Inside

Inside is a 2016 puzzle platformer that, on paper, should not stress modern high-end hardware. Yet, the measured results for the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER combination reveal a fascinating scaling pattern that highlights the distinct roles of the CPU and GPU even in a title of this genre. The data provided shows a system capable of extraordinary frame rates, but the relationship between resolution, settings, and performance tells a specific story about where the bottleneck shifts.

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

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is a 20-core, 20-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm process by TSMC. It operates with a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, supported by a 30 MB shared L3 cache. For a game like Inside, which is a side-scrolling puzzle platformer rather than a complex simulation, the raw thread count is far less critical than the single-core performance and the ability to maintain high clocks under load. The benchmark data indicates this CPU is well-suited for such a task, as its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2020 and Geekbench single-core score of 2713 place it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs.

What matters for Inside is not the 20 cores, but the speed of the primary threads that handle game logic and draw calls. The boost clock of 5.50 GHz is the key specification here, as it directly translates into the CPU's ability to feed frames to the GPU without becoming a limiting factor. In the measured results, we see that at 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 451 FPS. This high frame rate at a low resolution is a classic indicator that the CPU is doing its job efficiently, as the GPU is not burdened with complex pixel shading. The CPU's Passmark single-thread score of 4928 further supports this, showing strong per-core capability.

Comparing to its nearest rivals, the Core Ultra 7 265K has an average benchmark score that is only 1% higher than the Intel Core i7-14700KF and 1.3% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F. This suggests that while it is a top-tier performer, its advantage over previous and current generation alternatives is marginal in synthetic tests. For Inside specifically, this means the CPU is effectively a non-factor in limiting performance; it provides more than enough headroom for the GPU to operate at its maximum potential. The data shows that the CPU's role is to ensure that frame pacing remains consistent, which is evident in the min FPS values recorded at Medium settings, such as 354 FPS at 1080p and 286 FPS at 1440p, which are still extremely high and indicate no stuttering from CPU bottlenecks.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is a formidable graphics card, built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process. It features 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s. The GPU has a base clock of 2295 MHz and a boost clock of 2550 MHz. For a visually stylized game like Inside, the GPU's role is to handle the rendering of the game's distinctive monochromatic environments, lighting effects, and particle systems. The 16 GB of VRAM is more than sufficient for this title, even at 4K resolution, as the game's art style does not require massive texture assets.

The data shows that the GPU is the primary driver of performance differences when settings are changed. At 4K with High settings, the average FPS is 132, but dropping to Low settings more than doubles that to 264 FPS. This massive jump indicates that the GPU is sensitive to the graphical workload imposed by different presets. The RTX 4080 SUPER's 52.22 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and its 80 RT cores are overkill for Inside, which does not heavily utilize ray tracing or advanced compute features. Instead, the performance is likely bound by the fill rate and shading throughput, which are substantial at 285.6 GPixel/s and 816.0 GTexel/s respectively.

In terms of raw GPU compute, the RTX 4080 SUPER's Passmark G3D score of 34245 places it in the 86th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, has an average score that is only 0.1% lower, indicating that the SUPER variant offers a negligible performance uplift in synthetic benchmarks. For Inside, this means that the GPU is capable of delivering incredibly high frame rates, but its full potential is only realized at lower resolutions where it is not constrained by pixel count. The GPU's 16 GB of VRAM is a non-issue, as even at 4K Ultra settings, the game would not come close to exhausting this capacity, ensuring smooth operation without memory swapping.

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

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how the system scales across resolutions. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 451 at 1080p to 404 at 1440p, and then significantly to 264 at 4K. This represents a 10.4% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 34.7% drop from 1440p to 4K. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is relatively mild, suggesting that the system is still partially CPU-limited at the lower resolution. However, the substantial drop to 4K indicates that the GPU is now the dominant limiting factor, as the pixel count quadruples from 1080p.

For High settings, the pattern is similar but with a more pronounced GPU influence. The FPS drops from 292 at 1080p to 210 at 1440p, a 28.1% decrease, and then to 132 at 4K, a 37.1% decrease from 1440p. The larger drop from 1080p to 1440p compared to Low settings suggests that the increased graphical fidelity is placing more strain on the GPU, even at the mid-range resolution. At 4K High, the system is clearly GPU-bound, as the CPU has ample headroom to provide frames, but the GPU cannot render them fast enough.

The Medium settings data includes min and max FPS values, which offer insight into consistency. At 1080p Medium, the average is 417 FPS with a min of 354 and max of 479. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 336 FPS with a min of 286 and max of 387. At 4K Medium, the average is 211 FPS with a min of 180 and max of 243. The frame time consistency is excellent across all resolutions, with the min FPS values staying within a reasonable range of the average, indicating no major stuttering or hitches. This suggests that the system is well-balanced, with neither component causing erratic frame delivery.

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

The full dataset provides a detailed look at performance across nine distinct configurations. At 1920x1080, the system achieves an average of 451 FPS on Low settings, 417 FPS on Medium, 292 FPS on High, and 278 FPS on Ultra. The difference between High and Ultra is only 14 FPS, suggesting diminishing returns on the highest preset. The Medium preset at 1080p shows a min FPS of 354 and a max of 479, demonstrating a wide but stable performance envelope.

Moving to 2560x1440, the average FPS is 404 on Low, 336 on Medium, 210 on High, and 200 on Ultra. The drop from Low to Medium is 68 FPS, while the drop from High to Ultra is only 10 FPS. The Medium preset here shows a min of 286 and max of 387. At 3840x2160, the average FPS is 264 on Low, 211 on Medium, 132 on High, and 126 on Ultra. The drop from Low to Medium is 53 FPS, while the drop from High to Ultra is only 6 FPS, indicating that the Ultra preset is essentially a marginal upgrade over High at 4K. The Medium preset at 4K shows a min of 180 and max of 243.

These numbers reveal that the most significant performance jumps occur when moving between Low and Medium settings, while the transition from High to Ultra is comparatively minor. This is typical for a game with scalable visual effects, where the last preset tier adds subtle enhancements that require more GPU resources but provide little visual benefit. The data also shows that the system can maintain playable frame rates (above 60 FPS) even at the most demanding 4K Ultra configuration, with an average of 126 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the benchmark database, this specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER ranks 81st out of 3716 tested combos for Inside. This places it in the top 2.2% of all systems tested, which is an exceptional result. The high ranking is expected given the caliber of both components, but it is notable that it does not break into the top 50, suggesting that there are other combinations that can achieve even higher frame rates, likely with more powerful GPUs like the RTX 4090 or newer generations.

The ranking reflects the system's ability to deliver high average frame rates across all tested settings. While the CPU and GPU individually rank in the 94th and 86th percentiles respectively, their combination yields a result that is better than the sum of its parts for this particular game. This is because Inside is not a demanding title, and the system's high-end components ensure that it never becomes a bottleneck. The 81st rank out of 3716 combos indicates that while there are faster systems, this configuration is in the upper echelon of performance for this game, offering an excellent experience for any user.

The data shows that the combo's performance is consistent with its individual component rankings. The CPU's 94th percentile rank and the GPU's 86th percentile rank combine to produce a system that is competitive with the best available, but not the absolute fastest. For a puzzle platformer like Inside, this level of performance is far beyond what is required for a smooth experience, and the rank reflects that the system is overqualified for the task, providing massive headroom for future, more demanding titles.

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

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combination depend on the user's display resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p displays with a 144Hz or 240Hz refresh rate, the Ultra preset is recommended, as it provides an average of 278 FPS, which is well above 240 FPS. Even the High preset at 292 FPS offers a marginal improvement, but Ultra ensures maximum visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness. The Medium preset at 417 FPS is overkill for any mainstream 1080p display and would only be useful for competitive play at extremely high refresh rates.

For 1440p displays, the Ultra preset is also the best choice, delivering an average of 200 FPS. This is more than sufficient for high-refresh-rate monitors, and the visual enhancements over High are worth the negligible 10 FPS drop. The High preset at 210 FPS is nearly identical in performance, but Ultra provides the best image quality. If a user has a 240Hz 1440p monitor, they may prefer Medium at 336 FPS to fully saturate the refresh rate, but this requires sacrificing visual quality for a frame rate that is already beyond the limit of most displays.

At 4K, the recommendation is more nuanced. The Ultra preset provides an average of 126 FPS, which is excellent for a 120Hz or 144Hz display, and offers the best visual experience. The High preset at 132 FPS is statistically similar, but Ultra is the better choice for image quality. If a user has a 60Hz 4K display, they could opt for the Medium preset at 211 FPS to gain significant headroom, but this is unnecessary for a smooth experience. The Low preset at 264 FPS is not recommended, as it would require a 240Hz 4K monitor, which is extremely rare. Overall, the Ultra preset is the best experience at all resolutions, as it provides frame rates that are either at or above the refresh rate of common high-end displays.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS for this system at 1440p with High settings?

A: The average FPS is 210, with no min or max values recorded for this specific configuration.

Q: How does the CPU compare to the Intel Core i7-14700KF in average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K has an average benchmark score that is 1% higher than the Intel Core i7-14700KF.

Q: Is the 16 GB of VRAM on the RTX 4080 SUPER sufficient for Inside at 4K?

A: Yes, the 16 GB of VRAM is more than sufficient for Inside, as the game's art style does not require massive texture assets, and the system achieves 132 FPS at 4K High settings.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded at 4K with Medium settings?

A: The minimum FPS recorded at 4K with Medium settings is 180, with an average of 211 and a maximum of 243.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 SUPER's Passmark G3D score compare to the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB?

A: The RTX 4080 SUPER has a Passmark G3D score of 34245, while the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB has a score of 55698, which is 2.7% higher.

Q: What is the combo rank for this system in Inside out of all tested combos?

A: The system ranks 81st out of 3716 tested combos for Inside, placing it in the top 2.2% of all systems.