Inside

The Intel Core i5-13400F paired with the Intel Arc B390 produces a narrow performance band in Inside, with the data showing that the GPU is the primary constraint across most settings. While the CPU is a strong 13th Gen desktop part with 10 cores and 16 threads, the Arc B390 is a mobile-class integrated graphics solution with only 1536 shading units, resulting in a combo rank of 2547 out of 2887 tested configurations. The measured frame rates reveal that this system is capable of smooth gameplay at 1080p, but struggles to maintain fluid motion at 4K, particularly on higher presets.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Inside?*

A: The data shows 1920x1080 is the optimal resolution, as every settings preset at this resolution achieves an average FPS above 70, with Low settings reaching 156 FPS and Medium hitting 125 FPS.

Q: How does the Arc B390 compare to its closest GPU rivals?

A: The Arc B390 has an average benchmark score of 1482, placing it 1.3% above the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5% above the GeForce 800M, 2.5% above the GeForce GT 625 OEM, and 2.7% above the GeForce GT 710.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this system?

A: Benchmark results indicate the GPU is the limiting component. The Arc B390's percentile rank is 9 (relative to all GPUs), while the i5-13400F ranks in the 77th percentile among CPUs, showing a massive imbalance in favor of the processor.

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

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 112 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 53 FPS. This represents a 59 FPS drop, or roughly a 53% reduction in average frame rate when moving from the lowest to the highest quality settings.

Q: Does the system provide a 60 FPS experience at 4K?

A: Only at Low settings does the 3840x2160 resolution achieve an average above 60 FPS, with a measured 70 FPS. All other presets at 4K fall below 60 FPS, with Medium at 56 FPS, High at 35 FPS, and Ultra at 34 FPS.

Q: How does the i5-13400F's multi-threaded performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The i5-13400F has an average benchmark score of 25292. This is effectively tied with the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS (delta 0%), and it is 0.3% behind the Intel Core 5 120 and AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D, while being 0.4% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 7 6800H.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the decisive factor in this configuration's performance. The GPU's benchmark data shows a single 3DMark Steel Nomad (DX12) score of 1482, which places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, indicating entry-level performance. Its nearest rivals are all legacy NVIDIA parts, with the B390 holding a 1.3% lead over the GeForce GT 520MX and a 2.7% lead over the GeForce GT 710.

The Arc B390's architectural details explain its measured results. It features 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster output units, along with 12 ray tracing cores. The chip is built on Intel's 3nm process with an Xe3-LPG architecture, and its clock speeds are listed as a 300 MHz base and a 2500 MHz boost. The memory configuration is unique: it uses "System Shared" memory, meaning its bandwidth is "System Dependent" rather than fixed. This reliance on shared system memory likely contributes to the significant performance drops seen at higher resolutions, as the GPU must contend with system RAM for bandwidth.

The frame rate data reflects this GPU's limitations. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system produces 156 FPS, showing that the GPU can handle the game's simple puzzle-platformer geometry at lower loads. However, the scaling from 1080p to 4K is punishing. The data shows the GPU's pixel rate is 60.00 GPixel/s, and the FP32 performance is 7.680 TFLOPS, but these theoretical figures do not translate into high-resolution capability. The measured 4K Ultra performance of 34 FPS indicates the GPU is saturated, particularly when the shading units are pushed with higher-quality effects.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear pattern of degradation as resolution increases, confirming that the Arc B390 is the bottleneck. At 1080p, the system is capable of high refresh rates, with the Low preset hitting 156 FPS and Medium reaching 125 FPS. Moving to 1440p, these figures drop to 112 FPS and 90 FPS respectively, showing a 28% reduction in both cases. At 4K, the Low preset falls to 70 FPS, and the Medium preset drops to 56 FPS.

The scaling factor becomes more severe at higher quality settings. For the High preset, the average FPS is 78 at 1080p, 56 at 1440p, and 35 at 4K — a progressive decline of 28% and 37% respectively. The Ultra preset shows a similar trend, with 74 FPS at 1080p, 53 FPS at 1440p, and 34 FPS at 4K. This pattern indicates that the GPU's fixed resources (1536 shading units and 24 ROPs) are being overwhelmed by the increasing pixel count, while the CPU's 10 cores and 16 threads are not the limiting factor.

The data suggests a CPU-bound scenario at low resolutions and low settings. At 1080p Low, the 156 FPS average is likely near the game engine's or CPU's limit, given that the Arc B390 is a low-percentile GPU. However, the consistent drop across all settings when moving from 1080p to 1440p and 4K points to the GPU becoming the primary constraint. The min FPS data for Medium settings illustrates this: at 1080p, the minimum is 106 FPS; at 1440p, it is 76 FPS; and at 4K, it is 48 FPS. The delta between 1080p and 4K for Medium is 80 FPS, a 64% reduction, which is a steep price for the resolution increase.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-13400F and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2547 out of 2887 total tested combos in Inside. This places the system in the bottom 12% of all configurations, indicating that it is a low-performing pairing for this game. The rank is heavily skewed by the GPU's weak performance, as the CPU is a high-tier part.

The CPU's average benchmark score of 25292 puts it in the 77th percentile of all CPUs, and its nearest rivals are all modern parts with similar scores. The i5-13400F is within 0.4% of the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS, Intel Core 5 120, AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D, and AMD Ryzen 7 6800H. This suggests that the CPU is more than capable of feeding the GPU with data. In contrast, the GPU's average benchmark score of 1482 places it in the 9th percentile, and its nearest rivals are much older and weaker parts.

The disparity between the CPU's 77th percentile rank and the GPU's 9th percentile rank is stark. This combo rank of 2547 reflects a system where the processor has significant headroom, but the graphics solution cannot utilize it. The data implies that upgrading the GPU would yield substantial performance gains, while upgrading the CPU would provide minimal benefit in Inside, as the game's frame rates are consistently GPU-limited at higher resolutions and settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets.

At 1920x1080, the system delivers playable frame rates across the board. Low settings produce an average of 156 FPS, while Medium produces 125 FPS with a minimum of 106 FPS and a maximum of 144 FPS. High settings average 78 FPS, and Ultra settings average 74 FPS. This resolution is the only one where all presets exceed 60 FPS, making it the sweet spot for this combo.

At 2560x1440, performance drops noticeably. Low settings still deliver a smooth 112 FPS average, and Medium maintains 90 FPS with a minimum of 76 FPS and a maximum of 103 FPS. However, High settings fall to 56 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 53 FPS, both below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the GPU struggles significantly. Low settings average 70 FPS, which is just above 60 FPS, but Medium drops to 56 FPS with a minimum of 48 FPS. High settings average 35 FPS, and Ultra settings average 34 FPS. The 4K data shows a stark contrast between Low and Medium settings, with a 14 FPS drop, indicating that even modest quality increases tax the GPU heavily at this resolution.

The min FPS data for Medium settings highlights the variance across resolutions. At 1080p, the minimum is 106 FPS; at 1440p, it is 76 FPS; and at 4K, it is 48 FPS. This shows that while average FPS remains consistent, the lows become more pronounced at higher resolutions, which could lead to stutter in demanding scenes.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal experience for this combo is at 1920x1080 with the Medium preset. The Medium preset at 1080p delivers 125 FPS average, which is well above the 60 FPS target, and the minimum of 106 FPS ensures consistent frame pacing without significant dips. The High preset at 1080p offers 78 FPS, which is still smooth, but the 47 FPS difference between Low and Medium settings suggests that Medium provides a better balance of visual quality and performance.

For users who prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity, the Low preset at 2560x1440 is a viable option, as it yields 112 FPS. However, the Medium preset at 1440p (90 FPS) is the highest quality setting that maintains a 60+ FPS average at this resolution. The High and Ultra presets at 1440p fall below 60 FPS, making them less desirable for a game that benefits from smooth motion.

At 4K, the data suggests that only the Low preset is playable, with a 70 FPS average. The Medium preset at 4K (56 FPS) is borderline, but the Low preset is the only option that provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. The High and Ultra presets at 4K (35 and 34 FPS respectively) are not recommended, as they result in a stuttery experience that detracts from the game's atmospheric puzzle-solving.

The best overall experience, per the measured rows, is the 1080p Medium preset. It offers a high average FPS of 125, a minimum of 106 FPS, and a maximum of 144 FPS, which aligns with the refresh rate of many standard monitors. This preset leverages the CPU's strong single-thread performance (960 in 3DMark single-thread) while keeping the GPU's load manageable, avoiding the dramatic performance collapse seen at 4K. For users with 1440p displays, the Medium preset at that resolution is the recommended choice, as it provides a 90 FPS average that remains fluid.