Inside

The Intel Core Ultra 7 165H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti combination delivers exceptional performance in Inside, a 2016 puzzle platformer. The measured frame rates are remarkably high across all tested resolutions and settings, with the only observable bottleneck appearing at the most demanding 4K Ultra configuration. The data reveals a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at 4K, while at 1080p the CPU’s capabilities become the primary factor limiting the frame rate ceiling.

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

The Intel Core Ultra 7 165H is a 16-core, 22-thread mobile processor built on the Meteor Lake architecture. It operates with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and can boost up to 5.00 GHz, which is critical for a game like Inside that relies on consistent single-thread performance for its physics and logic updates. The processor’s 24 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache help maintain low latency access to game data, which is essential for maintaining the high frame rates observed in this benchmark.

This CPU’s benchmark scores place it in the 84th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 34083. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H, scores 33989, a mere 0.3% difference, indicating that the 165H is positioned at the top of its performance tier. The data shows that this processor is more than capable of feeding the RTX 5070 Ti in Inside at 1080p, where the CPU’s single-thread performance (a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1759) becomes the limiting factor for achieving frame rates beyond the 319 FPS observed at Low settings.

At 1440p and 4K, the CPU’s role diminishes as the GPU takes on more of the rendering load. However, the 165H’s multi-threaded capabilities, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14551, ensure that background tasks and game logic do not cause frame drops. The PassMark multi-thread score of 25933 further confirms that this processor has ample headroom for the game’s computational demands, even when the GPU is fully saturated. The processor’s 28W TDP is a mobile-class figure, but the benchmark results indicate that power constraints do not hinder its performance in this title.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti is the dominant component in this pairing, featuring 16 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering a massive 896.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its boost clock of 2452 MHz and 8960 shading units provide the raw compute power needed to push Inside to its limits. The GPU’s 70 RT cores and 280 tensor cores are not directly relevant to this 2D side-scroller’s rendering, but they contribute to the card’s overall architecture and driver overhead.

The GPU’s benchmark results are stellar, with a PassMark G3D score of 32974 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6604. This places the RTX 5070 Ti in the 86th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 49957. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX Vega 64, scores 50001, a negligible 0.1% difference, while the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT is 2% ahead. This data confirms that the RTX 5070 Ti is a top-tier performer, and the measured FPS in Inside reflects this.

At 4K with Ultra settings, the GPU is the clear bottleneck, dropping to 83 FPS. This is a significant reduction from the 175 FPS achieved at 4K Low, showing that the GPU’s shading units and memory bandwidth are being fully utilized by the higher graphical fidelity. The 16 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for Inside, which is not a VRAM-intensive title, so the memory capacity does not limit performance. Instead, the GPU’s raw compute throughput, measured at 43.94 TFLOPS FP32, dictates the frame rate at higher resolutions and settings.

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

The measured FPS data shows a clear scaling pattern that shifts the bottleneck from the CPU to the GPU as resolution increases. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 319 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops this to 278 FPS, a 41 FPS decrease (approximately 13%). At 4K Low, the frame rate falls further to 175 FPS, a 103 FPS drop from 1440p (approximately 37%). This pattern indicates that at Low settings, the CPU is still able to keep up with the GPU’s demands until 4K, where the GPU’s fill rate becomes the limiting factor.

The scaling is more dramatic at Ultra settings. At 1080p Ultra, the system hits 184 FPS. At 1440p Ultra, this drops to 132 FPS, a 52 FPS decrease (approximately 28%). At 4K Ultra, the frame rate plummets to 83 FPS, a 49 FPS drop from 1440p (approximately 37%). This steeper decline at higher settings demonstrates that the GPU is the primary constraint at 4K Ultra, as the increased pixel count and shading complexity overwhelm the RTX 5070 Ti’s capabilities.

The data implies that for the best balance of visual quality and frame rate, 1440p is the sweet spot. At this resolution, the system maintains high frame rates across all settings, with the GPU still having enough headroom to render the game smoothly. The 89% frame rate retention from 1080p to 1440p at High settings (193 to 139 FPS) suggests that the CPU is still contributing, but the GPU is beginning to take over as the primary limiting component. At 4K, the GPU is unequivocally the bottleneck, as evidenced by the 57% frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K at High settings (193 to 87 FPS).

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

At 1920x1080, the system demonstrates its peak performance. Low settings yield an average of 319 FPS, which is the highest measured frame rate in the dataset. Medium settings produce 294 FPS with a minimum of 250 FPS and a maximum of 338 FPS, showing excellent consistency. High settings drop to 193 FPS, while Ultra settings produce 184 FPS. The data indicates that even at the most demanding 1080p setting, the system easily exceeds 180 FPS, making it ideal for high-refresh-rate displays.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains robust. Low settings achieve 278 FPS, Medium settings hit 222 FPS with a range of 189 to 256 FPS, and High settings produce 139 FPS. Ultra settings drop to 132 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra at 1440p is only 7 FPS, suggesting that the Ultra preset’s additional graphical effects are not particularly taxing on the GPU at this resolution. The minimum FPS of 189 FPS at Medium settings indicates that the system rarely experiences frame drops, ensuring a smooth experience.

At 3840x2160, the GPU’s limits become apparent. Low settings achieve 175 FPS, which is still very playable. Medium settings drop to 140 FPS with a minimum of 119 FPS and a maximum of 161 FPS. High settings fall to 87 FPS, and Ultra settings bottom out at 83 FPS. The data shows a clear inflection point between Medium and High at 4K, where the frame rate drops by 53 FPS (approximately 38%), highlighting the significant computational cost of the High and Ultra presets at this resolution.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti ranks 1373 out of 3716 tested combos in Inside. This places it in the top 37% of all systems tested, which is a strong showing for a mobile CPU paired with a desktop-class GPU. The rank is heavily influenced by the GPU’s performance, as the CPU’s 84th percentile ranking is slightly below the GPU’s 86th percentile, but the combination still performs admirably.

The rank of 1373 suggests that there are many systems with faster CPUs or more optimized pairings that achieve higher frame rates, particularly at 1080p where the CPU bottleneck is more pronounced. However, the data shows that this combo excels at higher resolutions, where the GPU’s power is fully utilized. The 37% percentile rank indicates that this system is better than average but not at the very top tier, which is expected given the mobile CPU’s limitations compared to desktop flagship processors.

The nearest CPU rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X (averaging 34260, a 0.5% difference), show that the 165H is competitive with older desktop processors. The GPU rivals, including the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT (averaging 48477, a 3.1% difference), demonstrate that the RTX 5070 Ti is slightly ahead of previous-generation flagship GPUs. This combination’s rank of 1373 reflects a balanced system that leverages the GPU’s strengths to overcome the CPU’s relative weakness in this title.

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

Based on the measured FPS data, the Medium preset at 1440p offers the best experience for most users. It achieves 222 FPS with a minimum of 189 FPS and a maximum of 256 FPS, providing a smooth and responsive gameplay experience. The frame rate is high enough to take advantage of high-refresh-rate monitors, and the minimum FPS ensures there are no noticeable stutters. The jump from Medium to High at 1440p costs 83 FPS (approximately 37%), which is a significant performance hit for what is likely a modest visual improvement in this art-stylized game.

For users with a 4K display, the Medium preset at 140 FPS is the recommended choice. It offers a playable frame rate well above the 60 FPS threshold, with a minimum of 119 FPS ensuring consistent performance. The High preset at 87 FPS is still playable, but the 53 FPS drop from Medium to High suggests that the visual gains are not worth the performance cost. The Ultra preset at 83 FPS is the least recommended, as it provides only a marginal improvement over High while pushing the frame rate to the edge of playability.

At 1080p, the High preset at 193 FPS is a solid choice, but the Ultra preset at 184 FPS is also viable. The difference between the two is only 9 FPS, so users can enable Ultra settings without sacrificing much performance. The Medium preset at 294 FPS is overkill for most displays, but it provides a massive headroom for future-proofing. Overall, the Medium preset at 1440p offers the best balance of visual fidelity, frame rate, and consistency across all resolutions.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest average frame rate achieved by this system in Inside?*

A: The highest average frame rate is 319 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: At what resolution and settings does the system drop below 100 FPS?

A: The system drops below 100 FPS only at 3840x2160 resolution with High settings (87 FPS) and Ultra settings (83 FPS).

Q: How does the RTX 5070 Ti compare to its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT?

A: The RTX 5070 Ti has an average benchmark score of 49957, while the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT scores 50951, making the RX 6900 XT 2% faster on average.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for this system?

A: The minimum FPS recorded is 119 FPS, which occurs at 3840x2160 resolution with Medium settings.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the primary bottleneck at 4K Ultra settings?

A: The GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K Ultra settings, as indicated by the 83 FPS average, which is significantly lower than the 184 FPS at 1080p Ultra.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H and the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 165H has an average benchmark score of 34083, which is 0.3% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H’s score of 33989.