Inside

The Intel Core i5-12600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti delivers a remarkably smooth experience in Inside, a puzzle platformer that places minimal stress on modern hardware. The measured data shows that this combination is capable of producing very high frame rates across all tested settings and resolutions, making it a strong performer for this title. The following analysis breaks down the performance characteristics, focusing on the optimal settings, scaling behavior, and the respective roles of the CPU and GPU in achieving these results.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data reveals a clear performance hierarchy across the four tested settings presets: Low, Medium, High, and Ultra. The data shows that the GTX 1080 Ti is never the bottleneck at 1080p, as even the most demanding Ultra preset delivers an average of 151 FPS. However, the most compelling balance between visual quality and performance is found at the High preset. At 1080p High, the combo averages 159 FPS, which is only slightly below the Ultra preset's 151 FPS but likely offers a more stable frame time experience due to the slightly lower rendering load. Moving to 1440p, the High preset still holds up extremely well, producing an average of 114 FPS, which is more than sufficient for smooth gameplay on high refresh rate monitors. At 4K, the High preset achieves an average of 72 FPS, which is just at the threshold for a fluid experience on a 60 Hz display.

While the Ultra preset does provide the highest visual fidelity, the gains over High are marginal in this game's context, but the performance cost is significant. At 1080p, the drop from High to Ultra is a loss of 8 FPS (from 159 to 151), and at 1440p, the loss is 5 FPS (from 114 to 109). At 4K, the drop is more pronounced, with Ultra falling to 68 FPS from High's 72 FPS. The Medium preset serves as a good middle ground for those who want a higher frame rate cushion, but it sacrifices noticeable visual details. For the best overall experience, the High preset is the recommended choice. It provides a substantial visual upgrade over Medium and Low while maintaining average FPS that are 5-8% higher than Ultra across all resolutions. For users with a 144 Hz or higher refresh rate monitor at 1080p, the Low preset is the only option that comes close to saturating it, with an average of 317 FPS, but the visual compromise is substantial. In summary, the data suggests that High is the "sweet spot" preset for this hardware combination, offering the best experience per the measured rows.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest average frame rate this combo can achieve in Inside at 1080p?*

A: The highest measured average frame rate is 317 FPS, which is achieved at the Low settings preset at 1920x1080 resolution. The Medium and High presets follow at 254 FPS and 159 FPS, respectively.

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

A: Yes, it is playable at 4K. The data shows an average of 72 FPS at High settings and 68 FPS at Ultra settings. While not as high as lower resolutions, these frame rates are above the 60 FPS threshold for a smooth experience on standard displays.

Q: How does the frame rate scale from 1080p to 1440p at the High preset?

A: The average frame rate drops from 159 FPS at 1920x1080 to 114 FPS at 2560x1440, representing a 28.3% decrease. This indicates a significant scaling penalty as the resolution increases.

Q: Is the GTX 1080 Ti the limiting factor in this game?

A: The data suggests that the GPU is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions. While the frame rate scales down as resolution increases, the CPU is likely not a bottleneck given the high absolute numbers. For example, at 1440p High, the system still produces 114 FPS, which is well above what a CPU-bound scenario would typically show.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: The difference is substantial. The Low preset averages 228 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 109 FPS. This is a 119 FPS difference, or roughly a 52.2% reduction in performance when moving from the lowest to the highest visual quality settings.

Q: Does the combo's rank in the database indicate it is a top-tier performer for this game?

A: The combo ranks 2004 out of 3716 tested combinations. This places it in the 54th percentile, indicating that it performs better than a slight majority of other tested combos, but it is by no means at the top of the charts for this specific game.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for Inside shows a clear and predictable pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases. The most complete data set is available for the Medium preset, which includes minimum and maximum frame rates in addition to averages. At 1080p Medium, the average FPS is 254, with a minimum of 216 and a maximum of 292. Moving to 1440p Medium, the average drops to 183 FPS, a 28.0% decrease, with a minimum of 155 and a maximum of 210. At 4K Medium, the average further drops to 115 FPS, a 37.2% decrease from 1440p, with a minimum of 97 and a maximum of 132. This pattern of roughly a 28-37% reduction in performance for each step up in resolution strongly indicates that the GPU is the limiting component in this system for this game.

The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is particularly steep, suggesting that the GTX 1080 Ti's rendering capabilities are being taxed significantly by the increase in pixel count. The step from 1440p to 4K is also substantial, though the percentage drop is slightly smaller, which could be due to the game's art style or engine optimizations. The fact that the system can still produce an average of 115 FPS at 4K Medium indicates that the game is not exceptionally demanding, but the scaling behavior confirms that the GPU is the primary driver of performance changes. The CPU, with its high core count and boost clock, is clearly not the bottleneck here, as the frame rates remain incredibly high even at 1440p. The data suggests that users looking to play Inside at higher resolutions should focus on the GPU as the primary upgrade path for improved performance, as the CPU has ample headroom.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across a matrix of resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the system is exceptionally fast. The Low preset delivers an average of 317 FPS, making it the fastest measured configuration in the entire dataset. The Medium preset averages 254 FPS, with a minimum of 216 and a maximum of 292 FPS. The High preset averages 159 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 151 FPS. At this resolution, all presets are highly playable, and even the most demanding settings are far above the 144 Hz refresh rate threshold for most gaming monitors.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance remains strong but begins to show the GPU's limits. The Low preset still achieves a very high average of 228 FPS. The Medium preset averages 183 FPS, with a minimum of 155 and a maximum of 210 FPS. The High preset averages 114 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 109 FPS. This resolution provides a good balance between visual fidelity and high refresh rate performance, with the High preset still offering a smooth experience. At 3840x2160, the system is pushed harder. The Low preset averages 143 FPS, which is still very good. The Medium preset averages 115 FPS, with a minimum of 97 and a maximum of 132 FPS. The High preset averages 72 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to 68 FPS. At 4K, the High and Ultra presets are just above the 60 FPS mark, providing a playable but less fluid experience compared to lower resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested hardware combinations for Inside, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-12600KF and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti holds a rank of 2004 out of 3716 tested combos. This places it in the 54th percentile of all tested systems, meaning it outperforms slightly more than half of the other combinations in this game. This is a respectable position, given that the GTX 1080 Ti is an older, end-of-life GPU, while the i5-12600KF is a modern, high-performance processor. The rank reflects the fact that Inside is a lightweight game that can be run well on a wide variety of hardware, so the margin between different combos is relatively small.

The CPU's own benchmark data shows it is a strong performer, with an average benchmark score of 27799 and a percentile rank of 79 against all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i9-10900K, AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D, and AMD Ryzen 7 6800U, with the i5-12600KF performing within a fraction of a percent of these chips. This indicates that the CPU is a top-tier part. However, the GPU's percentile rank is lower, at 58, with an average benchmark score of 15548. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon R9 M380 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060. The combination of a very strong CPU and a mid-range GPU results in the system being placed in the middle of the pack for Inside, as the game's performance is likely more dependent on the GPU's consistency rather than its absolute power.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12600KF is a 10-core, 16-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. Its benchmark scores are impressive, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23391 and a single-core score of 3302. In the context of Inside, a puzzle platformer, the game's engine is unlikely to heavily utilize all 16 threads, but the CPU's strong single-thread performance is crucial for maintaining high frame rates. The data shows that the system is capable of achieving 317 FPS at 1080p Low, which is a strong indicator that the CPU is not a limiting factor. The high boost clock of 4.90 GHz ensures that the game's primary game logic and rendering threads are handled with minimal latency.

The CPU's specifications, including its 20 MB of shared L3 cache, are more than sufficient for a game of this scope. The fact that the combo ranks in the 54th percentile for this game, despite the CPU being in the 79th percentile of all CPUs, further suggests that the CPU is providing all the performance headroom needed. The bottleneck is clearly elsewhere. The data shows that the CPU is a highly capable part that would not struggle with this title, and its performance is consistent with its rivals, such as the Intel Core i9-10900K, which it matches within 0.3% in average benchmark score. For Inside, the CPU's role is to ensure that frame pacing is consistent and that the GPU is fed with enough draw calls, which it does without issue.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti is a Pascal-architecture GPU with 11 GB of GDDR5X memory on a 352-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 484.4 GB/s. Its base clock is 1481 MHz with a boost clock of 1582 MHz. In Inside, this GPU is the primary determinant of the frame rates observed. The data shows a clear scaling of performance with resolution, which is the classic signature of a GPU-bound scenario. The GPU's performance is robust, but it is not top-tier by today's standards, as evidenced by its 58th percentile rank among all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 15548 is closely matched by rivals like the AMD Radeon R9 M380 and the AMD Radeon Pro W5500.

The 11 GB of VRAM is ample for Inside, which is a visually simple game with limited texture sizes. The GPU's shading units and ROPs are sufficient to handle the game's rendering at high resolutions, but the data shows that it does struggle to maintain ultra-high frame rates at 4K. The drop from 143 FPS at 4K Low to 68 FPS at 4K Ultra highlights the GPU's limitations when pushed with higher-quality effects and post-processing. While the GPU can handle 1080p and 1440p with ease, the 4K results, particularly at High and Ultra settings, are more modest, averaging between 68 and 72 FPS. This indicates that for 4K gaming, users would need to stick to Medium or Low settings to achieve higher frame rates, or consider a more powerful GPU.