Inside

# Inside: Intel Core i5-9400 + NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti

The Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti combination delivers playable performance in Inside, a 2016 Puzzle Platformer, but only within a specific range of settings and resolutions. The combo ranks 1653rd out of 1671 tested combinations in this game, placing it in the bottom percentile of systems. The GTX 1050 Ti, with its 4 GB GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, is the primary constraint, while the six-core i5-9400, with a 2.90 GHz base and 4.10 GHz boost clock, provides sufficient processing headroom for this title's demands.

FAQ

*Q: Can this system run Inside at 1080p with playable framerates?*

A: Yes, at 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 108.5 FPS. Medium settings yield 86.1 FPS, while High settings drop to 53.7 FPS. Ultra settings fall to 48.5 FPS, which remains technically playable but below the smoother thresholds of the lower presets.

Q: How does the GTX 1050 Ti perform at 4K in this game?

A: At 3840x2160, only the Low preset (50.6 FPS average) approaches smooth gameplay. Medium settings deliver 38 FPS, High drops to 23.3 FPS, and Ultra falls to 25.2 FPS. The 4 GB VRAM and 112.1 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for high-fidelity 4K rendering here.

Q: What is the best resolution-to-settings ratio for this combo?

A: The data indicates 2560x1440 with Medium settings provides a 60 FPS average exactly, offering a balanced experience. Alternatively, 1920x1080 with High settings at 53.7 FPS gives better visual quality with a modest framerate cost.

Q: How does the i5-9400 compare to its closest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The i5-9400's average benchmark score of 2305 places it 0.2% above the Intel Core i3-10305 (2300) and Intel Core i3-1125G4 (2299), and 0.4% above the Intel Xeon E-2134 (2295). The Intel Core i7-8809G (2319) is 0.6% faster.

Q: Does the GTX 1050 Ti bottleneck the CPU in this game?

A: Benchmark results suggest the GPU is the limiting factor. The i5-9400's 6-core, 6-thread configuration with a 4.10 GHz boost clock is more than adequate for a puzzle platformer, while the GTX 1050 Ti's 2.138 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 30th percentile ranking versus all GPUs constrain raw output.

Q: What is the expected performance delta between Low and Ultra presets at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the jump from Low (108.5 FPS) to Ultra (48.5 FPS) represents a 60 FPS drop, or approximately 55% lower performance. The scaling from Medium (86.1 FPS) to High (53.7 FPS) shows a 32.4 FPS reduction.

How This Combo Ranks

The combined Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti configuration ranks 1653rd out of 1671 tested combos for Inside, positioning it in the bottom 1.1% of all tested systems. This low ranking reflects the GTX 1050 Ti's modest standing in the GPU hierarchy — its 30th percentile versus all GPUs and average benchmark score of 5316 are consistent with a mid-to-low-tier part from the Pascal generation.

The CPU component is comparatively stronger. The i5-9400 sits at the 50th percentile versus all CPUs, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 7969 and single-core score of 1125. This places it squarely in the midrange, roughly equivalent to its nearest rivals: the Core i3-10305 (0.2% faster), Core i3-1125G4 (0.2% faster), and Xeon E-2134 (0.4% faster). The combination of a mid-pack CPU with a bottom-third GPU creates the 1653rd ranking.

In practical terms, this rank means the system falls behind the vast majority of tested configurations for Inside. However, the game's lightweight nature as a puzzle platformer means even this low-ranked combo can achieve playable framerates at lower settings. The ranking highlights that while the platform is not competitive for demanding titles, it retains utility for less graphically intensive games.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience, the data supports 1920x1080 with Medium settings as the optimal balance. This preset delivers an 86.1 FPS average, which provides smooth gameplay while maintaining reasonable visual fidelity. Dropping to Low at 1080p (108.5 FPS) offers a 26% framerate improvement but sacrifices visual quality that Medium restores.

At 2560x1440, Medium settings produce exactly 60 FPS, which is the standard threshold for smooth playback. This resolution represents a meaningful upgrade in image sharpness over 1080p while maintaining playable performance. For users prioritizing framerate over resolution, 1080p Low is the highest-performing option at 108.5 FPS.

Avoid High and Ultra presets at 3840x2160, where framerates fall to 23.3 FPS and 25.2 FPS respectively — these are below playable thresholds. At 1080p, Ultra (48.5 FPS) and High (53.7 FPS) are playable but noticeably less smooth than Medium. Given the game's 2D side-scrolling perspective, the visual difference between Medium and Ultra may not justify the performance cost.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the full preset range shows clear scaling. Low settings produce 108.5 FPS average, Medium drops to 86.1 FPS, High falls to 53.7 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 48.5 FPS. The step from Low to Medium costs 22.4 FPS, while Medium to High costs 32.4 FPS — the largest single-preset drop in this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, Low settings achieve 76.8 FPS, Medium hits exactly 60 FPS, High delivers 39 FPS, and Ultra reaches 39.3 FPS. Notably, High and Ultra are nearly identical at this resolution (39.0 vs 39.3 FPS), suggesting a VRAM or bandwidth cap rather than a shading limit. The 112.1 GB/s memory bandwidth and 4 GB frame buffer become the constraining factors.

At 3840x2160, the results degrade sharply. Low settings manage 50.6 FPS, which is surprisingly strong for 4K on this GPU. Medium drops to 38 FPS, High falls to 23.3 FPS, and Ultra reaches only 25.2 FPS. The inversion where Ultra (25.2 FPS) outperforms High (23.3 FPS) at 4K suggests inconsistent optimization or memory allocation differences between presets.

Across all resolutions, the pattern shows that Medium is the highest preset that maintains 60 FPS or above, achievable only at 1920x1080 (86.1 FPS) and 2560x1440 (60.0 FPS). At 4K, even Low (50.6 FPS) cannot reach 60 FPS, indicating the resolution is only viable with framerate compromises.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti is the decisive component in this combo's Inside performance. With 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus providing 112.1 GB/s bandwidth, the card offers 768 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. Its base clock of 1291 MHz boosts to 1392 MHz, yielding 2.138 TFLOPS of FP32 performance.

The VRAM capacity is sufficient for this game at lower settings but becomes a bottleneck at higher presets. The data shows diminishing returns when moving from Medium to High at 2560x1440 (60.0 to 39.0 FPS), a 35% drop that correlates with increased memory pressure. At 4K, the 4 GB buffer is clearly inadequate for High and Ultra presets, where framerates collapse to the low 20s.

The card's 75 W TDP and lack of power connectors make it a low-power solution, but its 30th percentile ranking versus all GPUs reflects its age. Its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks — the GeForce 930A (0% delta), GeForce 940M (0.4% faster), Radeon R7 240 (0.7% faster), and Radeon R7 M445 (0.8% slower) — are all entry-level or mobile parts. This positions the 1050 Ti as a competent 1080p card for older or less demanding titles like Inside, but not for high-refresh or high-resolution gaming.

The GPU's DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4 API support ensure compatibility with modern titles, but the Pascal architecture's 14 nm process and 3,300 million transistors limit its efficiency compared to newer designs. For Inside, the 1050 Ti's performance profile means users must accept Medium settings at 1080p or 1440p as the practical ceiling for smooth gameplay.