Inside

The Intel Core i7-12700KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 delivers exceptional performance in Inside, a 2016 Puzzle Platformer. The measured frame rates at 4K Ultra settings reach 136.7 FPS, indicating the combination is far beyond the requirements of this title. The data shows a system that is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions, while the CPU’s robust multi-threaded and single-threaded capabilities ensure no bottleneck at lower settings.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate data for Inside reveals a classic scaling pattern tied to the resolution and graphical settings. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 364.5 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops this to 326.8 FPS, and at 4K Low, it falls to 280.1 FPS. This progression shows that while the absolute frame rates are exceptionally high, the performance penalty from 1080p to 4K at Low settings is relatively modest, suggesting the CPU is still the primary limiter at these lower graphical loads.

The scaling behavior changes significantly when the settings are increased. At High settings, the performance drops from 278.3 FPS at 1080p to 224.3 FPS at 1440p, and then to 139 FPS at 4K. The transition from 1440p to 4K at High settings incurs a substantial 85.3 FPS loss, which is a clear indicator that the GPU’s rendering load is becoming the dominant factor. The trend is even more pronounced at Ultra settings, where the frame rate goes from 275.2 FPS at 1080p to 210.9 FPS at 1440p, and then down to 136.7 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is a 50.3% reduction from the 1080p Ultra figure, highlighting a strong GPU dependency at the highest fidelity.

This data indicates that the limiting component shifts based on resolution. At 1080p and 1440p, especially with Low or Medium settings, the frame rates are so high that the CPU is likely the constraining factor, as the GPU has ample headroom. The scaling from 1080p High to 4K High shows a 50% reduction in performance, which is typical for a GPU-bound scenario. The difference between 1080p Ultra and 4K Ultra is even larger, confirming that the RTX 5080’s workload at 4K is the primary determinant of the final frame rate. The system is capable of pushing well past 200 FPS at 1440p in most settings, but the 4K results, while still excellent, show a more balanced load between the two components.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700KF’s architecture plays a significant role in achieving the high frame rates seen at lower resolutions. With 12 cores and 20 threads, the processor provides ample parallelism for the game’s physics and logic threads. The base clock of 3.60 GHz and boost clock of 5.00 GHz are critical for the high minimum frame rates and the ability to maintain high averages even when the GPU is waiting for data. Benchmark results for the CPU show a strong single-thread performance, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4091, which is essential for games that have a primary logic thread.

The CPU’s performance percentile stands at 89, placing it in the top tier of all tested processors. Its average benchmark score of 35355 is nearly identical to its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i5-14400, which has a deltaPct of 0.1% and an average score of 35336. This indicates that the i7-12700KF’s processing power is comparable to newer mid-range parts, ensuring it does not become a bottleneck. The multi-threaded capabilities are also robust, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 28979, which helps in scenarios where the game engine can utilize more than a few cores.

The data suggests that the CPU’s role is most evident at 1080p and 1440p with lower settings. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 364.5 FPS, a figure that is likely limited by the CPU’s ability to issue draw calls and process game logic rather than the GPU’s rendering speed. The fact that the frame rate only increases by about 30% from 1440p to 1080p at Low settings, while the resolution decreases by 44%, further points to a CPU limit at these extremes. The processor’s 25 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory help to keep latency low, which is beneficial for the frame pacing in a puzzle platformer that requires precise input response.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 is the dominant component when the resolution and settings are pushed to their maximum. With 16 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus, the GPU has a memory bandwidth of 960.0 GB/s, which is more than sufficient for the textures and effects in Inside at 4K. The GPU’s boost clock of 2617 MHz and its 10752 shading units provide the raw compute power needed to maintain high frame rates. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the system still achieves 136.7 FPS, which reflects the GPU’s ability to handle the rendering load.

The GPU’s performance percentile is 89, and its average benchmark score is 59188. This places it significantly ahead of its nearest rivals in the database, such as the Intel Arc A570M, which has a deltaPct of 1.6% and an average score of 58239. The RTX 5080’s closest competitor, the Intel Arc Pro A60, has a deltaPct of -1.9%, meaning the RTX 5080 is about 2% faster on average. This margin is more pronounced in the gaming results, where the RTX 5080’s dedicated ray tracing cores and tensor cores, while not heavily utilized in this title, contribute to its overall efficiency.

The GPU’s role becomes clear when comparing the 4K High and 4K Medium results. The drop from 223.1 FPS at Medium to 139 FPS at High is a 37.7% reduction, which is primarily due to the increased shading and texture work required by the GPU. The difference between High and Ultra at 4K is smaller (139 FPS vs 136.7 FPS), suggesting that the Ultra preset adds effects that are less demanding than the jump from Medium to High. The RTX 5080’s 56.28 TFLOPS of FP32 performance ensures that even at 4K Ultra, the system does not fall below the 100 FPS threshold, making it a very capable card for this game.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i7-12700KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 holds a rank of 68 out of 1671 total combos for Inside. This places it in the top 4% of all tested systems, indicating that it is a very high-performance configuration for this title. The rank is determined by the measured frame rates across all resolutions and settings, with the system’s 4K Ultra score of 136.7 FPS being a strong contributor to its standing.

The rank of 68 is notable because it puts this combo ahead of many systems with newer or more expensive components. The CPU’s performance percentile of 89 and the GPU’s percentile of 89 are both high, but the combination results in a rank that is better than what either component would achieve on its own, due to the balanced nature of the pairing. The data shows that there are 1603 other combos that rank lower, which means the i7-12700KF and RTX 5080 are well matched for this game’s requirements.

The ranking also reflects the system’s consistency. While some combos may have higher peak frame rates at 1080p, they might suffer more at 4K. This combo maintains a high level of performance across all tested resolutions, from 364.5 FPS at 1080p Low to 136.7 FPS at 4K Ultra. The deltaPct values for the CPU’s rivals show that the i7-12700KF is not the top-performing processor, but it is close enough that it does not drag down the overall combo rank. The GPU’s performance is more decisive, and its strong showing at 4K is the primary reason this combo ranks so highly.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest average frame rate this combo achieves in Inside?*

A: The highest measured average frame rate is 364.5 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K at High settings?

A: At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 278.3 FPS at 1080p to 139 FPS at 4K, a reduction of 139.3 FPS (50%).

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 4K Ultra settings?

A: At 4K Ultra, the system achieves 136.7 FPS. Given the significant drop from the 1440p Ultra score of 210.9 FPS, the GPU is the primary limiting factor at this resolution.

Q: How does the Intel Core i7-12700KF compare to its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-14400?

A: The i7-12700KF has an average benchmark score of 35355, while the i5-14400 scores 35336, resulting in a deltaPct of 0.1%. They are effectively tied in performance.

*Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested systems for Inside?*

A: The combo is ranked 68 out of 1671 tested combinations, placing it in the top 4.1% of all systems.

Q: What is the difference in performance between 4K Medium and 4K High settings?

A: The average frame rate at 4K Medium is 223.1 FPS, while at 4K High it is 139 FPS, showing a 84.1 FPS (37.7%) drop when moving to High settings.