Inside

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-9400 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti sits at rank 2000 out of 3716 tested combos in the database for Inside. That places this pairing in the upper half of all recorded configurations, roughly at the 54th percentile of tested systems. This is a solid mid-pack result, but it is not a top-tier ranking, which makes sense given the CPU's age relative to the GPU.

The CPU itself, the Intel Core i5-9400, holds a 47th percentile ranking against all CPUs in the database. Its average benchmark score of 2254 places it in direct competition with several other mid-range processors. The nearest rival is the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 with an average score of 2259, a delta of -0.2%, meaning the i5-9400 is essentially tied with that chip. The Intel Core i3-10305 scores 2264, putting the i5-9400 0.4% behind. On the other side, the Intel Core i7-10710U scores 2248, which is 0.3% behind the i5-9400, and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 2246, trailing by 0.4%. These deltas are all within a fraction of a percent, so any of these CPUs would deliver nearly identical CPU-bound performance in this game.

The GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti, holds a 75th percentile ranking against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 29945. Its nearest rivals are extremely close: the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Mobile scores 29928 (0.1% higher), the AMD Radeon RX 6800 scores 30095 (0.5% higher), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti scores 29783 (0.5% lower), and the AMD Radeon RX 6700 scores 30433 (1.6% higher). The RTX 3070 Ti sits right in the middle of this cluster, meaning any of these cards would produce nearly identical frame rates in Inside.

CPU and GPU Roles

For Inside, the data shows that the GPU is the dominant component at every resolution, but the CPU still matters for maintaining high frame rates at lower resolutions. Looking at the measured FPS across resolutions and presets, the pattern is clear.

At 1920x1080, the difference between Low and Ultra settings is substantial. The Low preset delivers 219.9 FPS, while Ultra delivers 170.8 FPS, a drop of 49.1 FPS. The Medium preset at 207.8 FPS and High at 168.6 FPS show that the scaling is not linear; the jump from Medium to High is the largest single step, costing 39.2 FPS. At this resolution, the CPU is less of a bottleneck because the frame rates are high enough that the i5-9400's six cores and six threads can keep up with the GPU's output.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates drop across all presets compared to 1080p. Low goes from 219.9 to 196.7 FPS, Medium from 207.8 to 182.6 FPS, High from 168.6 to 143.8 FPS, and Ultra from 170.8 to 138.1 FPS. The relative ordering remains the same, but the gaps between presets shrink slightly. This indicates that the GPU is starting to become more of a limiting factor as pixel count increases, though the CPU is still capable of feeding the GPU adequately.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's role becomes much more pronounced. Low delivers 171.8 FPS, Medium drops to 145.5 FPS, High falls to 89.2 FPS, and Ultra is 83.2 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium is 26.3 FPS, but the gap between Medium and High is a massive 56.3 FPS. This suggests that the High preset introduces GPU-heavy effects that significantly tax the RTX 3070 Ti at 4K. The CPU's influence at this resolution is minimal because the GPU is clearly the bottleneck; the i5-9400's performance is sufficient to avoid holding back the GPU at these lower frame rates.

The scaling from 1080p to 4K at the same preset illustrates this. For Ultra, the frame rate drops from 170.8 at 1080p to 138.1 at 1440p to 83.2 at 4K. This is a 51.3% reduction from 1080p to 4K, which is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario where doubling the pixel count roughly halves the frame rate. The CPU's role is most evident at 1080p Low, where 219.9 FPS approaches the practical limit for this processor; beyond that, the GPU dictates performance.

FAQ

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

A: Yes. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 Ultra is 83.2 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS playable threshold by a comfortable margin.

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

A: Ultra at 2560x1440 delivers 138.1 FPS on average, which is well above the playable threshold. This is the highest preset available and it maintains a very smooth experience.

Q: How much performance is lost when going from 1080p to 4K at High settings?

A: At 1920x1080 High, the average FPS is 168.6. At 3840x2160 High, the average FPS is 89.2. That is a reduction of 79.4 FPS, or roughly 47% lower performance at 4K.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-9400 a bottleneck for the RTX 3070 Ti in this game?

A: At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 219.9 FPS, which suggests the CPU is approaching its limit. However, at higher presets and resolutions, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, so the CPU does not meaningfully constrain performance in typical gameplay.

Q: How does the RTX 3070 Ti compare to the RTX 2080 Ti in this context?

A: The RTX 3070 Ti has an average benchmark score of 29945, while the RTX 2080 Ti scores 29783, a delta of 0.5%. This means the RTX 3070 Ti is effectively equivalent to the older RTX 2080 Ti in overall GPU performance.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 Medium is 207.8 FPS. This is far above the 60 FPS threshold and provides a very high refresh rate experience.

Similar Performance Alternatives

If you are looking at the CPU side, the Intel Core i5-9400 is closely matched by several other processors. The Intel Core i7-1068NG7 has an average score of 2259, just 0.2% higher, so it would perform nearly identically. The Intel Core i3-10305 scores 2264, 0.4% higher, and would be a very close substitute. On the lower side, the Intel Core i7-10710U at 2248 (0.3% lower) and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 at 2246 (0.4% lower) would deliver essentially the same CPU-bound performance in Inside. None of these chips would change the frame rates you see in this game by more than a rounding error.

For the GPU, the RTX 3070 Ti sits in a tight cluster of similarly performing cards. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Mobile scores 29928, a 0.1% delta, making it a near-perfect match. The AMD Radeon RX 6800 scores 30095, 0.5% higher, so it would be slightly faster. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti at 29783 is 0.5% lower, and the AMD Radeon RX 6700 at 30433 is 1.6% higher. In practical terms, all four of these GPUs would produce frame rates within a few FPS of each other in Inside. If you have any of these cards, you can expect nearly identical performance to the RTX 3070 Ti.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset is the most demanding option that stays above 60 FPS. The measured average FPS is 83.2, which clears the threshold. High at 89.2 FPS, Medium at 145.5 FPS, and Low at 171.8 FPS are also all playable. Since Ultra is the highest quality setting and still maintains a healthy margin above 60 FPS, it is the recommended choice for 4K.

At 2560x1440, Ultra is again the best choice. The average FPS is 138.1, which is more than double the playable threshold. High at 143.8 FPS, Medium at 182.6 FPS, and Low at 196.7 FPS are all well above 60 FPS. There is no reason to drop below Ultra at this resolution.

At 1920x1080, Ultra delivers 170.8 FPS on average. High at 168.6 FPS, Medium at 207.8 FPS, and Low at 219.9 FPS are all far above the threshold. Ultra is the best setting, as it provides the highest visual quality while still maintaining a very high frame rate.

The Verdict

The data shows that this PC can run Inside exceptionally well at all tested resolutions. At 3840x2160, the playable settings include Low, Medium, High, and Ultra, with the best setting being Ultra at 83.2 FPS. At 2560x1440, all four presets are playable, and Ultra at 138.1 FPS is the best choice. At 1920x1080, every preset clears 60 FPS by a wide margin, with Ultra at 170.8 FPS as the top option.

The verdict is straightforward: this combo clears the 60 FPS playable threshold at every resolution and preset combination recorded in the database. The RTX 3070 Ti provides more than enough graphics horsepower for this puzzle platformer, and the i5-9400 does not hold it back in any meaningful way. Whether you play at 1080p, 1440p, or 4K, you can max out the settings and enjoy a smooth experience. Inside is not a demanding title, and this hardware handles it with significant headroom.