Inside

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination delivers exceptional performance in Inside, a puzzle platformer from 2016. The Core Ultra 5 225 is a 10-core, 10-thread desktop processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. It features 20 MB of shared L3 cache and 3 MB of L2 cache per core, running on the Intel Socket 1851 platform. The RTX 4080, built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with the AD103 chip, brings 9,728 shading units and 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth. Together, this pairing annihilates the demands of Inside, producing frame rates that are almost comically high for a game of this genre.

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

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is a modern desktop processor with a 10-core, 10-thread configuration. Its base clock of 3.30 GHz and boost clock of 4.90 GHz provide substantial single-thread throughput, which is crucial for a game like Inside that relies heavily on physics calculations and deterministic gameplay logic. The processor’s 20 MB of shared L3 cache and per-core L2 cache of 3 MB help keep frequently accessed data close to the cores, reducing latency in frame-time critical paths.

In CPU-bound scenarios, the Core Ultra 5 225 shows its strength. The measured data reveals that at 1080p with Low settings, the average FPS reaches 404, a figure that is clearly not limited by the GPU. The CPU’s single-core performance, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3,655, allows the game’s main thread to run unimpeded. Even in the most demanding measured configuration for the CPU—1080p Low—the processor maintains a high frame rate, indicating that it is far from being a bottleneck.

The processor’s 10 threads are more than sufficient for Inside, which is not heavily multi-threaded. The game’s puzzle-platformer nature means that most work happens on a few cores, and the Core Ultra 5 225’s high boost clock ensures rapid response to transient loads. Compared to its nearest rivals, the Core Ultra 5 225 sits at an average benchmark score of 36,938, which is essentially tied with the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (36,945) and slightly behind the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D (37,018) by 0.2%. In practice, for Inside, these differences are negligible, as the game is not compute-intensive enough to separate these CPUs.

The data shows that the CPU’s role is to feed the RTX 4080 with enough frames to keep it busy. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 126, which is still very high, but the scaling from 1080p to 4K indicates a shift in bottleneck from CPU to GPU. The Core Ultra 5 225’s performance in PassMark single-thread (4,412) and multi-thread (30,459) tests confirms its capability to handle the game’s logic without introducing stutter or frame pacing issues.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the maximum average FPS achieved by this combo in Inside?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 404, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This represents the peak performance ceiling for this combination in the measured data.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested combinations for Inside?

A: This combination ranks 140th out of 3,716 tested combos, placing it in the top 3.8% of all configurations. This high rank reflects the raw power of both the CPU and GPU in a game that is relatively light on modern hardware.

Q: Does the RTX 4080 bottleneck the Core Ultra 5 225 at any resolution?

A: The data suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is the primary limiter. For instance, going from Low to Ultra at 1080p only reduces the average FPS from 404 to 280, a 30.7% drop, which is less than the load increase. At 4K, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, as the average FPS at Ultra drops to 126, showing a clear GPU-bound scenario.

Q: What is the difference in average FPS between 1080p and 4K at High settings?

A: At High settings, the average FPS falls from 294 at 1080p to 133 at 4K. This represents a 54.8% reduction, indicating that the GPU is heavily taxed at higher resolutions, while the CPU remains capable of keeping up.

Q: Is the RTX 4080’s performance in Inside consistent with its overall benchmark standing?

A: The RTX 4080 has an average benchmark score of 54,247, placing it at the 86th percentile of all GPUs. In Inside, its performance is equally strong, with even the most demanding 4K Ultra settings delivering 126 FPS, which is far above the refresh rate of most displays.

Q: How does the Core Ultra 5 225 compare to its nearest rival in terms of CPU benchmark scores?

A: The Core Ultra 5 225’s average benchmark score is 36,938, which is virtually identical to the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F at 36,945 (0% delta). It trails the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D by 0.2% and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 by 0.4%, but these differences are marginal and do not translate to meaningful FPS changes in Inside.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

Analyzing the measured FPS across resolutions reveals the classic shift from CPU-bound to GPU-bound behavior. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo delivers 404 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops this to 362 FPS, a 10.4% reduction, and at 4K Low, the average settles at 265 FPS, which is 34.4% lower than the 1080p figure. This scaling pattern indicates that at Low settings, the CPU is still able to feed the GPU, but the GPU’s workload increases significantly as resolution rises.

At High settings, the scaling is more pronounced. At 1080p, the average is 294 FPS, which drops to 211 FPS at 1440p (a 28.2% decrease) and further to 133 FPS at 4K (a 54.8% decrease from 1080p). This steeper curve demonstrates that the GPU is becoming the primary bottleneck as resolution increases. The RTX 4080’s 16 GB of GDDR6X memory and 716.8 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient, but the sheer pixel count at 4K starts to strain the GPU’s 9,728 shading units.

The Medium settings row provides the most complete data, including min and max FPS. At 1080p Medium, the average is 373 FPS with a minimum of 317 and a maximum of 429. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 334 FPS (min 284, max 384), and at 4K Medium, it falls to 212 FPS (min 181, max 244). The min FPS at 4K Medium (181) is still far above the 60 FPS target, confirming that this combo never struggles to maintain smooth gameplay.

The Ultra settings show the most significant resolution scaling. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 280 FPS, which drops to 201 FPS at 1440p (28.2% decrease) and to 126 FPS at 4K (55% decrease from 1080p). This consistent pattern across all settings suggests that the RTX 4080’s performance scales almost linearly with the number of pixels rendered, while the Core Ultra 5 225’s high single-thread performance ensures that the CPU is never the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

The measured data provides clear guidance on the optimal settings for different use cases. For players with high-refresh-rate 1080p monitors (e.g., 240 Hz or 360 Hz), the Low preset at 1080p yields the highest average FPS at 404, but this sacrifices visual fidelity in a game that is known for its atmospheric lighting and shadow work. A better balance is achieved with the High preset at 1080p, which delivers 294 FPS while maintaining far superior visual quality.

For 1440p displays, the Medium preset offers an excellent compromise. It delivers an average of 334 FPS, with a minimum of 284 FPS, ensuring that even the most demanding scenes stay well above the refresh rate of typical 1440p gaming monitors (which often max out at 165 Hz or 240 Hz). The High preset at 1440p (211 FPS) is also viable, but the extra visual fidelity may not be noticeable given the game’s art style.

At 4K, the Ultra preset still manages 126 FPS on average, which is more than sufficient for a smooth experience on a 120 Hz display. However, the High preset at 4K (133 FPS) is nearly identical in performance and may offer better frame pacing. The Medium preset at 4K (212 FPS) is the sweet spot for players who want high frame rates without compromising too much on visual quality, as it provides a comfortable margin above 144 Hz.

The data indicates that the High preset is the most balanced across all resolutions, offering a consistent 133-294 FPS range. For players targeting 60 FPS, even the most demanding 4K Ultra settings (126 FPS) provide more than double the required performance, meaning that there is no scenario where settings need to be lowered for playability. The only reason to drop settings would be to chase extremely high refresh rates, where the Low preset at 1080p (404 FPS) stands out as the only option that approaches the limits of current display technology.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 achieves a rank of 140 out of 3,716 tested combos in Inside. This places it in the 96.2nd percentile of all configurations, meaning it outperforms the vast majority of systems tested. The rank reflects the strength of both components, but it is important to contextualize this within the game’s undemanding nature.

The RTX 4080 alone sits at the 86th percentile of all GPUs, while the Core Ultra 5 225 is at the 85th percentile of all CPUs. When paired, their combined performance in Inside exceeds both individual percentiles, suggesting that the game’s workload is well-balanced between the two. The high rank is also influenced by the fact that Inside is not a graphically intensive title, so the RTX 4080’s brute force is able to shine without being hindered by the CPU.

Compared to other combos that rank higher, the difference in FPS is likely minimal, as the game runs at hundreds of frames per second on most mid-range hardware. The rank of 140 indicates that this combo is in the top tier, but the marginal gains over lower-ranked combos may not be perceptible in actual gameplay given the already astronomical frame rates. The data shows that this combo is overkill for Inside, but for users who also play more demanding titles, the RTX 4080’s 86th percentile GPU ranking ensures that this system is future-proof.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions (1920x1080, 2560x1440, 3840x2160) and four settings (Low, Medium, High, Ultra), providing a comprehensive view of performance.

At 1920x1080, the combo achieves its highest frame rates. The Low preset delivers an average of 404 FPS, which is the highest measured value in the entire dataset. The Medium preset yields 373 FPS on average, with a minimum of 317 FPS and a maximum of 429 FPS. The High preset drops to 294 FPS, while the Ultra preset maintains a still-impressive 280 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 124 FPS, showing that even at lower settings, the game is CPU-limited.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains extremely high. The Low preset averages 362 FPS, while the Medium preset averages 334 FPS (min 284, max 384). The High preset delivers 211 FPS, and the Ultra preset achieves 201 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is more pronounced at higher settings, with Ultra dropping by 79 FPS (from 280 to 201), indicating a growing GPU influence.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck. The Low preset still manages an average of 265 FPS, which is remarkable for 4K. The Medium preset averages 212 FPS (min 181, max 244), while the High preset drops to 133 FPS. The Ultra preset delivers the lowest measured average of 126 FPS, but this is still more than double the 60 FPS standard. The minimum FPS recorded across all 4K settings is 181 FPS at Medium, ensuring that there are no frame drops that would cause noticeable stuttering.

The data also shows that the Medium preset is the only one with complete min/max FPS data, providing insight into frame consistency. At 1080p Medium, the min FPS of 317 is 85% of the average (373), indicating very stable frame delivery. At 4K Medium, the min FPS of 181 is 85.4% of the average (212), showing consistent performance even at higher resolutions. This consistency is a hallmark of the RTX 4080’s robust memory subsystem and the Core Ultra 5 225’s ability to maintain high instruction throughput.