Inside

The Intel Core Ultra X7 368H paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is a mobile combination designed for high-refresh-rate gaming, and the data for Inside confirms this pairing is more than adequate for the game’s demands. This combo ranks 2237 out of 3716 tested combinations, placing it in the top 60% of all systems in the database. This is a solid position, but it does not reflect the raw frame rates this duo achieves in a lighter title like Inside; the ranking is heavily influenced by other, more demanding games where the CPU and GPU are pushed much harder. For this specific puzzle platformer, the bottleneck is rarely the hardware, but rather the game’s own frame rate limit or the chosen settings. The data shows a system that can easily handle 4K gaming, with the only real compromise being the need to drop from Ultra to High settings to maintain a comfortable frame rate.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's overall rank of 2237 out of 3716 tested systems might seem unremarkable at first glance, but context is crucial. This ranking is a global metric across all games in the benchmark database, many of which are far more graphically intensive than Inside. The data indicates that this specific CPU-GPU pairing is a mid-to-upper-tier performer overall. The CPU, the Intel Core Ultra X7 368H, sits at the 87th percentile when compared against all other CPUs, which is a strong showing for a mobile part. Its average benchmark score of 40518 places it in a tight cluster with its nearest rivals. For instance, it is only 0.1% behind the Intel Core 7 253PE and 0.2% behind the Intel Core 5 223PE, while simultaneously being 0.2% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 7940H and the Intel Xeon 6507P. This shows that in CPU-bound scenarios, the Ultra X7 368H is essentially trading blows with some of the best mobile processors available, making the 2237 combo rank a reflection of the GPU’s more modest standing rather than a CPU deficiency.

The GPU, the RTX 4060, is a different story. It holds the 61st percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 17639. Its nearest rivals are a mix of older discrete cards and modern integrated graphics, including the AMD Radeon HD 7790 (0.2% faster), the AMD Radeon 780M (0.3% slower), and the AMD Radeon Pro 560 (0.5% slower). This comparison highlights that while the RTX 4060 is a competent performer, it is not a top-tier part in the grand scheme of desktop or high-end mobile GPUs. The ranking for this combo in Inside is therefore evidence of the game’s low system requirements. The hardware is so far above what is needed that the frame rate is often limited by the CPU's single-thread performance or the game engine itself, rather than the GPU's rendering capabilities. In essence, this combo’s rank is dragged down by its performance in other, more demanding titles, but its performance in Inside is exceptional.

GPU Role

In Inside, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is the primary driver of visual fidelity and resolution scaling. This GPU is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture and features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s. For a game like Inside, which has a distinct, minimalist art style, the 8 GB frame buffer is more than sufficient at all tested resolutions, including 4K. The GPU’s boost clock of 2460 MHz allows it to push geometry and pixel data quickly, but the real takeaway from the data is that the GPU is often not the limiting factor. At 4K with High settings, the RTX 4060 produces 67 FPS, showing it can handle the resolution, but the jump to Low settings at the same resolution yields 134 FPS, a 100% increase. This indicates that the game is sensitive to shading and texture work, and the GPU’s 3072 shading units are capable of scaling performance significantly when the load is reduced.

The GPU’s 96 texture mapping units (TMUs) and 48 render output units (ROPs) are well-balanced for a game of this visual complexity. The data shows a clear progression: at 1440p, the RTX 4060 moves from 107 FPS on High to 213 FPS on Low, and at 1080p, it goes from 148 FPS on High to 297 FPS on Low. This scaling is not linear, but it shows that the GPU has headroom. The RTX 4060 also supports DirectX 12 Ultimate and Vulkan 1.4, though Inside is a 2016 title that likely relies on older APIs. The GPU’s performance is further contextualized by its Passmark G3D score of 19545, which places it near the AMD Radeon HD 7790. However, in this specific game, the RTX 4060’s modern architecture and driver optimizations ensure it performs far better than that legacy comparison suggests. The core function of the GPU here is to deliver high frame rates, and it does so effectively, especially when settings are adjusted. The 115W TDP is a reasonable power envelope for a mobile part, ensuring it can sustain these clocks without excessive thermal throttling.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data for Inside provides a clear picture of the optimal settings for this combo. The goal is to achieve a high and stable frame rate, and the data shows that the "Ultra" preset is a performance trap for this hardware, despite being the highest visual quality. At 4K Ultra, the combo averages 64 FPS, which is just below the 67 FPS achieved on High. The difference between High and Ultra is minimal in terms of visual impact for a game like Inside, but the performance cost is a 4.5% reduction in frame rate. This suggests that the Ultra preset is unnecessarily demanding for the visual payoff. The "High" preset is the sweet spot for the highest resolution, offering 67 FPS at 4K, which is smooth enough for the game's slower pacing. However, for a more competitive or responsive feel, dropping to Medium yields a substantial jump to 107 FPS at 4K, with a minimum frame rate of 91 FPS, ensuring no noticeable stutter.

For users with 1440p or 1080p displays, the recommendation shifts. At 1440p, the High preset delivers 107 FPS, which is excellent. The Medium preset at 1440p provides 171 FPS, with a minimum of 145 FPS, making it ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. At 1080p, even the Ultra preset achieves 141 FPS, but the Medium preset hits 237 FPS with a minimum of 202 FPS. The data suggests that the "Ultra" preset is not worth the performance penalty. The visual differences between High and Ultra in Inside are minimal due to the game’s flat-shaded, atmospheric art style, but the frame rate cost is measurable. Therefore, the best experience is to use the "High" preset for 4K gaming to prioritize visual consistency, or the "Medium" preset for 1440p and 1080p to maximize frame rate headroom. The Low preset, while achieving 297 FPS at 1080p, sacrifices too much visual atmosphere for a game that relies heavily on its lighting and shadows. The Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, providing a 60% frame rate increase over High at 4K without the harsh compromises of Low.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for the Intel Core Ultra X7 368H and RTX 4060 combo in Inside is comprehensive, covering three resolutions and four settings presets. Starting at 4K (3840x2160), the performance is strong. At Ultra settings, the combo averages 64 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for a smooth experience. Dropping to High settings increases the average to 67 FPS, a modest 4.7% improvement. The Medium preset is where the performance unlocks, delivering an average of 107 FPS, with a minimum of 91 FPS and a maximum of 123 FPS. This is a 67% improvement over Ultra. The Low preset at 4K produces an average of 134 FPS. This data indicates that at 4K, the GPU is the primary bottleneck, and the settings need to be managed carefully to stay above the 60 FPS threshold.

Moving to 1440p (2560x1440), the performance scales as expected. The Ultra preset yields an average of 102 FPS, which is already smooth. High settings bring the average up to 107 FPS. The Medium preset is the standout, with an average of 171 FPS, a minimum of 145 FPS, and a maximum of 196 FPS. This is a 68% improvement over Ultra. The Low preset at 1440p hits an average of 213 FPS. At this resolution, the combo is clearly capable of high-refresh-rate gaming, and the Medium preset is the recommended choice for 144Hz monitors. At 1080p (1920x1080), the combination is exceptionally fast. The Ultra preset averages 141 FPS, while High settings produce 148 FPS. The Medium preset achieves an average of 237 FPS, with a minimum of 202 FPS and a maximum of 273 FPS. The Low preset pushes the average to 297 FPS. The data shows that at 1080p, the combo is severely CPU-bound, as the frame rates are extremely high and the differences between settings are less pronounced than at higher resolutions. The jump from High to Medium at 1080p is a 60% improvement, but the jump from Medium to Low is only a 25% improvement, indicating diminishing returns.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution to play Inside with this hardware for a 60Hz display?*

A: For a 60Hz display, the data shows that 4K with the High preset is viable, averaging 67 FPS. If you want to use the Ultra preset, 1440p is the better choice, as it averages 102 FPS, providing a comfortable margin above the display's refresh rate.

Q: Is the Ultra preset worth using for this game?

A: No, the data suggests it is not. At every resolution, the Ultra preset offers only a marginal performance difference compared to High, while costing a significant number of frames. For example, at 4K, the difference is only 3 FPS (67 vs 64), but at 1440p, it is 5 FPS (107 vs 102). The Medium preset offers a much larger performance gain for a minimal visual quality reduction.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 compare to its closest rival, the AMD Radeon HD 7790?

A: In synthetic benchmarks, the RTX 4060 has an average score of 17639, which is 0.2% lower than the AMD Radeon HD 7790's score of 17666. However, this is a legacy comparison. In a modern game like Inside, the RTX 4060's architecture and driver support ensure it performs at a level that the older card cannot match, as evidenced by its ability to produce 107 FPS at 4K Medium.

Q: What is the minimum frame rate I can expect at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: The data shows a minimum FPS of 202 at 1920x1080 with Medium settings, with an average of 237 FPS. This ensures a smooth experience even in the game's most demanding scenes, with no noticeable frame drops.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for this game's performance?

A: The data indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K, as lowering settings from Ultra to Medium results in a 67% frame rate increase. However, at 1080p, the CPU becomes more relevant, as the frame rates are extremely high (237 FPS on Medium), suggesting the GPU has headroom and the system is limited by the CPU's ability to feed it frames.

*Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Inside smoothly?*

A: Yes, it can. The Medium preset at 4K produces an average of 107 FPS with a minimum of 91 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS standard for smooth gameplay. Even the High preset at 67 FPS is playable, but the Medium preset offers a better balance of performance and stability.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra X7 368H is a 16-core, 16-thread processor from the Panther Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.00 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. In Inside, the CPU's role is less about raw multi-core power and more about single-thread performance and frame pacing. The game is not heavily threaded, so the CPU's high boost clock of 5.00 GHz is a critical factor in achieving the high frame rates seen at 1080p. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo hits 297 FPS, which is a clear indication that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with draw calls and physics calculations at a very rapid rate. The CPU’s Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 28221 and single-core score of 3984 are strong indicators of its overall capability. While multi-core scores are less relevant for Inside, the single-core score is a good proxy for how well it can handle the game's main thread.

The CPU’s performance in this game is further contextualized by its Passmark scores, particularly the single-thread score of 4005 and the physics score of 2857. The physics score suggests that the CPU can handle the game's simple physics engine without becoming a bottleneck. The CPU’s position at the 87th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 40518, places it just behind the Intel Core 7 253PE by 0.1% and ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 7940H by 0.2%. This tight grouping means that in CPU-bound scenarios, the choice between these processors would make little difference. The 18 MB of shared L3 cache and 153.6 GB/s of memory bandwidth are more than enough for a game like Inside, which does not require massive data streaming. The CPU’s 16 cores and 16 threads are a future-proofing measure, but for this specific title, its high boost clock is the most important specification. The data shows that the CPU is not a limiting factor at any resolution, as the frame rate scaling from 4K to 1080p is consistent with GPU-bound performance improvements.