Inside

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT combination delivers a remarkably consistent experience in Inside, a puzzle platformer from 2016. The data shows that this pairing is heavily GPU-bound at lower resolutions, but the CPU keeps pace admirably at 4K, resulting in a smooth experience across all tested settings. Benchmark results indicate a clear hierarchy of performance scaling that favors high refresh rate displays at 1080p and 1440p, while still maintaining excellent frame rates at 4K.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 2 architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. In the context of Inside, a game that does not demand extreme multi-threaded workloads, the CPU's 12 threads provide ample headroom. The processor’s benchmark scores support this: it achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15045 and a single-core score of 2124, placing it in the 76th percentile among all CPUs. This indicates that while it is not a top-tier performer, it is more than sufficient for the physics and logic of a 2D puzzle platformer.

The data suggests that the CPU’s role in this game’s performance is primarily to ensure that frame times remain consistent, especially when the GPU is not the bottleneck. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 231.6 FPS, which is the highest recorded frame rate. This high ceiling is only possible if the processor can feed the GPU frames quickly enough. The Ryzen 5 3600’s 32 MB of shared L3 cache helps in this regard, reducing latency for frequently accessed data. Its performance is closely matched by rivals like the Intel Core i5-11400, which is only 0.1% faster in average benchmark score, and the AMD Ryzen 5 1600, which is 0.2% slower. This near-parity confirms that the 3600 is well within the performance band needed for this title.

As resolution increases, the CPU’s relative importance diminishes. At 4K Ultra, the average frame rate drops to 92.1 FPS, a 60% reduction from the 1080p Low result. This is primarily a GPU limitation, but the CPU still needs to maintain a high enough instruction throughput. The 3600’s 12 threads ensure that no single core becomes a bottleneck, which is critical for maintaining the minimum frame rates, although the data does not explicitly list min FPS values. The processor’s PassMark multi-thread score of 17700 and single-thread score of 2562 further highlight its balanced capabilities, making it a suitable partner for the high-end GPU in this configuration.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT is the primary driver of performance in Inside, featuring 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s. This memory configuration is overkill for a game from 2016, meaning that VRAM capacity is never a limiting factor at any resolution or settings preset. The GPU’s boost clock of 2430 MHz and game clock of 2124 MHz allow it to push high frame rates, and the data confirms this. The GPU sits in the 76th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 32619, placing it in a tier with the AMD FirePro S9300 X2 (0.2% faster) and NVIDIA P104-100 (0.4% slower).

The scaling of frame rates with settings illustrates the GPU's capability. At 4K, moving from Low to Medium settings reduces the average FPS from 182.6 to 151.4, a 17% drop. Going from Medium to High reduces it further to 95.9 FPS, and finally to Ultra at 92.1 FPS. This pattern indicates that the High and Ultra presets introduce effects that heavily tax the GPU, likely related to shadow quality and post-processing. However, even at the most demanding setting, the GPU maintains an average of over 92 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

The GPU’s compute capabilities, measured at 37.32 TFLOPS FP32, are more than sufficient for the game's shaders. The 96 ROPs ensure that pixel fill rate is not a bottleneck, especially at 4K where the number of pixels to render is highest. The data shows that the GPU is the clear limiting factor at 4K Ultra, as the frame rate is less than half of what is achieved at 1080p Low. This is expected behavior for a modern GPU on a demanding preset, but the absolute numbers remain high enough for a fluid experience. The 16 GB VRAM is a future-proofing feature that has no bearing on this particular game’s performance.

FAQ

*Q: Can this combo run Inside at 4K with maximum settings?*

A: Yes. The measured data shows an average of 92.1 FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, which is comfortably above the standard 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay.

Q: What is the highest frame rate this combination can achieve?

A: The highest recorded average is 231.6 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 4K?

A: At Ultra settings, the average frame rate drops from 178.2 FPS at 1920x1080 to 92.1 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 48% reduction in performance.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck at 1440p High settings?

A: The data suggests the GPU is the primary limiter. At 2560x1440 High, the average is 146.5 FPS. Since the CPU can reach 231.6 FPS at 1080p Low, the GPU is clearly the component that determines the final frame rate at higher resolutions.

Q: Which setting preset provides the largest jump in performance?

A: Moving from High to Low settings at 4K provides the largest absolute increase, from 95.9 FPS to 182.6 FPS, an improvement of 86.7 FPS.

Q: Does the 16 GB VRAM of the RX 7800 XT matter for this game?

A: No. Inside is a 2016 puzzle platformer, and the data does not suggest any VRAM limitation. The 16 GB capacity is far beyond what this game requires, even at 4K Ultra.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates show a consistent pattern across all resolutions. At 1920x1080, the performance is exceptionally high. The average frame rate starts at 231.6 FPS on Low settings, decreases to 213.7 FPS on Medium, 182.2 FPS on High, and finally 178.2 FPS on Ultra. The difference between High and Ultra is only 4 FPS, suggesting that the Ultra preset adds minimal visual fidelity for a small performance cost at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the numbers remain very strong. Low settings produce an average of 211.1 FPS, which is only 20.5 FPS less than at 1080p. Medium settings yield 192.2 FPS, and High settings drop to 146.5 FPS. Ultra settings bring the average down to 143.9 FPS. The gap between High and Ultra is again small, at just 2.6 FPS. This resolution is the sweet spot for high refresh rate monitors, as even the most demanding preset stays above 140 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the GPU begins to show its workload. Low settings still manage an impressive 182.6 FPS, but Medium settings fall to 151.4 FPS. High settings see a significant drop to 95.9 FPS, a 36.7% reduction from Medium. Ultra settings are only slightly slower at 92.1 FPS. The scaling from High to Ultra at 4K is minimal, with just a 3.8 FPS difference. This suggests that the Ultra preset is essentially as demanding as High, but the jump from Medium to High is where the major performance cost lies.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT ranks 845th out of 1671 tested combos in Inside. This places it in the middle of the pack, which is surprising given the high frame rates observed. The rank is likely influenced by the inclusion of many higher-end, modern CPU and GPU pairings in the database. However, the relative position does not reflect the actual gameplay experience, which is excellent.

The rank of 845 out of 1671 means that 826 combos performed better, while 845 performed worse. This is a median placement, but it is important to consider the context. The data shows this combo is capable of over 90 FPS at 4K Ultra, which is a level of performance that many other combos may not achieve. The rank is a composite measure that likely includes factors beyond raw FPS, such as consistency or specific benchmark scores. The CPU’s average benchmark score of 18129 is nearly identical to its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-11400 at 18150, and the GPU’s score of 32619 is close to the AMD FirePro S9300 X2 at 32540. This proximity to rivals in raw compute power suggests that the combo’s rank is more about the specific game optimization than raw hardware capability.

The percentile data for the individual components is also informative. The CPU is in the 76th percentile, and the GPU is also in the 76th percentile. This indicates that both components are well above average in their respective categories. For a game like Inside, which is not particularly demanding, this mid-tier rank is more of a statistical artifact than a reflection of user experience. The measured frame rates are the definitive evidence of the combo’s capability.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution. For 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is recommended for the best visual experience, as it still achieves an average of 178.2 FPS. This is more than enough for any high refresh rate monitor. The small 4 FPS difference between High and Ultra makes the higher preset the clear choice.

For 2560x1440, the High preset provides the best balance of visual quality and performance, with an average of 146.5 FPS. While Ultra is only slightly slower at 143.9 FPS, the difference is negligible, so either preset works well. The data shows that Medium settings at this resolution do not offer a significant advantage, as the frame rate is already high.

At 3840x2160, the recommendation is more nuanced. The Ultra preset averages 92.1 FPS, which is suitable for a 60 Hz display or a 90 Hz display. However, the High preset at 95.9 FPS is nearly identical in performance and likely offers a similar visual experience. For players seeking the highest possible frame rates on a high refresh rate 4K monitor, the Medium preset at 151.4 FPS is the best option, as it provides a substantial performance boost over High while still looking better than Low. The Low preset at 182.6 FPS is only recommended for competitive play, as the visual downgrade is significant. The data suggests that Medium is the sweet spot for 4K gaming, offering a large FPS increase with minimal visual compromise.