Inside

Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT is a lopsided pairing on paper, but for a game like Inside, the benchmark results show a system that is decisively overpowered. The data indicates this combination delivers high frame rates even at 4K, making it a prime example of a CPU bottlenecking a GPU in a less demanding title. The recorded measurements show that the RX 7900 XT is running at a fraction of its potential, with the i5-9400 serving as the limiting factor in this specific workload. The following analysis breaks down the measured performance, what it means for settings, and how the components interact.

Best Settings per Resolution

The benchmark data for Inside shows that this system never struggles to hit the 60 FPS playable threshold, regardless of resolution. The most demanding preset tested, Ultra, is the recommended choice for all three resolutions because the average FPS stays far above the target.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset delivers an average of 167.7 FPS. This is the highest quality setting available and it still provides a frame rate that is more than double the 60 FPS threshold. There is no reason to drop to a lower preset for performance gains, as the frame rate headroom is substantial.

Moving to 2560x1440, the Ultra preset maintains an average of 147.6 FPS. This is a slight drop from the 1080p result, but it remains exceptionally smooth and well above the playable threshold. The data suggests that even with the higher resolution, the system has ample performance to run the game at its maximum visual fidelity.

At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset still holds an average of 105.5 FPS. While this is the lowest average FPS recorded across all resolutions, it still clears the 60 FPS threshold by a significant margin. The data confirms that the best settings for this resolution are also Ultra, as the performance remains high enough for a perfectly smooth experience. For all three resolutions, the most demanding preset, Ultra, is the optimal choice based on the recorded measurements.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The benchmark database places the Radeon RX 7900 XT in the 55th percentile for all GPUs, and the Core i5-9400 in the 47th percentile for all CPUs. The nearest rivals for the CPU and GPU provide an interesting look at what other hardware would produce similar results in this pairing.

For the Intel Core i5-9400, the nearest rivals by average benchmark score are the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, the Intel Core i7-10710U, the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500, and the Intel Core i3-10305. The i7-1068NG7 has an average score of 2259, which is 0.2% lower than the i5-9400's 2254. The i7-10710U scores 2248, performing 0.3% better than the i5-9400. The Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 2246, which is 0.4% better, and the i3-10305 scores 2264, which is 0.4% worse. This indicates that in terms of raw processing power, these four CPUs are nearly interchangeable with the i5-9400, and any of them would likely produce similar frame rates in Inside when paired with the RX 7900 XT.

On the GPU side, the nearest rivals to the RX 7900 XT are the AMD Radeon 660M, the NVIDIA RTX A2000 Mobile, the AMD Radeon RX 570X, and the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT. The Radeon 660M has an average score of 13812, which is 0.5% lower than the RX 7900 XT's 13745. The RTX A2000 Mobile scores 13821, also 0.5% lower. The RX 570X scores 13871, which is 0.9% lower, while the RX 9070 XT scores 13543, which is 1.5% higher. While the RX 7900 XT is a far more powerful piece of hardware than some of these rivals in absolute terms, the benchmark scores show that its performance class is surprisingly close to these other chips in this specific metric. For the game Inside, any of these GPUs would likely offer a similar experience, as the bottleneck is clearly on the CPU side.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The recorded data provides a clear picture of performance across all settings. At 1920x1080, the average FPS scales from 221.7 on Low, to 206.4 on Medium, 168.8 on High, and 167.7 on Ultra. The difference between Low and Ultra is 54 FPS, showing that the game's settings do have a measurable impact on performance, but even the lowest result is exceptionally high.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS is 201.1 on Low, 182.4 on Medium, 153.3 on High, and 147.6 on Ultra. The performance drop from 1080p to 1440p is noticeable, with the Ultra preset losing about 20 FPS. However, the frame rate remains consistently above 140 FPS at the highest quality setting.

At 3840x2160, the average FPS drops further to 167.3 on Low, 159.2 on Medium, 112.2 on High, and 105.5 on Ultra. The gap between the Low and Medium presets is relatively small, but there is a significant drop when moving from Medium to High. This suggests that the High and Ultra presets introduce more demanding visual effects that have a more pronounced impact on the GPU at this resolution. Despite this, the lowest recorded average FPS across all tests is 105.5 at 4K Ultra, which is still comfortably above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

The Verdict

Based on the recorded data, this PC can absolutely run Inside at all tested resolutions with maximum settings. The verdict by resolution confirms that every setting at every resolution is playable, meaning all average FPS values are above the 60 FPS threshold.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset achieves an average of 167.7 FPS, which is a stellar result. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset achieves 147.6 FPS, still offering a high-refresh-rate experience. The most demanding scenario, 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, still yields an average of 105.5 FPS. This means the system has enough performance overhead to run the game at its highest visual quality and still provide a very smooth experience on a 4K display. The data shows that the playable settings include High, Low, Medium, and Ultra for all resolutions, with the best settings being Ultra in every case.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data reveals a clear division of labor between the CPU and GPU in this game. The fact that the RX 7900 XT, a high-end GPU, is paired with a mid-range CPU like the i5-9400, results in a significant CPU bottleneck. The evidence for this is in the scaling of FPS across resolutions.

At 1920x1080, the average FPS at Ultra is 167.7. When the resolution is increased to 2560x1440, the FPS drops to 147.6, a reduction of about 12%. Increasing the resolution again to 3840x2160 brings the FPS down to 105.5, a further 29% drop. This scaling indicates that the GPU is becoming more involved as the resolution increases, but the CPU is still the primary limiter. The frame rates are so high at 1080p that they are likely being capped by the CPU's ability to process the game's logic and draw calls, not the GPU's ability to render frames.

If the GPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see a much more dramatic difference between 1080p and 4K performance. The fact that the i5-9400, with its 6 cores and 6 threads, is the component that is most stressed is a common scenario in older or less demanding titles. The CPU's benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 6629, place it in the 47th percentile, which is modest compared to the GPU's 55th percentile. This reinforces the idea that the CPU is the weaker link in this specific pairing for this game. The GPU, with its 20 GB of memory and 800.0 GB/s bandwidth, is barely challenged by Inside, leaving the CPU to dictate the final frame rate.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Inside at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, the recorded data shows an average FPS of 105.5 at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, which is well above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

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

A: The Ultra preset is the best choice, as it provides an average of 147.6 FPS at 2560x1440, which is the highest quality setting and maintains a very high frame rate.

Q: What is the lowest average frame rate recorded for this system?

A: The lowest average FPS in the database is 105.5, which occurs at 3840x2160 resolution with the Ultra preset.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the primary bottleneck in this game?

A: The benchmark data indicates the Intel Core i5-9400 is the primary bottleneck. The frame rates at 1080p are extremely high, suggesting the CPU is limiting performance before the GPU can be fully utilized.

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

A: The i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2254. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, scores 2259, which is 0.2% lower. The Intel Core i3-10305 scores 2264, which is 0.4% higher.

Q: Is the performance of the Radeon RX 7900 XT significantly different from its nearest rivals?

A: No, the differences are minimal. The RX 7900 XT's average benchmark score is 13745. The AMD Radeon 660M scores 13812, which is 0.5% lower, and the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT scores 13543, which is 1.5% higher.