Inside

Inside is a 2016 puzzle platformer that, despite its modest visual complexity, still responds meaningfully to the hardware driving it. The data for the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT combination reveals a pairing that is heavily skewed toward GPU performance, with frame rates that scale predictably across resolutions and settings. This analysis examines the measured FPS data to determine how each component contributes to the final experience, and where the bottleneck lies.

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

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 is a 14-core, 14-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm process by TSMC. It operates with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The processor features a hybrid cache configuration: 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. This is a desktop-class chip released in January 2025, and it supports DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, yielding a memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s.

For a game like Inside, which is a side-scrolling puzzle platformer with relatively simple physics and AI, the CPU demand is generally low. The benchmark results for this processor reinforce that it is far from a limiting factor here. In Cinebench R23, the Core Ultra 5 235 scores 14,769 points in multi-core and 2,085 points in single-core tests. The PassMark single-thread score is 4,516, which is a strong indicator of per-core performance. When looking at the measured FPS data, the CPU is not the bottleneck; even at 1080p with Low settings, where the GPU is doing the least work, the average frame rate reaches 295 FPS. At this level, the processor's 14 cores and high boost clock are more than sufficient to feed the graphics card.

The average benchmark score for this CPU is 46,062, placing it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs tested. Its nearest rivals in terms of average score include the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (46,030, 0.1% faster), the Intel Core i9-13900HX (46,098, 0.1% slower), and the AMD EPYC 4364P (45,970, 0.2% faster). These deltas are negligible, showing that the Core Ultra 5 235 sits in a crowded performance band. For Inside, this level of processing power is entirely overkill; the game's logic and rendering draw calls are trivial compared to the CPU's capabilities. The data confirms that the CPU's role in this specific game is to provide a stable base, ensuring that frame pacing remains consistent without presenting any compute-related hiccups.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT is the clear star of this pairing. Based on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with the Navi 33 chip, the GPU features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, offering a bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s. Its clock speeds are notable: a base of 1980 MHz, a game clock of 2470 MHz, and a boost clock of 2755 MHz. The card has 2,048 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, with 32 ray accelerators. It is a dual-slot card with a TDP of 190 W and requires a single 8-pin power connector.

The GPU's benchmark performance is respectable, with a PassMark G3D score of 17,132, placing it in the 60th percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score is 17,083, and its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 (17,037, 0.3% faster) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 (17,208, 0.7% slower). In the context of Inside, the RX 7600 XT's 16 GB of VRAM is far more than needed for the game's textures and assets, but the raw compute power of the GPU is what drives the frame rates.

The measured FPS data illustrates the GPU's dominance. At 1080p with Ultra settings, the average frame rate is 140 FPS. At 4K with Ultra settings, it drops to 63 FPS. This scaling is a direct result of the GPU's rendering load increasing with resolution. The card's high boost clock of 2755 MHz allows it to push pixel rates of 176.3 GPixel/s and texture rates of 352.6 GTexel/s, which are the metrics that matter when filling a 4K screen. For a game with Inside's art style, which uses a lot of flat shading and silhouette-based lighting, the GPU is not stressed by complex shaders, but rather by the sheer number of pixels it must output. The data shows that the RX 7600 XT is the primary driver of performance in this configuration, with its frame rates scaling directly with the resolution and settings applied.

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

The measured FPS data across resolutions provides a clear picture of the system's scaling behavior. Starting at 1080p, the average frame rates are exceptionally high. At Low settings, the system achieves 295 FPS, which drops to 236 FPS at Medium, 147 FPS at High, and 140 FPS at Ultra. Moving to 1440p, the numbers fall: 212 FPS at Low, 170 FPS at Medium, 106 FPS at High, and 101 FPS at Ultra. At 4K, the performance is significantly lower: 133 FPS at Low, 107 FPS at Medium, 67 FPS at High, and 63 FPS at Ultra.

The scaling from 1080p to 4K shows a consistent pattern. At Low settings, the drop is from 295 FPS to 133 FPS, a reduction of about 55%. At Ultra settings, the drop is from 140 FPS to 63 FPS, a reduction of about 55% as well. This proportional decline across all settings is a classic indicator of a GPU-bound scenario. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see a smaller absolute difference at higher resolutions, as the CPU load remains constant while the GPU load increases. Instead, the frame rates scale almost linearly with the pixel count, which is the hallmark of a GPU bottleneck.

The data also shows that the gap between Low and Ultra settings narrows as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference between Low (295 FPS) and Ultra (140 FPS) is 155 FPS. At 4K, the difference between Low (133 FPS) and Ultra (63 FPS) is 70 FPS. This suggests that at higher resolutions, the GPU is so saturated with pixel work that the settings have less relative impact on the final frame rate. This is typical for a game where the visual effects are not computationally heavy; the GPU is primarily limited by its fill rate and memory bandwidth. The RX 7600 XT's 288.0 GB/s bandwidth and 176.3 GPixel/s pixel rate are the hard limits at 4K, and the data reflects that.

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

The measured FPS data for this combination is comprehensive, covering three resolutions and four settings levels. Below is the exact breakdown.

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates. With Low settings, the average FPS is 295. Medium settings yield an average of 236 FPS, with a minimum of 201 FPS and a maximum of 271 FPS. High settings produce an average of 147 FPS. Ultra settings drop the average to 140 FPS. The frame rate is clearly playable at all settings, with even the most demanding configuration well above the 60 FPS threshold.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows the expected decline. Low settings average 212 FPS. Medium settings average 170 FPS, with a minimum of 144 FPS and a maximum of 195 FPS. High settings average 106 FPS. Ultra settings average 101 FPS. The jump from 1080p to 1440p costs roughly 30-40% of the frame rate, depending on the settings, which aligns with the increased pixel count.

At 3840x2160, the system begins to show its limits. Low settings average 133 FPS. Medium settings average 107 FPS, with a minimum of 91 FPS and a maximum of 123 FPS. High settings average 67 FPS. Ultra settings average 63 FPS. The 4K results are still playable, but the margin for error is thinner; the minimum FPS at Medium (91 FPS) is the only recorded minimum above 60 FPS at this resolution.

The data shows that the sweet spot for this configuration is 1440p, where the frame rates remain high enough for smooth gameplay even at Ultra settings, while the visual fidelity benefits from the higher resolution. At 4K, the user must compromise on settings to maintain a high refresh rate experience, as Ultra settings dip to just above 60 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT ranks 1,767th out of 2,887 tested combinations for Inside. This places it in the bottom half of the database, which might seem surprising given the high frame rates measured. However, the rank is relative to all other combos tested, and Inside is a game that is easy to run. Many systems with older or cheaper components may also achieve high frame rates, but the ranking is based on the average FPS across all settings and resolutions.

A rank of 1,767 out of 2,887 means that roughly 61% of tested combos perform better than this one. This is not a negative reflection on the hardware, but rather an indication that Inside is a lightweight game where even mid-range components can saturate the display's refresh rate. The combo's performance is likely limited by the GPU's 4K capabilities, as the 1080p and 1440p results are excellent. The data shows that this configuration is overqualified for the game at lower resolutions, but falls behind more powerful GPU pairings at 4K Ultra.

The rank also reflects the balance of the combo. The CPU is in the 89th percentile, while the GPU is in the 60th percentile, suggesting a slight mismatch where the processor is more capable than the graphics card. For Inside, this means the GPU is the limiting factor, and the combo's rank would likely improve if paired with a stronger GPU. However, the measured FPS data shows that the current pairing still delivers a perfectly playable experience, with no settings combination dropping below an average of 63 FPS.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate this combo achieves in Inside?

A: The highest average frame rate is 295 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: Is this combo capable of 4K gaming in Inside?

A: Yes, at 3840x2160 resolution, the combo achieves an average of 63 FPS at Ultra settings and 67 FPS at High settings, making it playable at 4K.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its closest rivals?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 has an average benchmark score of 46,062. It is 0.1% faster than the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (46,030) and 0.1% slower than the Intel Core i9-13900HX (46,098).

Q: How much VRAM does the RX 7600 XT have, and is it sufficient for Inside?

A: The RX 7600 XT has 16 GB of GDDR6 memory. This is far more than sufficient for Inside, as the game's assets are not memory-intensive.

Q: What is the difference in frame rate between 1080p and 4K at Ultra settings?

A: At 1080p Ultra, the average frame rate is 140 FPS. At 4K Ultra, it drops to 63 FPS, a reduction of 77 FPS or approximately 55%.

Q: Where does this combo rank among all tested configurations for Inside?

A: This combo ranks 1,767th out of 2,887 tested combinations, placing it in the lower half of the database, though the absolute performance is still high.