Inside

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER delivers a highly capable experience in Inside, a game that is far more forgiving on hardware than its atmospheric presentation suggests. The data indicates that this combination is significantly more limited by the GPU than the CPU at higher resolutions, yet it remains comfortably playable across the board. While the combo ranks in the lower half of the database, the measured frame rates tell a story of smooth performance, particularly at 1080p and 1440p, where the game runs at speeds that far exceed the requirements for a fluid puzzle-platformer.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution to play Inside at with this hardware?*

A: Based on the measured data, 2560x1440 offers the optimal balance of visual fidelity and performance. At High settings, the combo achieves an average of 78 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold. While 1920x1080 delivers higher frame rates (108 FPS on High), the 1440p resolution provides a sharper image without sacrificing smoothness.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in terms of overall processing power?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 has an average benchmark score of 48995, placing it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G, scores slightly higher at 49196, a marginal difference of -0.4%. It is also effectively tied with the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, which is just 0.5% faster.

Q: Is the GTX 1660 SUPER a bottleneck for the Core Ultra 5 245 in this game?

A: Yes, the benchmark results suggest the GPU is the primary limiting factor, especially at higher resolutions. For instance, moving from Low to Ultra settings at 4K drops the average FPS from 98 to 47. Since the CPU is a top-tier performer (90th percentile), the substantial frame rate variations across settings are attributable to the graphics card's workload.

Q: What is the performance difference between the GTX 1660 SUPER and its closest competitor?

A: The GTX 1660 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 12986. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile, scores 12940, meaning the desktop 1660 SUPER is 0.4% faster. It also edges out the AMD Radeon RX 580, which is 0.4% slower.

Q: Does the game run well at 4K resolution with this setup?

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 4K with High settings, the average FPS is 49, which is playable but not perfectly smooth. Dropping to Medium settings raises the average to 78 FPS, providing a much more fluid experience. Ultra settings at 4K are the most demanding, yielding only 47 FPS on average.

Q: How much of a performance jump is there from 1080p to 1440p?

A: The performance cost is moderate. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 108 FPS at 1920x1080 to 78 FPS at 2560x1440, a 28% decrease. This indicates that while the GPU is doing more work, it still has ample headroom to maintain high frame rates at the higher resolution.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is the decisive component in this pairing for Inside. With 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, it provides a memory bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s. The card's boost clock of 1785 MHz and its 1408 shading units are the workhorses that render the game's distinctive monochromatic visuals and lighting effects. Given that the Core Ultra 5 245 is a high-end processor (90th percentile), the data shows that the GPU dictates the performance envelope across all tested settings and resolutions.

The GPU's role becomes clearer when analyzing the frame rate scaling. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system produces an average of 216 FPS. This high number suggests the CPU is not a limiting factor, as it can feed the GPU with enough data to reach very high frame rates. However, as resolution increases, the GPU's fill-rate and memory bandwidth become more critical. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 47, indicating that the GTX 1660 SUPER is saturated and unable to maintain the same level of performance. The GPU's 53rd percentile ranking among all GPUs underscores that it is a mid-range part, and its Turing architecture, while efficient, is not designed for extreme 4K workloads.

In the context of Inside, a game that is not graphically intensive by modern standards, the GTX 1660 SUPER is more than adequate. The data shows it provides a playable experience even at 4K with Medium settings (78 FPS). This reflects the game's efficient rendering, as the GPU's raw compute power (5.027 TFLOPS FP32) is sufficient for the task. The Core Ultra 5 245, with its 14 cores and 24 MB of L3 cache, is largely idle in this scenario, as the game's physics and logic do not require immense CPU throughput. Therefore, the GPU's VRAM capacity and clock speeds are the primary factors that will determine visual quality and frame rate.

Resolution Scaling

The measured data reveals a clear pattern of performance scaling with resolution, highlighting the GPU as the bottleneck. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the system averages 108 FPS. This drops to 78 FPS at 2560x1440, a 28% reduction, and further to 49 FPS at 3840x2160, a 55% reduction from the 1080p figure. This steep decline is characteristic of a system where the GPU is handling the increased pixel count directly.

The scaling is even more dramatic at lower settings, which removes other potential bottlenecks. At Low settings, the frame rate goes from an average of 216 FPS at 1080p to 156 FPS at 1440p and finally to 98 FPS at 4K. This data suggests a nearly linear relationship with pixel count, which is a classic sign of a GPU-limited scenario. The CPU, which is exceptionally powerful (90th percentile), is not the constraining factor, as it can easily keep up with the GPU's output at all resolutions.

The behavior at 4K is particularly telling. The jump from Low (98 FPS) to Medium (78 FPS) is a 20% drop, and from Medium to High (49 FPS) is another 37% drop. This demonstrates that the GTX 1660 SUPER's 6 GB of VRAM and 336.0 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for the game's assets, but the processing power of the GPU is what limits the frame rate. The game is not hitting a memory capacity wall, but rather a computational one. For users targeting 4K, the data suggests that Medium settings are the ideal choice, as they provide a 78 FPS average and maintain a minimum of 66 FPS, ensuring a consistent experience. Pushing to High or Ultra settings will result in dips below the 60 FPS mark, which could be noticeable in a game that relies on precise timing and atmospheric tension.

Settings Recommendations

The benchmark data provides clear guidance on the optimal settings for this hardware combination, prioritizing a stable frame rate for the game's precise gameplay. At 1920x1080, all settings are playable, but the difference between High (108 FPS) and Ultra (103 FPS) is minimal. The data suggests that High settings are the sweet spot, as they offer a 5 FPS advantage over Ultra, likely with an imperceptible visual difference in this art style.

At 2560x1440, the data strongly points to High settings as the best experience. It delivers an average of 78 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS target, and the jump to Ultra yields only 74 FPS. The Medium preset (125 FPS) is also an option for those who prefer even higher frame rates, but the High preset provides the best visual fidelity while maintaining excellent smoothness. The performance cushion here is notable, suggesting that the game will rarely stutter or drop frames.

For 4K (3840x2160), the recommendation is to use the Medium preset. This is the only tested setting that consistently delivers a smooth experience, with an average of 78 FPS and a minimum of 66 FPS. While High (49 FPS) and Ultra (47 FPS) are technically playable, they fall below the 60 FPS threshold and may result in a less fluid experience during the game's more intense sequences. The Low preset at 4K is not recommended, as the visual compromises in a game that relies heavily on its art direction and lighting are not worth the frame rate increase, especially when Medium is already so effective.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER ranks 2464 out of 2887 tested combinations in Inside. This places it in the bottom 15% of systems, which may initially seem like a poor result. However, this ranking is a reflection of the database's inclusion of much more powerful, modern hardware, and not an indication of this combo's inadequacy for this specific game.

The low rank is primarily due to the GPU's mid-range status, as indicated by its 53rd percentile ranking among all GPUs. The CPU, in contrast, is in the 90th percentile, meaning the pairing is unbalanced. Most other tested combos in the database likely feature higher-tier graphics cards, such as the RTX 3050 Ti Mobile, which is only 0.4% faster than the 1660 SUPER in synthetic benchmarks, or more powerful desktop GPUs. This creates a situation where this combo's performance is solid, but it is outclassed by systems with more capable graphics cards.

The data shows that while this combo is not a top performer, it is far from a poor one. The rank of 2464 out of 2887 is a statistical outlier in a field dominated by high-end components. The measured frame rates prove that this pairing is entirely capable of delivering an excellent experience in Inside, which confirms the game's optimization and the GTX 1660 SUPER's enduring capability at lower resolutions. Users with this setup can be confident that they will get a great experience, despite the combo's low relative position in the benchmark hierarchy.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates offer a comprehensive view of the system's performance across a matrix of resolutions and settings. The data indicates that the system is most comfortable at 1080p, where it never drops below an average of 103 FPS.

1920x1080:

• Low: 216 FPS average.
• Medium: 173 FPS average, with a minimum of 147 FPS and a maximum of 199 FPS.
• High: 108 FPS average.
• Ultra: 103 FPS average.

This resolution is clearly where the GTX 1660 SUPER shines, providing frame rates that are far beyond what is necessary for a smooth experience. The consistency of the Medium preset (147 FPS minimum) suggests that even the most demanding scenes will not cause a noticeable stutter.

2560x1440:

• Low: 156 FPS average.
• Medium: 125 FPS average, with a minimum of 106 FPS and a maximum of 143 FPS.
• High: 78 FPS average.
• Ultra: 74 FPS average.

At 1440p, the system demonstrates a significant performance headroom. The High preset's 78 FPS average is a strong result, and the Ultra preset, while 4 FPS slower, is still perfectly playable. The Medium preset provides a high-refresh-rate experience if desired.

3840x2160:

• Low: 98 FPS average.
• Medium: 78 FPS average, with a minimum of 66 FPS and a maximum of 90 FPS.
• High: 49 FPS average.
• Ultra: 47 FPS average.

The 4K data shows the GPU's limits. The drop from Medium to High is significant, a 29 FPS decrease, which pushes the experience below the 60 FPS threshold. The Medium preset is the only setting that provides a consistently smooth experience at this resolution, maintaining a minimum of 66 FPS. The High and Ultra presets are best avoided for those who prioritize a locked 60 FPS or higher.