Inside

Inside is a 2016 puzzle platformer that remains remarkably light on modern hardware, and the measured results for the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 confirm this. The data shows a configuration that delivers exceptionally high frame rates across all tested resolutions and settings, with the performance ceiling dictated primarily by the CPU at lower resolutions and the GPU at higher ones. This analysis breaks down the specific roles of each component, the optimal settings for the best experience, and how this combination ranks against the broader database of tested hardware.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is a 14-core, 14-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm process by TSMC. It operates with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, and its 24 MB of shared L3 cache helps feed the GPU with data. For a game like Inside, which is not heavily threaded, the high boost clock is more relevant than the core count. The benchmark data shows the CPU’s single-threaded strength is substantial, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4648 and a Passmark single-thread score of 4394. These numbers position the processor in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, indicating strong per-core performance.

In the context of Inside’s measured FPS, the CPU’s role becomes apparent at 1080p. At this resolution, the GPU is not the bottleneck, and the frame rates are largely dependent on how quickly the CPU can process game logic and issue draw calls. The data shows that at 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves 420 FPS. This high frame rate is a direct reflection of the Core Ultra 5 245’s ability to keep pace with the RTX 4090, ensuring that the GPU is not starved for work. The processor’s nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G and the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, have average benchmark scores that are nearly identical, with delta percentages of -0.4% and -0.5% respectively. This suggests that the Core Ultra 5 245’s performance is right at the expected level for its class, and its high boost clock is a key enabler for the triple-digit frame rates observed in this title.

The architecture’s efficiency is also notable. With a 65 W TDP, the Core Ultra 5 245 is not a power-hungry part, which is beneficial for sustained performance in longer gaming sessions. However, the benchmark scores for multi-threaded workloads, such as a Passmark multithread score of 38706, are less critical for Inside, which relies more on the processor’s ability to handle a few high-frequency threads. The data indicates that the CPU is more than capable of handling this game’s demands, and the performance headroom is significant, as evidenced by the high frame rates even at 4K Ultra settings, where the GPU becomes the primary limiting factor.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is a flagship GPU based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, built on a 5 nm process by TSMC. It features 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, providing a massive 1.01 TB/s of memory bandwidth. The GPU’s boost clock is rated at 2520 MHz, and it has 16384 shading units. For a game like Inside, which has relatively simple visuals, the RTX 4090’s raw compute power is overkill, but the results show that it still scales appropriately with resolution.

The GPU’s role is most evident at 4K resolutions. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the system averages 140 FPS, while at High settings, it averages 147 FPS. These numbers are lower than the 1080p results, indicating that the GPU is being pushed harder as the pixel count increases. The RTX 4090’s 24 GB of VRAM is far more than Inside requires, so memory capacity is not a bottleneck. Instead, the limiting factor is the GPU’s fill rate and pixel processing capabilities. The Passmark G3D score of 38194 places the GPU in the 88th percentile of all GPUs, which confirms its overall strength, but the data shows that even this powerful card sees a performance drop when resolution scales up.

Comparing to its nearest rivals, the RTX 4090’s average benchmark score is 60347, which is nearly identical to the Intel Arc Pro A60 (60326) and the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 (60140), with delta percentages of 0% and 0.3% respectively. This is an interesting data point, as it suggests that the RTX 4090’s gaming-specific advantages are not fully captured in these general benchmark scores. However, for Inside, the GPU’s direct impact is clear: at 1080p Low, the system hits 420 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, it drops to 140 FPS. This 280 FPS difference highlights the GPU’s increasing workload at higher resolutions, and the RTX 4090’s robust memory bandwidth and processing power ensure that the game remains highly playable even at the most demanding settings.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the user’s priority: maximum frame rate versus visual fidelity. At 1080p, the differences between presets are relatively small, but the data shows a clear trend. The Low preset yields 420 FPS, Medium yields 388 FPS, High yields 323 FPS, and Ultra yields 309 FPS. The jump from Low to Ultra is a 111 FPS drop, which is substantial, but even at Ultra, the frame rate is well above the refresh rate of most monitors. For competitive or high-refresh-rate displays, the Low preset at 1080p offers the absolute highest frame rate, but the visual trade-off may not be worth it for a game like Inside, which benefits from its atmospheric art style.

At 1440p, the Medium preset provides a strong balance, with an average of 347 FPS and a minimum of 295 FPS. The High preset at 234 FPS and Ultra at 222 FPS are also excellent, but the Medium preset’s higher minimum frame rate suggests better consistency. For the best overall experience at 1440p, the High preset is recommended, as it offers a 234 FPS average, which is still exceptionally smooth, while likely providing a noticeable visual upgrade over Medium. At 4K, the High preset at 147 FPS is the sweet spot. The Ultra preset at 140 FPS is only 7 FPS slower, but the High preset’s performance is more comfortable. The Low preset at 4K yields 293 FPS, which is impressive, but the visual degradation at such a high resolution would be noticeable. The data suggests that for a visually rich puzzle platformer, prioritizing settings that maintain the game’s aesthetic while keeping frame rates high is key. The Medium preset at 4K, with an average of 235 FPS and a minimum of 200 FPS, is also a viable option if users want to balance visuals and performance, but the High preset remains the recommended choice for its combination of high average FPS and presumed graphical quality.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 ranks 41st out of 2887 tested combos in the database for Inside. This top 1.4% placement is a strong indicator of the system’s overall capability. The rank reflects the synergy between the CPU and GPU, where the processor’s high single-thread performance prevents it from bottlenecking the graphics card, especially at lower resolutions. The data shows that this combo is among the fastest ever tested for this game, which is expected given the high-end nature of both components.

The rank also provides context for the absolute performance numbers. While the RTX 4090 is a top-tier GPU, its rank is not first, suggesting that there are other combos with slightly higher frame rates, likely utilizing even faster CPUs or more optimized configurations. However, the delta between this combo and the very top is likely small, given the high frame rates already achieved. The combo’s rank of 41 out of 2887 means that the vast majority of tested systems will perform worse, making this configuration a benchmark for high-refresh-rate gaming in Inside. The data indicates that the Core Ultra 5 245 does not hold back the RTX 4090, and the system is well-balanced for this title, even if the CPU is not the absolute fastest available. The percentile data for the CPU (90th) and GPU (88th) further supports this, showing that both components are in the top tier of their respective categories.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic shift in system bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 420 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low, the frame rate drops to 376 FPS, a decrease of 44 FPS. At 4K Low, the frame rate is 293 FPS, a further drop of 83 FPS. This pattern shows that as resolution increases, the GPU’s workload grows, and the frame rate decreases accordingly. The total drop from 1080p Low to 4K Low is 127 FPS, which is a significant reduction, but the absolute frame rates remain high.

This scaling indicates that at 1080p, the CPU is likely the primary limiting factor, as the GPU is not fully utilized. The high frame rates at 1080p (420 FPS) are close to what the CPU can physically push, and the GPU has headroom. As resolution increases to 1440p and 4K, the GPU becomes more saturated, and the frame rate drops become more pronounced. For example, at Ultra settings, the drop from 1080p (309 FPS) to 1440p (222 FPS) is 87 FPS, and from 1440p to 4K (140 FPS) is 82 FPS. This consistent drop across settings suggests that the GPU is the limiting component at higher resolutions. The data shows that the RTX 4090 is strong enough to maintain playable frame rates at 4K, but the scaling is clear. The system is more CPU-bound at 1080p and more GPU-bound at 4K, which is typical for a high-end pairing. The fact that the frame rate does not drop proportionally with the pixel count (4K has 4x the pixels of 1080p, but the FPS does not drop to a quarter) indicates that the CPU is still contributing, but the GPU’s massive compute and memory bandwidth are adequate for the task.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the average frame rate for this combo at 2560x1440 with High settings?

A: The system achieves an average of 234 FPS at 2560x1440 with High settings.

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 compare to the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 in average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7900 has an average score of 49228, which is 0.5% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 5 245’s average score of 48995.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded at 1920x1080 with Medium settings?

A: The minimum FPS recorded at 1920x1080 with Medium settings is 329 FPS, with a maximum of 446 FPS.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090?

A: The launch MSRP of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is 1,599 USD.

Q: What is the combo’s rank in the database for Inside, and how many total combos were tested?

A: The combo ranks 41st out of 2887 tested combos for Inside.

Q: What is the effective memory clock of the RTX 4090?

A: The effective memory clock of the RTX 4090 is 21 Gbps, with a base memory clock of 1313 MHz.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The following is the complete measured FPS data for the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 in Inside.

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates. With Low settings, the average FPS is 420. The Medium preset yields an average of 388 FPS, with a minimum of 329 FPS and a maximum of 446 FPS. High settings produce an average of 323 FPS, and the Ultra preset results in an average of 309 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains exceptionally high. The Low preset averages 376 FPS. Medium settings average 347 FPS, with a minimum of 295 FPS and a maximum of 399 FPS. The High preset averages 234 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 222 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the frame rates are still very playable. Low settings average 293 FPS. The Medium preset averages 235 FPS, with a minimum of 200 FPS and a maximum of 270 FPS. High settings average 147 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 140 FPS. All data points confirm that this configuration provides a fluid experience across all tested combinations, with the lowest average FPS recorded at 140 FPS for 4K Ultra settings.