Inside

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is a proven combination for Inside, the puzzle platformer released in 2016. The database contains full measured frame-rate results across 1920x1080, 2560x1440, and 3840x2160 at four preset levels, and the recorded data shows this pairing clears the 60 FPS playable threshold at nearly every tested configuration, with only one exception at 4K Ultra. The following analysis walks through the numbers step by step.

Measured FPS Breakdown

Starting at 1920x1080, the measurements show headroom that far exceeds what the game demands. On the Low preset the system averages 224.8 FPS, and Medium delivers 206 FPS. Even the two heaviest presets stay well above the threshold: High averages 137.7 FPS and Ultra averages 136.2 FPS. Note how close High and Ultra are at this resolution, a gap of only 1.5 FPS, which indicates the visual cost of Ultra over High is negligible here.

At 2560x1440 the averages scale down predictably but remain comfortably high. Low records 197 FPS, Medium 163.9 FPS, High 103.3 FPS, and Ultra 98.6 FPS. The High-to-Ultra delta widens slightly to 4.7 FPS at this resolution, yet Ultra still sits nearly 39 percent above the 60 FPS threshold. Minimum and maximum frame rates were not recorded for these runs, so the averages are the operative figures.

At 3840x2160 the combination shows its single limitation. Low averages 128.4 FPS and Medium 103.2 FPS, both excellent results for a native 4K render. High holds on at 65.1 FPS, a 5.1 FPS margin over the threshold. Ultra is the one failure point: 59.3 FPS on average, missing 60 FPS by less than a single frame per second. The data labels this configuration unplayable by the strict 60 FPS criterion, though in practice it sits at the edge rather than far below it.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The Core i5-9400 sits at the 47th percentile of all CPUs in the database with an average benchmark score of 2254. Its nearest rivals cluster almost exactly around it: the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 scores 2259 on average, a difference of just 0.2 percent, and the Intel Core i7-10710U scores 2248, within 0.3 percent. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 averages 2246, 0.4 percent behind, and the Intel Core i3-10305 averages 2264, 0.4 percent ahead. Any of these processors would behave essentially identically to the i5-9400 in Inside, because a puzzle platformer of this type leans far more on the GPU than the CPU at higher resolutions.

On the graphics side, the RTX 3060 Ti ranks in the 59th percentile of all GPUs with an average score of 16129. The AMD Radeon RX 9060 averages 16014, only 0.7 percent behind. The Radeon Pro 5600M and the Radeon RX 5700 XT both average slightly ahead, 16351 and 16361 respectively, a margin of 1.4 percent. The Radeon R9 370X trails at 15862, 1.7 percent behind. Swapping any of these cards into this build would move Inside's frame rates by only a few percent, so the conclusions in this analysis would carry over directly.

CPU and GPU Roles

The scaling data makes the division of labor clear. From 1920x1080 Ultra to 3840x2160 Ultra, the average falls from 136.2 to 59.3 FPS, a drop of roughly 56 percent as pixel count quadruples. That resolution-driven collapse is the signature of GPU limitation: when frame rate falls steeply as resolution rises, the graphics card is the binding constraint, not the processor.

Supporting evidence comes from the preset scaling within each resolution. At 1080p, Low to Ultra spans 224.8 to 136.2 FPS, a comparatively tight band. The same span exists at 1440p and 4K. If the CPU were the bottleneck, frame rates would plateau at a fixed ceiling regardless of settings, but the data shows settings and resolution both moving averages substantially. At 1080p, where a weak CPU would normally expose itself, the system still reaches 224.8 FPS on Low, indicating the six-core, six-thread i5-9400 with its 4.10 GHz boost clock is not constraining a title of this vintage.

The practical takeaway: the GPU is the component that matters at every resolution tested for Inside, and the CPU plays a secondary role. The i5-9400's Cinebench R23 single-core score of 935 and multi-core score of 6629 reflect a mid-tier processor, and that is more than sufficient here.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Inside at 4K with max settings?

A: Not quite. 4K Ultra averages 59.3 FPS, just under the 60 FPS threshold. Dropping one step to High restores an average of 65.1 FPS.

Q: What is the highest frame rate recorded for this combo?

A: 224.8 FPS, at 1920x1080 on the Low preset.

Q: Is the CPU fast enough for this game?

A: Yes. The scaling between presets and resolutions shows a GPU-bound profile, and the i5-9400 maintains frame rates up to 224.8 FPS at 1080p, so its six cores are never the limiting factor in the recorded data.

Q: How much does going from Medium to Ultra cost in performance at 1440p?

A: The average drops from 163.9 FPS on Medium to 98.6 FPS on Ultra, a reduction of about 40 percent.

Q: How does the RTX 3060 Ti compare to rival GPUs?

A: Its average benchmark score of 16129 places it within 1.7 percent of cards like the Radeon RX 5700 XT and the Radeon RX 9060, so those alternatives would deliver nearly identical results in this game.

Q: Does the game run above 100 FPS at 4K on any preset?

A: Yes. Low averages 128.4 FPS and Medium averages 103.2 FPS at 3840x2160.

How This Combo Ranks

Across all hardware combinations tested for Inside in the database, this pairing ranks 2806 out of 3716. That places it below the median, but rank alone needs context: the game is so lightweight that even below-median combinations clear the 60 FPS bar in most configurations, as this one does at eleven of the twelve tested settings points. The rank reflects that Inside runs well on modest hardware generally, not that this build struggles with it. Both components are also end-of-life parts, with the i5-9400 dating to 2018 and the RTX 3060 Ti launching at 399 USD in 2020, so newer combinations naturally outrank it while playing the same game at effectively the same experience level.

Best Settings per Resolution

Based on the recorded averages and the 60 FPS threshold:

• 1920x1080: Ultra is the most demanding preset that stays above 60 FPS, averaging 136.2 FPS.
• 2560x1440: Ultra again clears the bar, averaging 98.6 FPS.
• 3840x2160: High is the ceiling, averaging 65.1 FPS. Ultra falls just short at 59.3 FPS.

At 1080p and 1440p there is no reason to use anything below Ultra, since even the heaviest preset retains a large margin. Only at 4K does a setting reduction become necessary, and a single step down to High resolves it.

The Verdict

Yes, this PC can run Inside, and comfortably so. At 1920x1080 every preset is playable, with Ultra delivering 136.2 FPS. At 2560x1440 every preset is likewise playable, with Ultra at 98.6 FPS. At 3840x2160 the verdict is playable on Low, Medium, and High, with High at 65.1 FPS representing the best setting that clears the threshold; Ultra at 59.3 FPS is the sole miss. For a player targeting 60 FPS, the recorded data supports max settings at 1080p and 1440p and near-max settings at native 4K, which makes this a strong result for a pairing of two end-of-life components against a 2016 puzzle platformer.