Inside

The Intel Core Ultra 5 125H pairs with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 to deliver exceptionally high frame rates in Inside, a 2016 Puzzle Platformer. Measured data shows this combination is capable of exceeding 200 FPS at 1080p and maintaining playable performance even at 4K Ultra settings. The analysis below examines the role of each component, the measured performance across resolutions and settings, and how this pairing ranks against other tested configurations.

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

The Intel Core Ultra 5 125H is a 14-core, 18-thread mobile processor based on the Meteor Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz, with a 28 W TDP. The processor features a 7 nm process node and an 18 MB shared L3 cache, alongside an L1 cache of 112 KB per core and an L2 cache of 2 MB per core. Memory support is DDR5 with a dual-channel bus and a bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s.

In synthetic benchmarks, the Ultra 5 125H scores 12,804.5 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 1,647.5 in single-core. Its Passmark multi-thread score is 21,100, and the single-thread score is 3,399. The processor’s average benchmark score is 27,507, placing it in the 79th percentile of all CPUs. The data indicates a close grouping with its nearest rivals: it is 0.1% behind the AMD Ryzen 7 5800 (average score 27,535), 0.3% behind the Intel Core i5-12600K and AMD Ryzen 7 5700X (both 27,578), and 0.5% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G (27,382). These deltas are minimal, meaning the CPU’s computational headroom is statistically similar to its direct competitors.

For Inside, the CPU’s role is primarily to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic updates. The title is a puzzle platformer with a restrained art style, so the rendering workload is not heavily CPU-bound. The Ultra 5 125H’s 18 threads provide ample parallelism for background tasks, but the game’s performance is more likely to be dictated by the GPU’s ability to push pixels. At lower resolutions like 1080p, where the GPU has less work per frame, the CPU’s single-thread performance (1,647.5 in R23 single-core) becomes more relevant. The measured FPS at 1080p Low reaches 297 FPS, which is a level that would put pressure on the CPU to maintain frame pacing. The 4.50 GHz boost clock helps here, but the data suggests that even at these high frame rates, the CPU keeps pace without creating a bottleneck that would cap performance below the GPU’s capability. The 0.1% to 0.3% deficit against its nearest rivals in aggregate benchmarks would translate to a negligible difference in a game like Inside.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is an Ada Lovelace architecture GPU with a 5 nm process node. It has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s. The core clocks are 1830 MHz base and 2460 MHz boost. The GPU contains 3,072 shading units, 96 texture mapping units, and 48 raster output pipelines. It also has 24 ray tracing cores and 96 tensor cores. The FP32 performance is rated at 15.11 TFLOPS.

In GPU benchmarks, the RTX 4060 scores 19,545 in Passmark G3D and 9,213 in GPU compute. Its average benchmark score is 17,639, placing it in the 61st percentile of all GPUs. The nearest rivals show a tight cluster: the AMD Radeon HD 7790 is 0.2% ahead (17,666), the AMD Radeon 780M is 0.3% behind (17,588), and the AMD Radeon Pro 560 and Pro 460 are 0.5% and 0.7% behind (17,551 and 17,509, respectively). This indicates that the RTX 4060’s raw compute performance is comparable to these older or integrated parts, but the measured FPS in Inside tells a different story.

For Inside, the GPU is the primary driver of frame rate, especially at higher resolutions and settings. The game’s monochromatic, side-scrolling visuals are not demanding by modern standards, but the RTX 4060’s 8 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for the texture and geometry data. The measured FPS data shows a clear scaling pattern: at 4K Ultra, the average is 64 FPS, while at 1080p Ultra it rises to 141 FPS. The GPU’s boost clock of 2460 MHz allows it to maintain high utilization across all settings. The 272.0 GB/s bandwidth is adequate for the game’s data streaming requirements, as evidenced by the smooth performance at 1440p Medium, which holds an average of 171 FPS with a minimum of 145 FPS. The RTX 4060’s performance here is notably better than its synthetic benchmark rivals would suggest, likely due to the game’s simplicity and the GPU’s architectural efficiency. The data shows that the RTX 4060 is the component that scales with resolution changes, making it the limiting factor at 4K Ultra where FPS drops to 64.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS for this combo at 1080p Ultra settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings is 141 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 5800?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 125H has an average benchmark score of 27,507, which is 0.1% lower than the AMD Ryzen 7 5800’s score of 27,535.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded at 1440p Medium settings?

A: The minimum FPS at 2560x1440 with Medium settings is 145 FPS, with a maximum of 196 FPS.

Q: Is the GPU’s performance closer to the AMD Radeon HD 7790 or the AMD Radeon 780M?

A: The RTX 4060’s average benchmark score is 17,639. The AMD Radeon HD 7790 scores 17,666, which is 0.2% higher, while the AMD Radeon 780M scores 17,588, which is 0.3% lower. The GPU is slightly closer in delta to the Radeon 780M in terms of percentage gap.

Q: At what resolution and settings does the combo achieve its highest measured average FPS?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 297, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: What is the boost clock of the CPU and the base clock of the GPU?

A: The CPU’s boost clock is 4.50 GHz, and the GPU’s base clock is 1830 MHz.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 ranks 1709 out of 2887 tested combos in Inside. This placement in the 59th percentile of all combos indicates that while the hardware is capable, there are many configurations that achieve higher performance in this specific title. The ranking is influenced by the fact that Inside is a lightweight game, meaning that even mid-range hardware can hit high frame rates, and combos with more powerful GPUs or CPUs will naturally rank higher.

The data shows that this combo’s performance is not limited by a single component in most scenarios. At 1080p Low, the CPU’s single-thread capabilities come into play, but the FPS of 297 is near the top of what most displays can show. At 4K Ultra, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, with an average of 64 FPS. The rank of 1709 suggests that the RTX 4060’s 61st percentile GPU score and the CPU’s 79th percentile score combine to produce a system that is above average but not elite. For a game from 2016, this rank is perfectly acceptable, as the title’s performance requirements are modest. The proximity of the GPU’s nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks does not translate to similar FPS in this game, meaning the rank is more dependent on the actual measured FPS than on aggregate scores. The combo’s position indicates that it will handle the game smoothly at all settings, with only 4K Ultra dipping below the 60 FPS threshold.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal balance of visual quality and performance depends on the target resolution. At 1920x1080, all settings are playable. The Ultra preset delivers an average of 141 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS standard. The Medium preset offers a higher average of 237 FPS with a minimum of 202 FPS, which is beneficial for high-refresh-rate displays. The Low preset reaches 297 FPS, but the visual fidelity is reduced. The data suggests that for most users, the High preset at 148 FPS provides a solid compromise, though the Ultra preset’s 141 FPS is close enough that the graphical enhancements are worth the small FPS cost.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset drops to an average of 102 FPS, which is still smooth. The High preset at 107 FPS is nearly identical, making the Ultra preset the better choice for visual quality without a significant performance hit. The Medium preset at 171 FPS is excellent for those seeking higher frame rates, with a minimum of 145 FPS ensuring no stutter. The Low preset at 213 FPS is unnecessary for most displays but available for competitive play. For 4K, the situation changes. The Ultra preset averages 64 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold, but the minimum FPS is not recorded, so there is some risk of dips. The High preset at 67 FPS is similar. The Medium preset at 107 FPS is the recommended choice for 4K, as it provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS with a minimum of 91 FPS. The Low preset at 134 FPS is also viable, but the Medium preset offers better visuals. Overall, the Medium preset at 4K and the Ultra preset at 1440p and 1080p provide the best experience per the measured rows.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions and four settings, providing a comprehensive view of performance.

At 1920x1080, the Low setting yields an average of 297 FPS. The Medium setting averages 237 FPS, with a minimum of 202 FPS and a maximum of 273 FPS. The High setting averages 148 FPS, and the Ultra setting averages 141 FPS. This resolution is clearly CPU-friendly, as the GPU is not heavily taxed, and the frame rates are extremely high across the board.

At 2560x1440, the Low setting averages 213 FPS. The Medium setting averages 171 FPS, with a minimum of 145 FPS and a maximum of 196 FPS. The High setting averages 107 FPS, and the Ultra setting averages 102 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is noticeable but not drastic, with the Ultra setting losing 39 FPS (from 141 to 102).

At 3840x2160, the Low setting averages 134 FPS. The Medium setting averages 107 FPS, with a minimum of 91 FPS and a maximum of 123 FPS. The High setting averages 67 FPS, and the Ultra setting averages 64 FPS. The 4K resolution is the most demanding, and the Ultra setting falls to just above 60 FPS. The data shows that the scaling from 1080p to 4K is consistent across settings, with the Low setting dropping from 297 to 134 FPS (a 54.9% reduction), the Medium setting dropping from 237 to 107 FPS (54.9% reduction), the High setting dropping from 148 to 67 FPS (54.7% reduction), and the Ultra setting dropping from 141 to 64 FPS (54.6% reduction). The uniformity of these drops indicates that the GPU is the scaling bottleneck, as the percentage decrease is nearly identical regardless of settings.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K reveals the limiting component in this combo. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 297, which is a very high frame rate. At 4K Low, the average is 134 FPS, a drop of 163 FPS (54.9%). The same proportional drop occurs at other settings: Medium drops from 237 to 107 FPS (54.9%), High drops from 148 to 67 FPS (54.7%), and Ultra drops from 141 to 64 FPS (54.6%). This consistent percentage reduction across all settings is the signature of a GPU-bound scenario.

If the CPU were the limiting factor, the FPS would remain flat as resolution increases, because the CPU’s workload is independent of resolution. Instead, the FPS scales inversely with the number of pixels, which is a direct function of the GPU’s rendering throughput. The RTX 4060’s bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s and its FP32 performance of 15.11 TFLOPS are the constraints that dictate this scaling. Since the CPU’s aggregate benchmark score is in the 79th percentile, it has enough headroom to feed the GPU at 1080p, but as resolution increases, the GPU’s fill rate and memory bandwidth become the primary determinants of frame rate.

The data also shows that the gap between the Low and Ultra settings narrows at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 156 FPS (297 vs 141). At 4K, the difference is 70 FPS (134 vs 64). This is expected, as higher resolutions put more absolute load on the GPU, making the relative impact of settings changes smaller. The limiting component is clearly the GPU, as evidenced by the fact that the CPU’s performance is similar to its rivals (within 0.3% in benchmark scores), yet the FPS scaling is purely resolution-driven. For users seeking to maintain 60 FPS, the 4K Medium preset is the highest visual quality option, while 1440p Ultra and 1080p Ultra are both viable for high refresh rate displays.