Inside

The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7600 delivers a remarkably smooth experience in Inside, a game that is far more demanding on the GPU than the CPU at higher resolutions. The measured data shows this combination is capable of high refresh rates even at 4K, making it a strong choice for this title despite the age of the processor.

How This Combo Ranks

The benchmark database places this specific CPU-GPU combination at rank 2838 out of 3716 tested combos for Inside. This places it in the 76th percentile of all tested systems, indicating that while it is not at the absolute top tier of performance, it sits comfortably above the majority of configurations in the database. The ranking reflects a system that is well-balanced for this particular game, where the GPU is the primary driver of frame rates.

To contextualize this ranking, the components themselves show interesting positions relative to their peers. The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 holds a 75th percentile ranking among all CPUs in the database, with an average benchmark score of 21484. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 5 228V, which scores 21440 (a 0.2% difference), and the Intel Core i9-11900H, which scores 21367 (a 0.5% difference). This places the CPU in a performance tier where it is statistically indistinguishable from these other processors in general compute tasks.

The AMD Radeon RX 7600, on the other hand, has a 57th percentile ranking among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 15171. Its immediate competitors in the database are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM, which scores 15199 (a -0.2% difference), and the AMD Radeon 680M, which scores 15270 (a -0.7% difference). The GPU's position in the lower half of the overall rankings is expected for a mid-range card, but its performance in Inside is disproportionately high, highlighting the game's efficient rendering engine.

The discrepancy between the CPU's higher percentile and the GPU's lower percentile is notable. It suggests that the processor is not a limiting factor in most scenarios, but the graphics card will be the ceiling for performance in graphically intensive titles. However, the measured FPS data for Inside indicates that the RX 7600 is more than adequate to push this particular game to very high frame rates, even at 4K resolution.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how the game responds to different quality presets. The most striking observation is that the "Ultra" preset offers only a marginal improvement in visual fidelity over "High" while incurring a significant performance cost. At 1080p, the Ultra preset achieves an average of 134 FPS, while High achieves 141 FPS. This 7 FPS difference is negligible in real-world gameplay, especially when both are well above the 60 FPS threshold.

The "Medium" preset at 1080p delivers an average of 189 FPS, with a minimum of 161 FPS and a maximum of 217 FPS. This represents a substantial jump in performance over High, with a 48 FPS increase in the average. The consistency is also excellent, as the minimum frame rate is still exceptionally high. At 1440p, Medium produces an average of 162 FPS, which is still far above what a standard 144Hz monitor can display.

For the best overall experience, the "Medium" preset appears to be the sweet spot. It offers a substantial performance headroom over High and Ultra, ensuring that frame times remain consistently low. The visual difference between Medium and High in a game like Inside, which uses a stark, minimalist art style with heavy shadows, is likely to be less noticeable than the frame rate difference. The data strongly suggests that users should prioritize frame rate over the marginal graphical gains of higher presets.

At 4K resolution, the Medium preset yields an average of 102 FPS, which is still a very playable rate. However, the performance gap between presets widens at this resolution. The Low preset at 4K produces 127 FPS, while Medium drops to 102 FPS, and High falls to 64 FPS. This indicates that the GPU is becoming the primary bottleneck at 4K, and users with 4K displays may need to compromise on settings to maintain high refresh rates.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling across resolutions reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario, particularly at higher settings. When moving from 1080p to 1440p at the High preset, the average frame rate drops from 141 FPS to 101 FPS, a 28.4% decrease. Moving from 1440p to 4K at the same preset results in a further drop from 101 FPS to 64 FPS, a 36.6% decrease. This pattern is consistent with the increased pixel count requiring more GPU processing power.

The scaling is more linear at the Medium preset. The average FPS at 1080p is 189, which drops to 162 at 1440p (a 14.3% decrease) and then to 102 at 4K (a 37.0% decrease from 1440p). The transition from 1080p to 1440p is relatively modest, suggesting that the GPU has enough headroom to handle the extra pixels without a dramatic performance hit. However, the jump to 4K represents a significant increase in workload.

At the Low preset, the scaling is notably different. The average FPS is 205 at 1080p, 183 at 1440p (a 10.7% decrease), and 127 at 4K (a 30.6% decrease from 1440p). The smaller percentage drop at 1440p indicates that the CPU might be starting to limit performance at the lower settings, as the GPU is no longer the sole bottleneck. The Ryzen 5 2600's single-thread performance, while adequate, becomes more relevant when the GPU is not fully saturated.

The data shows that the limiting component shifts based on resolution and settings. At 1080p with Low settings, the CPU likely plays a more significant role. At 4K with Ultra settings, the GPU is unequivocally the limiting factor, as the average FPS falls to 61. The gap between the Low and Ultra presets at 4K is a substantial 66 FPS, reinforcing that the RX 7600's workload is heavily influenced by both resolution and graphical complexity.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table summarizes the exact measured average FPS for each resolution and settings combination:

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

|------------|----------|---------|---------|---------|

| 3840x2160 | High | 64 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 127 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 102 | 87 | 117 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 61 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | High | 101 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 183 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 162 | 138 | 186 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 97 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | High | 141 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 205 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 189 | 161 | 217 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 134 | - | - |

The Ultra preset shows a minimal performance difference compared to High across all resolutions. At 1080p, the difference is 7 FPS; at 1440p, it is 4 FPS; and at 4K, it is 3 FPS. This suggests that the Ultra preset's additional effects are not particularly taxing but also not worth the frame rate loss. The Medium preset is the only one with recorded minimum and maximum FPS values, showing good frame pacing with a minimum of 161 FPS at 1080p and 87 FPS at 4K.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7600 is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture, codenamed "Hotpink Bonefish," and uses the Navi 33 chip. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s. The card's boost clock is rated at 2655 MHz, with a game clock of 2250 MHz. These specifications are the primary drivers of the FPS results observed in Inside.

The GPU's 8 GB of VRAM is a critical factor for 4K gaming. The fact that the card can achieve an average of 64 FPS at 4K High settings suggests that the game is not exceeding the VRAM capacity, which would otherwise cause significant stuttering and frame drops. The 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth is also adequate for the game's asset streaming needs, as evidenced by the consistent frame times at Medium settings.

The RX 7600's performance in Inside is notably strong when compared to its general benchmark scores. While its percentile rank among all GPUs is 57, its performance in this specific game is exceptional. The card's architectural efficiency, with 2048 shading units and 64 ROPs, is well-suited to the game's lighting and rendering style.

The GPU's power consumption is rated at 165 W, with a suggested PSU of 450 W. This is a modest requirement for the performance level delivered. The card's 204 mm length and dual-slot width make it a versatile option for various case sizes. The data shows that the GPU is the dominant component in determining FPS at resolutions above 1080p, particularly when settings are turned up.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen+ architecture, codenamed "Pinnacle Ridge." It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.90 GHz. The CPU's 16 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support with 46.9 GB/s of bandwidth are its key system-level features.

In Inside, the CPU's role is less prominent than the GPU's, but it still matters for achieving the highest frame rates. At 1080p with Low settings, the average FPS reaches 205. This high frame rate suggests that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough data to maintain such performance. However, the smaller percentage drop in FPS from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings (10.7%) compared to High settings (28.4%) indicates that the CPU is becoming a bottleneck at lower resolutions and settings.

The Ryzen 5 2600's single-thread performance is a limiting factor in this scenario. With a Geekbench single-core score of 1154 and a Cinebench R15 single-core score of 157.3, the processor's per-core speed is not particularly high by modern standards. In a game like Inside, which may rely on a single main thread for game logic, this can cap the maximum FPS achievable.

The CPU's multi-threaded capabilities, evidenced by a Passmark multithread score of 13160, are less relevant for this title. The game likely does not scale perfectly across all 12 threads. The data suggests that while the CPU is not weak, it is the secondary component in this pairing. The performance headroom provided by the RX 7600 is sufficient to push frame rates to the point where the CPU's limits become apparent at lower settings. The 6-core, 12-thread configuration ensures that there is enough processing power for background tasks and game logic without causing stutters.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution to play Inside with this CPU and GPU?*

A: The data shows that 1440p with Medium settings provides an excellent balance, yielding an average of 162 FPS with a minimum of 138 FPS. This ensures a highly responsive experience on high refresh rate monitors.

*Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Inside?*

A: Yes, the measured FPS at 4K with Medium settings is 102 FPS, which is very playable. For a smoother experience, the Low preset offers 127 FPS, while High and Ultra presets drop to 64 and 61 FPS, respectively.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to High?

A: The performance difference between Ultra and High is minimal across all resolutions. At 1080p, the difference is 7 FPS; at 1440p, it is 4 FPS; and at 4K, it is 3 FPS. The Ultra preset offers negligible visual gains for the performance cost.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The GPU is the primary limiting factor at resolutions of 1440p and above, especially on higher settings. However, at 1080p with Low settings, the CPU becomes more significant, as the FPS scaling from 1080p to 1440p is only a 10.7% drop, suggesting CPU limitations.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The only preset with a recorded minimum FPS is Medium. The lowest minimum FPS across all resolutions is 87 FPS, which occurs at 4K. At 1440p, the minimum is 138 FPS, and at 1080p, it is 161 FPS.

Q: Does the GPU have enough VRAM for this game?

A: The RX 7600 has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory. The measured FPS at 4K High (64 FPS) and 4K Ultra (61 FPS) indicates that the game is not exceeding this VRAM capacity, as performance remains consistent without major dips.