Inside

Intel Core i5-9400 and AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT is a combination that lands in the upper-middle tier of the database's tested configurations for Inside. The combo ranks 2724 out of 3716 tested setups, placing it in the 73rd percentile of all recorded pairings for this title. This rank is notable because Inside is a side-scrolling puzzle platformer, a genre that typically does not stress high-end hardware as much as modern 3D shooters, yet this pairing still sits comfortably ahead of nearly three-quarters of all tested combos. The recorded data indicates that this is a balanced pairing, where the six-core processor does not bottleneck the mid-range graphics card in this particular game, allowing the RX 6650 XT to demonstrate its full potential.

Best Settings per Resolution

The most demanding preset that maintains an average frame rate at or above 60 FPS varies by resolution, and the data reveals that this combination can push maximum settings even at the highest resolution.

At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset delivers an average of 61.9 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold. This is the most visually demanding setting that remains playable, and it achieves this by a slim margin. The High preset at this resolution runs at 66.5 FPS, while Medium reaches 106 FPS, and Low jumps to 135.1 FPS. All four presets clear the 60 FPS bar, meaning a 4K display can be driven at maximum quality, though the Ultra setting leaves little headroom for any demanding scenes that might cause dips.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset produces 99.6 FPS, which is a substantial jump from the 4K figure. This gives the user significant overhead above the 60 FPS target, making 1440p Ultra a smooth experience with plenty of margin. High runs at 106 FPS, Medium at 170.8 FPS, and Low at 199.7 FPS, showing that lower settings at this resolution push well past 100 FPS, suitable for high-refresh-rate monitors.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset averages 138.9 FPS, which is more than double the playability threshold. High reaches 144.1 FPS, Medium hits 205.7 FPS, and Low peaks at 222.2 FPS. The data shows that at 1080p, this combination is heavily GPU-limited at higher presets but still delivers exceptional performance, with even the most demanding settings exceeding 120 FPS.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions and presets reveals which component is the limiting factor for Inside. The GPU is clearly the dominant component at 4K, as dropping from Ultra to Low at 3840x2160 increases the average frame rate from 61.9 to 135.1, a 118% improvement. This dramatic jump indicates that the Radeon RX 6650 XT is fully saturated at this resolution, and any reduction in graphical load directly translates to higher frame rates. The CPU, an Intel Core i5-9400 with six cores and six threads, does not appear to be a constraint at 4K, since the frame rate scales almost linearly with the preset level.

At 2560x1440, the GPU still plays the primary role, but the scaling is less extreme. Moving from Ultra at 99.6 FPS to Low at 199.7 FPS is a 100% increase, showing that the graphics card remains the bottleneck. However, the gap between Medium and High is small, 170.8 versus 106 FPS, which suggests that the CPU begins to exert some influence at lower settings, as the frame rate gains from reducing graphical load start to diminish.

At 1920x1080, the CPU becomes more relevant, though the GPU still leads. The jump from Ultra at 138.9 FPS to Low at 222.2 FPS is a 60% increase, which is smaller than the gains at higher resolutions. This reduced scaling indicates that the processor is starting to limit the maximum frame rate, especially at Low and Medium settings where the GPU has more spare capacity. The Intel Core i5-9400, with a boost clock of 4.10 GHz and a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 6629, provides enough single-thread performance for this puzzle platformer, but it does cap the upper frame rates at 1080p. The data shows that Inside is primarily GPU-bound at 4K and 1440p, with the CPU becoming a secondary factor only at 1080p with lower presets.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Inside at 4K with maximum settings?

A: Yes, the Ultra preset at 3840x2160 averages 61.9 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playability threshold. This is the most demanding setting available and it remains playable, though the margin is tight.

Q: What is the best preset for a 1440p monitor?

A: The Ultra preset at 2560x1440 delivers 99.6 FPS, making it the highest quality setting that comfortably exceeds 60 FPS. This provides a smooth experience with plenty of overhead.

Q: How much faster is Low compared to Ultra at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, Low averages 222.2 FPS while Ultra averages 138.9 FPS, meaning Low is 60% faster. This gap is smaller than at higher resolutions, indicating a CPU influence at lower settings.

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

A: The GPU is the dominant factor at 3840x2160 and 2560x1440, as shown by the large frame rate differences between presets. At 1920x1080, the CPU becomes more relevant, but the GPU still leads in determining performance.

Q: Does this combo rank high among all tested systems for Inside?

A: The combination ranks 2724 out of 3716 tested combos, placing it in the upper 27% of all recorded pairings. This is a strong result for a puzzle platformer that does not demand extreme hardware.

Q: What frame rate can be expected at 4K with Medium settings?

A: Medium at 3840x2160 averages 106 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold. This setting offers a balance between visual quality and performance, with a significant margin over the minimum playability bar.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The database records average frame rates for each resolution and preset combination, with no minimum or maximum values captured for this game. The data is consistent across all tested scenarios.

At 3840x2160, the High preset averages 66.5 FPS, Low averages 135.1 FPS, Medium averages 106 FPS, and Ultra averages 61.9 FPS. The progression from Ultra to Low shows a clear trend: each step down in settings yields a substantial frame rate increase, with the largest jump occurring between Ultra and High (61.9 to 66.5 FPS, a 7% gain) and the largest overall gain from High to Low (66.5 to 135.1 FPS, a 103% increase).

At 2560x1440, High averages 106 FPS, Low averages 199.7 FPS, Medium averages 170.8 FPS, and Ultra averages 99.6 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra is only 6.4 FPS, while the gap between Medium and Low is 28.9 FPS, showing that the GPU handles the transition from Medium to Low more efficiently than from High to Ultra.

At 1920x1080, High averages 144.1 FPS, Low averages 222.2 FPS, Medium averages 205.7 FPS, and Ultra averages 138.9 FPS. The difference between Ultra and High is 5.2 FPS, while Medium to Low is 16.5 FPS. The overall range at 1080p is from 138.9 to 222.2 FPS, a spread of 83.3 FPS, which is narrower than the 73.2 FPS spread at 4K, confirming that the CPU starts to cap performance at lower resolutions.

The Verdict

This PC configuration can run Inside without issue at every resolution and preset combination recorded in the database. The verdict by resolution confirms that all three tested resolutions, 3840x2160, 2560x1440, and 1920x1080, have every setting listed as playable, meaning each one maintains an average frame rate above 60 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset is the best choice, averaging 61.9 FPS, which clears the threshold by 1.9 FPS. This is a playable but close call, so users with a 4K display should stick to Ultra for maximum quality, though dropping to High would provide a more comfortable margin at 66.5 FPS. At 2560x1440, Ultra averages 99.6 FPS, giving a 39.6 FPS buffer over the 60 FPS target, making it the recommended setting for high-refresh-rate 1440p monitors. At 1920x1080, Ultra averages 138.9 FPS, which is 78.9 FPS above the threshold, enabling smooth gameplay on 120Hz or 144Hz displays.

The data indicates that this combination is more than capable of handling Inside, with the only caveat being the 4K Ultra setting, which is playable but leaves little headroom for potential frame drops in complex scenes. For all other scenarios, the performance is robust and well above the playability bar.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the Intel Core i5-9400, based on average benchmark scores, include the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, which scores 2259 and is 0.2% faster, and the Intel Core i3-10305, which scores 2264 and is 0.4% faster. On the slower side, the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 2246 and is 0.4% slower, while the Intel Core i7-10710U scores 2248 and is 0.3% slower. These processors would yield nearly identical performance in Inside, as the game is not heavily CPU-bound at the tested resolutions, with the Core i5-9400's 6629 Cinebench R23 multi-core score being sufficient for this title.

For the AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT, the nearest rivals by average score are the NVIDIA Tesla K40m, which scores 19885 and is 0.6% faster, and the AMD FirePro W7000, which scores 19905 and is 0.7% faster. Slightly slower alternatives include the AMD FirePro D300 at 19637, which is 0.7% slower, and the NVIDIA Quadro K5200 at 19602, which is 0.8% slower. These GPUs would produce comparable frame rates in Inside, meaning users with any of these cards should expect similar performance at each resolution and preset, with the RX 6650 XT sitting in the middle of this group.

The combination of a CPU in the 47th percentile and a GPU in the 65th percentile results in a system that is well matched for Inside, as the game relies more on the graphics card than the processor. The recorded data shows that the nearest rival CPUs and GPUs would all stay above the 60 FPS threshold at 4K Ultra, making them viable alternatives for this specific title.