Inside

Inside is a 2D puzzle-platformer from 2016, but the benchmark data for this Intel Core i7-12700K and AMD Radeon RX 7700 combination reveals a performance profile that is far from simple. The measured frames per second (FPS) across resolutions and settings tell a story of a system that is massively overqualified for the task, yet the scaling patterns expose interesting bottlenecks and limitations that are not immediately obvious from the game's modest visual fidelity. This analysis dissects the raw numbers to understand where the limits of this specific hardware pairing lie when running this title.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The data shows a dramatic and consistent drop in average FPS as resolution increases, which is expected, but the magnitude of the drop reveals crucial information about the system's balance. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 353 FPS at 1920x1080 to 254 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 99 FPS (approximately 28%). Moving to 3840x2160, the average drops further to 160 FPS, which is a 193 FPS (approximately 55%) decline from the 1080p baseline. This steep curve indicates that even at Low settings, the GPU is being pushed harder as pixel count increases, but the absolute numbers are so high that the graphics card is clearly not the primary constraint at the lower resolutions.

The scaling pattern shifts when looking at the High preset. The average FPS at 1080p is 177, which drops to 127 at 1440p (a 50 FPS or 28% reduction) and then to 80 at 4K (a 97 FPS or 55% reduction from 1080p). The percentage drops are nearly identical to the Low preset, which is a curious result. It suggests that the relative workload increase from resolution scaling is consistent, regardless of the graphics settings. This is a strong indicator that the game's rendering pipeline is primarily fill-rate limited, and the RX 7700's memory bandwidth and pixel throughput are the deciding factors at higher resolutions, rather than the complexity of the shaders or textures.

The most telling data point is the difference between the Low and High presets at the same resolution. At 1080p, the difference between Low and High is 176 FPS (353 vs 177). At 4K, that difference shrinks to 80 FPS (160 vs 80). The fact that the delta between presets halves as resolution doubles suggests that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU at 1080p, but the GPU's rendering speed at 4K becomes the dominant factor, flattening the impact of the settings themselves. The system is moving from a CPU-bound scenario at low resolution to a heavily GPU-bound scenario at 4K. The data implies that for a game like Inside, which is not visually complex, the RX 7700 is the limiting component at 4K, while the i7-12700K's strong single-thread performance keeps frame rates exceptionally high at 1080p.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is equipped with 16 GB of GDDR6 memory and a 256-bit memory bus, yielding a bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s. For a game like Inside, which is a side-scrolling puzzle platformer with a limited color palette and simple geometry, this amount of VRAM is extraordinarily excessive. The benchmark results confirm this, as there is likely no scenario in this game where the 16 GB frame buffer would be a limiting factor. The memory bandwidth, however, is a more relevant specification. The consistent percentage drop in FPS from 1080p to 4K across all presets strongly suggests that the GPU's ability to push pixels is tied to this bandwidth, but the absolute frame rates are so high that it is hard to call this a bottleneck in a practical sense.

The core clocks of the RX 7700 are listed with a base clock of 1900 MHz, a game clock of 2041 MHz, and a boost clock of 2459 MHz. The game clock is the expected frequency during typical gaming loads, and the high boost clock represents the maximum potential under ideal conditions. Given that Inside is a lightweight title, the GPU may not be running at its maximum boost clock constantly, as the thermal and power headroom are not stressed. The measured FPS suggests the card is operating efficiently, but the data does not allow us to determine the exact clock speed during the benchmark. The GPU's performance percentile is 58, which places it in the mid-range of all GPUs, but its nearest rival is the AMD Radeon R9 370X, which is a much older card. This suggests that while the RX 7700 is a modern mid-range part, its raw compute power is not the primary driver of success in this particular game.

The architecture is RDNA 3.0 on a 5 nm process, which is efficient, but the game's performance is likely more dependent on the fill rate and memory bandwidth. The pixel rate is listed as 236.1 GPixel/s, which is a theoretical maximum. The 4K results, where the average FPS drops to 76 on Ultra and 80 on High, indicate that the card is being utilized more thoroughly. The data shows that the GPU is not a limiting factor at 1080p or 1440p, where the CPU is likely the ceiling, but it becomes the primary performance limiter at 4K, especially on the higher presets.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The system's overall rank for this game is 1161 out of 2887 tested combos. This puts it in the 60th percentile of all CPU and GPU combinations in the database for Inside. Considering the hardware involved, this rank is surprisingly low. The i7-12700K is a high-end desktop processor with a percentile rank of 84 against all CPUs, and the RX 7700 is a modern mid-range GPU. The fact that this combination does not crack the top 40% of combos for this game suggests that the performance is not dependent on the absolute power of the components, but rather on other factors like driver optimization or specific game engine quirks.

The rank implies that many other combinations, likely with less powerful CPUs but perhaps with different GPU architectures, achieve higher frame rates. This could be because the game is highly sensitive to single-core CPU performance, and while the i7-12700K is strong in this area, other CPUs might have a slight edge in the specific workloads Inside uses. Alternatively, it could indicate that the AMD GPU is not perfectly optimized for this specific game engine, leaving performance on the table. The nearest rival data for the CPU shows it is essentially tied with the Intel Core i5-13600T, Intel Core i7-12700KF, and Intel Core i7-13700T, all within a 0.4% delta. This suggests that the CPU is not the differentiator in ranking; the GPU is. The GPU's nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, has a delta of -1.7%, which is a small but notable difference in synthetic benchmarks, but in-game results could vary.

The data shows that the combo rank is a holistic measure. A rank of 1161 suggests that while this system is capable of producing very high frame rates, it is not at the absolute top tier for this game. There are likely 1160 other configurations that perform better, which could include systems with lower-end CPUs but high-end GPUs, or perhaps systems with specific NVIDIA cards that handle this game's rendering more effectively. The takeaway is that this combo is solidly mid-pack for Inside, despite the strong individual component bench scores.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this system depend heavily on the target resolution and refresh rate. At 1920x1080, all presets are playable, but the data suggests that the High preset at 177 FPS is the sweet spot for a high-refresh-rate monitor. The Ultra preset only drops to 168 FPS, a negligible difference of 9 FPS, while offering the highest visual fidelity. The Low preset at 353 FPS is excessive unless the user has a 360 Hz monitor, which is a rare scenario. For most users, High or Ultra at 1080p is the best choice because the frame rate is already far beyond the refresh rate of typical monitors, and the visual improvements are worth the slight FPS cost.

At 2560x1440, the High preset delivers 127 FPS, which is perfect for a 120 Hz or 144 Hz monitor. The Ultra preset drops to 121 FPS, which is still very playable, and for a game like Inside, the visual difference between High and Ultra may be barely perceptible. The Medium preset at 203 FPS is overkill for most displays. The data indicates that High is the recommended preset for 1440p, as it balances visual quality with a frame rate that matches high-refresh displays without entering diminishing returns. The 4K results are where the settings matter most. At 3840x2160, the High preset averages 80 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for a 120 Hz or 144 Hz display. The Ultra preset drops to 76 FPS, which is still smooth for a 60 Hz display. The Medium preset at 128 FPS is the best choice for 4K if the user has a high-refresh display, as it provides a significant boost over High without a massive visual sacrifice, given the game's art style.

The data clearly shows that the Medium preset offers the best balance between visual quality and performance at 4K, while High is the best choice for 1440p and 1080p. The Low preset is only recommended for competitive play or for users with extremely high refresh rate monitors, as the visual downgrade is significant for a game that relies on atmosphere. The Ultra preset is only recommended for 1080p, where the performance hit is minimal.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The complete dataset offers a clear picture of the system's capability. At 1920x1080, the average frame rates are as follows: Low settings yield 353 FPS, Medium settings yield 282 FPS (with a minimum of 240 FPS and a maximum of 325 FPS), High settings yield 177 FPS, and Ultra settings yield 168 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra is 185 FPS, indicating a massive performance headroom. At 2560x1440, the averages are: Low at 254 FPS, Medium at 203 FPS (with a minimum of 173 FPS and a maximum of 234 FPS), High at 127 FPS, and Ultra at 121 FPS. The spread here narrows to 133 FPS, showing the GPU starting to feel the load. At 3840x2160, the averages are: Low at 160 FPS, Medium at 128 FPS (with a minimum of 108 FPS and a maximum of 147 FPS), High at 80 FPS, and Ultra at 76 FPS. The spread is now only 84 FPS, demonstrating that the GPU is the dominant factor at this resolution.

The Medium preset is the only one with recorded minimum and maximum FPS values across all resolutions. This is notable because it provides a glimpse into frame time consistency. At 1080p, the Medium preset has a 240 FPS minimum and 325 FPS maximum, a range of 85 FPS. At 1440p, the range is 61 FPS (173 to 234), and at 4K, the range is 39 FPS (108 to 147). The narrowing range as resolution increases suggests that the frame pacing becomes more consistent when the GPU is more heavily loaded, likely because the CPU has more time to prepare frames. The data shows that the system is capable of maintaining high frame rates, but the consistency varies with the workload.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-12700K a bottleneck for the AMD Radeon RX 7700 in Inside?

A: The data suggests that the CPU is the limiting factor at lower resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 353 FPS, but this number does not scale linearly with GPU power, indicating the CPU is maxed out. At 4K, the GPU becomes the bottleneck, as the FPS drops significantly regardless of the CPU's capability.

Q: What is the best resolution to play Inside with this combo for a 144Hz monitor?

A: At 2560x1440, the High preset averages 127 FPS, which is suitable for a 144Hz display. The Ultra preset at 121 FPS is also viable. At 4K, the Medium preset at 128 FPS is the only one that exceeds 120 FPS, making it the best choice for a 144Hz 4K monitor.

Q: How does the RX 7700's 16 GB of VRAM impact performance in this game?

A: The 16 GB of GDDR6 memory has no measurable impact on the results for Inside. The game's simple visuals do not require a large frame buffer, so the VRAM capacity is not a performance factor. The memory bandwidth is more relevant, but the frame rates are high across all settings.

Q: Should I use the Ultra preset or the High preset?

A: At 1080p and 1440p, the difference between High and Ultra is minimal (9 FPS at 1080p and 6 FPS at 1440p), so Ultra is recommended for maximum visual quality. At 4K, the difference is only 4 FPS (80 vs 76), but both are below 100 FPS, so High is preferable for a slightly smoother experience.

Q: Why is the combo rank only 1161 out of 2887 if the CPU and GPU are strong?

A: The rank reflects total system performance in this specific game. The CPU's nearest rivals are all within a 0.4% delta, and the GPU's rival, the RTX 3060 Ti, is 1.7% behind. This indicates that the combination is balanced, but other combos likely have higher frame rates due to better optimization for this game's engine or different hardware pairings.

Q: Is the Low preset ever useful for this system?

A: Yes, the Low preset at 1080p produces 353 FPS, which is only useful for a monitor with a refresh rate of 360 Hz or higher. For most users, the visual quality loss is not worth the frame rate increase, as the High preset at 177 FPS is already more than sufficient for high-refresh gaming.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

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. For a game like Inside, the high boost clock is far more important than the core count. The benchmark data supports this, as the game likely uses only a few threads. The CPU's single-thread performance, as evidenced by a 3dmark single-thread score of 1043 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1850.5, is exceptional. This explains why the frame rates at 1080p are so high; the game is likely bottlenecked by the CPU's single-core speed, and the i7-12700K's 5.00 GHz boost clock is a significant advantage.

The multi-core performance is also robust, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 19784, but this is not a factor in this game's frame rates. The 12 cores and 20 threads are overkill for a puzzle platformer. The game's release date in 2016 means it was designed for hardware that is now several generations old, and it likely cannot utilize the parallel processing capabilities of this modern CPU. This is why the combo rank is not higher; the CPU's extra cores are simply idle. The CPU's cache structure, including a 25 MB shared L3 cache, is beneficial for gaming, but the data does not show a direct correlation with the FPS results.

The CPU's performance percentile is 84, but this rank is against all CPUs for all tasks. In the context of Inside, the CPU is performing its role effectively, but the game's limitations prevent it from leveraging the full power of the i7-12700K. The measured FPS data shows that the system is not CPU-bound at 4K, but it is likely CPU-bound at 1080p and 1440p, as the GPU has the headroom to render more frames, but the CPU cannot issue draw calls fast enough. The i7-12700K is a capable gaming CPU, but for a 2016 title like Inside, its vast multi-threading capabilities are largely irrelevant, and its single-thread speed is the primary contributor to the high frame rates.