Inside

Similar Performance Alternatives

The Intel Core i5-9400 sits in a tightly packed cluster of processors based on average benchmark scores. Its average score of 2254 places it within 0.4% of several nearby alternatives. The Intel Core i7-1068NG7 scores 2259, a delta of -0.2% relative to the i5-9400, meaning it is effectively a wash in raw throughput. The Intel Core i7-10710U scores 2248, a delta of 0.3%, again nearly identical. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 2246, a delta of 0.4%. The Intel Core i3-10305 scores 2264, a delta of -0.4%. For a game like Inside, which is not heavily threaded, any of these processors would deliver comparable frame pacing; the differences are within measurement noise.

The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT has an average benchmark score of 16361, placing it at the 59th percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are similarly close. The AMD Radeon Pro 5600M scores 16351, a delta of 0.1%. The NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell scores 16408, a delta of -0.3%. The AMD Radeon PRO W7500 scores 16415, a delta of -0.3%. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D V2 scores 16504, a delta of -0.9%. In practice, for Inside, the RX 5700 XT and these rivals would produce nearly indistinguishable average frame rates at any given resolution and preset. The GPU has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus with 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth, and its RDNA 1.0 architecture with 2560 shading units handles the game's modest visual demands without difficulty.

The recorded data shows that the processor's 47th percentile ranking among all CPUs is the weaker link in this pairing, but Inside is a puzzle platformer that does not stress multi-core scaling. The GPU's 59th percentile ranking is more relevant, and it is the component that determines the frame rate ceilings measured in this database.

CPU and GPU Roles

For Inside, the GPU dominates the performance picture at every resolution tested. The CPU's six cores and six threads at base 2.90 GHz and boost 4.10 GHz are sufficient to feed the RX 5700 XT; there is no evidence in the data of a CPU bottleneck at any setting. The game's genre, Puzzle Platformer, suggests a light CPU load, and the measured frame rates confirm this.

At 1080p, the GPU still leads. The average frame rate at Low is 219.7 FPS, at Medium 208.2 FPS, at High 138 FPS, and at Ultra 133.8 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 85.9 FPS, a 39.1% drop from Low to Ultra. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the scaling from Low to Ultra would compress, but it does not. The GPU's fill rate and shading throughput are the variables driving these results.

At 1440p, the GPU's load increases. Low averages 196.9 FPS, Medium 162.1 FPS, High 99.6 FPS, and Ultra 96.7 FPS. The delta between Low and Ultra is 100.2 FPS, a 50.9% reduction. The larger percentage drop compared to 1080p indicates the GPU is doing more work per frame, but the CPU still keeps pace. The i5-9400's single-thread performance, evidenced by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 935, is adequate for the game's logic and physics.

At 4K, the GPU is unquestionably the dominant component. Low averages 124.1 FPS, Medium 102 FPS, High 61.5 FPS, and Ultra 57.7 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 66.4 FPS, a 53.5% reduction. This is the largest relative penalty across resolutions, which is expected because 4K quadruples the pixel count relative to 1080p. The CPU's role does not expand; it simply waits for the GPU to finish rasterizing. The data shows no scenario where the i5-9400's six threads become the constraint, even at the highest preset and resolution.

The verdict is clear: for Inside, the RX 5700 XT is the performance driver. The CPU is a supporting actor that never limits the frame rate, and any of the CPU's nearest rivals listed above would behave the same way.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the combination delivers its highest frame rates. Low settings produce an average of 219.7 FPS. Medium settings average 208.2 FPS. High settings average 138 FPS. Ultra settings average 133.8 FPS. The difference between Low and Medium is only 11.5 FPS, indicating that the Medium preset adds little cost. The difference between High and Ultra is only 4.2 FPS, so the Ultra preset is nearly free relative to High. The data shows a plateau at the top end, with High and Ultra both well above the 60 FPS threshold.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain high but show more separation between presets. Low averages 196.9 FPS. Medium averages 162.1 FPS. High averages 99.6 FPS. Ultra averages 96.7 FPS. The Low to Medium drop is 34.8 FPS, a 17.7% reduction. The Medium to High drop is 62.5 FPS, a 38.6% reduction. High and Ultra are again close, differing by only 2.9 FPS. Every preset clears the 60 FPS playability threshold with substantial headroom.

At 3840x2160, the frame rates finally approach the limits of the GPU. Low averages 124.1 FPS. Medium averages 102 FPS. High averages 61.5 FPS. Ultra averages 57.7 FPS. The Low to Medium drop is 22.1 FPS, a 17.8% reduction. The Medium to High drop is 40.5 FPS, a 39.7% reduction. High barely clears 60 FPS, while Ultra falls just short. This is the only resolution and preset combination where the system fails to maintain 60 FPS on average.

The recorded data contains no minimum or maximum frame time values, so the analysis relies on averages. The absence of min and max data means the database cannot confirm frame pacing consistency, but the average frame rates are high enough that occasional dips are unlikely to cause perceptible stutter at 1080p or 1440p.

The Verdict

This PC can run Inside at all three tested resolutions, but the playable settings vary at 4K. At 1920x1080, the combination clears 60 FPS at every preset. The best settings are Ultra, with an average of 133.8 FPS. Players can max out the game and still have more than double the 60 FPS threshold. At 2560x1440, the system also clears 60 FPS at every preset. The best settings are Ultra, with an average of 96.7 FPS. This is the sweet spot for this pairing, offering high visual quality and a comfortable margin above the playability threshold.

At 3840x2160, the situation changes. The playable settings are High, Low, and Medium. Low averages 124.1 FPS, Medium averages 102 FPS, and High averages 61.5 FPS. The best playable setting is High, with an average of 61.5 FPS. Ultra is not playable, averaging 57.7 FPS, which is 2.3 FPS below the 60 FPS threshold. For 4K users, the recommendation is to use High settings, which delivers a marginal but real pass over the threshold. Ultra requires a GPU upgrade or a reduction to a lower resolution.

The verdict by resolution is unambiguous: 1080p and 1440p are fully playable at maximum settings, and 4K is playable at High with a narrow margin. The system's overall rank in the game, 2832 out of 3716 tested combinations, places it in the lower-middle range, but that ranking is relative to all hardware, including far more expensive configurations. For Inside specifically, the measured performance is more than sufficient for smooth gameplay.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-9400 and the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT ranks 2832 out of 3716 tested combinations for Inside. This percentile position, roughly the 24th percentile from the top, might seem low, but it reflects the diversity of the database, which includes many high-end and current-generation parts. The rank does not indicate poor playability; it indicates that a large number of tested combos are faster. The GPU alone sits at the 59th percentile among all GPUs, and the CPU at the 47th percentile among all CPUs. The combo's rank in this specific game is dragged down by the CPU's lower percentile, even though the game does not appear to be CPU-limited in the measured data.

What matters for the player is the absolute frame rate, not the rank. At 1080p Ultra, the system averages 133.8 FPS, which is faster than most displays' refresh rates. At 1440p Ultra, the average is 96.7 FPS, still excellent. At 4K High, the average is 61.5 FPS, just above the threshold. The rank of 2832 is a relative measure, but the absolute performance fully satisfies the 60 FPS playability criterion at every resolution except 4K Ultra. The data suggests that the combo is stronger than its rank implies for a game as lightweight as Inside.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Inside at 60 FPS on a 1080p monitor?

A: Yes. The measured average frame rates at 1920x1080 are 219.7 FPS on Low, 208.2 FPS on Medium, 138 FPS on High, and 133.8 FPS on Ultra. All presets clear the 60 FPS threshold by a wide margin.

Q: What is the best setting to use at 1440p?

A: The database records the best playable setting at 2560x1440 as Ultra, with an average of 96.7 FPS. High, Medium, and Low also clear 60 FPS, with averages of 99.6, 162.1, and 196.9 FPS respectively.

Q: Is 4K playable with this hardware?

A: Yes, but not at Ultra. At 3840x2160, the playable settings are High, Low, and Medium. High averages 61.5 FPS, Low averages 124.1 FPS, and Medium averages 102 FPS. Ultra averages 57.7 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-9400 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2254. The Intel Core i7-1068NG7 scores 2259 (delta -0.2%), the Intel Core i7-10710U scores 2248 (delta 0.3%), the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 2246 (delta 0.4%), and the Intel Core i3-10305 scores 2264 (delta -0.4%). All are within 0.4% of each other.

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

A: The GPU is the dominant component. The data shows frame rates scaling significantly with resolution and preset changes, while the CPU's six threads never appear to limit performance. The RX 5700 XT's 59th percentile GPU ranking is the primary driver of the measured results.

Q: How does the RX 5700 XT compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RX 5700 XT has an average benchmark score of 16361. The AMD Radeon Pro 5600M scores 16351 (delta 0.1%), the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell scores 16408 (delta -0.3%), the AMD Radeon PRO W7500 scores 16415 (delta -0.3%), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D V2 scores 16504 (delta -0.9%). These are all within 0.9% of each other.