Inside

The AMD Ryzen 5 4600G and AMD Radeon RX 9060 combination delivers a remarkably smooth experience in Inside, a puzzle platformer that is far more demanding on frame rate consistency than on raw computational muscle. The measured data shows this pairing is capable of high refresh rate gaming at 1080p and solid 60+ FPS performance even at 4K, though the settings you choose dramatically alter the headroom available. This analysis breaks down exactly what the CPU and GPU contribute, how to configure the game for the best experience, and what the resolution scaling reveals about the system's balance.

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

The AMD Ryzen 5 4600G is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 2 architecture. It operates at a base clock of 3.70 GHz and boosts up to 4.20 GHz. With a 65W TDP and support for dual-channel DDR4 memory, this is a capable mid-range desktop chip. In the context of Inside, the CPU's role is primarily to maintain a stable frame pacing, as the game's physics and logic are not heavily multithreaded. The processor's single-thread performance is a key factor, and its 3DMark single-thread score of 726 places it in the middle of the pack, indicating it can handle the game's core logic without bottlenecking the GPU.

The benchmark data shows the CPU's multi-threaded capabilities are solid for the era. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 13593 and Geekbench multicore score of 6637 suggest that while the CPU is not a top-tier performer, it provides ample headroom for a game like Inside, which does not typically stress all 12 threads. The processor sits at the 71st percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 17507. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE (0.1% faster), the Intel Core 7 150U (0.6% faster), and the AMD Ryzen 3 8300GE (0.6% slower), showing that the 4600G is right in the expected performance band for its class.

Given the game's nature, the CPU's 8 MB of shared L3 cache and 512 KB per-core L2 cache are sufficient to keep data flowing. The measured FPS at 1080p Low (243 FPS) versus 1080p Ultra (147 FPS) shows that even when the GPU is heavily loaded, the CPU does not become the limiting factor. The data indicates that the 4600G is more than enough to feed the RX 9060 in this title, and its performance is not a concern for achieving high frame rates. The launch MSRP of this processor was $154, making it a historically budget-conscious option, but the focus here is on its measured performance, which is clearly adequate for Inside.

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

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how the game scales with settings. At 1080p, the differences are most pronounced. The Low preset delivers an average of 243 FPS, which is exceptionally high and likely beyond the refresh rate of most monitors. The Medium preset still delivers a very high 224 FPS, with a minimum of 190 FPS and a maximum of 258 FPS, indicating excellent consistency. High drops to 155 FPS, and Ultra sits at 147 FPS. For 1080p users, the Medium preset is the sweet spot. It provides a massive 69 FPS advantage over High while maintaining a minimum frame rate of 190 FPS, which is well above the threshold for a perfectly smooth experience on any high refresh rate display. The jump from Medium to High costs 69 FPS, which is a significant trade-off for visual gains that are often subtle in a game with a muted art style like Inside.

At 1440p, the pattern continues. Low yields 217 FPS, Medium 178 FPS (min 151, max 204), High 111 FPS, and Ultra 106 FPS. The Medium preset is again the best choice for high-refresh-rate gaming, offering a 67 FPS advantage over High. The minimum of 151 FPS ensures that even in the most demanding scenes, the frame rate stays comfortably above 144 Hz. At 4K, the scenario changes. Low produces 140 FPS, Medium 112 FPS (min 95, max 128), High 70 FPS, and Ultra 66 FPS. Here, the Medium preset is the recommended choice for a 60+ FPS experience, but High and Ultra also achieve playable frame rates above 60 FPS. However, the gap between Medium and High is a massive 42 FPS, so for 4K, Medium offers the best balance of visual fidelity and performance, keeping the minimum above 95 FPS.

The data suggests avoiding the Ultra preset entirely across all resolutions. The performance difference between High and Ultra is minimal (8 FPS at 1080p, 5 FPS at 1440p, and 4 FPS at 4K), while the cost of moving from Medium to High is substantial. Ultra appears to be a marginal visual upgrade over High, making it a poor trade. The best experience per the measured rows is to use the Medium preset at any resolution, as it consistently provides the highest frame rates while maintaining a stable minimum. For users with 144Hz monitors, Medium at 1440p is the ideal setup, delivering an average of 178 FPS with a minimum of 151 FPS.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The performance scaling across resolutions reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p Medium, the system averages 224 FPS. Moving to 1440p Medium, the average drops to 178 FPS, a reduction of 46 FPS (about 20.5%). At 4K Medium, the average falls to 112 FPS, a further drop of 66 FPS (about 37%). This scaling pattern is consistent with the GPU being the primary limiting factor. The CPU's performance does not change with resolution, so the fact that frame rates scale almost linearly with the number of pixels indicates that the RX 9060 is doing the heavy lifting.

Looking at the Low preset, the scaling is even more pronounced. At 1080p, the average is 243 FPS. At 1440p, it is 217 FPS, and at 4K, it is 140 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 4K is 103 FPS, or about 42%. This is a clear indicator that the GPU is the bottleneck. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the frame rates would remain relatively flat as resolution increases, because the CPU work would stay the same. The data shows the opposite, confirming that the Radeon RX 9060 is the component that determines the final frame rate.

The fact that the 4600G can push 243 FPS at 1080p Low without capping out suggests it has significant headroom. The GPU is the primary constraint in this system. This is good news for gameplay, as it means the frame rate will be more stable and predictable, driven by the GPU's consistent performance. The 4K results show that the RX 9060, while capable, does not have enough power to maintain ultra-high frame rates at that resolution. The 112 FPS average at 4K Medium is respectable, but the 70 FPS at 4K High shows the limitations. The data suggests that for maximum frame rates, sticking to 1080p or 1440p is advisable, as the GPU's resources are best utilized at those resolutions.

FAQ

*Q: Can this system run Inside at 4K with a smooth frame rate?*

A: Yes. The measured data shows an average of 112 FPS at 4K Medium with a minimum of 95 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. Even at 4K High, the average is 70 FPS, so a consistent 60+ FPS experience is achievable.

Q: Which settings preset should I use for a 144Hz monitor at 1440p?

A: The Medium preset is the best option. It delivers an average of 178 FPS with a minimum of 151 FPS, ensuring the frame rate never drops below the 144Hz refresh rate. The High preset, at 111 FPS, would not fully saturate a 144Hz display.

*Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this system for Inside?*

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. Frame rates scale significantly with resolution, dropping from 224 FPS at 1080p Medium to 112 FPS at 4K Medium. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rates would stay flat across resolutions.

Q: What is the performance difference between the High and Ultra presets?

A: The difference is negligible. At 1080p, High averages 155 FPS and Ultra averages 147 FPS, a difference of just 8 FPS. At 1440p, the difference is 5 FPS (111 vs 106), and at 4K, it is 4 FPS (70 vs 66). The Ultra preset offers little benefit for the performance cost.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 4600G compare to its closest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The 4600G has an average benchmark score of 17507. It is 0.1% faster than the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE, 0.6% faster than the Intel Core 7 150U, and 0.6% slower than the AMD Ryzen 3 8300GE. This places it in a tight performance band with its direct competitors.

Q: Is the game more demanding on the CPU or GPU?

A: The game is heavily GPU-bound in this configuration. The CPU's single-thread score of 726 and multi-thread score of 4889 in 3DMark are more than sufficient for the game's logic, allowing the RX 9060 to become the primary driver of performance, as seen by the large FPS drops at higher resolutions.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 9060 is the key performance driver in this system. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s. The GPU has a base clock of 1700 MHz, a game clock of 2400 MHz, and a boost clock of 2990 MHz. With 1792 shading units, 112 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, it is a solid mid-range card based on the RDNA 4.0 architecture. Its FP32 performance is rated at 21.43 TFLOPS, and it supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, Vulkan 1.4, and OpenGL 4.6.

In Inside, the GPU's role is to render the game's distinctive silhouette-based art style and atmospheric lighting. The game is not graphically intensive by modern standards, but it requires consistent frame delivery. The measured FPS data shows the RX 9060 is more than capable. At 1080p, it easily exceeds 140 FPS on all presets, and even at 4K, it maintains playable frame rates. The GPU's 8 GB of VRAM is ample for this title, as the game's textures and geometry are not demanding. The memory bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s is also sufficient to feed the GPU at all tested resolutions and settings.

The GPU sits at the 59th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 16014. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti (0.7% faster), the AMD Radeon RX 7700 (1% faster), and the AMD Radeon R9 370X (1% slower). The RX 9060's performance in Inside is consistent with its synthetic benchmarks, showing it is a capable card for this type of game. The data shows that the GPU is the primary factor in determining the frame rate, and its performance scales as expected with resolution. The boost clock of 2990 MHz ensures that the GPU can reach its maximum potential under load, and the 132W TDP indicates it runs efficiently without requiring excessive power.

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

The following table details the exact average frame rates measured for the AMD Ryzen 5 4600G and AMD Radeon RX 9060 combination in Inside. Where available, minimum and maximum frame rates are also provided, offering a complete picture of performance consistency.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: Average 243 FPS.
• Medium: Average 224 FPS, with a minimum of 190 FPS and a maximum of 258 FPS.
• High: Average 155 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 147 FPS.

At 1080p, the system is clearly GPU-bound and provides exceptional performance. The jump from Low to Medium costs 19 FPS, but the Medium preset still offers a very high 224 FPS average with a minimum of 190 FPS, ensuring a flawless experience on any monitor. High and Ultra presets remain above 147 FPS, but the large drop from Medium to High (69 FPS) makes Medium the clear choice for high-refresh-rate displays.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: Average 217 FPS.
• Medium: Average 178 FPS, with a minimum of 151 FPS and a maximum of 204 FPS.
• High: Average 111 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 106 FPS.

At 1440p, the Medium preset remains the performance king, delivering an average of 178 FPS and a minimum of 151 FPS. This is still fast enough for 144Hz monitors. The Low preset offers a higher 217 FPS average, but the visual quality trade-off is significant. High and Ultra drop to the 106-111 FPS range, which is still smooth for 60Hz displays but not ideal for high refresh rates.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: Average 140 FPS.
• Medium: Average 112 FPS, with a minimum of 95 FPS and a maximum of 128 FPS.
• High: Average 70 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 66 FPS.

At 4K, the GPU is pushed harder. The Medium preset still provides a very playable 112 FPS average with a minimum of 95 FPS, making it the recommended setting for a smooth 4K experience. The Low preset is faster at 140 FPS, but High and Ultra drop to 70 FPS and 66 FPS respectively. This shows that while the RX 9060 can handle 4K, it is best paired with the Medium preset to maintain a high and stable frame rate. The data across all resolutions confirms that the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, with the GPU being the primary determinant of the final frame rate.