Inside

The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER delivers a highly playable experience in Inside, a puzzle platformer from 2016. The data shows this combination ranks 3166 out of 3716 tested combos, placing it in the lower-middle portion of the database. This rank reflects a pairing where a very strong processor is matched with a mid-range graphics card, creating a significant performance bottleneck that becomes evident at higher resolutions and settings. The measured frames per second (FPS) data provides a clear picture of how this system behaves, offering specific guidance on how to optimize the experience.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i7-13700K and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER achieves a rank of 3166 out of 3716 tested combos in Inside. This places the system in the 85th percentile of all tested combinations, meaning it outperforms a majority of setups but is far from the top tier. The ranking is heavily influenced by the GPU; while the processor is exceptionally capable, the graphics card limits the overall frame output. The data indicates that this is a pairing where the CPU's potential is largely untapped in this specific game, as the GPU becomes the limiting factor. The measured FPS numbers show that despite the lower overall rank, the system is more than capable of delivering smooth gameplay, especially at 1080p and 1440p resolutions. The rank should be interpreted as a measure of the system's overall ceiling, not its day-to-day playability, which the FPS breakdown shows is generally solid.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is built on the 12 nm Turing architecture, featuring 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, which provides a memory bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s. Its core clocks are set at a base of 1530 MHz and a boost of 1785 MHz. The card's pixel rate is 85.68 GPixel/s, and its texture rate is 157.1 GTexel/s, with a FP32 performance of 5.027 TFLOPS. These specifications position the GTX 1660 SUPER as a capable 1080p card, with the 6 GB VRAM being a potential constraint at higher resolutions in more demanding titles. In Inside, however, the data shows that the GPU is able to handle the load across all tested resolutions. The VRAM capacity does not appear to be a limiting factor, as the game's visual style is relatively simple. The boost clock of 1785 MHz is the key driver of performance, as it determines the sustained speed during gameplay. The GPU's performance percentile of 53 places it directly in the middle of all tested graphics cards, and its average benchmark score of 12986 is closely matched by rivals like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile, which scores 12940 with a delta of 0.4%, and the AMD Radeon RX 580, which scores 12928 with a delta of 0.4%.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combination depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. The data shows a clear trade-off between visual fidelity and performance. At 1080p, the Medium preset is the most balanced, delivering an average of 173 FPS with a minimum of 147 FPS. This ensures a very smooth experience with a noticeable visual upgrade over Low. The High preset at 1080p also performs well, with an average of 108 FPS, but the jump to Ultra reduces the average to 103 FPS, which is still playable but offers diminishing returns. For a consistently high refresh rate experience, the Low preset at 1080p provides an average of 216 FPS. At 1440p, the Medium preset is again the sweet spot, with an average of 125 FPS and a minimum of 106 FPS. The High preset at 1440p drops to an average of 78 FPS, which is still acceptable for many players. At 4K, the Medium preset yields an average of 78 FPS with a minimum of 66 FPS, making it the only 4K setting that keeps the frame rate comfortably above 60 FPS. The High preset at 4K dips to an average of 49 FPS, while Ultra drops further to 47 FPS, indicating that these higher presets are best avoided at this resolution.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data shows a consistent pattern across all resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system is clearly CPU-bound, even with the GTX 1660 SUPER. The Low preset achieves an average of 216 FPS. Moving to Medium reduces the average to 173 FPS, with a minimum of 147 FPS and a maximum of 199 FPS. The High preset delivers an average of 108 FPS, and the Ultra preset brings the average down to 103 FPS. This shows that the GPU can handle the higher presets, but the frame rate ceiling is significantly lower than at Low settings. At 2560x1440, the Low preset still delivers a very high average of 156 FPS. The Medium preset has an average of 125 FPS, with a minimum of 106 FPS and a maximum of 143 FPS. The High preset at 1440p averages 78 FPS, and Ultra averages 74 FPS. This demonstrates that the GPU is starting to become a more significant factor, but the frame rates remain high. Finally, at 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 98 FPS, which is impressive for a 4K resolution. The Medium preset averages 78 FPS, with a minimum of 66 FPS and a maximum of 90 FPS. The High preset drops to an average of 49 FPS, and the Ultra preset has an average of 47 FPS. This pattern indicates that the GTX 1660 SUPER is capable of 4K gaming in Inside, provided the settings are kept to Medium or below.

Resolution Scaling

The data shows a clear and expected trend of decreasing frame rates as resolution increases. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 216 at 1080p, to 156 at 1440p, and then to 98 at 4K. This represents a 55% drop in performance from 1080p to 4K. At Medium settings, the average FPS goes from 173 at 1080p, to 125 at 1440p, and then to 78 at 4K, which is a 55% drop as well. For High settings, the average FPS goes from 108 at 1080p, to 78 at 1440p, and then to 49 at 4K, a 55% drop. This consistent scaling pattern strongly indicates that the GTX 1660 SUPER is the limiting component. The performance drop is directly proportional to the increase in pixel count, which is the classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario. The Intel Core i7-13700K is not the bottleneck, as its performance does not degrade with resolution. This means that at 1080p, the CPU is fast enough to feed the GPU, but at higher resolutions, the GPU's rendering throughput is the primary constraint. The data suggests that for a smoother 4K experience, the GPU would need to be upgraded, while the CPU would not require any change.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a 16-core, 24-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. It features 30 MB of shared L3 cache and supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. In Inside, the CPU's role is to provide a high frame rate ceiling, which it does exceptionally well. The 3DMark benchmarks show a strong single-thread score of 1136 and a max-thread score of 12412, indicating excellent performance across all thread counts. In this game, the CPU is rarely the limiting factor, as evidenced by the FPS scaling patterns. The processor's high boost clock of 5.40 GHz is particularly beneficial for games that rely on single-thread performance, which is common in puzzle platformers. The data shows that the CPU is capable of delivering frame rates well above what the GPU can produce, especially at 1080p where the average FPS at Low settings is 216. The i7-13700K's benchmark scores place it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, and its average benchmark score of 46881 is closely matched by the AMD Ryzen 9 5900, which scores 46971 with a delta of -0.2%. This confirms that the CPU is a top-tier performer, and its role in this combo is to ensure that the GPU is the only factor preventing even higher frame rates.

FAQ

*Q: What is the overall performance rank of this CPU and GPU combination in Inside?*

A: The combination ranks 3166 out of 3716 tested combos, placing it in the 85th percentile of all tested systems.

Q: Which settings preset provides the best balance of visual quality and frame rate at 1440p?

A: The Medium preset at 2560x1440 delivers an average of 125 FPS with a minimum of 106 FPS, making it the best choice for a smooth experience with improved visuals over Low.

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

A: At High settings, the average FPS drops from 108 at 1080p to 78 at 1440p and then to 49 at 4K, representing a 55% decrease in performance from 1080p to 4K.

*Q: Is the 6 GB of VRAM on the GTX 1660 SUPER a limiting factor in Inside?*

A: The data shows that the VRAM is not a limiting factor, as the game runs at all tested resolutions and settings, including 4K Medium with an average of 78 FPS.

Q: Based on the data, which component is the primary bottleneck in this system?

A: The GPU is the primary bottleneck, as the consistent 55% performance drop from 1080p to 4K across all settings indicates that the graphics card's rendering speed is the limiting factor.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i7-13700K has an average benchmark score of 46881, which is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 9 5900's score of 46971, with a negligible delta of -0.2%.