Inside

Inside is a 2016 puzzle platformer with modest visual demands, and the benchmark data for the Intel Core i5-12600KF paired with the Intel Arc B370 reflects a system that is heavily constrained by its graphics processor. The measured FPS across resolutions and settings tells a consistent story: the CPU has ample headroom, while the GPU’s integrated-class performance dictates the frame rates, making it a combo that can handle the game smoothly at lower presets but stumbles at higher ones.

Resolution Scaling

The scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces an average of 141 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops that to 101 FPS, a 28% reduction, and then to 4K Low, it falls further to 64 FPS, a 55% reduction from the 1080p baseline. This steep decline as pixel count rises is the hallmark of a graphics card nearing its limits, as the CPU’s performance is not the bottleneck here.

When we look at the High preset, the trend continues but with lower absolute numbers. The average FPS at 1080p High is 70, which drops to 51 at 1440p High (a 27% decrease) and then to 32 at 4K High (a 54% decrease from 1080p). The pattern is remarkably consistent across presets, suggesting that the GPU’s throughput scales predictably with resolution, and the frame rate losses are almost entirely attributable to the increased pixel workload rather than any CPU-side stall.

The Medium preset provides the only rows with min and max FPS data, offering a clearer picture of frame pacing. At 1080p Medium, the average is 113 FPS with a min of 96 and a max of 130. At 1440p Medium, the average is 81 FPS with a min of 69 and a max of 93. At 4K Medium, the average drops to 51 FPS with a min of 43 and a max of 59. The min-to-max spread widens slightly at higher resolutions, but the average remains the dominant factor, indicating that the GPU is consistently saturated rather than spiking unpredictably.

This data strongly implies that the Intel Core i5-12600KF, with its 10 cores and 16 threads, is never the limiting factor in Inside. Even at 1080p Low, where the GPU is least stressed, the CPU easily feeds frames. The GPU, however, is an integrated part labeled as Arc Graphics-M (Panther Lake) with a 25 W TDP, and its 5th percentile ranking against all GPUs confirms it performs near the bottom of the pack. Consequently, any resolution increase directly taxes the GPU, and the FPS drops accordingly, with no evidence of CPU-related stutters or plateaus.

FAQ

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

A: The best measured result is 141 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings, which is the only configuration that exceeds 120 FPS. The next highest is 113 FPS at the same resolution with Medium settings.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Inside?

A: Yes, but only at lower settings. At 4K Low, it averages 64 FPS, which is playable. At 4K Medium, it drops to 51 FPS, and at 4K High and Ultra, it falls to 32 FPS and 30 FPS respectively, which are below smooth gameplay thresholds.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rivals in general benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core i5-12600KF has an average benchmark score of 27799, placing it at the 79th percentile of all CPUs. It is nearly identical to the Intel Core i9-10900K, which scores 27872 (a -0.3% delta), and the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D, which scores 27896 (also -0.3%). It is slightly ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE, which scores 27712 (a 0.3% delta).

Q: What is the GPU’s standing among all graphics cards?

A: The Intel Arc B370 has an average benchmark score of 1184, placing it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (1186, -0.2% delta) and the ATI Radeon HD 5770 (1190, -0.5% delta), indicating it performs at a level comparable to decade-old discrete graphics solutions.

Q: Is there a significant difference between the High and Ultra presets?

A: At 1080p, High averages 70 FPS while Ultra averages 67 FPS, a marginal 3 FPS difference. At 1440p, the gap is also 3 FPS (51 vs 48). The difference grows slightly at 4K, where High averages 32 FPS and Ultra averages 30 FPS. The visual gains from Ultra are minimal relative to the performance cost.

Q: Does the memory configuration affect performance?

A: The GPU uses System Shared memory with system-dependent bandwidth, meaning it relies on the system’s DDR4 or DDR5 RAM. The data does not show a specific memory bottleneck, as the FPS scaling is consistent with a GPU compute limit rather than a memory bandwidth limit.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is a critical component in this combo, and its specifications explain the measured performance. It is based on the Panther Lake chip with an Xe3-LPG architecture and is built on a 3 nm process. Its clock speeds are listed as a base of 300 MHz and a boost of 2400 MHz, which is a wide range typical of a power-savvy integrated part. The TDP is a mere 25 W, and it is classified as an IGP (Integrated Graphics Processor) with no power connectors, confirming its low-power, integrated nature.

With 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster output pipelines, the B370 has the compute resources of a very entry-level GPU. Its pixel rate is 48.00 GPixel/s and its texture rate is 96.00 GTexel/s. The FP32 performance is 6.144 TFLOPS, which is low compared to modern discrete cards. These figures directly correlate with the FPS results: the GPU simply does not have enough raw throughput to maintain high frame rates at demanding settings.

The memory subsystem is entirely system-shared, with no dedicated VRAM. The bus width and bandwidth are listed as "System Shared" and "System Dependent," respectively. This means the GPU shares the main system memory (DDR4 or DDR5 in this case) via the dual-channel memory bus. While this can be a bottleneck in some scenarios, the data for Inside does not show a clear memory-related stutter; instead, the average FPS scales smoothly with resolution changes, indicating that the primary limit is the GPU’s compute and fillrate capabilities.

The GPU’s benchmark score of 1184 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 places it at the 5th percentile of all GPUs. This is a very low standing, and its nearest rivals are all older ATI/AMD parts like the Radeon HD 5770 and the Mobility Radeon HD 5570. This context is crucial: the Arc B370 is not a gaming GPU in the traditional sense. It is an integrated solution that can run Inside at playable frame rates, but only at lower resolutions and settings, as evidenced by the 141 FPS at 1080p Low versus the 30 FPS at 4K Ultra.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested CPU and GPU combinations for Inside, this pairing of the Intel Core i5-12600KF and Intel Arc B370 ranks 2654 out of 2887 total combos. This places it in the bottom 8% of all tested systems, which is a poor showing. The rank is heavily influenced by the GPU’s low percentile (5th), as the CPU’s percentile is much higher at 79th. The CPU is not the issue; the GPU drags the entire combo down.

The rank of 2654 means that the vast majority of other CPU-GPU pairings deliver higher average frame rates in Inside. This is expected given the GPU’s performance class. The combo’s position is not an anomaly; it is a direct consequence of pairing a mid-range desktop CPU with an integrated graphics solution that is designed for low power consumption, not high-end gaming. The data confirms that for this game, the GPU is the overwhelming determinant of the combo’s ranking.

When examining the CPU’s rivals, the i5-12600KF is essentially tied with the Intel Core i9-10900K, AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D, and AMD Ryzen 7 6800U in general benchmark scores. If this CPU were paired with a stronger GPU, the combo rank would be significantly higher. But with the Arc B370, the rank is fixed near the bottom. The only way to improve the rank would be to replace the GPU with a more capable discrete part, as the CPU has plenty of headroom to support it.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions (1920x1080, 2560x1440, 3840x2160) and four settings (Low, Medium, High, Ultra). At 1080p, the Low preset delivers the highest average of 141 FPS, followed by Medium at 113 FPS (with a min of 96 and max of 130), High at 70 FPS, and Ultra at 67 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium is 28 FPS, while the gap between High and Ultra is only 3 FPS, indicating diminishing returns at higher settings.

At 1440p, the average FPS for Low is 101, which is a 40 FPS drop from 1080p Low. Medium averages 81 FPS (min 69, max 93), High averages 51 FPS, and Ultra averages 48 FPS. The pattern holds: Low is the only preset that maintains a triple-digit average, and the High-to-Ultra gap remains minimal at 3 FPS. The Medium preset’s min of 69 FPS suggests that even at this resolution, there are occasional dips, but they are not severe.

At 4K, the averages fall into playable-to-unplayable territory depending on the preset. Low averages 64 FPS, which is still smooth. Medium averages 51 FPS (min 43, max 59), which is borderline but acceptable for a puzzle platformer. High averages 32 FPS, and Ultra averages 30 FPS, both of which are below the 60 FPS standard and may feel sluggish. The data shows a clear linear progression: each step up in resolution costs roughly 30-40% of the average FPS, regardless of the preset.

The Medium preset is the only one with complete min/max data at all resolutions. At 1080p, the min is 96 and the max is 130, a 34 FPS spread. At 1440p, the min is 69 and the max is 93, a 24 FPS spread. At 4K, the min is 43 and the max is 59, a 16 FPS spread. This narrowing spread at higher resolutions suggests that the GPU is more consistently saturated, reducing the variance between frames as it becomes fully utilized.

Settings Recommendations

Given the measured FPS data, the best experience for this combo in Inside depends on the target resolution. For 1080p, the Medium preset offers an excellent balance, with an average of 113 FPS and a minimum of 96 FPS. This ensures smooth gameplay with no dips below 60 FPS, while providing higher visual quality than Low. The High preset at 70 FPS is also playable, but the 3 FPS gain from Ultra is not worth the additional load, and the jump from Medium to High costs 43 FPS, which is a significant sacrifice.

For 1440p, the Low preset is the only option that consistently stays above 100 FPS, averaging 101. Medium at 81 FPS is still very playable and offers a better visual experience, with a minimum of 69 FPS ensuring no severe stutters. High at 51 FPS is on the edge; it is playable for a slow-paced game like Inside, but the drop below 60 FPS may be noticeable. Ultra at 48 FPS is not recommended, as the visual improvements over High are negligible.

For 4K, the Low preset is the only one that delivers a consistently smooth experience, averaging 64 FPS. Medium at 51 FPS is acceptable, but the minimum of 43 FPS indicates that some scenes will dip below 45 FPS, which can be jarring. High and Ultra, at 32 FPS and 30 FPS respectively, are not recommended for a comfortable experience. If 4K is a priority, users should stick to Low or Medium and accept the trade-off in visual fidelity.

Overall, the data suggests that the ideal setting is Medium at 1080p or 1440p, as it provides the best combination of high average FPS and a respectable minimum frame rate. The Ultra preset offers almost no benefit over High, and the High preset is only worthwhile at 1080p. The combo is best suited for 1080p or 1440p gaming with moderate settings, and 4K should be reserved for Low preset only if frame rate is the primary concern.