Inside

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 combination delivers a remarkably smooth experience in Inside, a 2016 puzzle platformer that is far more demanding on frame rates than its minimalist art style suggests. The measured data shows this pairing is capable of extreme performance, often pushing frame rates well beyond the refresh rates of standard monitors, even at high resolutions. This analysis breaks down the CPU and GPU roles, settings recommendations, and exact performance metrics from the benchmark database.

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 from the 3000 series, built on the Zen 2 architecture. It operates with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz, which provides ample single-threaded performance for a game like Inside, which does not rely heavily on multi-threading. The CPU’s 32 MB of shared L3 cache is a significant asset, as it allows for fast data access for the game’s physics and logic calculations, ensuring the GPU never starves for data.

Benchmark results for the CPU show a balanced profile. In Cinebench R23, the processor scores 15045 in multi-core and 2124 in single-core tests, indicating a strong capability for both heavily threaded and lighter workloads. The PassMark single-thread score of 2562 and the 3DMark single-thread score of 696 confirm that the Ryzen 5 3600 has no trouble handling the primary game thread, which is often the bottleneck in older titles. The CPU’s percentile ranking of 76 against all CPUs places it in the upper quarter, meaning it is more capable than a majority of processors on the market.

In the context of Inside, the CPU’s role is largely to maintain a stable frame pacing. The measured FPS data shows that at 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves 233.5 FPS, a figure that is likely constrained by the CPU’s ability to issue draw calls rather than the GPU’s rendering speed. The 3DMark 2-thread score of 1361 and 4-thread score of 2579 suggest that the CPU’s performance on two to four threads—the typical usage for a game like this—is robust. The Ryzen 5 3600 sits nearly identical to the Intel Core i5-11400 in average benchmark score, with a deltaPct of -0.1%, meaning the two are essentially equals in general processing power, ensuring that neither platform holds a significant advantage in this title.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

The benchmark data provides clear guidance on which settings preset offers the optimal balance of visual fidelity and performance. At 1920x1080, the differences between presets are noticeable but not always critical. The Ultra preset delivers 176.9 FPS, while High produces 177.7 FPS, a negligible difference of less than one percent. However, the Medium preset jumps to 214.3 FPS, and Low reaches 233.5 FPS. For a game like Inside, where the atmospheric visuals are key, the High preset is the recommended choice at 1080p, as it provides a substantial 177.7 FPS while retaining the graphical features that define the game’s moody aesthetic.

At 2560x1440, the story changes slightly. The Ultra preset achieves 130.8 FPS, and High is close behind at 135.6 FPS. Medium leaps to 192.1 FPS, which is a significant improvement. Given the higher pixel count, the GPU is working harder, and the extra headroom from Medium settings ensures a completely stable experience on high-refresh-rate 1440p monitors. The Low preset at 210.1 FPS is excessive for most displays, so Medium is the sweet spot here.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the presets show a wider spread. High delivers 85.3 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for very high refresh rates. Ultra drops to 82.6 FPS, a marginal difference. Medium, however, provides a substantial boost to 137.7 FPS, making it the clear winner for 4K gaming. Low is even faster at 173.9 FPS, but the visual sacrifice is unnecessary when Medium offers such high performance. The data suggests that for the best experience on a 4K display, Medium settings are the practical ceiling, providing 137.7 FPS and ensuring the game remains fluid.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

*Q: Can this combo run Inside at 4K with high refresh rates?*

A: Yes, the data shows that at 3840x2160 with Medium settings, the average FPS is 137.7, which is sufficient for 120Hz displays. High settings yield 85.3 FPS, which is still playable but not as fluid.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more of a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo reaches 233.5 FPS. This high number suggests the CPU, with a PassMark single-thread score of 2562, is likely the limiting factor, as the GPU has more than enough power to render frames faster than the CPU can process game logic.

Q: How does the RTX 3070 compare to its closest rivals in raw compute?

A: The RTX 3070 has an average benchmark score of 28238. It is 0.9% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT (score 27985) and 1% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti (score 27956), according to the deltaPct values.

Q: What is the performance difference between High and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, High settings produce an average of 135.6 FPS, while Ultra produces 130.8 FPS. The difference is 4.8 FPS, indicating that Ultra offers no tangible benefit over High for a 5% performance cost.

Q: Does the Ryzen 5 3600 hold back the RTX 3070 in this game?

A: Based on the data, the CPU’s multi-threaded score of 15045 in Cinebench R23 is more than adequate. At higher resolutions like 4K, the GPU’s workload increases, and the CPU is less likely to be a bottleneck, as evidenced by the scaling from 233.5 FPS at 1080p Low to 173.9 FPS at 4K Low.

*Q: Is the RTX 3070’s 8 GB of VRAM a concern for Inside?*

A: No, the game is not graphically intensive in terms of texture memory. The GPU’s 8 GB GDDR6 memory with a 448.0 GB/s bandwidth is more than sufficient, as the game’s art style uses limited texture detail.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 holds a rank of 920 out of 1671 tested combos in Inside. This places it in the 55th percentile of all tested systems, indicating that it is a solidly above-average performer, but not at the very top tier. This ranking is logical given the hardware: the RTX 3070 is a high-end GPU, but the Ryzen 5 3600, while capable, is not the fastest CPU available.

The ranking suggests that while this combo excels in this game, there are over 700 other combinations that achieve higher average frame rates. This is likely due to the fact that Inside is a relatively simple game that can be run at very high frame rates on even mid-range hardware, meaning that the top ranks are occupied by systems with the absolute fastest CPUs, which can push frame rates into the 300+ FPS territory. The combo’s rank of 920 indicates that it is in the upper-middle portion of the field, and the measured FPS numbers confirm that it provides an excellent experience for the vast majority of users, with no practical performance complaints at any resolution or setting.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 is the dominant component in this pairing, providing the graphical muscle needed to achieve the high frame rates seen in the data. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. The GPU’s base clock is 1500 MHz, with a boost clock of 1725 MHz, and its 5888 shading units are responsible for the raw pixel-pushing power. The memory clock is 1750 MHz, or 14 Gbps effective, which is ample for the bandwidth requirements of Inside.

The GPU’s performance in benchmarks shows it is a capable mid-range-to-high-end part. It scores 22214 in Passmark G3D, and its percentile ranking of 72 against all GPUs indicates it is better than 72% of the hardware on the market. The RTX 3070’s architecture, Ampere, supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, which is not a requirement for Inside, but ensures compatibility with modern rendering features. The 8 GB of VRAM is more than enough for this title, as the measured FPS numbers show no signs of memory-related stuttering.

The GPU’s role becomes more apparent as resolution increases. At 1920x1080, the difference between Low (233.5 FPS) and Ultra (176.9 FPS) is 56.6 FPS, showing that the GPU is working harder with higher settings. At 3840x2160, the gap widens: Low produces 173.9 FPS, while Ultra drops to 82.6 FPS, a difference of 91.3 FPS. This scaling demonstrates that the RTX 3070 is the primary driver of performance at higher resolutions, and the 448.0 GB/s bandwidth ensures that it can feed its cores efficiently, even at 4K.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at how the combo performs across all common gaming scenarios.

1920x1080 (1080p): The results are exceptional. Low settings yield an average of 233.5 FPS, Medium produces 214.3 FPS, High delivers 177.7 FPS, and Ultra achieves 176.9 FPS. The gap between High and Ultra is minimal at just 0.8 FPS, making High the better choice for those seeking maximum quality without a significant frame rate penalty. All presets are above 170 FPS, ensuring a buttery-smooth experience on any 1080p monitor, including 240Hz panels.

2560x1440 (1440p): Performance remains very high. Low settings average 210.1 FPS, Medium follows at 192.1 FPS, High reaches 135.6 FPS, and Ultra drops to 130.8 FPS. The step from Medium to High is notable, a 56.5 FPS decrease, which suggests that the High preset enables more demanding visual effects. For a 144Hz monitor, Medium is the recommended preset, as the 192.1 FPS provides ample headroom. High is still viable, but the 135.6 FPS is closer to the refresh rate limit.

3840x2160 (4K): The combo handles 4K well, though settings matter more. Low settings produce 173.9 FPS, Medium is not far behind at 137.7 FPS, High drops to 85.3 FPS, and Ultra is at 82.6 FPS. The jump from Medium to High represents a 52.4 FPS loss, indicating a significant increase in GPU load. For a 60Hz 4K display, High or Ultra are both playable, with 85.3 and 82.6 FPS respectively. For higher refresh rates, Medium is the only choice that offers a frame rate above 120 FPS, providing the best balance of visual fidelity and smoothness at this resolution.