of 18 MB and L2 cache of 1.25 MB per core provide sufficient data locality for the game's assets, reducing the need for frequent memory access. The dual-channel memory support, while not benchmarked in the data, is adequate for this workload. The CPU's 65 W TDP and Intel Socket 1700 platform are not performance factors in this analysis, but they do position the i5-12400F as an efficient part that does not thermally throttle during extended sessions, as evidenced by the consistent frame rates measured.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS dataset for Inside with the Intel Core i5-12400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB is as follows:

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 320 FPS average
• Medium: 295 FPS average, 251 FPS minimum, 339 FPS maximum
• High: 192 FPS average
• Ultra: 183 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 276 FPS average
• Medium: 221 FPS average, 188 FPS minimum, 254 FPS maximum
• High: 138 FPS average
• Ultra: 131 FPS average

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 173 FPS average
• Medium: 139 FPS average, 118 FPS minimum, 160 FPS maximum
• High: 87 FPS average
• Ultra: 83 FPS average

The 1080p results show the widest spread across settings, with a 137 FPS difference between Low and Ultra. The Medium preset at 1080p nearly matches the Low preset's performance, with a 25 FPS gap, while High and Ultra are much closer together at a 9 FPS difference. This clustering suggests that the graphical effects that differentiate High from Ultra have minimal impact on the GPU at 1080p, while the jump from Low to Medium introduces more significant rendering changes.

At 1440p, the spread narrows to 145 FPS between Low and Ultra. The Medium preset's 221 FPS is 55 FPS lower than Low but 83 FPS higher than High, showing a more even distribution across settings. The minimum FPS at Medium (188 FPS) is still well above the 60 FPS target, indicating consistent performance. The High and Ultra presets at 1440p are within 7 FPS of each other, suggesting that the performance ceiling for these settings is being approached.

The 4K results show the tightest spread across settings, with a 90 FPS difference between Low (173 FPS) and Ultra (83 FPS). At this resolution, the GPU is the clear bottleneck, and the frame rate scales more predictably with settings. The Medium preset's minimum FPS of 118 is still high enough for smooth gameplay, while the High and Ultra presets at 87 and 83 FPS respectively show that the GPU's performance is leveling off. The 4K Medium result of 139 FPS is more than 50 FPS higher than High, making it an attractive option for players who want higher frame rates without dropping to Low.

The overall ranking of this combination in the game is 1042 out of 2887 combos, placing it in the 63.9th percentile of tested configurations. This ranking reflects the system's strong performance in a game that is not demanding by modern standards, with the RTX 5060 Ti providing ample power at 1080p and 1440p, while still delivering playable frame rates at 4K. The data confirms that Inside is a title where even a mid-range GPU from a newer generation can achieve excellent results, with the CPU playing a secondary role except at the lowest settings and resolutions.