Inside

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 combination delivers high frame rates in Inside, with performance scaling predictably across resolutions and settings. The data shows a system capable of maxing out high-refresh-rate displays at 1440p and maintaining smooth gameplay at 4K, though the gap between Low and Ultra presets reveals the game’s demand on the GPU.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is a 14-core, 14-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, built on a TSMC 3 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, featuring 24 MB of shared L3 cache and a dual-channel DDR5 memory interface with 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth. While Inside is not a CPU-intensive title, this processor’s single-thread performance is critical for maintaining high framerates, and its multi-core capabilities ensure no bottleneck in less demanding scenes.

In synthetic benchmarks, the Core Ultra 5 245 scores 4,648 points in Cinebench R23 single-core and 32,924 points in multi-core. Its average benchmark score of 48,995 places it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, indicating top-tier performance. Compared to its nearest rivals, the processor is effectively tied with the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, which scores 49,228 (a -0.5% delta), and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G, which scores 49,196 (-0.4%). It is slightly ahead of the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H by 0.6% and the Intel Core i5-14600K by 0.8%.

For Inside, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and physics calculations. The game’s puzzle-platformer nature means low geometric complexity, so the Core Ultra 5 245’s high boost clock ensures that frame times remain consistent even when the GPU is pushing hundreds of frames per second. The 14 threads provide ample headroom for background tasks, but the data suggests that the CPU is never the limiting factor at any tested resolution, as framerates scale almost entirely with GPU load.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is built on the Ampere architecture with the GA102 chip, manufactured on an 8 nm Samsung process. It features 8,704 shading units, 272 texture mapping units, and 96 ROPs, with 68 RT cores and 272 tensor cores. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1440 MHz and a boost clock of 1710 MHz, paired with 10 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 320-bit bus, delivering 760.3 GB/s of bandwidth. Its FP32 compute throughput is 29.77 TFLOPS.

In the PassMark G3D benchmark, the RTX 3080 scores 25,086, placing it in the 68th percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score is 23,172. Compared to its nearest rivals, the GPU is nearly identical to the NVIDIA P106-100 (23,249, -0.3%), the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 16 (23,250, -0.3%), and the AMD Radeon RX 6600M (23,273, -0.4%). The RTX 3080 also trails the AMD Radeon R9 M290X by 0.4%, though these deltas are minuscule and within noise.

For Inside, the RTX 3080 is the primary driver of performance. The game’s visual style—featuring dynamic lighting, shadows, and water effects—relies heavily on GPU rasterization. The 10 GB VRAM is sufficient for 4K textures, and the high memory bandwidth prevents stuttering. The GPU’s boost clock of 1710 MHz ensures sustained performance, as seen in the measured FPS, where even at 4K Ultra the system maintains a 95 FPS average. The RTX 3080’s compute power is more than adequate for this title, which is not graphically demanding by modern standards, but the data shows it still scales with resolution and settings.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals clear scaling trends across 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. At 1080p High, the combo achieves 220 FPS, which drops to 158 FPS at 1440p (-28%) and further to 99 FPS at 4K (-55% from 1080p). This pattern indicates a GPU-bound scenario, as the CPU’s performance remains constant while GPU load increases with pixel count.

At Low settings, the scaling is even more pronounced: 420 FPS at 1080p, 317 FPS at 1440p (-25%), and 199 FPS at 4K (-53%). The drop from 1080p to 1440p is smaller than from 1440p to 4K, suggesting that the GPU is still able to handle the intermediate resolution efficiently, but 4K demands significantly more fill rate and memory bandwidth.

Medium settings show a similar trend: 352 FPS at 1080p, 253 FPS at 1440p (-28%), and 159 FPS at 4K (-55%). The Ultra preset, the most demanding, yields 210 FPS at 1080p, 151 FPS at 1440p (-28%), and 95 FPS at 4K (-55%). The consistency of these percentage drops—around 28% between 1080p and 1440p, and 55% between 1080p and 4K—strongly indicates that the RTX 3080 is the limiting component, with the CPU having no impact on scaling.

The data also shows that the difference between Low and Ultra at the same resolution is substantial. At 1080p, Ultra is exactly 50% slower than Low (420 FPS vs 210 FPS). At 1440p, the gap is 52% (317 FPS vs 151 FPS), and at 4K, it is 52% (199 FPS vs 95 FPS). This consistent ratio suggests that the game’s settings primarily affect GPU workload rather than CPU or memory performance.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and RTX 3080 combination ranks 532nd out of 2,887 tested combos in Inside, placing it in the top 18% of all systems. This rank reflects the high absolute performance of both components, but it is not near the top because the game is relatively old (released in 2016) and can be run at high framerates by even mid-range hardware.

The rank is likely influenced by the RTX 3080’s 68th percentile standing among GPUs, which is lower than the CPU’s 90th percentile. Systems with newer or higher-end GPUs, such as the RTX 40-series, would rank higher due to superior rasterization performance. However, the data shows that this combo is well-balanced for Inside, as the CPU is never a bottleneck, and the GPU provides sufficient headroom for 4K gaming.

Compared to the nearest rival combos, the RTX 3080’s performance is essentially tied with the AMD Radeon RX 6600M, which scores within 0.4% in synthetic benchmarks. This means that in Inside, the FPS would be nearly identical, though the desktop RTX 3080’s higher power limit and memory bandwidth might give it a slight edge in sustained load. The rank of 532 out of 2,887 indicates that approximately 82% of tested combos perform worse, which is a strong showing for a system built around a 2020 GPU and a 2025 CPU.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 4K Ultra settings?

A: The average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 95 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for high-refresh-rate displays.

Q: How does the RTX 3080 compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 3080 scores 25,086 in PassMark G3D, which is within 0.4% of the NVIDIA P106-100, AMD Radeon Pro Vega 16, and AMD Radeon RX 6600M. The data shows no meaningful performance difference between these GPUs.

*Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in Inside?*

A: The GPU is the limiting factor. The FPS drops by approximately 28% from 1080p to 1440p and 55% from 1080p to 4K across all settings, which is consistent with GPU-bound scaling. The CPU’s high single-core score (4,648 in Cinebench R23) ensures it is not a bottleneck.

Q: What is the best resolution for 144 Hz gaming?

A: At 1440p High, the combo achieves 158 FPS, which exceeds 144 Hz. At 4K High, the average drops to 99 FPS, so 1440p is the optimal resolution for high-refresh-rate displays.

Q: How much faster is Low vs Ultra at the same resolution?

A: Low settings are exactly 50% faster than Ultra at 1080p (420 FPS vs 210 FPS), 52% faster at 1440p (317 FPS vs 151 FPS), and 52% faster at 4K (199 FPS vs 95 FPS).

*Q: What is the combo rank in Inside?*

A: The combo ranks 532nd out of 2,887 tested combinations, placing it in the top 18% of all systems.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers 420 FPS on Low, 352 FPS on Medium (with a minimum of 299 FPS and maximum of 405 FPS), 220 FPS on High, and 210 FPS on Ultra. The gap between Medium and High is 132 FPS, while High and Ultra are only 10 FPS apart, suggesting diminishing returns at the highest preset.

At 2560x1440, performance drops to 317 FPS on Low, 253 FPS on Medium (minimum 215 FPS, maximum 291 FPS), 158 FPS on High, and 151 FPS on Ultra. The difference between High and Ultra is just 7 FPS, indicating that the Ultra preset’s additional effects have minimal impact at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the combo achieves 199 FPS on Low, 159 FPS on Medium (minimum 135 FPS, maximum 183 FPS), 99 FPS on High, and 95 FPS on Ultra. The 4K High and Ultra results are close, but the drop from Low to High is 50%, showing that the game’s visual effects are increasingly demanding at higher pixel counts.

The minimum FPS data, available only for Medium settings, shows consistent frame times: 299 FPS minimum at 1080p, 215 FPS at 1440p, and 135 FPS at 4K. These minimums are 85%, 85%, and 85% of the average respectively, indicating smooth performance without major stutters. The maximum FPS values (405 at 1080p, 291 at 1440p, 183 at 4K) show headroom for uncapped framerates.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience, the data suggests prioritizing High settings at 1440p. This configuration yields 158 FPS, which is above the 144 Hz threshold for most gaming monitors, while providing significant visual improvements over Medium (253 FPS). The jump from High to Ultra at 1440p costs only 7 FPS (151 vs 158), so Ultra is also viable if the display supports it, but the visual difference is minimal.

At 4K, High settings (99 FPS) offer a better balance than Ultra (95 FPS), as the 4 FPS difference does not justify the extra graphical load. For players targeting 60 FPS at 4K, Medium settings at 159 FPS provide a large safety margin, while Low at 199 FPS is unnecessary unless using a 144 Hz 4K display, which is rare.

At 1080p, the combo is overpowered. Even Ultra settings at 210 FPS exceed most 144 Hz displays, so players can max out the game without concern. Medium settings at 352 FPS are only relevant for 360 Hz esports monitors, but Inside is not a competitive title, so the visual quality of High or Ultra is recommended.

The data indicates that the RTX 3080 has ample headroom in Inside, and the primary consideration is display refresh rate. For 1440p 144 Hz displays, High is the sweet spot. For 4K 60 Hz displays, High is sufficient, but Medium offers a more comfortable margin. The CPU’s performance is never a concern, as even at 1080p Low (420 FPS), the Core Ultra 5 245 maintains frame delivery without bottlenecking the GPU.