Inside

The Intel Core i7-14700K paired with the Intel Arc B370 presents an unusual performance profile for Inside, a puzzle platformer that relies on consistent frame pacing. The recorded data shows a system that is heavily constrained by the graphics solution at higher resolutions, while the CPU demonstrates its capability to drive very high frame rates at lower settings. The following analysis breaks down the measured FPS across resolutions and presets, compares the combo to nearby hardware in the database, and determines the optimal settings for a smooth experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measurements cover three resolutions and four quality presets, with average FPS recorded for all configurations. Minimum and maximum values are only available for the Medium preset at each resolution, which provides useful insight into frame pacing.

At 1920x1080, the system delivers playable performance across the entire settings range. The Low preset averages 141 FPS, which is more than double the 60 FPS threshold. Medium drops to an average of 113 FPS, with a recorded minimum of 96 FPS and a maximum of 130 FPS, indicating excellent consistency. High averages 70 FPS, still comfortably above the threshold. Ultra averages 67 FPS, which remains playable but is the lowest average at this resolution. The gap between Low and Ultra is 74 FPS, showing a steep scaling curve as the Arc B370 becomes more stressed.

At 2560x1440, performance degrades noticeably. The Low preset averages 101 FPS, which is strong. Medium averages 81 FPS, with a minimum of 69 FPS and a maximum of 93 FPS, so it stays above the 60 FPS line but with less headroom than at 1080p. High drops to 51 FPS, which falls below the playable threshold. Ultra averages 48 FPS, which is not playable. The difference between Low and Ultra here is 53 FPS, and the drop from Medium to High is 30 FPS, a significant step.

At 3840x2160, the integrated graphics solution is clearly overburdened. Low averages 64 FPS, just clearing the 60 FPS threshold. Medium averages 51 FPS, with a minimum of 43 FPS and a maximum of 59 FPS, so the frame rate fluctuates below the playable line. High averages 32 FPS, and Ultra averages 30 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra is a 34 FPS reduction, but the more important observation is the steep cliff between Low and Medium, which is a 13 FPS drop, followed by another 19 FPS drop to High.

The Medium preset data shows that at 1080p, the minimum of 96 FPS is far above the threshold, while at 1440p the minimum of 69 FPS is close enough to cause occasional dips below smoothness. At 4K, the minimum of 43 FPS confirms that Medium is not viable.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals in the database for the CPU and GPU components provide context for what this combo behaves like. The Intel Core i7-14700K has an average benchmark score of 69355, which places it at the 94th percentile among all CPUs. Its closest match is the AMD EPYC 9115, which scores 69288, a delta of 0.1 percent. The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X scores 69515, which is 0.2 percent higher. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX scores 69875, a 0.7 percent advantage. The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F scores 69996, which is 0.9 percent higher. These deltas are all within one percent, meaning any of these CPUs would deliver nearly identical CPU-bound performance in Inside.

The Intel Arc B370 is a very different story. Its average benchmark score is 1184, placing it at the 5th percentile among all GPUs. The nearest rival is the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, which scores 1186, a delta of negative 0.2 percent. The ATI Radeon HD 5770 scores 1190, negative 0.5 percent. The AMD Radeon HD 7650M scores 1192, negative 0.7 percent. The AMD FirePro M2000 scores 1168, a positive 1.4 percent delta. This means the Arc B370 performs on par with a decade-old discrete GPU or an integrated mobile solution from that era. In practical terms for Inside, the CPU is massively overqualified, while the GPU is the limiting factor at every resolution above 1080p.

Best Settings per Resolution

The database defines the best settings as the most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS. The measured data supports the following recommendations.

At 3840x2160, the only playable preset is Low, which averages 64 FPS. Medium falls to 51 FPS, so it cannot be recommended. The best settings at 4K are therefore Low, with the recorded average of 64 FPS.

At 2560x1440, both Low and Medium clear the threshold. Low averages 101 FPS, while Medium averages 81 FPS with a minimum of 69 FPS. Since Medium is more demanding and still stays above 60 FPS, it is the best settings choice. The average of 81 FPS provides enough headroom that the minimum of 69 FPS does not cause frequent stutter.

At 1920x1080, all four presets are playable. Low averages 141 FPS, Medium averages 113 FPS, High averages 70 FPS, and Ultra averages 67 FPS. The most demanding preset that stays above 60 FPS is Ultra, with an average of 67 FPS. This is the best settings recommendation, though it is importantly the margin above the threshold is only 7 FPS, so any demanding scene could push it lower.

The Verdict

This PC can run Inside, but the experience depends heavily on resolution. The verdict by resolution is clear. At 1920x1080, all four presets are playable, with Ultra averaging 67 FPS. This is the fully recommended configuration. At 2560x1440, Low and Medium are playable, with Medium averaging 81 FPS as the best choice. High and Ultra fall below 60 FPS. At 3840x2160, only Low is playable, averaging 64 FPS. Medium, High, and Ultra all fail to reach 60 FPS.

The data shows a system that is perfectly capable of running Inside at 1080p with maximum settings, and at 1440p with medium settings. The 4K experience is limited to low settings, which is a compromise that may not be acceptable to all users given the game's atmospheric visuals. The 60 FPS threshold is met at 4K, but barely, with an average of 64 FPS.

CPU and GPU Roles

The scaling between resolutions and presets reveals the division of labor in this combo. At 1080p, the CPU is the dominant factor. The Low preset at 141 FPS shows that the Arc B370 can push frames well above the threshold when the load is light. The drop to 67 FPS at Ultra is a 52 percent reduction, which is substantial but still playable. The CPU, with its 20 cores and 28 threads, is not the bottleneck here.

At 1440p, the GPU begins to take over. The Low preset drops to 101 FPS, a 28 percent reduction from the 1080p Low result. Medium drops to 81 FPS, and High falls off a cliff to 51 FPS. This suggests that the GPU's memory bandwidth or shading capacity is saturated between Medium and High. The CPU is still powerful enough to feed the GPU, but the GPU cannot keep up with the increased pixel count.

At 4K, the GPU is almost entirely responsible for the performance. Low drops to 64 FPS, which is only slightly above the threshold. Medium drops to 51 FPS, and High drops to 32 FPS. The CPU has negligible influence at this resolution because the GPU is so heavily constrained. The data indicates that the Arc B370, with its 1280 shading units and system-shared memory, is the limiting component at 1440p and above. The CPU's role diminishes as resolution increases, and the GPU's role becomes dominant.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combos for Inside, this specific pairing ranks 3422 out of 3716 combinations. This places it in the bottom 8 percent of all recorded configurations. The rank is driven almost entirely by the GPU, which sits at the 5th percentile among all GPUs. The CPU, by contrast, is at the 94th percentile. The combination of a top-tier CPU with a bottom-tier GPU results in a system that is severely imbalanced for this game.

The rank of 3422 means that the vast majority of other tested combos, including those with much weaker CPUs, outperform this system because they have more capable graphics hardware. The data suggests that this combo is only suitable for low-to-medium settings at 1080p or low settings at 1440p. For a game like Inside, which does not require a high-end CPU, the i7-14700K provides no benefit over a much cheaper processor when paired with the Arc B370.

FAQ

*Q: Can this PC run Inside at 1080p with Ultra settings?*

A: Yes. The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings is 67 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the best settings preset at 2560x1440?

A: Medium is the best settings at 1440p, with an average of 81 FPS. Low also works at 101 FPS, but Medium offers better visual quality while staying above the threshold.

Q: Is 4K playable with this combo?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings. The average FPS at 3840x2160 with Low settings is 64 FPS. Medium averages 51 FPS and is not playable.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B370 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Arc B370 scores 1184 in the database benchmark, which is 0.2 percent lower than the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 and 0.5 percent lower than the ATI Radeon HD 5770. It is 1.4 percent higher than the AMD FirePro M2000.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU matter more for this game?

A: The CPU matters most at 1080p, where it can drive frame rates above 140 FPS on Low settings. The GPU becomes the limiting factor at 1440p and especially at 4K, where High and Ultra presets fall below 60 FPS.

Q: What is the lowest recorded minimum FPS?

A: The lowest minimum is 43 FPS, recorded at 3840x2160 with Medium settings. The highest minimum is 96 FPS, recorded at 1920x1080 with Medium settings.