Inside

The Intel Core i5-9400 and Intel Arc B390 combination presents a mixed picture for running Inside, a Puzzle Platformer. The data shows a system that is heavily constrained by its graphics component, yet capable of delivering smooth frame rates at standard resolutions when settings are managed correctly. This analysis examines the benchmark measurements to determine what this hardware pair can achieve in this specific title.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The database places the Intel Core i5-9400 at the 47th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 2254. Its closest rivals are tightly clustered around this figure. The Intel Core i7-1068NG7 scores 2259, which is 0.2% higher. The Intel Core i7-10710U scores 2248, a 0.3% difference. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 2246, also 0.3% off, and the Intel Core i3-10305 scores 2264, 0.4% above. The processor is clearly not the limiting factor in this setup, as its performance profile is effectively interchangeable with several other mid-range desktop and mobile parts.

The GPU situation is far more restrictive. The Intel Arc B390 sits at only the 9th percentile among all GPUs, with a benchmark score of 1482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12. Its nearest rivals are all older, entry-level NVIDIA parts. The GeForce GT 520MX scores 1463, which is 1.3% lower. The GeForce 800M scores 1460, 1.5% lower. The GeForce GT 625 OEM scores 1446, 2.5% lower, and the GeForce GT 710 scores 1443, 2.7% lower. This places the Arc B390 in a performance tier where expectations for modern 3D rendering must be modest. The GPU consistently acts as the bottleneck in this pairing, as its nearest competitors are all several generations old. Any system built with these components would behave similarly to one using those rival GPUs, meaning the overall experience is defined by the graphics card's limitations rather than the CPU's capabilities.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Inside at 1080p with the highest settings?

A: Yes. The recorded data shows an average of 74 FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, which clears the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the best preset for 1440p gaming with this combo?

A: Medium settings at 2560x1440 produce an average of 90 FPS, with a minimum of 76 FPS and a maximum of 103 FPS. This is the most demanding preset that maintains playable performance at this resolution.

Q: Is 4K resolution feasible for this hardware?

A: Only at Low settings. The 3840x2160 Low preset averages 70 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 56 FPS, and High averages 35 FPS, both below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How consistent are frame times at the playable settings?

A: The database only records minimum and maximum values for Medium settings. At 1080p Medium, the range is 106 to 144 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the range is 76 to 103 FPS. At 4K Medium, the range narrows to 48 to 65 FPS. The spread indicates smoother performance at lower resolutions.

Q: Which component limits performance the most?

A: The GPU. The Arc B390 ranks at the 9th percentile among all GPUs, while the i5-9400 sits at the 47th percentile among CPUs. The graphics card is the clear bottleneck in this configuration.

Q: Does the CPU hold back the GPU in this game?

A: No. The CPU's nearest rivals are within 0.4% of its score, and at 1080p Low the system reaches 156 FPS. This suggests the processor can feed the GPU adequately in this title, with the graphics card remaining the limiting factor.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its strongest performance. The Low preset averages 156 FPS. Medium averages 125 FPS, with a minimum of 106 and a maximum of 144. High averages 78 FPS. Ultra averages 74 FPS. All presets at this resolution remain comfortably above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

At 2560x1440, performance drops but remains mostly playable. The Low preset averages 112 FPS. Medium averages 90 FPS, with a minimum of 76 and a maximum of 103. High averages 56 FPS, which falls below the threshold. Ultra averages 53 FPS, also below the threshold.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's limitations become severe. The Low preset averages 70 FPS, barely clearing the playable threshold. Medium averages 56 FPS, with a minimum of 48 and a maximum of 65. High averages 35 FPS. Ultra averages 34 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium at 4K is 14 FPS, while the gap between High and Ultra is only 1 FPS, indicating that the graphics card is saturated at this resolution.

The data shows a predictable scaling pattern. Moving from 1080p to 1440p at Medium settings reduces the average from 125 FPS to 90 FPS, a 35 FPS drop. Moving from 1440p to 4K at Medium settings reduces the average from 90 FPS to 56 FPS, a 34 FPS drop. The resolution scaling is consistent across the medium preset. At Low settings, the drop from 1080p to 1440p is 44 FPS, and from 1440p to 4K is 42 FPS. At High settings, the drop from 1080p to 1440p is 22 FPS, and from 1440p to 4K is 21 FPS. The reductions are roughly linear across resolutions for each preset.

The Verdict

This PC can run Inside, but the experience depends heavily on resolution and settings. At 1920x1080, all four presets clear the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset averages 74 FPS, so the game is fully playable at the highest quality settings. At 2560x1440, only Low and Medium presets clear the threshold. The Medium preset averages 90 FPS and represents the best balance of quality and performance at this resolution. At 3840x2160, only the Low preset clears the threshold, averaging 70 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K averages 56 FPS, which is below the standard playable mark.

The verdict by resolution is straightforward. For 1080p, the system runs the game at all settings, with Ultra as the recommended preset. For 1440p, the system runs the game at Low and Medium, with Medium as the recommended preset. For 4K, the system runs the game only at Low settings. The playable settings list for each resolution confirms this: 1080p includes High, Low, Medium, and Ultra; 1440p includes Low and Medium; 4K includes only Low.

How This Combo Ranks

Among all tested combinations in the database, this pairing ranks 3296 out of 3716 combinations for Inside. This places it in the lower portion of the distribution, which is expected given the GPU's low percentile ranking. The rank reflects the combined performance of both components in this specific game, and the data indicates that the graphics card is the primary reason for the low standing.

The rank of 3296 out of 3716 means that roughly 89% of tested combinations perform better in this game. This does not mean the system is unplayable, as the frame rate measurements show it can handle the game at multiple resolutions and presets. However, it does mean that most other hardware configurations in the database deliver higher frame rates or can handle higher settings at the same resolutions. The CPU's position at the 47th percentile is unremarkable but not detrimental, while the GPU's position at the 9th percentile drags the overall ranking down significantly.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the best settings are Low, which averages 70 FPS. This is the only preset at this resolution that maintains an average at or above 60 FPS. The Medium preset falls short at 56 FPS, so it cannot be recommended for a consistent playable experience.

At 2560x1440, the best settings are Medium, which averages 90 FPS. This preset provides a significant visual upgrade over Low while still maintaining a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold. The minimum of 76 FPS ensures that even demanding scenes stay playable.

At 1920x1080, the best settings are Ultra, which averages 74 FPS. This is the highest quality preset available in the game, and the system handles it without dropping below the playable threshold. The average of 74 FPS provides enough headroom for most scenes.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data shows that the GPU is the dominant factor in this game's performance. The Arc B390's 9th percentile ranking among all GPUs, combined with its nearest rivals being the GeForce GT 520MX and GeForce 800M, indicates a very low-end graphics solution. The CPU, by contrast, sits at the 47th percentile with rivals within 0.4% of its score, which means it is a mid-range processor that does not present a bottleneck in this title.

The scaling between resolutions confirms this. At Medium settings, the average frame rate drops from 125 FPS at 1080p to 90 FPS at 1440p to 56 FPS at 4K. The magnitude of these drops is consistent with a GPU-limited scenario, where increasing pixel count directly increases the load on the graphics card. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rate would remain more constant across resolutions, as the processor's workload does not scale as dramatically with resolution.

The scaling between presets also points to GPU limitation. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 82 FPS, from 156 to 74. At 1440p, the difference is 59 FPS, from 112 to 53. At 4K, the difference is 36 FPS, from 70 to 34. As resolution increases, the frame rate differences between presets shrink, which is typical of a system where the GPU is saturated at higher resolutions. The CPU has enough headroom to handle the increased draw calls and physics calculations that come with higher settings, but the GPU cannot translate that into higher frame rates once it is fully utilized.

The role of each component shifts with resolution. At 1080p, the GPU still limits performance, but the CPU has more influence on maximum frame rates, as evidenced by the 156 FPS result at Low settings. At 4K, the GPU is the sole limiting factor, with the CPU's performance becoming almost irrelevant to the final frame rate. Users should focus on GPU optimization when trying to improve performance in this game, as the i5-9400 has sufficient processing power for all tested configurations.