Inside

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for Inside with the Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 shows a clear progression from high refresh rates at 1080p to progressively lower performance as resolution increases. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo produces an average of 148 FPS, which drops to 106 FPS at 2560x1440 and further to 67 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 28% reduction moving from 1080p to 1440p, and a 55% reduction from 1080p to 4K when considering the High preset.

Examining the Low preset reveals a much steeper scaling curve. The 1080p Low average is 296 FPS, dropping to 213 FPS at 1440p and 134 FPS at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p is 28%, but from 1080p to 4K the reduction reaches 55%, identical to the High preset's relative scaling pattern. This consistency across presets suggests that the FPS scaling is primarily driven by resolution-dependent pixel throughput rather than a shift in the bottleneck between the CPU and GPU.

The Medium preset provides the most complete dataset with min and max FPS values recorded. At 1080p Medium, the average is 237 FPS with a range of 201 to 272 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 170 FPS with a range of 145 to 196 FPS. At 4K Medium, the average falls to 107 FPS with a range of 91 to 123 FPS. The min-to-max spread remains proportionally similar across resolutions, indicating stable frame pacing without severe spikes or drops.

The Ultra preset mirrors the High preset's behavior but at lower absolute values. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 141 FPS, which is only 7 FPS lower than High. At 1440p Ultra, the average is 101 FPS, just 5 FPS below High. At 4K Ultra, the average is 64 FPS, again 3 FPS lower than High. The narrow gaps between High and Ultra across all resolutions suggest that Inside's Ultra preset adds relatively modest GPU load beyond the High preset, likely due to the game's stylized 2D presentation.

The scaling behavior indicates that at 1080p and even 1440p, the RTX 5050 has ample headroom with this CPU, as evidenced by the 296 FPS Low preset result at 1080p. However, at 4K, the GPU becomes the limiting component, with the 4K Ultra average of 64 FPS representing the lowest measured result in the dataset. The data shows that this combination is well-balanced for high refresh rate gaming at 1080p and 1440p, but 4K gaming requires preset compromises to maintain smooth performance.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a 16-core, 24-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It features a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, with a 30 MB shared L3 cache and 2 MB L2 cache per core. The CPU's benchmark results show strong multi-threaded performance, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 30745 and a single-core score of 2116. The PassMark multi-thread score stands at 45887, while the single-thread score is 4333.

In the context of Inside, a Puzzle Platformer released in 2016, the CPU's role is relatively modest compared to more demanding modern titles. The game's 2D side-scrolling presentation means that the rendering workload is far simpler than a 3D open-world title. The measured FPS data shows that even at 1080p Low, the combo achieves 296 FPS, which suggests that the CPU is not presenting a significant bottleneck in most scenarios. The 3DMark single-thread score of 1136 and 2-thread score of 2262 indicate solid single-threaded performance, which is relevant for a game that may rely on limited thread utilization.

The CPU's 16 cores and 24 threads provide substantial headroom for any background processes or streaming workloads that might run alongside the game. The PassMark physics score of 2716 and data compression score of 595292 suggest that the CPU can handle complex calculations without compromising frame delivery. However, the data indicates that Inside does not appear to be CPU-bound at any measured resolution or preset, as the FPS scaling patterns align closely with resolution changes rather than CPU thread utilization patterns.

The percentile ranking of 89 among all CPUs places the i7-13700K in the upper tier of processors. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 with an average score of 46971 (deltaPct -0.2%), the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 at 47022 (deltaPct -0.3%), the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX at 46654 (deltaPct 0.5%), and the Intel Xeon w3-2535 at 46653 (deltaPct 0.5%). These tight delta percentages indicate that the i7-13700K performs within a narrow band of its closest competitors in general benchmark workloads.

For Inside specifically, the CPU's capabilities far exceed the game's requirements. The 3DMark 8-thread score of 8193 and 16-thread score of 10717 demonstrate the processor's ability to handle parallel workloads, but a game of this genre and era likely only needs a fraction of that capacity. The Cinebench R20 single-core score of 2299 and multi-core score of 16292 further confirm that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this configuration.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS achievable with this combo in Inside?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 296 at 1920x1080 with Low settings. The Medium preset at 1080p achieves 237 FPS average, while High reaches 148 FPS and Ultra reaches 141 FPS.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K resolution?

A: At 3840x2160, the combo delivers 134 FPS on Low, 107 FPS on Medium, 67 FPS on High, and 64 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset records a min FPS of 91 and max FPS of 123.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor even at 1080p, as the FPS scales consistently with resolution changes. The CPU's benchmark scores show substantial headroom, with the 296 FPS Low preset result suggesting the game is not CPU-bound.

Q: What is the difference between High and Ultra presets?

A: The average FPS difference between High and Ultra is 7 FPS at 1080p (148 vs 141), 5 FPS at 1440p (106 vs 101), and 3 FPS at 4K (67 vs 64). The Ultra preset imposes a modest additional load on the GPU.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations?

A: The combo ranks 1719 out of 2887 tested combos for Inside, placing it in the lower-middle portion of the database for this specific game.

Q: Does the combo maintain stable frame rates?

A: The Medium preset provides the only min/max data, showing a 71 FPS spread at 1080p (201 to 272), a 51 FPS spread at 1440p (145 to 196), and a 32 FPS spread at 4K (91 to 123). The relative spread narrows at higher resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its strongest performance. The Low preset averages 296 FPS, which is the highest measured value across all resolutions and presets. The Medium preset averages 237 FPS with minimum and maximum values of 201 and 272 FPS respectively. The High preset averages 148 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 141 FPS. These results show that at 1080p, even the most demanding preset maintains an average above 140 FPS, comfortably exceeding standard 60 Hz and 144 Hz display refresh rates.

At 2560x1440, performance scales down proportionally. The Low preset averages 213 FPS, a 28% reduction from the 1080p Low result. The Medium preset averages 170 FPS with a range of 145 to 196 FPS. The High preset averages 106 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 101 FPS. All presets at 1440p remain above the 60 FPS threshold, with even the most demanding preset maintaining a triple-digit average.

At 3840x2160, the combo shows its limits. The Low preset averages 134 FPS, which is still smooth for most users. The Medium preset averages 107 FPS with a range of 91 to 123 FPS, indicating that the minimum FPS stays above 90. The High preset drops to 67 FPS average, while the Ultra preset averages 64 FPS. These latter two presets approach the 60 FPS baseline but remain above it, suggesting that 4K gaming with high settings is feasible but leaves less headroom for frame rate fluctuations.

The data reveals a consistent pattern across all presets: the gap between Low and Medium is substantial, while the gap between High and Ultra is minimal. At 1080p, Low to Medium shows a 59 FPS difference, while High to Ultra shows only a 7 FPS difference. This pattern persists at 1440p (43 FPS difference between Low and Medium, 5 FPS between High and Ultra) and at 4K (27 FPS difference between Low and Medium, 3 FPS between High and Ultra). This suggests that the Ultra preset offers marginal visual improvements over High for a minimal performance cost.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 ranks 1719 out of 2887 tested combinations for Inside. This places the combo in the 59.5th percentile of all tested combinations, meaning roughly 40% of tested combos perform better and 60% perform worse. This ranking is notably lower than the CPU's individual percentile of 89, which suggests that the GPU is the limiting factor in determining overall gaming performance for this title.

The rank of 1719 indicates that many other CPU-GPU combinations deliver higher average FPS in Inside. Given the game's 2016 release and relatively simple rendering requirements, it is likely that higher-end GPUs paired with similar or less capable CPUs achieve better results. The RTX 5050's individual percentile of 66 among all GPUs places it in the upper two-thirds of graphics cards, but Inside's performance demands appear to favor GPUs with higher raw rasterization throughput.

The delta percentages for the CPU's nearest rivals show that the i7-13700K sits within 0.5% of its closest competitors in average benchmark score, indicating that swapping to any of these four CPUs would have a negligible impact on overall system performance. Similarly, the GPU's nearest rivals show deltas ranging from -1.6% to 1.6%, with the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT being the closest competitor at 1.6% higher average score. These tight margins suggest that the combo's ranking is more influenced by the specific demands of Inside than by the raw benchmark scores of its components.

The data indicates that for a Puzzle Platformer like Inside, the combo's ranking is primarily determined by the GPU's ability to maintain high frame rates at the tested resolutions. The CPU's substantial headroom does not translate into a higher ranking because the game does not appear to be CPU-limited. Instead, the RTX 5050's mid-range positioning among GPUs likely explains the combo's placement in the lower-middle range of the ranking distribution.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the Medium preset offers the most balanced experience across all tested resolutions. At 1080p, Medium provides 237 FPS average with a minimum of 201 FPS, which is well above any display refresh rate and leaves significant headroom for frame time consistency. At 1440p, Medium maintains 170 FPS average with a minimum of 145 FPS, still comfortably above 144 Hz displays. At 4K, Medium delivers 107 FPS average with a minimum of 91 FPS, which is smooth for most gaming scenarios and only 40 FPS below the Low preset's 4K average.

The High preset serves as a suitable alternative for users who prioritize visual quality over maximum frame rates. At 1080p, High achieves 148 FPS average, which remains above 144 Hz thresholds. At 1440p, High drops to 106 FPS average, which is still smooth but may not fully utilize 120 Hz or 144 Hz displays. At 4K, High averages 67 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS baseline and may experience occasional dips below that threshold during demanding scenes.

The Ultra preset offers minimal performance benefits over High while providing the highest visual quality. The 3 to 7 FPS difference between High and Ultra across resolutions suggests that the Ultra preset is not significantly more demanding, making it a viable choice for users with displays that can take advantage of the additional visual fidelity. At 4K, Ultra averages 64 FPS, which is only 3 FPS below High and remains playable.

The Low preset is recommended only for users seeking the absolute highest frame rates, particularly at 1080p where it achieves 296 FPS average. At 1440p, Low delivers 213 FPS, and at 4K, it provides 134 FPS. Given that the Medium preset offers substantially better visual quality for a relatively modest FPS reduction (59 FPS at 1080p, 43 FPS at 1440p, 27 FPS at 4K), most users should prefer Medium over Low.

The data supports Medium as the optimal preset for this combo, as it maintains high average FPS at all resolutions while providing the only complete min/max dataset, indicating stable frame delivery. The Ultra preset is a reasonable choice for users who want maximum quality without sacrificing playability, particularly at 1080p and 1440p where the average FPS remains high.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture using TSMC's 5 nm process, with a die size of 149 mm² and 16,900 million transistors. It features 2560 shading units, 80 texture mapping units, and 32 raster output units. The GPU operates at a base clock of 2317 MHz and a boost clock of 2572 MHz, with memory running at 2500 MHz (20 Gbps effective). The 8 GB GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus provides 320.0 GB/s of bandwidth.

In Inside, the GPU's role is to render the game's 2D side-scrolling environments with their distinctive monochromatic art style and atmospheric lighting effects. The GPU's pixel rate of 82.30 GPixel/s and texture rate of 205.8 GTexel/s are more than sufficient for this game's rendering requirements, as evidenced by the high FPS values across all presets. The FP32 performance of 13.17 TFLOPS provides ample compute capacity for the game's shader workloads.

The GPU's PassMark G3D score of 17326 and DirectX 12 score of 66 indicate solid general-purpose graphics performance. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2502 places the GPU in a competitive position among modern mid-range graphics cards. The Geekbench OpenCL score of 90334 and Vulkan score of 89381 demonstrate strong compute and API compatibility, which is relevant for ensuring consistent performance across different rendering paths.

The GPU's 66th percentile ranking among all GPUs places it in the upper two-thirds of the graphics card market. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL at 21153 average score (deltaPct -0.6%), the AMD Radeon HD 8970M at 21237 (deltaPct -1%), the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT at 20713 (deltaPct 1.6%), and the NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile at 21379 (deltaPct -1.6%). These close margins suggest that the RTX 5050 performs within a narrow band of its direct competitors.

For Inside, the GPU's 8 GB VRAM capacity is more than sufficient, as the game's art style and resolution requirements do not demand large texture memory footprints. The 320.0 GB/s memory bandwidth ensures that the GPU can feed its shading units efficiently at all tested resolutions. The data shows that the GPU becomes the limiting factor at 4K Ultra, where the average FPS drops to 64, indicating that the GPU's rendering capabilities are fully utilized at that resolution and preset combination.