Inside

The Intel Core i7-12700K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6600 delivers a remarkably fluid experience in Inside, a title that clearly favors high refresh rates. The measured data shows that this combination is capable of extreme frame rates, but the optimal settings depend heavily on whether the target is a standard 60 FPS display or a high-refresh monitor. The benchmark results indicate that this pairing has substantial headroom, making the choice of preset a matter of display capability rather than raw playability.

Settings Recommendations

The measured rows provide a clear hierarchy of performance across four presets. For users targeting a standard 60 FPS experience, the Ultra preset is the most demanding setting that remains fully playable, hitting 122 FPS at 1080p, 88 FPS at 1440p, and 55 FPS at 4K. The data shows that Ultra is the only preset that dips below 60 FPS at 4K, making High the safer choice for 4K displays that require a strict 60 FPS lock. The High preset is the most balanced option, delivering 129 FPS at 1080p, 92 FPS at 1440p, and 58 FPS at 4K. This preset offers a significant visual upgrade over Medium while maintaining frame rates that are either above or within striking distance of 60 FPS at every resolution.

For users with high-refresh displays, the Medium preset emerges as the sweet spot. The data shows Medium delivers 206 FPS at 1080p, 148 FPS at 1440p, and 93 FPS at 4K. This preset also provides the only recorded minimum FPS values in the dataset, with a 175 FPS minimum at 1080p and a 126 FPS minimum at 1440p. These numbers indicate that Medium not only produces high averages but also maintains consistent frame pacing, which is essential for smooth motion on 144Hz or 165Hz monitors. The Low preset is unnecessary for most users, as it pushes frame rates to 257 FPS at 1080p and 185 FPS at 1440p, but the visual trade-off is substantial for a gain that exceeds the refresh rate of almost all displays. The data suggests that Medium is the highest quality preset that still allows a 144Hz monitor to be fully utilized at 1080p and 1440p, while High is the best choice for those prioritizing image quality over raw speed.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700K is a 12-core, 20-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. Its benchmark profile shows strong multi-threaded performance, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 19784 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 15790. In a game like Inside, which is a 2D puzzle platformer rather than a physics-heavy 3D title, the CPU is unlikely to be the primary bottleneck. The data supports this, as the frame rates scale almost linearly with GPU load when moving between presets, suggesting the processor has ample headroom.

The i7-12700K’s single-thread performance is also noteworthy, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1850.5 and a Passmark single-thread score of 4013. These numbers indicate that the CPU can handle the game’s logic and rendering calls without breaking a sweat. The 3DMark 2-thread score of 2065 and 4-thread score of 4011 further confirm that even under lightly threaded workloads, the processor excels. Given that Inside is a 2016 title with relatively simple geometry and lighting, the CPU’s 12 cores and 20 threads are likely overkill. The fact that the 1080p Low preset reaches 257 FPS without any apparent CPU limitation, as indicated by the absence of a recorded minimum FPS drop, reinforces the conclusion that the i7-12700K is not a limiting factor in this configuration. The processor’s 25 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory provide additional headroom, though the game’s modest requirements mean that even the CPU’s lower-tier siblings would likely perform similarly.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6600 is the component that determines the upper bounds of performance in this pairing. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU’s boost clock is 2491 MHz, with a game clock of 2044 MHz, and it is built on the RDNA 2.0 architecture using a 7 nm process. The RX 6600’s benchmark scores, such as a Passmark G3D score of 15096 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1492, place it in the 63rd percentile among all GPUs, indicating it is a mid-range performer.

In Inside, the RX 6600’s performance is more than adequate, but the data reveals its limits at higher resolutions and settings. At 1080p, the GPU scales beautifully, with the Ultra preset still delivering 122 FPS. However, at 4K, the Ultra preset drops to 55 FPS, indicating that the GPU’s 8 GB frame buffer and 224.0 GB/s bandwidth are starting to feel constrained. The gap between the Low and Ultra presets at 4K is a substantial 61 FPS (116 vs 55), which suggests that the GPU is the primary scaling factor as settings increase. The RX 6600’s 1792 shading units and 64 ROPs are sufficient for this game’s 2D rendering, but the data shows that the GPU is the component that will dictate whether a user can achieve 60 FPS at 4K with High settings or must drop to Medium. The pixel rate of 159.4 GPixel/s and texture rate of 279.0 GTexel/s are respectable, but the game’s art style and lighting effects still tax the GPU enough to cause a noticeable performance drop at 4K Ultra. This is a clear case where the GPU, not the CPU, is the deciding factor for maximum quality.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-12700K and AMD Radeon RX 6600 combination holds a rank of 2869 out of 3716 tested combos in Inside. This places it in the lower half of the database, which is surprising given the high frame rates measured. The data suggests that this ranking is not a reflection of poor performance, but rather an indication of the vast number of higher-end combinations that have been tested. The combo’s percentile position is likely due to the RX 6600 being a mid-range GPU, even though it pairs well with the i7-12700K.

Comparatively, the CPU alone sits in the 84th percentile among all CPUs, while the GPU sits in the 63rd percentile among all GPUs. This disparity explains the combo’s overall rank: the processor is a top-tier part, but the graphics card pulls the average down. The nearest rivals for the CPU include the Intel Core i5-13600T with a delta of -0.1% and the Intel Core i7-12700KF with a delta of -0.2%, indicating that the i7-12700K is in a tightly packed group of processors. For the GPU, the nearest rivals are the NVIDIA Quadro K6000 with a delta of 0% and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile with a delta of -0.1%, showing that the RX 6600 is also in a competitive segment. The measured FPS data, however, tells a more flattering story: this combo can hit 257 FPS at 1080p Low, which is higher than many combos with better ranks. The rank of 2869 out of 3716 suggests that the database is dominated by high-end GPUs, but for a 60Hz or 144Hz gaming experience, this pairing performs admirably.

FAQ

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

A: The highest average FPS is 257, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low preset.

Q: Can this combo maintain 60 FPS at 4K with the High preset?

A: Yes, the measured data shows an average FPS of 58 at 3840x2160 with High settings, which is just below 60 but still playable. To be strictly above 60 FPS at 4K, the Medium preset delivers 93 FPS.

Q: Which settings provide the best minimum FPS for a smooth experience?

A: The Medium preset is the only one with recorded minimum FPS values. At 1920x1080, the minimum is 175 FPS, and at 2560x1440, the minimum is 126 FPS, indicating a stable frame pacing.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core i7-12700K has an average benchmark score of 35287, which is nearly identical to the Intel Core i5-13600T (35305, -0.1% delta) and the Intel Core i7-12700KF (35365, -0.2% delta).

Q: What is the GPU’s percentile ranking among all tested GPUs?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6600 is in the 63rd percentile, with an average benchmark score of 19036. It is closely matched with the NVIDIA Quadro K6000, which has a 0% delta.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to be the bottleneck at 4K Ultra settings?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. At 4K Ultra, the combo drops to 55 FPS, while the CPU’s high single-thread and multi-thread scores suggest it is not overwhelmed. The GPU’s 8 GB VRAM and bandwidth are the primary constraints.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The dataset provides a comprehensive look at how this combo performs across a matrix of resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 257 FPS, Medium delivers 206 FPS with a minimum of 175 and a maximum of 237, High delivers 129 FPS, and Ultra delivers 122 FPS. This resolution shows the GPU’s full potential, with even the Ultra preset exceeding 120 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 185 FPS, Medium averages 148 FPS with a minimum of 126 and a maximum of 170, High averages 92 FPS, and Ultra averages 88 FPS. The 1440p results show a clear step down from 1080p, with High and Ultra both falling below 100 FPS. At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 116 FPS, Medium averages 93 FPS with a minimum of 79 and a maximum of 107, High averages 58 FPS, and Ultra averages 55 FPS. The 4K data reveals a significant drop, with only Low and Medium maintaining averages above 90 FPS.

The pattern across all resolutions is consistent: Medium is the most versatile preset, offering a balance between visual quality and performance. The High and Ultra presets are close in performance, with Ultra only 5-7 FPS slower than High at each resolution, suggesting that the visual difference between them is not heavily taxing on the GPU. The Low preset is the outlier, providing a massive FPS boost but likely at the cost of noticeable visual fidelity.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is dramatic and reveals the GPU’s limitations. At the Low preset, the average FPS goes from 257 at 1080p to 185 at 1440p (a 28% drop) and then to 116 at 4K (a 55% drop from 1080p). This scaling is typical for a GPU with 8 GB of VRAM and a 128-bit memory bus, as the higher resolutions increase the memory bandwidth pressure. At the Medium preset, the drop is from 206 FPS at 1080p to 148 FPS at 1440p (a 28% drop) and then to 93 FPS at 4K (a 55% drop). The consistency of these percentages indicates that the GPU is scaling predictably with resolution, with no sudden bottlenecks.

For the High and Ultra presets, the scaling is similar but more severe at the top end. High goes from 129 FPS at 1080p to 92 FPS at 1440p (a 29% drop) and then to 58 FPS at 4K (a 55% drop). Ultra goes from 122 FPS at 1080p to 88 FPS at 1440p (a 28% drop) and then to 55 FPS at 4K (a 55% drop). The fact that the percentage drops are nearly identical across all presets suggests that the GPU is the limiting component at every resolution, not the CPU or memory subsystem. The i7-12700K’s performance is consistent regardless of resolution, as evidenced by the CPU’s high benchmark scores and the fact that the FPS drops are proportional to the pixel count increase. This scaling analysis confirms that the RX 6600 is the primary driver of performance in Inside, and users upgrading to a higher-resolution display will see a proportional decrease in frame rates unless they also lower the preset. The data shows that to maintain a 60 FPS experience at 4K, users must use the Medium preset, while 1440p users can afford the High preset, and 1080p users can maximize quality with Ultra.