Inside

The Intel Core i5-14600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 delivers a highly capable experience in Inside, a Puzzle Platformer from 2016. Benchmark data shows this combination is not merely playable but achieves high refresh rates even at demanding resolutions. The processor, a 14-core, 20-thread Raptor Lake part with a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, provides substantial headroom, while the 6 GB Turing-based GPU handles the game's graphical load. This analysis breaks down the measured performance across resolutions and settings, interpreting the data to show where the bottleneck lies and how the pairing ranks against other tested configurations.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600KF is a formidable desktop processor, built on a 10 nm process with a 125 W TDP. Its architecture, Raptor Lake, features a configuration of 14 cores and 20 threads, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz that can boost up to 5.30 GHz. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 32,544 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 4,594 in single-core, placing it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs. For a game like Inside, which is a 2D puzzle platformer, the single-thread performance is often more critical than raw multi-core might. The high single-core score of 4,594 in Cinebench R23 suggests that the CPU can easily handle the game's logic and physics calculations.

This processor ranks closely with the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, which has an average score of 49,228, a negligible 0.3% difference from the i5-14600KF's 49,394 average. It also sits near the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G (0.4% ahead) and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 (0.8% ahead). The data indicates that the CPU is not a limiting factor in this pairing. Even at lower resolutions where frame rates are highest, the i5-14600KF's robust compute capabilities ensure that the GPU is the primary bottleneck, not the processor. With a PassMark single-thread score of 4,273 and a multithread score of 38,697, the processor provides ample power for this title, ensuring consistent frame pacing without CPU-bound stutters.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is a Turing-architecture GPU built on a 12 nm process at TSMC. It features 1,920 shading units, 120 TMUs, and 48 ROPs, with 30 RT cores and 240 tensor cores. Its memory configuration is 6 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s. The GPU's base clock is 1365 MHz with a boost clock of 1680 MHz, and it has a TDP of 160 W. In the PassMark G3D benchmark, it scores 14,111, which places it in the 58th percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 15,290 is nearly identical to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 (0.0% delta), the AMD Radeon 680M (0.1% delta), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM (0.6% delta).

While the RTX 2060 is an older, end-of-life product, the data shows it is more than sufficient for Inside. The game's graphics are not particularly demanding on GPU resources, allowing the RTX 2060 to deliver high frame rates. The 6 GB VRAM is adequate for the game's textures and effects, even at 4K resolution. The GPU's compute power, measured at 6.451 TFLOPS FP32, is more than enough to render the game's simple geometry and lighting. In this context, the RTX 2060's performance is the limiting factor at higher resolutions, but it is a very capable limiter, maintaining high average frame rates across the board.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear scaling pattern as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K. At 1080p with High settings, the combo achieves an average of 128 FPS. Moving to 1440p High reduces the average to 92 FPS, a drop of 36 FPS (28.1%). At 4K High, the average falls to 58 FPS, another 34 FPS drop (37.0%) from 1440p. This steep decline indicates that the GPU is the scaling bottleneck; as the pixel count increases, the RTX 2060's workload grows, directly impacting frame rates.

This trend is consistent across all settings. At Low settings, the frame rate goes from 256 FPS at 1080p to 184 FPS at 1440p, and then to 116 FPS at 4K. The performance halves from 1080p Low to 4K Low (256 to 116 FPS). This pattern confirms that the game is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions. The CPU's performance remains constant, but the GPU's rendering time increases with resolution. The fact that even at 4K Low the combo produces 116 FPS suggests that the game is not excessively demanding, but the drop from 1080p shows the GPU is the limiting component. The data implies that for maximum frame rates, lower resolutions are preferred, but 4K remains perfectly playable on High settings.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-14600KF a bottleneck for the RTX 2060 in this game?

A: Benchmark results indicate no. The CPU's high single-core performance (4,594 in Cinebench R23) and 90th percentile ranking suggest it provides ample power. The FPS scaling with resolution shows the GPU is the limiting factor, not the CPU.

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

A: Yes, the data shows it is playable. At 4K with High settings, the average FPS is 58. Lowering to Medium settings increases the average to 93 FPS, and Low settings yield 116 FPS, providing smooth gameplay.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a 1440p monitor?

A: For a 1440p display, the High preset delivers an average of 92 FPS, which is excellent. The Ultra preset drops to 88 FPS, while Medium offers 147 FPS. High offers a good balance between visual quality and performance.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The i5-14600KF has an average score of 49,394. It is 0.3% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, 0.4% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G, and 0.8% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245. It is 0.8% behind the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388.

Q: How does the GPU's performance compare to similar graphics cards?

A: The RTX 2060 has an average benchmark score of 15,290. This is essentially tied with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 (0.0% delta), the AMD Radeon 680M (0.1% delta), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM (0.6% delta). It is 0.8% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 7600.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The lowest average FPS recorded is 55 FPS, which occurs at 4K resolution with the Ultra settings preset. This is still a playable frame rate.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database for Inside, this specific combination of the Intel Core i5-14600KF and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 holds a rank of 2,915 out of 3,716 tested combos. This ranking places it in the lower 21.5% of all tested configurations. Considering the age of the GPU, this is a respectable position, indicating that the pairing is not top-tier but performs adequately. The high CPU rank (90th percentile) is offset by the GPU's lower rank (58th percentile), resulting in a combined system that is mid-to-low tier in the overall rankings.

The ranking is likely influenced by the RTX 2060's performance ceiling, as many other combos feature more modern or higher-end graphics cards. However, the measured FPS data shows that this lower ranking does not translate to a poor gaming experience in Inside. The combo delivers high frame rates across most settings, and the only area where it shows its age is at 4K Ultra, where it still maintains an average of 55 FPS. This suggests that while the combo may not be competitive with top-tier hardware in synthetic benchmarks, it provides a very smooth and enjoyable experience for this particular game.

Settings Recommendations

For this hardware combination, the benchmark data provides clear guidance on the optimal settings presets. At 1080p, the Ultra preset yields 122 FPS, which is excellent, but the High preset offers 128 FPS and the Medium preset 205 FPS. Since the visual difference between High and Ultra is often minimal in this game, the High preset at 1080p is recommended for a balance of fidelity and performance, as it already exceeds 120 FPS.

At 1440p, the High preset delivers 92 FPS, which is smooth and close to the 90 FPS threshold. The Medium preset offers a significantly higher 147 FPS, making it the best choice for high-refresh-rate 1440p monitors. The Ultra preset drops to 88 FPS, which is still playable but offers diminishing returns over High. For most users at 1440p, the Medium preset is the sweet spot, ensuring high frame rates without sacrificing too much visual quality.

At 4K, the High preset averages 58 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. The Medium preset, with an average of 93 FPS (and a minimum of 79 FPS), provides the best experience at this resolution, offering a significant performance boost over High with only a minor visual compromise. The Ultra preset at 55 FPS is not recommended, as the performance penalty is not worth the marginal visual gains over High. In summary, Medium is the recommended preset for 4K, High for 1080p, and Medium for 1440p to maximize frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data represents the exact measured FPS for the Intel Core i5-14600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 combo in Inside.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: Average FPS is 256.
• Medium: Average FPS is 205, with a minimum of 174 and a maximum of 236.
• High: Average FPS is 128.
• Ultra: Average FPS is 122.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: Average FPS is 184.
• Medium: Average FPS is 147, with a minimum of 125 and a maximum of 169.
• High: Average FPS is 92.
• Ultra: Average FPS is 88.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: Average FPS is 116.
• Medium: Average FPS is 93, with a minimum of 79 and a maximum of 106.
• High: Average FPS is 58.
• Ultra: Average FPS is 55.

The data shows a clear performance hierarchy. At 1080p, all settings produce frame rates well above 120 FPS, making the game exceptionally smooth. At 1440p, Low and Medium settings are excellent, while High and Ultra remain above 88 FPS. At 4K, only Low and Medium settings provide frame rates above 90 FPS, with High and Ultra hovering near 60 FPS. The minimum FPS data for Medium settings provides insight into frame consistency, showing a 31 FPS drop from the average at 1080p (205 to 174) and a 22 FPS drop at 1440p (147 to 125). At 4K, the minimum is 79 FPS against an average of 93 FPS, indicating a tighter range. This suggests that the game is less demanding at higher resolutions relative to the GPU's capacity, resulting in more stable frame pacing at 4K Medium compared to 1080p Medium.