Inside

The Intel Core i7-12700K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 570 presents a distinct performance profile in Inside, a 2016 Puzzle Platformer. The data reveals a system heavily constrained by its graphics processor, yet capable of delivering smooth gameplay at lower resolutions and settings. This analysis examines the measured frame rates, component characteristics, and ranking data to provide a comprehensive overview of this combination’s capabilities.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a pronounced and consistent drop as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 69.1 FPS at 1080p to 51.7 FPS at 1440p, a reduction of 17.4 FPS. Moving to 4K, the average drops further to 29.9 FPS, which is less than half the 1080p figure. This pattern strongly indicates that the AMD Radeon RX 570 is the primary limiting factor, as the workload scales directly with pixel count.

The scaling is even more dramatic when examining the Low preset. At 1080p, the system achieves an average of 136.9 FPS. This drops to 96.7 FPS at 1440p and then to 60.3 FPS at 4K. The performance curve is steep, with the 4K figure representing a 56% reduction from the 1080p result. This suggests that even at the lowest graphical settings, the GPU’s rendering capabilities are saturated at higher resolutions, preventing the CPU from pushing frame rates higher.

The difference between Low and High settings at each resolution further confirms the GPU-bound nature of the system. At 1080p, the gap is 67.8 FPS (136.9 vs 69.1). At 1440p, the gap narrows to 45.0 FPS (96.7 vs 51.7). At 4K, the gap shrinks to 30.4 FPS (60.3 vs 29.9). This narrowing gap indicates that as resolution increases, the GPU spends more time on pixel shading, making the relative cost of higher quality settings less impactful on the final frame rate. The system is clearly not CPU-limited in any of these scenarios, as the i7-12700K’s substantial processing power is left waiting on the GPU to complete its work.

Settings Recommendations

The benchmark data provides clear guidance on the optimal settings for this specific CPU-GPU combo. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset delivers an average of 109.9 FPS, which is a strong result for a smooth experience. This represents a significant improvement over the High preset’s 69.1 FPS while maintaining a frame rate well above common display refresh rates. The Ultra preset, at 61.5 FPS, is also playable but offers diminishing returns over Medium for a 44% performance cost.

For 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the recommended choice, yielding an average of 78.4 FPS. This is the highest quality setting that comfortably exceeds the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset at 51.7 FPS is acceptable for slower-paced gameplay but may feel less fluid. The Low preset at 96.7 FPS is the only other option above 60 FPS, but it sacrifices visual fidelity unnecessarily when Medium provides a better balance.

At 3840x2160, the data shows that only the Low preset, with an average of 60.3 FPS, can achieve a playable frame rate. The Medium preset drops to 46.8 FPS, while High and Ultra fall to 29.9 and 27.2 FPS respectively, which are below the generally accepted threshold for smooth motion. Therefore, 4K gaming with this combo requires significant graphical compromises. The best experience per the measured rows is achieved by using the Low preset at 4K, Medium at 1440p, and Medium or High at 1080p, with Medium offering the most balanced performance-to-quality ratio.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 570’s specifications directly explain the observed performance ceilings. It features 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 224.0 GB/s. While sufficient for Inside at lower resolutions, this memory configuration and bandwidth become strained at the higher pixel counts of 4K, where the GPU must process and output significantly more data. Its compute capabilities, rated at 5.095 TFLOPS for FP32, are the core constraint limiting frame rates across all settings.

The GPU’s clock speeds, with a base of 1168 MHz and a boost of 1244 MHz, are modest by modern standards. This is a 14 nm chip from the Polaris 20 family, and its performance relative to other GPUs is reflected in its 74th percentile ranking among all GPUs. The benchmark scores for this GPU, such as 880 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 and 42752 in Geekbench Vulkan, place it in a specific performance tier. Interestingly, its average benchmark score of 30158 is very close to that of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060, which has an average score of 30109 and a deltaPct of 0.2, indicating they are statistical peers in synthetic tests, though the game’s real-world results may differ due to driver optimizations and architecture.

The GPU’s power draw of 150 W and a suggested power supply of 450 W are relevant for system builders, but the performance data is the key takeaway. The GPU is the bottleneck, and its 4 GB VRAM capacity, while not exceeding in Inside, is a limiting factor for future titles. The data clearly shows that the RX 570 is the component that determines the playable settings and resolutions for this pairing.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i7-12700K and AMD Radeon RX 570 ranks 1596th out of 1671 tested combos specifically for Inside. This places it in the bottom 5% of all systems tested for this game, which is a surprisingly low ranking given the processor’s capabilities. This low rank is almost entirely attributable to the graphics card, as the CPU is a high-end part with an 89th percentile ranking among all CPUs.

The combo’s ranking is a direct consequence of the GPU’s performance ceiling. While the i7-12700K can easily handle the game’s logic and physics, the RX 570 cannot push enough frames to boost the combo’s standing. This is a classic case of an unbalanced pairing, where the CPU is significantly more powerful than the GPU. The rank implies that a large majority of other tested systems, likely including many with weaker CPUs but stronger GPUs, achieve higher average frame rates in Inside.

This data suggests that users with this specific combo are leaving performance on the table. The CPU is clearly not the limiting factor, as evidenced by the fact that frame rates scale almost entirely with resolution and settings changes, which are GPU-dependent variables. The system’s ranking is a direct reflection of the RX 570’s position in the GPU hierarchy, which, despite being close to newer cards in synthetic averages, cannot deliver the frame rates needed to compete with more balanced systems in this game.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700K provides a formidable foundation for this system. With 12 cores and 20 threads, it offers substantial multi-threaded processing power. Its Alder Lake architecture features a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, which is a key asset for gaming, as it ensures the CPU can handle game logic and draw calls without becoming a bottleneck. The CPU’s Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 29241 and single-core score of 4128 are indicative of its high performance level.

In Inside, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with data and process the game’s state. The benchmark results show that the CPU is never the limiting factor. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 136.9 FPS, but this is likely still GPU-limited. A more powerful GPU would almost certainly yield higher frame rates in this scenario, as the CPU has ample headroom. The CPU’s 89th percentile ranking and average benchmark score of 35684, which is only 0.6% higher than the Intel Core i7-13700T, underscore its capability.

The i7-12700K’s large L3 cache of 25 MB and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory are additional factors that prevent it from holding back the system. The data implies that this CPU could support a much faster GPU, and its pairing with the RX 570 is the sole reason for the combo’s low ranking. The CPU is not a contributor to the performance issues seen at higher resolutions; rather, it is the component that ensures the game remains playable at lower settings where the GPU can keep up.

FAQ

Q: What is the best setting for 1080p gaming with this combo?

A: The Medium preset provides the best balance, with an average of 109.9 FPS, which is significantly higher than High’s 69.1 FPS while offering a better visual experience than Low’s 136.9 FPS.

Q: Can this system handle 4K resolution?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, which yields an average of 60.3 FPS. Higher settings at 4K result in averages below 47 FPS, which may not be smooth enough for most players.

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

A: The data clearly indicates the AMD Radeon RX 570 is the bottleneck. Frame rates drop dramatically as resolution increases, showing the GPU is saturated, while the high-performance i7-12700K has ample headroom.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested systems?

A: It ranks 1596th out of 1671 total combos for Inside, placing it in the bottom percentile of all tested systems due to the graphics card’s performance limits.

Q: What is the average performance difference between the RX 570 and its nearest rival, the RTX 5060?

A: The RX 570 has an average benchmark score of 30158, which is 0.2% higher than the RTX 5060’s score of 30109, making them statistically equivalent in synthetic tests.

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

A: The highest measured average is 136.9 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.