Inside

The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 delivers a compelling 1080p and 1440p experience in Inside, with performance scaling that reveals a clear shift in bottleneck behavior as resolution increases. The data indicates that at lower resolutions, the CPU’s older Zen architecture imposes a ceiling, while at 4K, the GPU’s workload becomes the dominant factor. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS, settings behavior, and the relative standing of this combination among all tested hardware pairings.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for this combo shows a predictable decline as resolution increases, but the rate of decline is not uniform across settings. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 158 FPS at 1920x1080 to 136 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 22 FPS. Moving further to 3840x2160, the average falls to 85 FPS, representing a significant 51 FPS drop from the 1440p figure. This steep decline at 4K suggests that the RTX 3070’s rendering workload is becoming the primary limiting factor, as the pixel count increase from 1440p to 4K (2.25x) outpaces the linear scaling of the GPU’s compute resources.

The pattern is similar for Low settings, where the average FPS goes from 205 at 1080p to 183 at 1440p, and then down to 157 at 4K. The delta between 1080p and 1440p is 22 FPS, while the delta between 1440p and 4K is 26 FPS. This relatively consistent decline indicates that even at Low settings, the GPU is still heavily engaged, though the absolute FPS values remain high enough to suggest that the CPU is not entirely idle. The Medium settings row provides the only min/max FPS data in the pack, showing a 4K average of 136 FPS with a minimum of 116 and maximum of 157. At 1440p Medium, the average is 169 FPS, with min/max of 144 and 195, respectively. At 1080p Medium, the average reaches 189 FPS, with a minimum of 161 and maximum of 217.

The scaling from 1080p to 4K at Medium settings shows a drop from 189 to 136 FPS, a 53 FPS reduction. This is the largest absolute drop among the settings presets, indicating that Medium settings place a balanced load on both CPU and GPU, and the resolution increase exposes the GPU’s limits most clearly. When comparing the 1080p to 1440p transition, the FPS loss is 20 for Medium, which is smaller than the 26 FPS loss seen from 1440p to 4K. This suggests that the GPU’s fillrate and memory bandwidth, which are fixed at 448.0 GB/s, become increasingly critical as the pixel count grows, making the 4K resolution the point where the RTX 3070’s 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 256-bit bus are most stressed.

GPU Role

The RTX 3070’s specifications directly inform its performance in Inside. The GPU is built on the Ampere architecture with a boost clock of 1725 MHz, and it features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. In the context of Inside, a puzzle platformer with a relatively static camera and limited draw distance, the GPU’s raw shading power is less critical than in open-world titles, but the data shows it still dictates performance at 4K. The measured FPS at 4K Ultra is 81, which is only 4 FPS lower than the 4K High score of 85, suggesting that the highest preset does not introduce an insurmountable GPU workload.

The GPU’s memory configuration is notable. With 8 GB of VRAM, the card is unlikely to be capacity-limited in Inside, given the game’s 2016 release date and its stylized, monochromatic art style, which typically uses less texture memory than photorealistic titles. The benchmark results confirm this, as there is no evidence of a sudden frame rate collapse that would indicate VRAM swapping. The performance difference between High and Ultra at 4K is only 4 FPS, from 85 to 81, which points to a GPU that is compute-bound rather than memory-bound. The GPU’s FP32 performance of 20.31 TFLOPS is sufficient to handle the game’s lighting and post-processing effects, but the scaling data suggests that the pixel throughput, measured at 165.6 GPixel/s, is the limiting factor at 4K.

The GPU’s nearest rivals in the benchmark database include the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT, which has an avgScore of 17083 (0.7% higher than the RTX 3070’s 17208), and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690, with an avgScore of 17037 (1% higher). The RTX 3070 sits at the 61st percentile of all GPUs, indicating that it is a mid-to-high-range performer. In Inside, the 4K results show that the GPU is capable of exceeding 60 FPS at all presets, with the lowest average being 81 FPS at Ultra. This indicates a comfortable margin for smooth gameplay, even at the highest resolution tested.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Ryzen 5 2600 and RTX 3070 achieves a combo rank of 2298 out of 3716 tested combinations in Inside. This places it in the lower 38% of all combos, which is a surprisingly low position given the raw performance of the GPU. The ranking suggests that the CPU is holding back the system in this specific game, as the RTX 3070 alone ranks in the 61st percentile of GPUs, while the Ryzen 5 2600 ranks in the 75th percentile of CPUs. The discrepancy between the CPU’s high percentile and the combo’s low rank implies that Inside is particularly sensitive to single-thread performance, which is a known limitation of the older Zen architecture.

The Ryzen 5 2600’s nearest CPU rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 5 228V, which has an avgScore of 21440 (0.2% higher), and the Intel Core i9-11900H, with an avgScore of 21367 (0.5% higher). The AMD EPYC 9454 scores 21223 (1.2% lower), and the Intel Xeon D-1746TER scores 21635 (0.7% higher). These deltas are all within 1.5%, indicating that the 2600’s average benchmark score of 21484 is well within the noise of similar-performing CPUs. However, the combo rank of 2298 is not a reflection of the CPU’s average score, but rather its specific performance in Inside, which likely relies on the CPU’s boost clock of 3.90 GHz and its 12 threads to manage the game’s physics and logic.

The fact that 1418 other combos rank higher suggests that many systems with faster single-thread CPUs or newer architectures achieve better frame rates in Inside, even if their GPUs are less powerful than the RTX 3070. This is a classic example of a GPU being underutilized due to a CPU bottleneck, particularly at lower resolutions where the CPU’s frame rate ceiling is reached. The data shows that at 1080p, the average FPS across all settings ranges from 155 to 205, which is likely near the CPU’s limit for this game’s engine. The combo rank is therefore a measure of how well this specific pairing overcomes that limitation, and it falls short of the top tier.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 155 at Ultra to 205 at Low. The High preset achieves 158 FPS, and Medium reaches 189 FPS. The Medium preset at 1080p has a minimum of 161 FPS and a maximum of 217 FPS, showing a wide variance that suggests occasional dips below the average, likely during complex scenes with multiple light sources or physics interactions. The 1080p Ultra score of 155 FPS is almost identical to the High score, indicating that the Ultra preset’s additional effects, such as ambient occlusion or shadow quality, have a negligible impact on the GPU at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS drops across all settings. Low averages 183 FPS, Medium 169 FPS, High 136 FPS, and Ultra 129 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p has a minimum of 144 FPS and a maximum of 195 FPS. The gap between Medium and High at 1440p is 33 FPS, which is larger than the 31 FPS gap at 1080p, indicating that the GPU’s workload increases more rapidly with resolution for High settings. The 1440p Ultra score of 129 FPS is still well above the 60 FPS threshold, making this resolution a sweet spot for high-refresh-rate monitors, as even the highest preset remains smooth.

At 3840x2160, the performance is as follows: Low averages 157 FPS, Medium 136 FPS, High 85 FPS, and Ultra 81 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K has a minimum of 116 FPS and a maximum of 157 FPS, with the maximum matching the Low preset’s average. This indicates that the Medium preset can occasionally hit the same frame rates as Low, but the average is significantly lower. The jump from Medium to High at 4K is a steep 51 FPS drop, from 136 to 85, which is the largest single-setting delta in the entire dataset. This suggests that High settings introduce a rendering feature that is disproportionately expensive at 4K, likely related to texture filtering or draw distance. The Ultra preset at 4K is only 4 FPS below High, meaning that the game’s most demanding presets are bottlenecked by the same GPU resource.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and frame rate. For 1080p, all presets deliver an average of at least 155 FPS, so users with a 144 Hz monitor can comfortably use Ultra settings to maximize visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness. The 155 FPS average is close to the 144 Hz refresh rate, and the lack of min/max data for Ultra suggests that the frame rate is stable enough for competitive play. For 1440p, the Medium preset offers a compelling balance, with an average of 169 FPS and a minimum of 144 FPS, ensuring that the frame rate never drops below the 144 Hz threshold. The High preset at 1440p, with an average of 136 FPS, is also viable but may experience occasional dips below 144 FPS, making Medium the safer choice for consistent high-refresh-rate performance.

At 4K, the Medium preset is the clear recommendation for a 60 Hz display, as it averages 136 FPS with a minimum of 116 FPS, providing a substantial buffer above the 60 FPS target. The High preset at 4K, with an average of 85 FPS, is still smooth on a 60 Hz screen, but the large drop from Medium suggests that the visual improvement may not justify the 51 FPS loss. The Ultra preset at 4K, at 81 FPS, is only marginally lower than High and could be used if the user prioritizes maximum image quality over a higher frame rate buffer. The Low preset at 4K, with an average of 157 FPS, is unnecessary for 60 Hz displays but would be suitable for 144 Hz 4K monitors, which are rare and expensive.

For users targeting 144 Hz at 1080p, the High preset (158 FPS) is the best option, as it provides a slight edge over the 144 Hz refresh rate, while Ultra (155 FPS) is just above the threshold and may occasionally dip below. The Medium preset at 1080p, with a minimum of 161 FPS, offers the most consistent frame pacing for high-refresh-rate gaming, but the visual differences between Medium and High are likely minor in a game like Inside with its minimalist art style. Overall, the data suggests that Medium settings provide the best balance of frame rate and visual quality across all resolutions, with High being a viable alternative at 1080p and 1440p.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with Medium settings is 189 FPS, with a minimum of 161 FPS and a maximum of 217 FPS.

*Q: How does the combo rank compare to other tested systems in Inside?*

A: This combo ranks 2298 out of 3716 tested combinations, placing it in the lower 38% of all systems evaluated for this game.

*Q: Is the RTX 3070 capable of running Inside at 4K?*

A: Yes, the data shows that the RTX 3070 achieves an average of 81 FPS at 4K Ultra and 85 FPS at 4K High, indicating that it can handle the game at 4K with all presets above 60 FPS.

Q: What is the largest FPS drop between settings presets?

A: The largest drop is between Medium and High at 3840x2160, where the average FPS falls from 136 to 85, a reduction of 51 FPS.

Q: Does the Ryzen 5 2600 bottleneck the RTX 3070?

A: The combo rank of 2298 out of 3716 suggests that the CPU limits performance in this game, as the GPU alone ranks in the 61st percentile, while the CPU ranks in the 75th percentile, indicating a mismatch in this specific workload.

Q: What is the best preset for a 144 Hz 1440p monitor?

A: The Medium preset at 2560x1440 delivers an average of 169 FPS with a minimum of 144 FPS, making it the ideal choice for maintaining a consistent 144 Hz refresh rate.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen architecture, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.90 GHz. Its 12 threads provide adequate parallelism for modern games, but the architecture’s single-thread performance is a known weakness compared to newer designs. In Inside, a puzzle platformer that relies on physics interactions and scripted events, the CPU’s role is to maintain a stable frame rate by processing game logic and draw calls. The measured FPS at 1080p, which ranges from 155 to 205, indicates that the CPU is capable of delivering high frame rates, but the combo rank of 2298 suggests that it is not doing so efficiently compared to other CPUs.

The CPU’s benchmark scores show a single-thread score of 2239 in Passmark and 157.3 in Cinebench R15, which are modest figures. The CPU’s nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 5 228V and Intel Core i9-11900H, both of which have slightly higher average scores, indicating that the 2600 is near the bottom of its performance class. In Inside, the CPU’s boost clock of 3.90 GHz is likely the determining factor for the 1080p frame rates, as the game’s engine may not fully utilize all 12 threads. The lack of min/max data for most settings suggests that the frame pacing is consistent, but the overall FPS ceiling is lower than what a newer CPU with higher IPC might achieve.

The CPU’s memory bandwidth of 46.9 GB/s and dual-channel DDR4 support are sufficient for this game, but the PCIe Gen 3 interface (16 lanes) may limit data transfer to the RTX 3070, which supports PCIe 4.0. However, this is unlikely to be a significant bottleneck in Inside given its moderate asset streaming requirements. The data indicates that the CPU’s role is most critical at 1080p, where the GPU is less taxed, and the frame rate is more likely to be limited by the CPU’s ability to issue draw calls. At 4K, the CPU’s load decreases relative to the GPU, and the system becomes more balanced, as evidenced by the smaller FPS delta between High and Ultra presets. The Ryzen 5 2600’s 12 threads and 16 MB of L3 cache are adequate for Inside, but the combo’s low rank highlights that the CPU’s single-thread performance is the primary constraint on achieving top-tier frame rates in this title.