Inside

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-14700KF paired with the Intel Arc B370 ranks 3422 out of 3716 tested combinations in the database for Inside. This places the combo in the lower percentile of tested systems, which is primarily attributable to the GPU. The Arc B370 sits at the 5th percentile among all GPUs in the database, with an average benchmark score of 1184. In contrast, the CPU is far more capable, ranking at the 94th percentile among all processors.

The disparity between the two components is stark. The i7-14700KF delivers a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44167 and a single-core score of 6235, while the Arc B370 produces a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184. This combination creates a system where the CPU is never the limiting factor in Inside, a game that is not computationally demanding by modern standards. The recorded data shows that the GPU becomes the bottleneck even at lower resolutions, which is unusual for a puzzle platformer.

The combo's rank of 3422 out of 3716 means roughly 92 percent of tested combinations perform better in this specific title. This is a below-average standing, but the game's modest requirements mean the system can still deliver playable frame rates at certain settings, as detailed in the sections below.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Low, with an average of 64 FPS. Medium drops to 51 FPS on average, with minimums of 43 and maximums of 59, so it cannot maintain the 60 FPS threshold. High and Ultra average 32 and 30 FPS respectively, both well below the playable threshold.

At 2560x1440, the best playable setting is Medium, which averages 81 FPS with a minimum of 69 and a maximum of 93. This comfortably clears the 60 FPS threshold. High averages 51 FPS, which is not playable, while Low averages 101 FPS. Ultra averages 48 FPS, so it is also below the threshold.

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, averaging 67 FPS. The data indicates that all four presets are playable at this resolution: Low averages 141 FPS, Medium averages 113 FPS with minimums of 96, High averages 70 FPS, and Ultra averages 67 FPS. This makes 1080p the only resolution where the user can enable maximum settings while staying above the playable threshold.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results indicate that the GPU dominates performance in Inside across all resolutions. The Arc B370's modest compute capabilities, with 1280 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 20 ROPs, are the binding constraint. The CPU, with 20 cores and 28 threads, provides ample headroom.

Examining the scaling between resolutions at the same preset reveals the GPU-bound nature. At Medium settings, the average frame rate drops from 113 FPS at 1920x1080 to 81 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of approximately 28 percent. Dropping further to 3840x2160 yields 51 FPS, another reduction of about 37 percent from the 1440p figure. This steep decline as pixel count increases is characteristic of a GPU-limited scenario.

The CPU's role is minimal even at low resolutions. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system reaches 141 FPS on average, which is far below what the i7-14700KF could theoretically drive if paired with a stronger GPU. The single-core performance of the CPU (Cinebench R23 score of 6235) is more than sufficient for a game like Inside, which relies on modest physics and rendering workloads.

The preset scaling further confirms the GPU bottleneck. At each resolution, moving from Low to Ultra produces substantial frame rate penalties. At 2560x1440, the difference between Low (101 FPS) and Ultra (48 FPS) is 53 FPS, a 52 percent reduction. At 3840x2160, the gap between Low (64 FPS) and Ultra (30 FPS) is 34 FPS. These patterns align with GPU-bound behavior, where increased shading and texture work directly impact throughput.

The Arc B370's memory configuration is system-shared, with bandwidth described as system dependent. This architecture means the GPU relies on the host system's memory, which can further limit performance in high-resolution scenarios. However, the recorded data does not isolate memory bandwidth as a separate variable, so the analysis focuses on the observed frame rates.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the nearest rivals in the database are all within a narrow performance band. The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F scores 69996 on average, just 0.2 percent below the i7-14700KF's 70163 average. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX is 0.4 percent behind, and the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X is 0.9 percent behind. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is 1 percent ahead. In practical terms, any of these processors would produce identical frame rates in Inside when paired with the Arc B370, because the GPU is the limiting factor.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals are all legacy or low-power parts. The ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 scores 1186, which is 0.2 percent above the Arc B370's 1184. The ATI Radeon HD 5770 scores 1190, 0.5 percent above. The AMD Radeon HD 7650M scores 1192, 0.7 percent above. The AMD FirePro M2000 scores 1168, 1.4 percent below. These deltas are negligible, meaning the Arc B370 and these alternatives would produce nearly identical results in Inside. A user swapping to any of these GPUs would see frame rate changes of less than 2 percent, which is imperceptible in practice.

It is worth remembering the Arc B370's nearest rivals are older parts, which reflects its low percentile ranking. The GPU's 5th percentile standing among all GPUs places it in the company of entry-level and legacy hardware, despite being a newer architecture (Xe3-LPG on a 3 nm process).

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the recorded data shows the following averages:

• Low: 141 FPS average
• Medium: 113 FPS average, 96 FPS minimum, 130 FPS maximum
• High: 70 FPS average
• Ultra: 67 FPS average

All presets at 1080p exceed the 60 FPS playable threshold. The minimum recorded at Medium (96 FPS) indicates stable performance with no significant dips.

At 2560x1440:

• Low: 101 FPS average
• Medium: 81 FPS average, 69 FPS minimum, 93 FPS maximum
• High: 51 FPS average
• Ultra: 48 FPS average

Only Low and Medium clear the 60 FPS threshold. The Medium preset's minimum of 69 FPS provides a safety margin above the playable threshold, though the maximum of 93 FPS shows some variability.

At 3840x2160:

• Low: 64 FPS average
• Medium: 51 FPS average, 43 FPS minimum, 59 FPS maximum
• High: 32 FPS average
• Ultra: 30 FPS average

Only Low reaches playable status, and its 64 FPS average leaves little headroom. The Medium preset's maximum of 59 FPS never touches the 60 FPS threshold, confirming that 4K gaming is only viable at the lowest settings.

The frame time consistency, where recorded, shows that the Medium preset at all resolutions has a spread between minimum and maximum. At 1080p, the spread is 34 FPS; at 1440p, it is 24 FPS; at 4K, it is 16 FPS. The narrower spread at higher resolutions suggests the GPU is working closer to its limits, reducing variance.

The Verdict

Can this PC run Inside? The answer depends on the resolution and settings, and the verdict by resolution is clear from the data.

At 1920x1080, the system runs the game at all presets above 60 FPS. Ultra averages 67 FPS, which is the best setting available for this resolution. Users can enable maximum quality without sacrificing playability. This is the recommended configuration for this combo.

At 2560x1440, the system runs the game at Low and Medium settings. Medium averages 81 FPS and is the best playable preset. High and Ultra fall short at 51 and 48 FPS respectively. Users with 1440p displays should select Medium for a balanced experience.

At 3840x2160, the system only runs the game at Low settings, averaging 64 FPS. Medium averages 51 FPS and is below the threshold. High and Ultra are not viable, with averages of 32 and 30 FPS. Users with 4K displays must accept low settings to achieve playable frame rates.

The overall verdict is that the combo can run Inside, but with significant compromises at higher resolutions. The Arc B370's limited rasterization throughput (6.144 TFLOPS FP32) is the primary constraint. The CPU, by contrast, is never a limiting factor in this title. For a puzzle platformer like Inside, which was released in 2016, the fact that 4K requires Low settings is a notable shortcoming. However, at 1080p, the system delivers a solid experience with all settings maxed out.

FAQ

Q: What is the best playable setting at 3840x2160 for this combo?

A: Low is the only playable preset at 4K, with an average of 64 FPS. Medium averages 51 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Can this system run Inside at 2560x1440 with high settings?

A: No. High averages 51 FPS at 1440p, which is below the playable threshold. Medium averages 81 FPS and is the best playable preset at that resolution.

Q: Which resolution allows all settings to be enabled?

A: 1920x1080 is the only resolution where all four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) exceed 60 FPS. Ultra averages 67 FPS at 1080p.

Q: How does the Arc B370 compare to its nearest GPU rivals in this game?

A: The Arc B370 scores 1184 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12. The ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 is 0.2 percent faster, the ATI Radeon HD 5770 is 0.5 percent faster, and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M is 0.7 percent faster. The AMD FirePro M2000 is 1.4 percent slower. These differences would produce nearly identical frame rates in Inside.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in Inside?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor at all resolutions. The i7-14700KF ranks at the 94th percentile among CPUs, while the Arc B370 ranks at the 5th percentile among GPUs. Frame rates scale strongly with resolution, which indicates GPU-bound performance.

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1920x1080 with Medium settings?

A: The average is 113 FPS, with a minimum of 96 FPS and a maximum of 130 FPS. This preset clears the playable threshold with substantial headroom.