Inside

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 delivers a decisive performance profile in Inside, a puzzle platformer with modest graphical demands. The measured data places this combination at rank 2247 out of 3716 tested combos, placing it in the upper half of the database. This ranking is not dominated by the CPU, which holds an 89th percentile score across all processors, nor by the GPU, which sits at the 66th percentile. Instead, the combination's standing is a product of coordinated throughput, where the CPU's strong multi-core and single-core scores allow the RTX 5050 to operate near its full potential. Benchmark results indicate that this system is more than capable of handling the game's visual and physics loads, but the exact positioning suggests that other combos in the database achieve higher frame rates through more powerful graphics hardware. The data shows a clear stratification: at higher resolutions and settings, the GPU becomes the primary arbiter of performance, while at lower resolutions, the CPU's headroom is exposed, leading to frame rates that exceed typical display refresh rates. This analysis will dissect the measured FPS rows, the CPU and GPU specifications, and the implications for resolution scaling and settings optimization.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 2247 out of 3716 tested combinations is a mid-pack placement, which is surprising given the hardware's generation. The RTX 5050, with an average benchmark score of 21035, sits at the 66th percentile of all GPUs, while the Core Ultra 5 235 achieves an average benchmark score of 46062, placing it at the 89th percentile of all CPUs. The delta between these percentiles is stark: the CPU is a top-tier performer, but the GPU is merely above average. In the context of Inside, a game that is not traditionally GPU-intensive, this rank suggests that the graphics card is the limiting factor in most scenarios. Comparing the CPU to its nearest rivals clarifies its strength: it is 0.1% ahead of the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, 0.1% behind the Intel Core i9-13900HX, and 0.2% ahead of both the AMD EPYC 4364P and AMD EPYC 7303. These are marginal differences, indicating that the Core Ultra 5 235 is a consistent performer across a wide range of workloads. For the GPU, the nearest rivals show a different story: the RTX 5050 is 0.6% behind the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL, 1.0% behind the AMD Radeon HD 8970M, 1.6% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT, and 1.6% behind the NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile. These deltas are small, but they place the RTX 5050 in a competitive but not dominant position. The combination's rank of 2247 is thus a reflection of a high-performing CPU paired with a mid-range GPU, where the latter's limitations are more pronounced in a game like Inside that can scale well beyond 60 FPS. The data implies that this combo is a balanced but GPU-bound system, and its ranking would likely improve with a more powerful graphics card.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is the decisive component in this system's Inside performance, and its specifications reveal why. The GPU features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 320.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is sufficient for the game's art assets, but the bus width is narrow, which can limit performance at high resolutions. The core clock runs at 2317 MHz base and 2572 MHz boost, with a memory clock of 2500 MHz (20 Gbps effective). These clocks are moderate, and the GPU's FP32 performance is rated at 13.17 TFLOPS, which is adequate for a puzzle platformer but not exceptional. The RTX 5050 includes 2560 shading units, 80 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, with 20 RT cores and 80 tensor cores. For Inside, which does not heavily utilize ray tracing or DLSS, these features are secondary. The pixel rate of 82.30 GPixel/s and texture rate of 205.8 GTexel/s are the key metrics for rasterization. The measured FPS data shows that at 1080p High settings, the GPU achieves 148 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, it drops to 64 FPS. This trend indicates that the GPU's pixel throughput becomes a bottleneck at higher resolutions. The 8 GB memory capacity is not a limiting factor in Inside, as the game's textures are not memory-hungry, but the 128-bit bus reduces effective bandwidth, which can cause stuttering in scenes with complex lighting. The GPU's benchmark scores are telling: a Passmark G3D score of 17326 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2502. These scores are moderate, and the GPU sits at the 66th percentile, meaning it is outclassed by a third of all GPUs in the database. In the context of Inside, the RTX 5050 is a capable but not overpowered component, and its role is to deliver high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, with 4K being a stretch at higher settings.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear scaling pattern across resolutions, which is critical for understanding the system's balance. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 296 FPS, which is a massive 2.2x increase over the 4K Low score of 134 FPS. This scaling is not linear, indicating that the CPU is not the bottleneck at lower resolutions. At 1080p Medium, the average FPS is 237, while at 4K Medium, it drops to 107, a 55% reduction. The High settings show a similar trend: 148 FPS at 1080p, 106 FPS at 1440p, and 67 FPS at 4K. The most dramatic drop occurs between 1080p and 4K at Ultra settings, where the FPS falls from 141 to 64, a 55% decline. This scaling suggests that the GPU is the limiting component at higher resolutions, as the CPU's performance headroom is significant. The 4K Medium score of 107 FPS with a min of 91 and max of 123 shows that the system can maintain playable frame rates, but the 4K Ultra score of 64 FPS is below the 70 FPS threshold that many users consider smooth. The data implies that the RTX 5050's 32 ROPs are the primary constraint, as the pixel fill rate of 82.30 GPixel/s is insufficient to handle the pixel count at 4K with high-quality effects. Conversely, at 1080p, the CPU's 14 cores and 24 MB of L3 cache allow for high frame rates, but the GPU's texture rate of 205.8 GTexel/s becomes the limiting factor. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p at Medium settings shows a 28% drop (237 to 170 FPS), which is less severe than the 37% drop from 1440p to 4K (170 to 107 FPS). This non-linear relationship indicates that the GPU's memory bandwidth of 320.0 GB/s is a bottleneck at 4K, as the 128-bit bus cannot feed the shaders efficiently. For users targeting high refresh rate monitors, 1080p is the sweet spot, while 1440p offers a balanced experience, and 4K is only viable at Low or Medium settings.

FAQ

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

A: The highest average FPS is 296, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This score demonstrates the system's ability to exceed 240 FPS at the lowest preset, which is ideal for competitive play or high refresh rate displays.

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

A: The combo ranks 2247 out of 3716 tested combinations. This mid-pack placement is influenced by the GPU's 66th percentile performance, which limits the overall score despite the CPU's 89th percentile ranking.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 4K Ultra settings?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor at 4K Ultra, where the average FPS is 64. The RTX 5050's 32 ROPs and 320.0 GB/s memory bandwidth cannot sustain high frame rates at this resolution, while the CPU's 24 MB of L3 cache and 14 cores provide ample headroom.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The only rows with min and max FPS data are at Medium settings. At 1080p Medium, the min is 201 FPS and the max is 272 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the min is 145 FPS and the max is 196 FPS. At 4K Medium, the min is 91 FPS and the max is 123 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 5050 compare to its nearest rival in benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 5050 has an average benchmark score of 21035, which is 1.6% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT (20713) and 1.6% behind the NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile (21379). It is also 0.6% behind the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL (21153) and 1.0% behind the AMD Radeon HD 8970M (21237).

*Q: Does the CPU's single-thread performance affect Inside's frame rates?*

A: The CPU's single-thread score of 2085 in Cinebench R23 is strong, and the data shows that at 1080p Low, the FPS reaches 296, indicating that the CPU can handle the game's physics and logic without bottlenecking. The single-core score of 4516 in Passmark supports this, as Inside is not heavily multi-threaded.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 is a 14-core, 14-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, featuring a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. With a 65W TDP and 24 MB of shared L3 cache, this CPU is designed for high-throughput tasks. In the context of Inside, a game that uses simple physics and limited AI, the CPU's multi-core capabilities are not fully utilized, but its single-thread performance is critical. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2085 and multi-core score of 14769 are strong, and the Passmark single-thread score of 4516 places it in the top tier. The CPU's nearest rivals, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (46030 avg score) and Intel Core i9-13900HX (46098 avg score), are within 0.1% of its average benchmark score of 46062, indicating that the 235 is a consistent performer. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the FPS reaches 296, which is a clear indication that the CPU is not a bottleneck at lower resolutions. However, at 4K Ultra, the FPS drops to 64, and the CPU's role is diminished as the GPU takes over. The 14 cores and 14 threads are overkill for Inside, but the high boost clock of 5.00 GHz ensures that the game's primary thread runs at maximum speed. The CPU's memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s over a dual-channel DDR5 interface is also sufficient to feed the GPU without introducing stutters. The 3nm process node and 17,800 million transistors suggest a high transistor density, but this does not translate to a performance advantage in a simple game like Inside. Instead, the CPU's role is to provide consistent frame pacing, which is evident in the Medium settings rows where the min FPS is 201 at 1080p, 145 at 1440p, and 91 at 4K. These minimums are close to the averages, indicating that the CPU prevents sudden frame drops.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and refresh rate. At 1080p, the High preset offers an average of 148 FPS, which is smooth for most displays, but the Medium preset at 237 FPS is the best balance of visual quality and performance for high refresh rate monitors. The Ultra preset at 141 FPS is only marginally lower than High, but the visual difference is negligible in Inside, making High the better choice for consistency. At 1440p, the High preset at 106 FPS is playable, but the Medium preset at 170 FPS provides a significantly better experience, especially on 144Hz monitors. The Ultra preset at 101 FPS is too close to High to warrant the extra load. At 4K, the Medium preset at 107 FPS is the only viable option for smooth gameplay, as the High preset at 67 FPS and Ultra at 64 FPS are below the 70 FPS threshold. The Low preset at 4K achieves 134 FPS, but the visual quality loss is significant. For the best experience overall, the Medium preset at 1440p is recommended, as it delivers 170 FPS average with a min of 145 FPS, ensuring no stutters. If the user has a 1080p 240Hz monitor, the Low preset at 296 FPS is the only way to fully utilize the refresh rate, but the Medium preset at 237 FPS is a more balanced choice. The data suggests that Medium is the sweet spot for this combo, as it offers a compromise between the GPU's load and the CPU's headroom. The 4K Medium row shows a min of 91 FPS, which is acceptable for slower-paced gameplay, but the 1080p Medium row with a min of 201 FPS is superior for competitive play.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the combo's performance across all resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the Low preset yields an average of 296 FPS, which is the highest score in the entire dataset. The Medium preset at 237 FPS (min 201, max 272) shows a 20% reduction from Low, while the High preset at 148 FPS is a 37% reduction from Medium. The Ultra preset at 141 FPS is only 5% lower than High, indicating a plateau in performance. At 2560x1440, the Low preset achieves 213 FPS, a 28% drop from 1080p Low. The Medium preset at 170 FPS (min 145, max 196) is 28% lower than 1080p Medium, while the High preset at 106 FPS is 28% lower than 1080p High. The Ultra preset at 101 FPS is 5% lower than 1440p High. At 3840x2160, the Low preset achieves 134 FPS, a 37% drop from 1440p Low. The Medium preset at 107 FPS (min 91, max 123) is 37% lower than 1440p Medium, while the High preset at 67 FPS is 37% lower than 1440p High. The Ultra preset at 64 FPS is only 4% lower than 4K High. This data reveals a consistent scaling pattern: each resolution increase from 1080p to 1440p to 4K results in a roughly 28% to 37% drop in FPS, regardless of settings. The exception is the Ultra preset, which shows a smaller drop from High, suggesting that the GPU's ROPs are saturated. The minimum FPS values are only available for Medium settings, but they show that the system maintains a high floor: 201 FPS at 1080p, 145 FPS at 1440p, and 91 FPS at 4K. These minimums indicate that the CPU's 14 threads prevent major frame dips, even at 4K. For users, this breakdown suggests that the combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p, with 4K requiring a compromise on settings to stay above 90 FPS.