Inside

The Intel Core i5-14600KF paired with the Intel Arc B580 presents a fascinating case study in how a modern, high-core-count CPU and a mid-range GPU interact within a lightweight 2D puzzle platformer. The data for Inside shows that this combination is capable of delivering exceptionally high frame rates, but the pattern of results reveals a system that is clearly shifting between CPU and GPU limitations depending on the resolution and settings chosen. The benchmark results place this combo at rank 1306 out of 1671 tested combinations, a position that seems modest given the raw performance on display, but which makes sense when considering the game's age and the sheer number of high-end combos that can cap out its frame rate. This analysis will break down the measured FPS, the role of each component, and what the scaling patterns imply about the underlying performance bottleneck.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest average FPS achieved by this combo in Inside?*

A: The highest measured average frame rate is 268 FPS, which occurs at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is more than double the 125.9 FPS recorded at the same resolution with Ultra settings.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K resolution with High settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with High settings, the combo produces an average of 59.8 FPS. This is just above the 60 FPS threshold, but it drops to 57.7 FPS when moving to Ultra settings, which falls below that mark.

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

A: At 2560x1440, the difference is substantial. The Low preset delivers an average of 190.9 FPS, while the Ultra preset yields 90.8 FPS. This represents a performance gap of over 100 FPS between the two extremes.

Q: Does the CPU have a high benchmark score compared to other processors?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i5-14600KF has an average benchmark score of 49367, placing it in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs. Its closest rival, the Intel Core i5-14600K, scores 49166, which is a delta of only 0.4%.

Q: What is the GPU's benchmark percentile ranking?

A: The Intel Arc B580 has an average benchmark score of 23021 and sits in the 66th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, which scores 23181, a delta of -0.7%.

Q: Is the combo's ranking in this game better than its individual component percentiles suggest?

A: The combo ranks 1306 out of 1671 total combinations. While the CPU is in the 93rd percentile and the GPU is in the 66th percentile, the game's low graphical demands likely mean that many other combos achieve similar high frame rates, compressing the ranking.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B580, built on the Xe2-HPG architecture, brings a substantial set of specifications to this game. With 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, it offers a bandwidth of 456.0 GB/s. The GPU's base and boost clocks are both set at 2670 MHz, and its memory operates at an effective speed of 19 Gbps. The data shows that this GPU is more than sufficient for Inside, as even the most demanding setting tested, Ultra at 4K, produced an average of 57.7 FPS. This indicates that the GPU is not a limiting factor at lower resolutions.

At 1080p, the GPU's role becomes less critical. The difference between Low and Ultra settings is 142.1 FPS, but even the Ultra preset achieves a high 125.9 FPS. This suggests that at this resolution, the frame rate is more likely to be constrained by the CPU's ability to feed the GPU with draw calls than by the GPU's rendering speed. The B580's compute capabilities, such as its 13.67 TFLOPS FP32 throughput, are clearly not being fully taxed. The data suggests that the B580 is a capable air-cooled card for this title, but its performance headroom is enormous, particularly at 1080p where the game's visual simplicity means the GPU is often waiting on the CPU.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600KF is a 14-core, 20-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, which are high frequencies that contribute to its strong single-threaded performance. Its benchmark scores reflect this, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32889 and a single-core score of 4643. The CPU's 24 MB of shared L3 cache also helps keep frequently accessed data close at hand. In the context of Inside, this processor is profoundly overpowered.

Evidence for CPU dominance is strongest at 1080p. When the resolution is low, the GPU can render frames quickly, and the CPU becomes the bottleneck. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo hits 268 FPS. Even at 4K Low, the average is 119.7 FPS, which is still incredibly high. The game's physics and puzzle logic, which are typically single-threaded, benefit immensely from the i5-14600KF's high boost clock. The CPU's percentile ranking of 93rd overall, and its proximity to the i5-14600K (a 0.4% delta in average score), confirm that this processor is a top-tier part that will not hold back the GPU in nearly any scenario, including this one.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend entirely on the target resolution. For a 4K display, the High preset is the clear choice, as it is the only one that maintains an average above 60 FPS (59.8 FPS). The Ultra preset dips to 57.7 FPS, which could introduce noticeable stutter on a 60 Hz display. For 1440p, the High preset is again the sweet spot, delivering 95.3 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS mark and smooth for most monitors. The Ultra preset still provides a playable 90.8 FPS, but the performance cost relative to High is significant.

At 1080p, the decision is about maximizing refresh rate versus visual fidelity. The Low preset hits 268 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate (240 Hz or higher) monitors. The Medium preset yields 212.7 FPS, and High provides 136.4 FPS. For the best balance of visual quality and high frame rate, the Medium preset offers a substantial improvement over Low while still keeping the average well above 200 FPS. The Ultra preset, at 125.9 FPS, is still a valid option for users who prioritize image quality but do not need the absolute highest frame rates. The data suggests that High is the most versatile preset across resolutions, offering a strong combination of quality and performance.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 1306 out of 1671 tested combinations places it in the lower-middle portion of the database for this specific game. This ranking is somewhat counterintuitive given the high FPS numbers, but it highlights the nature of Inside as an older, less demanding title. Many other combinations, including those with older or less powerful hardware, can also achieve very high frame rates, making the field crowded at the top. The CPU's position in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, and the GPU's in the 66th percentile, are not the primary determinants of this rank.

The data indicates that the rank is more likely a function of the game's engine and its frame rate caps or the performance of other combos at the very high end. For example, the CPU's nearest rivals, including the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X, have nearly identical average scores, which means the CPU choice here is not a differentiator. The GPU's rivals, such as the RTX 4060, also perform within 1% of the B580 in average benchmarks. This suggests that this specific combo is part of a large cluster of systems that deliver similar, very high performance in Inside, and the rank reflects the many other combos that also exceed 60 FPS at all tested settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a comprehensive look at the combo's performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from a high of 268 on Low to 125.9 on Ultra. The Medium preset delivers 212.7 FPS, and High yields 136.4 FPS. The scaling is not linear; the jump from Low to Medium is a drop of 55.3 FPS, while the jump from Medium to High is a drop of 76.3 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the pattern is similar but with lower absolute numbers. The Low preset averages 190.9 FPS, Medium delivers 157.7 FPS, High produces 95.3 FPS, and Ultra drops to 90.8 FPS. The gap between Medium and High is the most pronounced here, a difference of 62.4 FPS. At 3840x2160, the results show the GPU beginning to feel the load. The Low preset still manages a strong 119.7 FPS, and Medium is close behind at 98.2 FPS. However, High drops to 59.8 FPS, and Ultra dips slightly further to 57.7 FPS. The transition from Medium to High at 4K is drastic, with a 38.5 FPS drop, indicating a significant increase in GPU load between these presets.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K provides clear evidence of where the bottleneck shifts. At Low settings, the FPS drops from 268 at 1080p to 190.9 at 1440p, and then to 119.7 at 4K. This is a 55.3% reduction from 1080p to 4K, which is substantial but not as severe as the drop seen at higher settings. This suggests that even at Low, the GPU is still doing significant work as the pixel count quadruples.

However, the scaling behavior at Ultra settings is different. The FPS drops from 125.9 at 1080p to 90.8 at 1440p, and then to 57.7 at 4K. The drop from 1440p to 4K is 36.5%, which is less steep than the drop from 1080p to 1440p (27.9%). This suggests that at 1080p Ultra, the system may be partially CPU-bound, as the GPU has enough headroom to render the scene quickly. As resolution increases, the GPU becomes the limiting component, and the frame rate scales more predictably with the pixel count. The data implies that the i5-14600KF is powerful enough to push the B580 to its limits at 1080p, but at 4K, the B580's pixel and texture rates become the primary constraint on performance.