Inside

Inside, a deliberately restrained puzzle-platformer from 2016, is not the typical stress test for high-end hardware. Yet the measured data for the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti reveals a fascinating profile of performance scaling that is heavily dictated by the CPU at lower resolutions and the GPU at 4K. This combination, ranked 1045th out of 2887 tested combos, demonstrates that even a game with modest graphical demands can expose the bottlenecks inherent in a mobile processor paired with a desktop-class graphics card.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K is stark and tells a clear story about where the performance limit lies. At 1080p with Ultra settings, the combo produces an average of 184 FPS. Moving to 1440p drops this to 132 FPS, a 28% reduction, and then to 4K, it falls further to 83 FPS. This steep decline when increasing resolution is the classic signature of a system transitioning from a CPU-bound state at lower resolutions to a GPU-bound state at higher ones. The sheer pixel count at 3840x2160 overwhelms the RTX 5070 Ti’s ability to maintain the high frame rates seen at 1920x1080.

The data confirms this shift. At 1080p High, the average is 193 FPS, which is only 39% faster than the 4K High result of 87 FPS. In a purely GPU-bound scenario, the pixel count difference between 1080p and 4K (roughly four times) would typically result in a much more dramatic frame rate disparity. The fact that 1080p is not nearly four times faster than 4K indicates that the CPU is preventing the GPU from fully stretching its legs at the lower resolution. The processor is the limiting factor, capping the potential output of the graphics card.

However, at 4K, the GPU becomes the primary constraint. The drop from 4K Medium (140 FPS) to 4K Ultra (83 FPS) is a substantial 41% performance penalty, showing that the most demanding settings place a significant load on the RTX 5070 Ti. The data points to a system that is imbalanced for this title: the CPU holds back performance at 1080p, while the GPU is the definitive bottleneck at 4K. This is further evidenced by the 4K Low result of 175 FPS, which is still significantly lower than the 1080p Low result of 314 FPS, proving that even at the lowest settings, the resolution increase alone imposes a massive burden on the GPU.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 155H is a mobile processor with 16 cores and 22 threads, a configuration that is generally sufficient for modern gaming. Its benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15028 and a single-core score of 1743, place it in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs. This indicates a capable processor, but its performance relative to rivals is tight. The nearest rival data shows it trades blows with desktop and mobile parts: it is essentially tied with the Intel Core i5-14600T (0% delta) and AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360 (0.1% faster), while being slightly behind the AMD Ryzen 5 7400F (-0.2%) and Ryzen 7 PRO 6850H (-0.4%).

In the context of Inside at 1080p, this CPU power is the limiting factor. The difference between 1080p Low (314 FPS) and 1080p Medium (290 FPS) is only 8%, and between High (193 FPS) and Ultra (184 FPS) it is a mere 5%. These small gaps suggest that the CPU, not the GPU, is determining the maximum achievable frame rate. The game’s logic and draw calls at 1080p are enough to saturate the processor's single-thread performance, preventing the GPU from rendering frames any faster.

The CPU's boost clock of 4.80 GHz and base clock of 3.80 GHz are respectable, but its 28W TDP is a clear indicator of its mobile nature. This power constraint likely limits sustained performance, which could explain why the frame rates at 1080p High and Ultra plateau around the 184-193 FPS mark. The data suggests that for a game like Inside, which is not heavily multi-threaded, the single-core performance of the Ultra 7 155H is the deciding factor at lower resolutions. The PassMark single-thread score of 3468 and the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1743 are strong, but they are not sufficient to feed the RTX 5070 Ti with enough frames to exceed the 300 FPS mark at 1080p Low, where the GPU is vastly underutilized.

Settings Recommendations

For this specific combination of CPU and GPU, the choice of settings depends entirely on the target resolution and refresh rate. At 1080p, the data suggests that High settings (193 FPS) offer a better experience than Ultra (184 FPS). The 9 FPS difference is negligible, and the slight reduction in fidelity is a reasonable trade-off for a more stable frame rate. However, the jump from Low (314 FPS) to Medium (290 FPS) is a massive leap in visual quality for a minor 24 FPS loss, making Medium the sweet spot for 1080p if maximum frame rates are not the absolute priority.

At 1440p, the High setting (139 FPS) provides a smooth experience, but the Medium preset (222 FPS) is exceptionally strong. Given that the game is a puzzle platformer, the higher frame rate of Medium will provide a more fluid response without a meaningful sacrifice in visual clarity. The Ultra preset at 1440p (132 FPS) is the least compelling option, as it offers only a marginal performance gain over the 4K High setting (87 FPS) but with a much lower resolution. The best experience at 1440p is clearly the Medium preset, which balances the load between the CPU and GPU.

The 4K resolution is where the RTX 5070 Ti’s strengths are best utilized, but also where compromises must be made. The High preset (87 FPS) is playable, but the Medium preset (140 FPS) is the clear winner for a 60Hz+ display. The drop from Medium to High (a 38% performance decrease) is significant, and the visual difference in a game with Inside’s minimalist art style is likely minimal. The Ultra preset at 4K (83 FPS) is the worst value, offering almost no performance advantage over High while demanding the most from the GPU. Therefore, the data strongly recommends using Medium settings at 4K for the best balance of performance and quality, and Medium at 1440p for a high-refresh-rate experience.

How This Combo Ranks

The overall ranking of this combination is 1045th out of 2887 tested combos, placing it in the top 36% of all system configurations. This is a respectable position, but it is not a top-tier result. The ranking reflects the inherent imbalance of pairing a high-end desktop GPU with a mid-range mobile CPU. While the RTX 5070 Ti is a powerhouse, its potential is not fully realized in this pairing, as evidenced by the CPU-bound performance at 1080p.

The GPU itself is a top performer, sitting in the 86th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks are a mixed bag, with the AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 (-0.1% delta), Intel Arc A550M (+0.4% delta), and the much older AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT (-2% delta). This shows that in raw compute, the RTX 5070 Ti is competitive with some of the best cards from previous generations, though it is 3.1% ahead of the Radeon RX 6800 XT. However, the CPU’s 83rd percentile ranking and its tight competition with lower-tier desktop and mobile processors, as seen in the nearestRivals data, drags the overall combo ranking down.

The ranking suggests that this system is capable of running Inside exceptionally well, but it is not an optimal pairing for this specific title. A more balanced system, perhaps with a higher-performing desktop CPU, would likely achieve a much better ranking. The data shows that the combo’s performance is far more dependent on the CPU at 1080p and the GPU at 4K, creating a system that is strong across the board but not exceptional in any single scenario. The rank of 1045 confirms the GPU's power, but it also highlights the CPU's role as the limiting factor in maximizing the system's overall potential.

FAQ

Q: Can this system achieve 144 FPS at 1440p in Inside?

A: Yes, but only with the Medium preset. The measured data shows an average of 222 FPS at 1440p Medium, which is well above 144 FPS. However, the High and Ultra presets at 1440p average 139 FPS and 132 FPS respectively, which fall just below the 144 FPS threshold.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The CPU is the limiting component at 1080p. The evidence is that frame rates plateau around 184-193 FPS on High and Ultra settings, and the gap between Low (314 FPS) and Medium (290 FPS) is small. This indicates the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H cannot feed the RTX 5070 Ti enough data to push frame rates higher.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a 4K 120Hz display?

A: Based on the measured data, none of the 4K presets can consistently hit 120 FPS. The Medium preset averages 140 FPS, which is above 120, but the High and Ultra presets average 87 FPS and 83 FPS respectively. For a stable 120 FPS experience, you would need to play at 1440p Medium or 1080p High.

Q: How does the RTX 5070 Ti compare to the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT in this system?

A: In the nearestRivals data for the GPU, the RTX 5070 Ti has an average benchmark score of 49957, which is 2% lower than the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT's score of 50951. This indicates the RX 6900 XT has a slight edge in raw synthetic performance.

Q: Is the Ultra preset worth the performance cost?

A: The data suggests it is not. At 1080p, Ultra (184 FPS) is only 9 FPS slower than High (193 FPS), making the cost minimal. However, at 1440p and 4K, the drop from High to Ultra is more significant (139 to 132 FPS and 87 to 83 FPS, respectively), and the visual benefits in a game like Inside are likely to be imperceptible, making High a better choice.

Q: What is the CPU's multi-core performance relative to its rivals?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 155H's average benchmark score is 32697. It is essentially tied with the Intel Core i5-14600T (0% delta) and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360 (0.1% faster). It is slightly slower than the AMD Ryzen 5 7400F, which is 0.2% faster, and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850H, which is 0.4% faster.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table provides the exact measured average frame rates for the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti combination in Inside.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

|:--------- |:------- | -------: | ------: | ------: |

| 3840x2160 | High | 87 | N/A | N/A |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 175 | N/A | N/A |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 140 | 119 | 161 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 83 | N/A | N/A |

| 2560x1440 | High | 139 | N/A | N/A |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 278 | N/A | N/A |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 222 | 189 | 256 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 132 | N/A | N/A |

| 1920x1080 | High | 193 | N/A | N/A |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 314 | N/A | N/A |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 290 | 246 | 333 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 184 | N/A | N/A |

The data shows a clear trend. At 1080p, the frame rates are consistently high, with the Low preset exceeding 300 FPS. The Medium preset at 1080p provides a very high 290 FPS average with a minimum of 246 FPS, making it an excellent choice for competitive play. As resolution increases to 1440p, the frame rates remain very playable, with Medium being the standout performer at 222 FPS. At 4K, the performance drops significantly, and the Medium preset is the only one that offers a frame rate above 100 FPS, solidifying its position as the recommended setting for 4K gameplay. The Ultra preset consistently delivers the lowest frame rates at every resolution, offering no measurable benefit over High settings in this title.