Inside

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 delivers exceptionally high frame rates in Inside, a puzzle platformer from 2016-07-06. The measured data shows that this combination is not merely playable but overwhelmingly powerful for this title, with average frame rates exceeding the 60 FPS playable threshold at every tested setting and resolution. The analysis below explores the optimal settings, component roles, and how this specific configuration ranks among other tested combinations.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS is, surprisingly, the highest available: Ultra. The data shows an average of 156.5 FPS at this setting, leaving massive headroom above the playable threshold. Even the step down to High yields 164.5 FPS, but since Ultra comfortably clears the bar, it is the recommended setting for maximum visual fidelity.

Moving to 2560x1440, the same pattern holds. The Ultra preset delivers an average of 116.8 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS floor. High runs at 118.6 FPS, but the difference is negligible, and Ultra remains the best choice without any performance compromise. The data indicates that this resolution is still far from stressing the hardware.

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is again Ultra, with an average of 74.4 FPS. This is a critical finding — even at 4K with every setting maxed out, the system does not dip below the playable threshold on average. The High preset runs at 74.6 FPS (virtually identical to Ultra), but since Ultra offers the same performance bracket, it is the logical pick. The gap between Ultra and the next tier down (Medium at 120.4 FPS) is large, but it does not matter because Ultra already meets the 60 FPS requirement.

The verdict from the data is consistent: at every resolution, the Ultra preset is the most demanding option that still clears 60 FPS. This is unusual — most hardware requires turning settings down at higher resolutions, but this combo does not. The average frame rates at 4K Ultra (74.4 FPS) suggest that the GPU is the limiting factor, but it is not limiting enough to force a settings reduction.

CPU and GPU Roles

The scaling between resolutions and presets reveals which component dominates in Inside. At 1920x1080, the frame rates are extraordinarily high: Low runs at 334.8 FPS, Medium at 267.5 FPS, and Ultra at 156.5 FPS. This massive spread across presets indicates that the GPU is doing most of the work — lowering graphical fidelity directly translates to higher frame rates, a hallmark of GPU-bound scenarios.

At 2560x1440, the same pattern persists but with lower absolute numbers. Low runs at 239.5 FPS, Medium at 193.1 FPS, and Ultra at 116.8 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p at Ultra is from 156.5 to 116.8 FPS, a reduction of roughly 25%. This consistent scaling with resolution points to the GPU as the primary bottleneck. The CPU, a Ryzen 7 9800X3D with 8 cores and 16 threads, is clearly not holding things back, as even the lowest preset at 1080p (334.8 FPS) does not expose a CPU limit.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's role becomes even more pronounced. Low runs at 148.3 FPS, Medium at 120.4 FPS, and Ultra at 74.4 FPS. The jump from 1440p to 4K at Ultra (116.8 to 74.4 FPS) is a 36% reduction, larger than the 1080p-to-1440p drop. This accelerating decline with resolution is textbook GPU-bound behavior. The CPU's influence is minimal; its benchmark scores (e.g., Cinebench R23 multi-core at 23230, single-core at 2080) are far beyond what this game requires.

The data implies that the RTX 4060 is the limiting factor across all resolutions, but the CPU is so powerful that it never becomes a constraint. This is a classic case of a high-end CPU paired with a mid-range GPU — the GPU dictates the frame rate ceiling, while the CPU ensures there are no drops or stutters. The fact that the gap between Low and Ultra at 4K (148.3 vs 74.4 FPS) is a 2x difference further confirms that pixel throughput, not CPU logic, is the bottleneck.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 ranks 1858 out of 3716 tested combos in Inside. This places it in the 50th percentile of all tested configs, which is notable given the game's age and low system requirements. The rank is not a reflection of poor performance — the measured FPS are extremely high — but rather a consequence of the fact that many other combos (likely with much stronger GPUs) achieve even higher frame rates in this lightweight title.

The percentileVsAllGpus for the RTX 4060 is 61, meaning it outperforms 61% of all GPUs. The CPU's percentileVsAllCpus is 87, outperforming 87% of all CPUs. The disparity between the two percentiles explains the rank: the CPU is near the top, but the GPU is solidly mid-range. In a game like Inside, where the GPU is the bottleneck, the combo's rank is dragged down by the GPU's relative position. If the same CPU were paired with a top-tier GPU, the rank would likely be much higher.

The rank of 1858 out of 3716 means that roughly half of all tested combos perform better. However, this is misleading in practice — the measured FPS at 4K Ultra (74.4 FPS) is already well above the 60 FPS threshold. The rank is a relative measure among all combos, not an absolute indicator of playability. For this game, the combo ranks in the middle, but the actual gameplay experience is flawless at all resolutions and settings.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for the CPU, the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is closely matched by several other processors. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840HS has an average score of 39603, which is 0.4% lower than the 9800X3D's average benchmark score of 39768. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 scores 40048, which is 0.7% higher. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 scores 39485 (0.7% lower), and the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 scores 40081 (0.8% higher). In Inside, these CPUs would all perform virtually identically because the game is GPU-bound — the CPU's single-thread and multi-thread capabilities are far beyond what is needed. Swapping the 9800X3D for any of these rivals would not change the measured FPS in any meaningful way.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals to the RTX 4060 are all AMD parts. The AMD Radeon HD 7790 has an average score of 17666, which is 0.2% lower than the RTX 4060's 17639. The AMD Radeon 780M scores 17588 (0.3% higher), the AMD Radeon Pro 560 scores 17551 (0.5% higher), and the AMD Radeon Pro 460 scores 17509 (0.7% higher). These deltas are minuscule — within 1% of the RTX 4060's performance. In Inside, any of these GPUs would deliver nearly identical frame rates. For example, at 4K Ultra, the RTX 4060 hits 74.4 FPS; a Radeon 780M or HD 7790 would likely land within a frame or two of that figure. The practical takeaway is that the RTX 4060 sits in a tight performance cluster where small benchmark differences do not translate into visible FPS changes in this game.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the data shows the following average frame rates: Low at 334.8 FPS, Medium at 267.5 FPS, High at 164.5 FPS, and Ultra at 156.5 FPS. The progression is not linear — the biggest drop occurs between Medium and High (a 38% reduction), while the gap from High to Ultra is small (5%). This suggests that certain High settings (likely shadows or effects) have a disproportionate impact on performance.

At 2560x1440, the averages are: Low at 239.5 FPS, Medium at 193.1 FPS, High at 118.6 FPS, and Ultra at 116.8 FPS. The pattern mirrors 1080p, with a steep decline from Medium to High (39%) and a negligible difference between High and Ultra (1.5%). This consistency indicates that the game's rendering pipeline scales predictably with resolution and settings.

At 3840x2160, the averages are: Low at 148.3 FPS, Medium at 120.4 FPS, High at 74.6 FPS, and Ultra at 74.4 FPS. The High-to-Ultra gap is essentially zero, confirming that the Ultra preset adds no measurable cost over High at 4K. The Medium-to-High drop (from 120.4 to 74.6 FPS) is the largest relative decline at any resolution (38%), reinforcing that High settings introduce expensive effects.

Across all resolutions, the min and max FPS values are not provided, so only average frame rates can be analyzed. The lack of min FPS data means stutter or 1% lows cannot be assessed, but the high averages suggest a smooth experience. The data is measured, not estimated, which adds confidence to these numbers.

FAQ

*Q: Can this PC run Inside at 1920x1080?*

A: Yes, at every preset. The lowest average is Ultra at 156.5 FPS, which is far above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: What is the best setting at 2560x1440?

A: Ultra, which runs at an average of 116.8 FPS. All four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) exceed 60 FPS.

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

A: The GPU is clearly the bottleneck. Frame rates scale significantly with resolution (e.g., Ultra drops from 156.5 FPS at 1080p to 74.4 FPS at 4K), while the CPU's high benchmark scores (Cinebench R23 multi-core 23230) indicate it is not a limiting factor.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to all tested systems?

A: It ranks 1858 out of 3716 combos, placing it in the middle of the pack. This is due to the RTX 4060's mid-range position (61st percentile among GPUs), not a lack of playable performance.

Q: What GPU alternatives perform similarly?

A: The AMD Radeon HD 7790 (0.2% lower score), Radeon 780M (0.3% higher), and Radeon Pro 560 (0.5% higher) all have average benchmark scores within 1% of the RTX 4060.

Q: Does the Ultra preset at 4K maintain 60 FPS?

A: Yes, with an average of 74.4 FPS. All four presets at 3840x2160 stay above 60 FPS, with Low at 148.3 FPS and Medium at 120.4 FPS.

The Verdict

The data unequivocally shows that the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 can run Inside at maximum settings across all resolutions. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset delivers 156.5 FPS, which is more than double the playable threshold. At 2560x1440, Ultra runs at 116.8 FPS, still with abundant headroom. Even at 3840x2160, the most demanding scenario, Ultra averages 74.4 FPS, clearing the 60 FPS bar by a comfortable margin.

The verdict by resolution is unambiguous: every resolution and every preset is playable. The key finding is that there is no scenario where this combo fails to hit 60 FPS. The system is GPU-bound, but the RTX 4060 is just powerful enough for 4K Ultra, and more than enough for lower resolutions. The CPU's role is negligible — its 87th percentile ranking among all CPUs means it will never be the weak link in this or any other game. For Inside, this is an overqualified setup that delivers flawless performance, regardless of how the user configures the graphics options. The only caveat is the lack of min FPS data, but the high averages strongly suggest a consistently smooth experience.