Inside

Inside pairs the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT, a combination that delivers exceptionally high frame rates in this 2016 puzzle platformer. The benchmark data shows this setup is well beyond the demands of the game, with performance scaling predictably across resolutions and settings. The results are measured, not estimated, and reveal a system that can push even 4K Ultra well past playable thresholds, making it a strong choice for high-refresh-rate displays.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and consistent pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases, but the severity of that drop is heavily influenced by the graphics preset. At the High preset, the average frame rate falls from 193 FPS at 1920x1080 to 139 FPS at 2560x1440, and finally to 87 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 55% reduction from 1080p to 4K, indicating that the GPU is becoming the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions, though the absolute numbers remain excellent for this game.

Moving to the Low preset reveals a much steeper performance cliff. The average FPS at 1080p is a massive 387, which drops to 278 at 1440p and then to 175 at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is approximately 55% here as well, but the raw numbers show the CPU has more headroom at lower resolutions. This suggests that at 1080p Low, the system is far from GPU-bound, and the frame rate is likely constrained by the CPU's single-threaded performance, which is still robust at 3655 in Cinebench R23 single-core.

The Medium preset offers the only complete data set with min and max FPS values, providing insight into frame pacing. At 1080p Medium, the average is 309 FPS with a minimum of 263 and a maximum of 356. This tight range indicates consistent frame delivery. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 222 FPS with min/max of 189/256, and at 4K Medium, the average is 140 FPS with min/max of 119/161. The scaling from 1080p to 4K at Medium is a 55% reduction, matching the other presets, which shows a uniform GPU workload scaling.

The Ultra preset produces the lowest frame rates of all settings, as expected. At 1080p, the average is 184 FPS, dropping to 132 at 1440p and 83 at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is still well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, but the 55% drop from 1080p is consistent with the other presets. This uniformity across presets and resolutions strongly indicates that the GPU is the scaling bottleneck, with the CPU providing a stable baseline that never becomes a limiting factor at these frame rates.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is a 10-core, 10-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture. Its base clock is 3.30 GHz with a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, and it has a 20 MB shared L3 cache. In this game, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and physics calculations, and the data shows it performs this task admirably. The Cinebench R23 scores of 25891 multi-core and 3655 single-core place it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs, indicating strong overall capability.

The game's performance at 1080p Low, where the frame rate reaches 387 FPS, suggests that the CPU is capable of generating a very high number of frames per second. However, the fact that the FPS does not scale linearly with resolution at this preset (387 at 1080p, 278 at 1440p, 175 at 4K) implies that at lower resolutions, the CPU has more headroom than the GPU is using. This is typical for a game like Inside, which is not heavily multithreaded, making the CPU's strong single-core performance (3655 in R23) more relevant than its multi-core score.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the Core Ultra 5 225 is essentially tied in average benchmark score. The AMD Ryzen 5 5600F has an average score of 36945 with a delta of 0%, while the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D scores 37018, a -0.2% difference. The Intel Core i9-12900T scores 37112, a -0.5% delta. This means the CPU is on par with these alternatives in synthetic tests, and in a game like Inside, where the GPU dominates at higher settings, the choice between these CPUs would likely make no measurable difference in FPS.

The PassMark single-thread score of 4412 reinforces the CPU's strength in lightly-threaded workloads. Since Inside is a puzzle platformer that does not typically scale well with many cores, the 10 cores and 10 threads are more than sufficient. The lack of hyperthreading (10 threads for 10 cores) does not appear to be a hindrance in this title, as the frame rates at all resolutions and settings are exceptionally high. The CPU is simply not the bottleneck here.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT is the primary driver of performance in this test, and the data shows it handles Inside with ease. It features 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 432.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU has a boost clock of 2544 MHz and a game clock of 2171 MHz, with 3456 shading units. Its PassMark G3D score of 22547 places it in the 67th percentile of all GPUs, and its average benchmark score is 22549, which is within 1-2% of its nearest rivals.

The GPU's memory configuration is more than adequate for Inside, which is not a VRAM-intensive title. The 12 GB capacity is far beyond what this game requires, even at 4K Ultra. The memory bandwidth of 432.0 GB/s ensures that texture streaming and frame buffer operations are not limiting factors. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3316 indicates the GPU is capable of handling modern rendering techniques, though Inside's art style is relatively simple.

The GPU's performance scaling with resolution is consistent with a mid-range card that is well-suited to high-refresh-rate 1080p and 1440p gaming. At 1080p High, the 193 FPS average is excellent for a 144Hz monitor. At 1440p High, the 139 FPS average is still very smooth, and even at 4K High, the 87 FPS average is playable on a 60Hz display. The GPU is clearly the limiting component at higher resolutions, as evidenced by the consistent 55% FPS drop from 1080p to 4K across all presets.

When compared to its nearest rivals, the RX 7700 XT is competitive. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile has an average score of 22435, a 0.5% delta, while the RTX 4060 Mobile scores 22729, a -0.8% delta. The desktop RTX 2080 scores 22895, a -1.5% delta, and the AMD RX 5700 scores 22170, a 1.7% delta. This means the RX 7700 XT is in the same performance tier as these cards, and in Inside, any of them would likely produce nearly identical frame rates.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, particularly for high-refresh-rate displays. At 1080p Medium, the average FPS is 309, which is more than enough for a 240Hz monitor. The minimum FPS of 263 ensures that there are no noticeable hitches. At 1440p Medium, the average is 222 FPS with a minimum of 189, which is still excellent for a 165Hz or 144Hz display. Even at 4K Medium, the average of 140 FPS with a minimum of 119 is well above the 60 FPS threshold, making it a viable option for 4K gaming.

The High preset is a solid alternative if you prefer slightly better visual fidelity over maximum frame rates. At 1080p High, the 193 FPS average is still very smooth, and at 1440p High, 139 FPS is great for a 144Hz monitor. However, at 4K High, the 87 FPS average is the first setting where frame rates dip below 100, so it is less ideal for very high refresh rates at that resolution. The Ultra preset provides the best visuals but offers diminishing returns, with 184 FPS at 1080p, 132 FPS at 1440p, and 83 FPS at 4K.

The Low preset is unnecessary for this hardware. The 387 FPS at 1080p Low offers no practical benefit over the Medium preset's 309 FPS, as both exceed the refresh rate of virtually all monitors. The only reason to use Low would be to maximize frame rates for competitive play, but Inside is not a competitive shooter. For most users, the Medium preset is the recommended starting point, as it provides a large performance cushion while still delivering a visually appealing experience.

Given that the GPU is the primary scaling component, users with a 144Hz 1080p or 1440p monitor should choose Medium or High with confidence. Those with a 4K 60Hz display can also use Medium or High settings, as both presets maintain averages well above 60 FPS. The data suggests that the system is over-provisioned for this game at any resolution, so the choice of settings should be based on personal preference for visual fidelity versus raw frame rate headroom.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT ranks 864th out of 2887 tested combos for Inside, placing it in the top 30% of all configurations. This ranking reflects the system's strong overall performance, but it is important to note that the ranking is relative to other combos, many of which may include higher-end GPUs or CPUs. The rank of 864 out of 2887 indicates that there are many faster combinations, but this setup is still far above the median.

The ranking is likely held back by the GPU's position in the overall market, as the RX 7700 XT is in the 67th percentile of all GPUs. The CPU, in contrast, is in the 85th percentile, so the combo's rank is more constrained by the GPU than the CPU. This is consistent with the resolution scaling data, which shows the GPU as the limiting factor at higher resolutions. If a higher-end GPU were paired with this CPU, the combo's rank would likely improve significantly.

However, for the specific purpose of playing Inside, this rank is more than sufficient. The game is not demanding, and the combo's performance at 4K Ultra (83 FPS) is already excellent. The rank of 864 suggests that while there is headroom for improvement with a more powerful GPU, the current setup delivers a flawless experience in this title. The data shows that the combo is well-balanced for this game, with no obvious bottleneck that would cause stuttering or frame drops.

The deltaPct values for the CPU and GPU rivals indicate that this combo is competitive with similar configurations. The CPU's nearest rivals are within 0.5% of its average score, and the GPU's nearest rivals are within 1.7%. This means that swapping either component for a direct competitor would result in negligible performance differences in Inside. The combo's rank is therefore a reflection of the tier of hardware it uses, rather than any specific pairing advantage or disadvantage.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings is 193.

Q: How much does performance drop when moving from 1080p to 4K?

A: At the High preset, the average FPS drops from 193 at 1080p to 139 at 1440p and 87 at 4K, representing a 55% reduction from 1080p to 4K.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The GPU is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions, as evidenced by the consistent 55% FPS drop from 1080p to 4K across all presets. The CPU has more headroom, especially at lower resolutions.

Q: What settings provide the best experience for a 144Hz monitor?

A: The Medium preset is recommended, as it delivers 309 FPS at 1080p and 222 FPS at 1440p, both well above the 144Hz refresh rate, with minimum FPS of 263 and 189 respectively.

Q: How does the RX 7700 XT compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RX 7700 XT has an average benchmark score of 22549, which is within 1.7% of its closest competitors, including the RTX 5060 Mobile (22435) and RTX 4060 Mobile (22729).

Q: Can this combo handle 4K Ultra settings?

A: Yes, the measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 83, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay on a 4K display.