Inside

Inside is a side-scrolling puzzle platformer from 2016, and the benchmark data for this Intel Core i5-14400F + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti configuration reveals a title that is exceptionally easy to run at high frame rates, with the GPU becoming the primary limiting factor only at the highest resolution and settings. The measured results show a combination that can deliver buttery-smooth gameplay at 1080p and 1440p, while 4K Ultra presents a challenge that requires settings tuning to maintain a playable frame rate. This analysis breaks down the performance characteristics based strictly on the measured FPS data, CPU, and GPU specifications provided.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K clearly demonstrates that this game is far more dependent on the GPU than the CPU for this specific hardware pairing. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 337 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops this to 222 FPS, a reduction of 115 FPS, and at 4K Low it falls further to 123 FPS. This steep decline with each resolution increase is a classic sign of pixel-pushing workload, indicating the RTX 5070 Ti is the component being stressed as the render resolution grows.

The pattern holds across all settings, but the scaling factor becomes even more pronounced at higher quality presets. With High settings, the average frame rate goes from 173 FPS at 1080p, to 114 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 63 FPS at 4K. This shows a near-halving of performance from 1080p to 4K, which is expected for a game that is not CPU-bound. The data suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU enough data to reach very high frame rates, but the GPU's workload increases linearly with the number of pixels, causing the significant frame rate drops at higher resolutions.

The most telling data point for the limiting component is the Ultra preset. At 1080p Ultra, the system hits 120 FPS, which drops to 79 FPS at 1440p and plummets to 44 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is the only scenario where the system falls below the 60 FPS threshold, and it does so substantially. This indicates that the combination of 4K resolution and the most demanding settings creates a workload that the RTX 5070 Ti cannot handle at a high refresh rate. The consistent and predictable scaling across all presets points to a GPU-limited scenario, with the CPU's performance headroom being sufficient for this game's engine.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor from the Raptor Lake-R architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. Its benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 21645 and a single-core score of 3055, place it in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs. This level of performance is more than adequate for a game like Inside, which is a 2D puzzle platformer that does not typically require massive multi-threaded processing power.

Looking at the nearest rival comparisons, the i5-14400F's average benchmark score of 32279 is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U, which has an average score of 32233, a delta of only 0.1%. It also performs on par with the Intel Core i9-11900, which scores 32226, a 0.2% difference. This suggests that the CPU's raw processing power is in a well-established performance tier, and for a game like Inside, this headroom means it is unlikely to be the bottleneck.

The evidence for the CPU's non-limiting role is most apparent in the 1080p Low settings result, where the system achieves 337 FPS. Such a high frame rate indicates that the CPU is able to process game logic and draw calls faster than the GPU can render frames, even at a low resolution where the GPU has less work. The fact that the frame rate scales down consistently as resolution increases, rather than plateauing at a CPU-imposed limit, confirms that the i5-14400F is not the constraining factor in this configuration for this title. Its 20 MB of shared L3 cache and high boost clock ensure it can keep up with the GPU's demands.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti is the definitive performance driver in this setup. With 16 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus, it offers a memory bandwidth of 896.0 GB/s. Its core clocks are a base of 2295 MHz and a boost of 2452 MHz, and it features 8960 shading units. In GPU benchmarks, it scores 32974 in Passmark G3D and 212363 in Geekbench OpenCL, placing it in the 86th percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 49957 is comparable to the AMD Radeon RX Vega 64, which scores 50001, a delta of -0.1%.

The GPU's performance is directly reflected in the measured FPS. At 1080p and 1440p, its raw power allows for extremely high frame rates across all settings, easily exceeding 100 FPS in most cases. However, the 4K results reveal the limits of its processing power. The jump from 1440p High (114 FPS) to 4K High (63 FPS) represents a 44.7% performance drop, which is a significant cost for the increase in pixel count. This is where the GPU's architecture and memory bandwidth are pushed to their limits.

The most demanding scenario, 4K Ultra, yields an average of only 44 FPS. This indicates that the RTX 5070 Ti, while a high-end card, cannot maintain a smooth 60 FPS experience at maximum settings in this game at 4K. The data suggests that the GPU's shading units and texture rate (686.6 GTexel/s) are being saturated by the combination of high resolution and the Ultra preset's graphical effects. The performance difference between 1080p Ultra (120 FPS) and 4K Ultra (44 FPS) is a 63.3% reduction, highlighting the immense workload that 4K rendering places on the GPU.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal balance of visual quality and performance for this system depends heavily on the target resolution. For 1080p and 1440p displays, the Ultra preset is entirely viable. At 1440p Ultra, the system achieves 79 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS standard for smooth gameplay. At 1080p Ultra, it hits 120 FPS, making it ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. Pushing to Medium or Low at these resolutions yields extremely high frame rates (183 and 222 FPS at 1440p Medium and Low, respectively), which would be beneficial for competitive play or if the user has a 240Hz display.

For 4K gaming, the data indicates that the Ultra preset is not recommended, as the 44 FPS average is below the playable threshold. Dropping to High settings at 4K provides a significant improvement, bringing the average up to 63 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS target. This is the recommended preset for a 4K experience, as it offers a substantial visual upgrade over Medium while maintaining a playable frame rate. The Medium preset at 4K yields 101 FPS, which is excellent for 4K gaming and provides a large performance buffer.

The High preset appears to be the sweet spot for this configuration across all resolutions. It provides a balance that allows for 60 FPS at 4K, 114 FPS at 1440p, and 173 FPS at 1080p. For users who prioritize frame rate over maximum visual fidelity, the Medium preset is also a strong choice, as it delivers 277 FPS at 1080p and 183 FPS at 1440p. The Low preset is only necessary for extreme frame rate chasing, such as the 337 FPS seen at 1080p, which would be wasted on most standard displays. The data suggests that High is the most versatile preset, offering a good balance for any resolution.

FAQ

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

A: No. The measured data shows an average of 44 FPS at 4K Ultra, which is below the standard 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. To achieve a playable frame rate at 4K, you would need to lower the settings to High, which yields 63 FPS.

Q: What is the best resolution for this hardware to get a high refresh rate experience?

A: At 1080p, the system can achieve 120 FPS at Ultra and 173 FPS at High, making it ideal for 144Hz or higher refresh rate monitors. At 1440p, the Ultra preset still delivers 79 FPS, which is suitable for a 75Hz or 144Hz display.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck in this game?

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck, especially at higher resolutions. The frame rate scales consistently with resolution, dropping significantly from 1080p to 4K. The CPU's performance, such as its 21645 Cinebench R23 multicore score, provides enough headroom to not limit the frame rates at these levels.

Q: How does the RTX 5070 Ti compare to its nearest rival in terms of raw GPU performance?

A: The RTX 5070 Ti has an average benchmark score of 49957, which is -0.1% different from the AMD Radeon RX Vega 64's score of 50001. It also performs slightly better than the Intel Arc A550M, which scores 49737, a 0.4% difference.

Q: What settings should I use for a 1440p monitor with a 144Hz refresh rate?

A: The data shows that the Ultra preset at 1440p achieves 79 FPS, which is below 144Hz. To fully utilize a 144Hz monitor, you would need to use the Medium preset, which achieves 183 FPS, or the High preset, which achieves 114 FPS. Both are well above 60 FPS and offer a good experience.

Q: Is the 4K High preset a better choice than 4K Medium for this system?

A: Yes, if you prioritize visual quality and can accept a frame rate around 60 FPS. The High preset at 4K averages 63 FPS, which is a playable 60 FPS experience. The Medium preset offers a much higher 101 FPS, but at the cost of some graphical fidelity. The choice depends on whether you prefer higher fidelity or a higher frame rate.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1080p, the system demonstrates its peak performance. The Low settings produce an average of 337 FPS, the Medium settings yield 277 FPS with a minimum of 236 FPS and a maximum of 319 FPS, and the High settings reach 173 FPS. The Ultra settings at this resolution still manage a strong 120 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains high. Low settings average 222 FPS, Medium settings drop to 183 FPS (with min/max of 155 and 210 FPS), and High settings average 114 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1440p is still playable, averaging 79 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the GPU workload becomes significant. Low settings average 123 FPS, Medium settings average 101 FPS (with min/max of 86 and 116 FPS), and High settings average 63 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K is the only configuration that falls below 60 FPS, averaging 44 FPS. This breakdown shows a clear performance hierarchy, with the 4K Ultra setting being the only one that presents a challenge for this hardware.