Inside

Inside, a 2D puzzle-platformer with a distinctive monochrome art style, presents a unique challenge where the hardware requirements are surprisingly modest, allowing even mid-range components to achieve extremely high frame rates. Benchmark results for the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT demonstrate that this combination is overwhelmingly GPU-bound in most scenarios, yet the CPU's strong single-thread performance ensures that even the lowest settings at 1080p do not create a bottleneck. The data shows a system that delivers a flawless experience at 4K Ultra, while being capable of near-absurd frame rates at lower resolutions, making it an ideal match for high-refresh-rate displays.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall performance ranking of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 + AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT combo in Inside?

A: The combo ranks 864th out of 2,887 tested combinations, placing it in the top 30% of all systems evaluated for this specific game.

Q: Can this system handle Inside at 4K resolution with maximum settings?

A: Yes. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average frame rate is 83 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, confirming excellent 4K Ultra performance.

Q: How does the frame rate scale when lowering settings from Ultra to High at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, dropping from Ultra (132 FPS average) to High (139 FPS average) yields only a minor 7 FPS improvement, indicating that the Ultra preset is already highly optimized and the game is not heavily taxing the GPU at this resolution.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Medium settings at 1080p?

A: The jump from Low to Medium is significant, with the average frame rate dropping from 387 FPS to 309 FPS. This shows a 78 FPS (or roughly 20%) performance cost for the visual upgrade to Medium settings.

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 a bottleneck for the RX 7700 XT in this game?

A: The data suggests it is not a bottleneck at higher resolutions. For instance, at 4K, the average frame rate scales from 83 FPS (Ultra) to 175 FPS (Low), showing continuous GPU-bound scaling. Even at 1080p Low, the 387 FPS average indicates the CPU's 14 cores and high boost clock are sufficient to feed the GPU.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for this combo, and at what settings?

A: The only recorded minimum FPS values are for Medium settings, with a low of 119 FPS at 4K, 189 FPS at 1440p, and 263 FPS at 1080p. These minimums are exceptionally high, indicating no frame drops or stuttering issues.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT is the primary driver of performance in Inside, and its 12 GB of GDDR6 memory is far more than the game requires, even at 4K. The GPU's 192-bit memory bus provides 432.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is sufficient to handle the game's simple 2D textures at any resolution. The core clocks, with a base of 1435 MHz and a boost of 2544 MHz, are more than capable of pushing the high frame rates observed. The data shows a clear scaling pattern: at 4K, the average FPS ranges from 83 on Ultra to 175 on Low, demonstrating that the GPU is the limiting factor across all settings at this resolution. This is expected for a game with low geometric complexity but high pixel-count output.

The RX 7700 XT's 35.17 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power is substantial, but for a game like Inside, raw compute is not the primary constraint. Instead, the pixel fill rate and memory bandwidth are more relevant. With a pixel rate of 244.2 GPixel/s, the GPU can easily fill the 8.3 million pixels of a 4K display at over 80 frames per second, as evidenced by the Ultra preset result. The texture rate of 549.5 GTexel/s further ensures that the game's detailed, hand-drawn art assets are processed without any delay. The benchmark results confirm that even at 1080p, where the GPU is less stressed, frame rates scale predictably with settings, from 184 FPS on Ultra to 387 FPS on Low, indicating the GPU is still the primary performance arbiter.

Interestingly, the GPU's performance relative to its peers is quite specific. The average benchmark score of 22,547 places it in the 67th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile and RTX 4060 Mobile, are within 1% of its score, while the older RTX 2080 is 1.5% faster. This indicates that the RX 7700 XT is a solid mid-range performer, and in a game like Inside, this level of performance is overkill, delivering frame rates that are many multiples of the display refresh rates for most monitors. The GPU's role here is to ensure that there are no compromises; users can max out the settings without any concern for performance drops.

How This Combo Ranks

With a rank of 864 out of 2,887 tested combinations, the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT system sits comfortably in the upper echelon of performance for Inside. This ranking is not surprising given the game's low system requirements and the sheer power of the components. To contextualize this, the CPU, the Intel Core Ultra 5 245, sits at the 90th percentile among all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 48,995. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G and the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, which have nearly identical average scores, with a delta of -0.4% and -0.5% respectively, meaning the Intel chip is marginally faster. This top-tier CPU performance ensures that the system will not be held back by processor limitations, which is crucial for maintaining high frame rates at lower resolutions.

The GPU, the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT, ranks in the 67th percentile among all GPUs with an average score of 22,549. While this is a solid mid-to-high-end position, it is the component that defines the system's overall ranking in this game. The combination of a top-decile CPU and a 67th-percentile GPU results in a system that is balanced, but the GPU is the limiting factor for the absolute maximum frame rate. The data shows that the combo's 864th rank out of 2,887 is a reflection of the GPU's standing; many systems with faster GPUs will rank higher. However, for the purpose of playing Inside, this ranking is irrelevant because the frame rates achieved are so high that the experience is flawless.

The delta percentages for the CPU's rivals are all under 1%, which highlights that the Ultra 5 245 is in a performance tier with several other strong processors. This CPU strength is a key reason why the system can achieve 387 FPS at 1080p Low; the processor is capable of handling the game's logic and physics at that speed. In contrast, the GPU's rival deltas are also small, with the closest rival, the RTX 4060 Mobile, being only 0.8% faster. This suggests that the RX 7700 XT is a well-positioned card, and its performance in Inside is consistent with its overall benchmark standing. Ultimately, the combo's ranking reflects a balanced system that excels in this specific title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combo provides a clear picture of its capabilities across different resolutions and settings. At 1080p, the system is capable of extreme performance. With Low settings, the average frame rate is 387 FPS, which drops to 309 FPS on Medium and 193 FPS on High. The Ultra preset yields an average of 184 FPS. This progression shows a 53% decrease in performance from Low to Ultra, but even the lowest of these numbers is far beyond the refresh rate of any standard monitor. The minimum FPS recorded at this resolution is 263 FPS on Medium, indicating an exceptionally stable experience with no noticeable dips.

Moving to 1440p, the performance remains incredibly high. The Low preset still achieves an average of 278 FPS, which is a significant 28% drop from the 1080p Low result, showing the GPU is becoming more of a factor. Medium settings average 222 FPS, while High and Ultra yield 139 FPS and 132 FPS respectively. The difference between High and Ultra at 1440p is a mere 7 FPS, suggesting that the Ultra preset is not significantly more demanding than High. The minimum FPS at Medium is 189 FPS, which is still higher than the average FPS of most systems on other games. This resolution is the sweet spot for high-refresh-rate gaming, as the system can easily push over 240 FPS on lower settings.

At 4K, the GPU's workload increases substantially. The Low preset still manages an impressive 175 FPS average, showing the game's scalability. Medium settings drop to 140 FPS, and High settings to 87 FPS. The Ultra preset yields an average of 83 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS target for console-like smoothness but still perfectly playable on a high-refresh-rate 4K monitor. The minimum FPS recorded at 4K is 119 FPS on Medium, which is a strong indicator that there are no major frame-time spikes. The data reveals a linear scaling pattern: from 1080p to 1440p, there is a roughly 30% performance hit, and from 1440p to 4K, there is another 40% hit, which is a typical trend for GPU-bound workloads.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this hardware depend heavily on the user's display resolution and refresh rate. For 4K displays with a 60Hz or 120Hz refresh rate, the Ultra preset is the clear choice. The 83 FPS average is smooth and provides the full visual experience without any compromises. Users with 120Hz 4K panels might prefer the High preset, which offers 87 FPS, but the 4 FPS gain is negligible, so sticking with Ultra is recommended for maximum fidelity.

For 1440p users with high-refresh-rate monitors (144Hz, 165Hz, or 240Hz), the High preset is the best balance of visual quality and performance, delivering 139 FPS. However, for those seeking to maximize frame rates to match a 240Hz display, the Low preset at 278 FPS is the only way to get close to that number. The Medium preset at 222 FPS is also a viable option, offering a significant visual upgrade over Low while still being fast enough for all but the most competitive 240Hz displays. The Ultra preset at 132 FPS is also excellent for 144Hz monitors, but the visual difference from High is minimal, making High the more efficient choice.

At 1080p, where the system is exceptionally powerful, the Ultra preset at 184 FPS is the recommended setting for almost all users. It provides the highest visual quality and still surpasses the refresh rate of most 1080p monitors. For those with 360Hz or faster esports displays, the Low preset at 387 FPS is the only option to take full advantage of the hardware, though the visual downgrade is substantial. The Medium preset at 309 FPS is a reasonable compromise for 300Hz panels. In summary, the data suggests that there is no "wrong" choice, but the Ultra preset offers the most balanced experience across all resolutions, with High being the best option for 1440p users seeking a slight performance edge.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 plays a crucial, albeit secondary, role in the performance of Inside. With 14 cores and 14 threads, this processor is vastly overpowered for a 2D puzzle-platformer. The game does not utilize multi-threading heavily, so the high single-core performance is what matters most. The CPU boasts a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, which is a key factor in its ability to process game logic and physics at high frame rates. The benchmark data supports this: the Cinebench R23 single-core score is 4,648, and the Passmark single-thread score is 4,394, showing strong single-thread performance that is essential for maintaining high FPS in scenarios where the GPU is not the bottleneck.

The evidence for the CPU's non-bottlenecking role is clear from the FPS scaling. At 4K, the frame rate scales almost linearly with the graphics preset, from 83 FPS on Ultra to 175 FPS on Low. If the CPU were a limiting factor, the frame rates at lower settings would plateau, but they do not. At 1080p, the scaling is even more dramatic, reaching 387 FPS on Low, which demonstrates that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough data to render frames at that speed. The CPU's 24 MB of shared L3 cache and 3 MB per-core L2 cache also help reduce latency, which is beneficial for frame pacing in a game that requires precise input responses.

The processor's overall strength is further highlighted by its average benchmark score of 48,995, which places it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G and Ryzen 9 7900, have nearly identical scores, confirming that the Ultra 5 245 is a top-tier performer. For a game like Inside, which has low CPU demands, this processor provides a massive headroom, ensuring that even the most complex scenes with multiple dynamic objects will not cause a frame rate dip. Ultimately, while the GPU is the star of the show for rendering, the CPU's robust single-core performance is the unsung hero that enables the system to achieve the extraordinary frame rates seen at lower resolutions, making it a perfectly balanced partner for the RX 7700 XT in this title.