Inside

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus paired with the Intel Arc B370 is a combination that relies heavily on the CPU's strength to offset the GPU's limitations. For Inside, a Puzzle Platformer from 2016, the recorded data shows a system that can run the game smoothly at 1080p with maximum settings, but struggles significantly as resolution increases. The Arc B370, which ranks in the 5th percentile of all GPUs, is the clear bottleneck in this pairing. The following analysis breaks down the measured performance, the alternatives, and what the data indicates about this specific hardware combination.

Best Settings per Resolution

The database records 60 FPS as the playable threshold. With that in mind, the best settings are defined as the most demanding preset that still maintains an average at or above that mark.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the system can only manage the Low preset. The measured average at this setting is 64 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 51 FPS, which falls below the playable threshold, and High and Ultra sit at 32 FPS and 30 FPS respectively. Therefore, the best settings for 4K are Low, with an average of 64 FPS.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the best setting that stays above 60 FPS is Medium. The average at Medium is 81 FPS, with a minimum of 69 FPS and a maximum of 93 FPS. While the High preset is more demanding, it only produces an average of 51 FPS, which is not playable according to the threshold.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the system can run the game at the Ultra preset while maintaining a playable frame rate. The average at Ultra is 67 FPS. This is the most demanding preset available, and it clears the 60 FPS threshold. Lower presets produce higher averages: High at 70 FPS, Medium at 113 FPS, and Low at 141 FPS, but Ultra is the best choice for visual quality while remaining playable.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU and GPU in this combo sit at very different performance levels, so the nearest rivals reflect that split.

For the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus, the database places its average benchmark score at 93,785, which is in the 96th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the Intel Xeon 6520P, has an average score of 93,786, a difference of 0%. This means the two processors deliver essentially identical average benchmark performance. The AMD EPYC 4564P scores 95,183, which is 1.5% higher. The AMD EPYC 9175F scores 95,615, which is 1.9% higher. The AMD EPYC 4565P scores 95,764, which is 2.1% higher. These deltas are minimal, indicating that any of these CPUs would behave nearly the same in this game, and none of them would change the overall outcome because the GPU is the limiting factor.

For the Intel Arc B370, the situation is different. The GPU's average benchmark score is 1,184, placing it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. This is an extremely low score. Its nearest rival, the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, scores 1,186, which is 0.2% higher. The ATI Radeon HD 5770 scores 1,190, which is 0.5% higher. The AMD Radeon HD 7650M scores 1,192, which is 0.7% higher. The AMD FirePro M2000 scores 1,168, which is 1.4% lower. All of these GPU alternatives are within a narrow band of the Arc B370's performance. A user swapping this GPU for any of those would see nearly identical frame rates in Inside, assuming the CPU remains the same.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The recorded data provides average frame rates for all resolution and preset combinations. Minimum and maximum values are only present for the Medium preset at each resolution.

At 1920x1080, the Low preset produces an average of 141 FPS. The Medium preset produces an average of 113 FPS, with a minimum of 96 FPS and a maximum of 130 FPS. The High preset produces an average of 70 FPS. The Ultra preset produces an average of 67 FPS. The data shows a clear progression: as the preset becomes more demanding, the frame rate drops. The gap between Low and Medium is 28 FPS, while the gap between Medium and High is 43 FPS, and the gap between High and Ultra is only 3 FPS. This suggests that the Ultra preset is not much more demanding than High at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset produces an average of 101 FPS. The Medium preset produces an average of 81 FPS, with a minimum of 69 FPS and a maximum of 93 FPS. The High preset produces an average of 51 FPS. The Ultra preset produces an average of 48 FPS. The transition from Medium to High is steep, with a 30 FPS drop. The difference between High and Ultra is only 3 FPS. At this resolution, the High preset falls below the 60 FPS threshold, making Medium the highest playable setting.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset produces an average of 64 FPS. The Medium preset produces an average of 51 FPS, with a minimum of 43 FPS and a maximum of 59 FPS. The High preset produces an average of 32 FPS. The Ultra preset produces an average of 30 FPS. The drop from Low to Medium is 13 FPS, and the drop from Medium to High is 19 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra is only 2 FPS. At 4K, only the Low preset remains playable.

The scaling between resolutions is also informative. At Low settings, the 1080p average is 141 FPS, the 1440p average is 101 FPS, and the 4K average is 64 FPS. That is a drop of 77 FPS from 1080p to 4K. At Ultra settings, the 1080p average is 67 FPS, the 1440p average is 48 FPS, and the 4K average is 30 FPS. The Ultra preset sees a 37 FPS drop from 1080p to 4K. The performance penalty for raising resolution is present across all presets.

The Verdict

The data answers the question directly: this PC can run Inside, but the playable range depends entirely on the resolution.

At 1920x1080, the system clears 60 FPS on every preset. The Ultra preset averages 67 FPS, which is above the threshold. The High preset averages 70 FPS, the Medium preset averages 113 FPS, and the Low preset averages 141 FPS. This resolution offers the full range of visual options.

At 2560x1440, the system clears 60 FPS on Low and Medium. The Medium preset averages 81 FPS, with a minimum of 69 FPS, so the frame rate stays above the threshold even in the worst recorded moments. The High and Ultra presets fall short, averaging 51 FPS and 48 FPS respectively.

At 3840x2160, the system only clears 60 FPS on Low. The Low preset averages 64 FPS. The Medium preset averages 51 FPS, and its recorded maximum of 59 FPS still does not reach the playable threshold. The High and Ultra presets are not viable, averaging 32 FPS and 30 FPS.

The verdict by resolution is clear: 1080p allows Ultra settings, 1440p allows Medium settings, and 4K allows Low settings. The system is capable of running the game at every resolution, but the visual quality must be adjusted downward as resolution increases.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest settings preset that stays at or above 60 FPS at 1920x1080?

A: The Ultra preset, which averages 67 FPS. All lower presets also exceed 60 FPS, with High at 70, Medium at 113, and Low at 141.

Q: Can this system run Inside at 3840x2160 with Medium settings?

A: No. The Medium preset at 4K averages 51 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold. The recorded minimum is 43 FPS and the maximum is 59 FPS. Only the Low preset at 4K is playable, averaging 64 FPS.

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

A: The Arc B370 has an average benchmark score of 1,184. The ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 scores 1,186, the ATI Radeon HD 5770 scores 1,190, the AMD Radeon HD 7650M scores 1,192, and the AMD FirePro M2000 scores 1,168. All of these are within 1.4% of the Arc B370's score.

Q: What is the frame rate range for the Medium preset at 2560x1440?

A: The recorded data shows an average of 81 FPS, with a minimum of 69 FPS and a maximum of 93 FPS. The minimum remains above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: Which component is more likely to limit performance in this game?

A: The GPU. The Arc B370 ranks in the 5th percentile of all GPUs, while the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus ranks in the 96th percentile of all CPUs. The large performance gap between the two components makes the GPU the limiting factor, which is consistent with the large frame rate drops seen when resolution increases.

Q: Is the CPU's performance close to any other processors in the database?

A: Yes. The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus has an average score of 93,785. The Intel Xeon 6520P scores 93,786, a 0% difference. The AMD EPYC 4564P scores 95,183, the AMD EPYC 9175F scores 95,615, and the AMD EPYC 4565P scores 95,764, all within 2.1% of the Core Ultra 7.

How This Combo Ranks

The database ranks this combination as 3,422 out of 3,716 tested combos for Inside. This places the system in the bottom portion of all tested hardware pairings, roughly in the 8th percentile of combos. This low ranking is driven almost entirely by the GPU. The Arc B370's 5th percentile standing among all GPUs is the weakest link in the chain. A CPU in the 96th percentile cannot compensate for a GPU that struggles to maintain playable frame rates at higher resolutions. The ranking reflects the reality of the measured data: the system is playable at 1080p with all settings, playable at 1440p with reduced settings, and barely playable at 4K with the lowest settings.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data allows for a clear separation of roles between the CPU and GPU in this game. The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is a high-end desktop processor with 24 cores and 24 threads, a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, and a 36 MB shared L3 cache. It ranks in the 96th percentile of all CPUs. The Arc B370, by contrast, is an integrated graphics solution in the Arc Graphics-M (Panther Lake) family, with a boost clock of 2400 MHz, 1,280 shading units, and a TDP of 25 W. It ranks in the 5th percentile of all GPUs.

The measured frame rates show that the GPU is the primary determinant of performance. At 1080p, the system can reach 141 FPS on Low, but this drops to 67 FPS on Ultra. The GPU handles the rendering load, and the difference between presets is substantial. At 1440p, the same pattern holds: 101 FPS on Low, dropping to 48 FPS on Ultra. At 4K, the system only reaches 64 FPS on Low, and the Medium preset drops to 51 FPS.

The resolution scaling further confirms the GPU's role. Moving from 1080p to 4K at Low settings reduces the average from 141 FPS to 64 FPS, a 55% reduction. At Ultra settings, moving from 1080p to 4K reduces the average from 67 FPS to 30 FPS, a 55% reduction. The consistent percentage drop across presets indicates that the GPU is the component handling the increased pixel count. The CPU's workload does not scale with resolution in the same way.

The CPU's role is to feed the GPU with data. Given the game's age and genre, the CPU is not the limiting factor at any resolution. The CPU's high percentile ranking suggests it has ample headroom. If the GPU were replaced with a stronger model, the CPU would likely support higher frame rates. However, with the current GPU, the system's performance ceiling is defined by the Arc B370's rendering capabilities, not the Core Ultra 7's processing power. The data shows a system where the GPU dictates playable settings at every resolution, and the CPU's contribution remains in the background, providing enough throughput to avoid becoming a bottleneck.