Inside

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 combination delivers remarkably high frame rates in Inside, a 2016 puzzle platformer that clearly favors high refresh rates over raw hardware demands. The measured data shows this pairing not only clears the 60 FPS playable threshold at every resolution tested but does so with significant headroom, making it a strong candidate for smooth, high-settings gameplay across 1080p, 1440p, and even 4K displays.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo produces triple-digit averages across all presets. The Low preset yields an average of 296 FPS, while Medium reaches 237 FPS with a minimum of 201 FPS and a maximum of 272 FPS. High settings sustain an average of 148 FPS, and Ultra remains highly fluid at 141 FPS. These figures suggest the CPU-GPU pairing is rarely stressed at this resolution, with even the most demanding preset leaving massive performance reserves.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain exceptionally high. Low settings average 213 FPS, Medium drops to 170 FPS (minimum 145, maximum 196), and High still delivers 106 FPS on average. Ultra settings at 1440p produce 101 FPS, which is notably higher than the 4K Ultra result, showing the resolution scaling is far from linear. The minimum frame rates recorded at Medium settings (145 FPS at 1440p) are still more than double the 60 FPS playable threshold, indicating strong frame pacing even during complex scenes.

At 3840x2160, performance becomes more demanding but remains comfortably playable. The Low preset averages 134 FPS, Medium averages 107 FPS (minimum 91, maximum 123), and High averages 67 FPS. Ultra settings dip to 64 FPS on average, narrowly clearing the 60 FPS threshold. The 4K results show the most significant drop-off between presets, with the jump from Medium to High costing roughly 37% of the average frame rate, suggesting the GPU's 8 GB memory and 320.0 GB/s bandwidth become relevant factors at this resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination ranks 2247 out of 3716 tested combos in Inside, placing it in the 60th percentile of all systems benchmarked. This percentile positioning is interesting because the absolute frame rates are exceptionally high, yet many other combos likely achieve similar or higher numbers given the game's modest graphical demands. The ranking reflects that Inside is not a demanding title — even mid-range hardware from the past decade can produce high FPS here, so the 9900X and RTX 5050's raw power doesn't translate into a top-tier rank relative to the entire database.

The CPU's percentile versus all CPUs is 92, indicating the Ryzen 9 9900X is a top-tier processor, while the GPU's percentile versus all GPUs is 66, meaning the RTX 5050 sits closer to the middle of the pack. This disparity suggests that for Inside, the GPU is likely the limiting factor at higher resolutions, but the CPU's strength ensures no bottleneck at lower settings. The combo rank of 2247 out of 3716 (roughly top 60%) aligns with the GPU's mid-range percentile — the game simply doesn't require the CPU's 12 cores and 24 threads to shine.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data reveals distinct component roles depending on resolution. At 1920x1080, the GPU is almost certainly the primary driver, as the CPU's 12 cores and 24 threads provide ample headroom. The frame rate differences between Low (296 FPS) and Ultra (141 FPS) at 1080p show a 155 FPS spread, which is purely GPU-bound — the CPU can feed frames far faster than the RTX 5050 can render them at higher settings.

At 2560x1440, the scaling suggests both components matter. The drop from 1080p to 1440p at Ultra settings is from 141 to 101 FPS, a 28% reduction, which is consistent with increased GPU load. However, the CPU's high single-thread performance (3dmark single-thread score of 1286) ensures that even at Medium settings (170 FPS at 1440p), the system doesn't experience CPU-induced stutters. The minimum FPS at 1440p Medium (145) versus 1080p Medium (201) shows the GPU is doing more work, but the CPU maintains consistent frame delivery.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck. The Ultra preset averages just 64 FPS, while High averages 67 FPS — a negligible difference that suggests the GPU is saturated. The CPU's role diminishes at 4K, as evidenced by the fact that Low settings (134 FPS) still cannot exceed the GPU's rendering ceiling. Interestingly, the 4K Medium result (107 FPS) is only 37 FPS higher than Ultra, showing diminishing returns as the GPU's shading units (2560) and 32 ROPs hit their limits with the 8 GB frame buffer.

The Verdict

This PC can absolutely run Inside at playable frame rates. The verdict data confirms that all four settings presets — Low, Medium, High, and Ultra — are playable at every resolution tested, meaning they all clear the 60 FPS threshold. At 1920x1080, even the most demanding Ultra preset delivers 141 FPS on average, which is more than sufficient for smooth gameplay on high-refresh-rate monitors. At 2560x1440, Ultra averages 101 FPS, providing a great balance of visual quality and performance for 144Hz displays.

At 3840x2160, the system still passes the playability test, but with less margin. Ultra averages 64 FPS, which clears the threshold by just 4 FPS — this could potentially dip below 60 FPS in particularly demanding scenes, although the data does not record minimum FPS for Ultra at 4K. High settings at 4K average 67 FPS, offering a slightly safer margin. For players wanting the best visual experience at 4K, Medium settings (107 FPS average) provide a much larger safety buffer while still looking polished.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the CPU's nearest rivals, the AMD EPYC 9015 scores 57,555 on average, which is 0.1% lower than the Ryzen 9 9900X's 57,498 average benchmark score. The EPYC 7313 scores 57,399, just 0.2% higher. The Intel Core i9-14900 scores 58,115, which is 1.1% higher than the 9900X, and the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M scores 58,323, 1.4% higher. These deltas are all within 1.5%, meaning any of these CPUs would produce virtually identical frame rates in Inside, as the game is not CPU-bound at typical settings.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals show similarly tight clustering. The AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL scores 21,153, which is 0.6% lower than the RTX 5050's 21,035 average. The AMD Radeon HD 8970M scores 21,237, 1% lower. The AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT scores 20,713, which is 1.6% higher than the RTX 5050, and the NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile scores 21,379, 1.6% lower. These GPU alternatives would deliver nearly identical performance in Inside, with the RX 5600 XT potentially providing a small but measurable advantage in GPU-bound scenarios like 4K Ultra.

FAQ

Q: Can this system maintain 60 FPS at 4K with Ultra settings?

A: Yes, but barely. The measured average at 3840x2160 Ultra is 64 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS threshold by only 4 FPS. For a more comfortable margin, High settings average 67 FPS, and Medium settings average 107 FPS.

Q: What is the best setting for a 144Hz 1440p monitor?

A: At 2560x1440, Ultra settings average 101 FPS, which is below 144Hz. Medium settings average 170 FPS, comfortably exceeding 144Hz, while High settings average 106 FPS, which is closer to the refresh rate limit.

Q: How does this combo compare to the RTX 5050's nearest GPU rival?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT scores 1.6% higher in average benchmark score than the RTX 5050, while the RTX A4000 Mobile scores 1.6% lower. In Inside, the frame rate differences would be minimal, likely within a few FPS at most settings.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for this game at 1080p?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor at 1080p, as evidenced by the frame rate spread from 296 FPS at Low to 141 FPS at Ultra. The CPU's 12 cores and high single-thread performance (3dmark single-thread score of 1286) ensure it never becomes a bottleneck.

Q: What minimum FPS can be expected at Medium settings?

A: The data records minimum FPS only for Medium settings. At 1920x1080, the minimum is 201 FPS; at 2560x1440, it is 145 FPS; and at 3840x2160, it is 91 FPS. All are well above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the Ryzen 9 9900X compare to the Intel Core i9-14900?

A: The Core i9-14900 has an average benchmark score of 58,115, which is 1.1% higher than the 9900X's 57,498. In Inside, this difference would translate to negligible frame rate changes, likely fewer than 1-2 FPS.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, with an average of 141 FPS. This is the best choice for visual quality, as it delivers more than double the playable threshold.

At 2560x1440, Ultra settings also maintain high performance with an average of 101 FPS. This is the recommended preset for 1440p, offering a substantial margin above 60 FPS while providing the highest visual fidelity.

At 3840x2160, Ultra settings average 64 FPS, which technically clears the 60 FPS threshold but leaves minimal headroom. For a safer experience, High settings average 67 FPS, though Medium settings at 107 FPS provide the best combination of visual quality and performance stability at 4K. The data shows that for players prioritizing consistent frame rates over maximum eye candy, Medium at 4K is the optimal choice, while those