Inside

Inside is a puzzle platformer with a deliberately understated visual style, but that minimalism does not mean it is trivially easy to run. The measured data for the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 580 reveals a configuration that is heavily dependent on resolution and settings, shifting from a smooth 1080p experience to a borderline 4K slog. The dataset shows a combo that ranks 2631 out of 2887 tested combinations, placing it in the lower percentile of systems, which suggests that while this pairing can handle the game, it does so with clear limitations that must be managed carefully.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 4K has a dramatic impact on average FPS, and the pattern tells a clear story about which component is the limiting factor. At 1080p with Low settings, the system produces 150 FPS, which is more than double the 71 FPS seen at Ultra settings. Moving to 1440p, the same Low setting yields 108 FPS, a 28% drop from 1080p, while Ultra at 1440p drops to 51 FPS. The most punishing step is to 4K, where Low settings still manage 68 FPS, but Ultra falls to 32 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 4K at Low settings is a reduction from 150 to 68 FPS, a decrease of roughly 55%, while the Ultra preset falls from 71 to 32 FPS, a 55% drop as well. This proportional decline across settings indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck, as the frame rate scales almost linearly with the pixel count.

The data also shows that the gap between Low and Ultra widens as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference between Low (150 FPS) and Ultra (71 FPS) is 79 FPS. At 1440p, the gap narrows to 57 FPS (108 vs 51), and at 4K, it shrinks further to 36 FPS (68 vs 32). This convergence at higher resolutions suggests that the GPU is being pushed to its absolute limit, leaving less headroom for settings to matter. At 4K Ultra, the system is clearly struggling to maintain playable frame rates, and the measured 32 FPS average indicates that the RX 580’s 8 GB of GDDR5 memory and 256-bit bus are being saturated. The fact that 4K Low (68 FPS) is nearly double 4K Ultra (32 FPS) demonstrates that reducing graphical fidelity is the only way to make 4K viable, but even then, the frame rate is not ideal for a game that benefits from precise timing.

The intermediate resolution of 1440p shows a more balanced outcome. Medium settings at 1440p deliver 86 FPS, with a minimum of 73 FPS and a maximum of 99 FPS, which is a playable range for most users. The step from 1080p to 1440p at Medium settings is a drop from 120 FPS to 86 FPS, a 28% reduction, which is expected given the increased pixel load. However, the fact that 1440p High (54 FPS) is only slightly above 4K Low (68 FPS) suggests that the GPU’s pixel throughput is nearing its ceiling. The data implies that the RX 580, with its 2304 shading units and 32 ROPs, is a card that was designed for 1080p gaming in its era, and it shows when pushed beyond that.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 is a 14-core, 14-thread processor with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, built on the Arrow Lake architecture with a 3 nm process node. Its benchmark scores are respectable, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14769 and a single-core score of 2085, placing it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs. However, in the context of Inside, the CPU’s role appears minimal, as the game is not known for heavy physics or AI calculations. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the system achieves 150 FPS, which is likely near the game engine’s frame rate cap or the GPU’s limit, not a CPU constraint. At 4K Ultra, the frame rate drops to 32 FPS, which is a clear GPU bottleneck, as the CPU’s 14 cores are more than sufficient for a puzzle platformer.

The CPU’s PassMark multi-thread score of 37816 and single-thread score of 4516 indicate strong performance, but this does not translate into higher frame rates in this game. The nearest rivals to the Core Ultra 5 235 include the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, which has an average benchmark score of 46030 (0.1% higher), and the Intel Core i9-13900HX at 46098 (-0.1% lower). These differences are negligible, suggesting that any of these CPUs would perform similarly in Inside. The data implies that the CPU is not the limiting factor at any resolution, as the frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K follows a GPU-bound pattern. Even at 1080p Low with 150 FPS, the CPU is unlikely to be the constraint, as the processor’s boost clock of 5.00 GHz provides ample single-thread performance for the game’s logic.

The L3 cache of 24 MB shared and dual-channel DDR5 memory support with a bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s are more than adequate for a game of this scope. The fact that the CPU has 14 threads, but the game likely uses only a few, means that the Core Ultra 5 235 is overkill for Inside. This is not a criticism but rather an observation that the bottleneck is entirely on the GPU side. The measured FPS at 1080p Medium (120 FPS) and 1440p Medium (86 FPS) show that the CPU can feed the GPU without issue, as the frame rates are consistently higher than what the GPU can render at higher resolutions. The benchmark results for the CPU, such as the PassMark data encryption score of 29293 and floating point math score of 117951, further confirm that this is a powerful processor that is underutilized in this game.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the best experience for this CPU-GPU combo is achieved at 1080p with Medium settings. The 120 FPS average, with a minimum of 102 FPS and maximum of 138 FPS, provides a smooth and consistent frame rate that is ideal for a game that requires precise platforming. Higher settings at 1080p, such as High (75 FPS) and Ultra (71 FPS), are still playable but do not offer a significant visual improvement over Medium, given the game’s art style. The step from Low (150 FPS) to Medium (120 FPS) is a 20% reduction, but the visual quality gains are worth it, as Low settings may strip away atmospheric effects that are integral to the game’s mood.

At 1440p, Medium settings deliver 86 FPS, which is also a viable option, but the minimum of 73 FPS suggests that there may be occasional dips during busy scenes. The 1440p High preset (54 FPS) is borderline, as it falls below the 60 FPS threshold that many consider smooth. For 4K, the data suggests that only Low settings (68 FPS) are acceptable, but even then, the frame rate is not as stable as lower resolutions. Medium at 4K (54 FPS) and High at 4K (34 FPS) are too inconsistent for a game that rewards timing. The Ultra preset at any resolution is not recommended, as it only provides 71 FPS at 1080p, 51 FPS at 1440p, and 32 FPS at 4K, with the latter being unplayable.

The measured data shows that the RX 580’s 8 GB of VRAM is sufficient for Medium settings at 1080p and 1440p, but the higher presets may exceed the memory bandwidth. The 256.0 GB/s memory bandwidth is a potential bottleneck at 4K Ultra, where the pixel fill rate of 42.88 GPixel/s is not enough to maintain high frame rates. For the best balance of visual quality and performance, the recommendation is to use 1080p Medium, as it offers the highest frame rate above 100 FPS while preserving the game’s intended atmosphere. If a user prefers 1440p, Medium is the highest setting that stays above 80 FPS, but they should be prepared for occasional dips.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and AMD Radeon RX 580 ranks 2631 out of 2887 tested combinations in Inside, placing it in the bottom 9% of all systems. This low ranking is primarily due to the GPU, which is an older card with a 53rd percentile ranking among all GPUs. The RX 580’s average benchmark score of 12928 is close to its nearest rivals, such as the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile (12940, -0.1%) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER (12986, -0.4%), but these are all relatively low scores compared to modern GPUs. The CPU, on the other hand, ranks in the 89th percentile, which means that the system’s overall ranking is dragged down by the GPU.

This combination is a classic case of a modern CPU paired with an older GPU, resulting in a significant bottleneck. The CPU’s benchmark scores, such as the Cinebench R20 multi-core score of 6202 and PassMark single-thread score of 4516, are strong, but they do not contribute to higher frame rates in a GPU-bound game like Inside. The fact that the combo ranks 2631 out of 2887 means that most other tested systems perform better, but this is not surprising given the GPU’s age. The RX 580 was released in 2017 and is now end-of-life, so its performance is expected to be lower than newer cards.

The ranking also reflects the resolution and settings at which the system was tested. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 150 FPS, which is a good result, but at 4K Ultra, it drops to 32 FPS, which is not playable. This wide range of performance means that the combo’s ranking is an average of its capabilities, and users can improve their experience by lowering settings. The data indicates that the system is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can compete with more modern setups, but it falls behind at higher resolutions. The nearest rival GPUs, such as the GTX 1660 SUPER, have similar average scores, so this combo would likely rank similarly with those cards.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 580 is based on the Polaris 20 chip with GCN 4.0 architecture, manufactured on a 14 nm process node by GlobalFoundries. It has 2304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs, with a base clock of 1257 MHz and a boost clock of 1340 MHz. The 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s, which is a critical factor in this game’s performance. The measured data shows that the GPU is the dominant bottleneck, as the frame rate scales with resolution and settings in a way that matches the GPU’s pixel and texture throughput capabilities.

The pixel rate of 42.88 GPixel/s and texture rate of 193.0 GTexel/s are modest by modern standards, which explains why 4K Ultra is so demanding. At 4K, the GPU must process 8.3 million pixels per frame, and with a pixel rate of 42.88 GPixel/s, the theoretical maximum frame rate is around 5 FPS if the GPU were the only factor, but the actual measured 32 FPS at Ultra shows that the game’s rendering is not purely pixel-bound. The FP32 performance of 6.175 TFLOPS is also lower than many modern GPUs, which contributes to the reduced performance at higher settings. The GPU’s 53rd percentile ranking among all GPUs is reflected in the measured FPS, as it performs adequately at 1080p but struggles at 1440p and 4K.

The RX 580’s VRAM of 8 GB is sufficient for most settings, as the game does not have massive texture requirements, but the memory bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s may be a limiting factor at 4K Ultra. The fact that 4K Low (68 FPS) is more than double 4K Ultra (32 FPS) suggests that the GPU is not memory-limited at Low settings, but the increased shader and texture work at Ultra overwhelms the GPU’s compute units. The GPU’s DirectX 12 support is present, but the PassMark DirectX 12 score of 43 is low, indicating that the card may not be optimized for modern APIs. The Geekbench OpenCL score of 37453 and Vulkan score of 45173 are moderate, but they do not translate to better gaming performance in this title.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Inside?

A: The measured data shows that 1080p provides the highest frame rates, with Medium settings achieving 120 FPS average. At 1440p, Medium drops to 86 FPS, and at 4K, even Low settings only reach 68 FPS, so 1080p is clearly the optimal resolution.

Q: Why does the frame rate drop so much from 1080p to 4K?

A: The scaling is consistent across settings, with a roughly 55% reduction from 1080p to 4K at both Low and Ultra presets. This indicates a GPU bottleneck, as the RX 580’s pixel rate of 42.88 GPixel/s and memory bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s are insufficient for 4K rendering.

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 holding back the RX 580?

A: No, the CPU is not the limiting factor. The Core Ultra 5 235 has a boost clock of 5.00 GHz and 14 cores, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14769 and single-core score of 2085, which is more than enough for a puzzle platformer. The frame rate scaling follows GPU-bound patterns.

Q: Can this combo run Inside at 4K?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, which achieve 68 FPS average. Medium at 4K drops to 54 FPS, and High/Ultra fall below 34 FPS, which is not smooth for a game requiring precise timing.

Q: How does this combo compare to other tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 2631 out of 2887 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom 9%. This is due to the RX 580’s age, as it ranks in the 53rd percentile of GPUs, while the CPU ranks in the 89th percentile.

Q: What settings provide the most consistent frame rate?

A: At 1080p Medium, the minimum FPS is 102 and the maximum is 138, giving a very consistent experience. At 1440p Medium, the minimum drops to 73 FPS, which is still playable but less stable. The Ultra preset at any resolution has no reported minimums, but the averages are lower than Medium.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The full set of measured FPS data for the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and AMD Radeon RX 580 in Inside is as follows:

• 1920x1080 (1080p):
• Low: 150 FPS average
• Medium: 120 FPS average, 102 FPS minimum, 138 FPS maximum
• High: 75 FPS average
• Ultra: 71 FPS average

• 2560x1440 (1440p):
• Low: 108 FPS average
• Medium: 86 FPS average, 73 FPS minimum, 99 FPS maximum
• High: 54 FPS average
• Ultra: 51 FPS average

• 3840x2160 (4K):
• Low: 68 FPS average
• Medium: 54 FPS average, 46 FPS minimum, 62 FPS maximum
• High: 34 FPS average
• Ultra: 32 FPS average

The data shows a clear hierarchy: Low settings always deliver the highest frame rates, followed by Medium, then High, and finally Ultra, which is consistently the slowest. At 1080p, the system can handle Ultra at 71 FPS, but the step to 1440p Ultra drops to 51 FPS, and 4K Ultra is only 32 FPS. The Medium preset is the only one with reported minimum and maximum values, indicating that it was the most thoroughly tested. At 1080p Medium, the range of 102-138 FPS shows a tight curve, while at 1440p Medium, the range of 73-99 FPS is wider, suggesting more variability. At 4K Medium, the range of 46-62 FPS is the widest, with a minimum that dips below 50 FPS, which could lead to noticeable stutters in a game that requires smooth movement. These numbers confirm that the RX 580 is a 1080p card at heart, and any resolution above that requires significant compromises in settings to maintain playable frame rates.