Inside

FAQ

Q: How does this processor compare to its closest rivals in overall benchmark performance?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 sits within a tight performance cluster. Its average benchmark score is 46062, which places it just 0.1% ahead of the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 and 0.2% ahead of both the AMD EPYC 4364P and AMD EPYC 7303. It trails the Intel Core i9-13900HX by a negligible 0.1%, meaning the four rivals are effectively performance equals in aggregate.

Q: What is the CPU's percentile ranking and what does it signify?

A: The processor is in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, indicating that it outperforms 89% of processors in the database. This is a strong result, placing it firmly in the upper tier of desktop processors, though not at the absolute top.

Q: What are the key specifications of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 4 GB?

A: This GPU features 4 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, yielding 192.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock is 1545 MHz with a boost clock of 1740 MHz, and memory runs at 1500 MHz (12 Gbps effective). It has 2048 shading units, 64 TMUs, 32 ROPs, 16 RT cores, and 64 tensor cores, with a 90 W TDP.

Q: What does the GPU's percentile ranking of 50 indicate?

A: A percentile of 50 places the RTX 3050 4 GB at the median of all GPUs in the database. This means it delivers performance that is exactly average, neither exceptional nor weak, which aligns with its position as an entry-level to mid-range part.

Q: How does the CPU's multicore performance compare to its single-core performance in Cinebench?

A: In Cinebench R23, the CPU scores 14769 in multicore and 2085 in single-core, a ratio of roughly 7:1. This indicates strong scaling across its 14 cores and 14 threads, though the single-core score of 2085 is respectable for gaming and lightly-threaded tasks.

Q: Does the system have a measured data point for this game?

A: Yes, the data is measured. The combo rank in-game is 2511 out of 2887 tested combinations, placing it in the lower portion of the ranking, which is expected given the GPU's average standing.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 4 GB ranks 2511 out of 2887 tested combos for this game. This places the system in the 13th percentile of all tested combinations, meaning roughly 87% of tested systems deliver higher frame rates. The ranking is heavily influenced by the GPU, which sits at the 50th percentile overall, but the game's moderate demands allow the system to remain playable at most settings.

The CPU's 89th percentile standing does not rescue the combo from a low rank because Inside is not a CPU-bound title. The processor's high aggregate benchmark scores, such as 14769 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 4516 in Passmark single-thread, are more than sufficient for this puzzle platformer. The bottleneck is clearly the GPU, which has only 4 GB of VRAM and a modest 7.127 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. Data shows that at 1080p Ultra, the combo achieves 95 FPS, which is below the 144 Hz threshold but still smooth. At 4K Ultra, it drops to 43 FPS, which is borderline for comfortable play.

The rank of 2511 reflects the GPU's average standing, not a fundamental incompatibility. The system is capable of delivering playable frame rates across most settings, but it will not compete with high-end combos. For this game, the CPU is overqualified, while the GPU is the limiting factor. The 14 cores and 14 threads of the Ultra 5 235 are largely idle during gameplay, as the game's physics and logic are not demanding enough to utilize them fully.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 4 GB is the defining component of this combo's performance. With 4 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, the GPU has a bandwidth of 192.0 GB/s, which is adequate for this game's textures and effects at lower resolutions but becomes strained at higher settings and resolutions. The base clock of 1545 MHz and boost clock of 1740 MHz are modest, yet the GPU's 2048 shading units and 32 ROPs deliver a pixel rate of 55.68 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 111.4 GTexel/s.

The GPU's 50th percentile ranking is a clear indicator of its mid-pack positioning. In Inside, the GPU's role is to render the game's dark, atmospheric environments with smooth frame pacing. At 4K High, the average FPS is 45, which is playable but not ideal. The 4K Ultra setting drops to 43 FPS, showing that the GPU's 4 GB VRAM and 7.127 TFLOPS are insufficient for maximum quality at that resolution. The 4K Low setting jumps to 90 FPS, demonstrating that the GPU can handle the game well when texture quality and effects are reduced.

The memory clock of 1500 MHz (12 Gbps effective) provides enough bandwidth for 1080p and 1440p gaming. At 1440p High, the GPU achieves 71 FPS, which is smooth for a puzzle platformer. At 1080p Medium, it hits 159 FPS, indicating that the GPU is not the bottleneck at lower resolutions. The RTX 3050 4 GB supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, which are more than sufficient for this 2016 title. The 16 RT cores and 64 tensor cores are present but largely unused in this game, as it does not feature ray tracing or DLSS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates show a clear scaling pattern across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the system delivers 199 FPS on Low, 159 FPS on Medium, 99 FPS on High, and 95 FPS on Ultra. The Medium setting has a measured minimum of 135 FPS and a maximum of 183 FPS, indicating consistent frame delivery. The gap between High and Ultra is only 4 FPS, suggesting that the Ultra preset adds little visual benefit for the performance cost.

At 2560x1440, the system delivers 143 FPS on Low, 114 FPS on Medium, 71 FPS on High, and 68 FPS on Ultra. The Medium setting shows a minimum of 97 FPS and a maximum of 131 FPS, which is still smooth for most displays. The drop from Low to Medium is 29 FPS, while the drop from Medium to High is 43 FPS, showing that the High preset is a significant performance step. The Ultra preset is only 3 FPS slower than High, indicating diminishing returns.

At 3840x2160, the system delivers 90 FPS on Low, 72 FPS on Medium, 45 FPS on High, and 43 FPS on Ultra. The Medium setting has a minimum of 61 FPS and a maximum of 83 FPS, which is borderline for 60 Hz displays. The jump from Low to Medium is 18 FPS, while the jump from Medium to High is 27 FPS. The High and Ultra presets are nearly identical, with only 2 FPS difference, suggesting that the GPU is fully saturated at this resolution.

The data shows that the system is most comfortable at 1080p, where it exceeds 60 FPS on all settings. At 1440p, it remains playable on Medium and above, but High and Ultra dip below 72 FPS. At 4K, only Low and Medium are recommended, as High and Ultra fall below 45 FPS.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 has 14 cores and 14 threads, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. This processor, built on a 3 nm process from TSMC, has 24 MB of shared L3 cache and 3 MB of L2 cache per core. Its memory bandwidth is 102.4 GB/s over a dual-channel DDR5 interface, which is ample for this game.

In Inside, the CPU's role is minimal, as the game is a 2.5D puzzle platformer with limited physics and AI. The processor's 89th percentile ranking and benchmark scores, such as 14769 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 2085 in single-core, are far above what this game requires. The Passmark multithread score of 37816 and single-thread score of 4516 further confirm that the CPU is not a limiting factor.

The 14 threads are rarely fully utilized, but the high boost clock of 5.00 GHz ensures that single-threaded tasks, such as game logic and rendering commands, are processed quickly. The L3 cache of 24 MB is sufficient to hold the game's working set, reducing memory latency. The CPU's TDP of 65 W is low, which means it will not thermal throttle in typical desktop cases, though this is not a factor in frame rate measurements.

The nearest rivals, including the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 and Intel Core i9-13900HX, show that the CPU is well-matched to its peers. However, in this game, any of these processors would deliver identical frame rates, as the GPU is the bottleneck. The CPU's 3 nm process and 17,800 million transistors are overkill for a 2016 title, but they ensure that the system is future-proof for more demanding games.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience is achieved at 1080p with the High preset, which delivers 99 FPS. This is well above 60 FPS and provides a smooth experience for a puzzle platformer. The Ultra preset at 1080p only offers 95 FPS, a 4 FPS drop for minimal visual improvement, so High is the optimal balance.

For 1440p, the Medium preset delivers 114 FPS, which is excellent for most displays. The High preset at 71 FPS is still playable, but the drop from Medium is significant. The Ultra preset at 68 FPS is not worth the performance loss, so Medium is recommended for 1440p.

For 4K, the Low preset delivers 90 FPS, which is smooth, while the Medium preset at 72 FPS is also acceptable on a 60 Hz display. The High preset at 45 FPS is borderline, and Ultra at 43 FPS is not recommended. For 4K, Low or Medium are the only viable options.

The data shows that the Medium preset is the most consistent across all resolutions, with measured minimums of 135 FPS at 1080p, 97 FPS at 1440p, and 61 FPS at 4K. This suggests that Medium is the sweet spot for this GPU. However, for the best visual experience without sacrificing frame rate, High at 1080p is the recommended choice, as it delivers 99 FPS with better textures and effects. The system should be configured with a frame rate cap at the display's refresh rate to ensure consistent frame pacing, though this is a user preference rather than a measured result.