Inside

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and Intel Arc B390 pairing delivers a playable but constrained experience in Inside, a 2016 Puzzle Platformer. The data shows this combo ranks 2547th out of 2887 tested combinations, placing it in the lower 12th percentile of all system pairings. This is a system that can run the game, but the measured frame rates reveal a significant bottleneck that shifts depending on resolution and settings.

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

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, built on TSMC's 7 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The CPU sits on the AMD Socket AM4 platform and supports DDR4 memory in a dual-channel configuration, delivering 51.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The processor has a 16 MB L3 cache, with 512 KB of L2 and 64 KB of L1 per core.

In synthetic benchmarks, the Ryzen 5 5500 shows strong multi-threaded capability. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 16429, while the single-core score is 2319. The Geekbench results show 7976 multi-core and 1730 single-core. The PassMark multithread score is 19330, with a single-thread score of 3058. The average benchmark score is 19593, placing it in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs.

The CPU's nearest rivals in the database are extremely close. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 scores 19617, just 0.1% higher. The Intel Core i5-12500 scores 19668, 0.4% higher. The Intel Core i7-10700F scores 19499, which is 0.5% lower. The Intel Core i5-11600KF scores 19723, 0.7% higher. These tiny deltas mean the Ryzen 5 5500 is effectively tied with these alternatives in overall processing power.

For Inside, a game that is not particularly demanding on CPU resources, the Ryzen 5 5500's 6 cores and 12 threads are more than sufficient. The game's puzzle platformer nature relies more on GPU rendering than CPU physics or AI calculations. The single-thread performance, as measured by the 3DMark single-thread score of 836, is adequate for the game's logic. The multi-threaded scores, such as the 3DMark 16-thread score of 5386, show that the CPU is not a limiting factor even at lower resolutions where the GPU has headroom.

The processor's 10,700 million transistors on a 180 mm² die indicate a capable chip. The boost clock of 4.20 GHz is high enough for smooth frame pacing in this genre. In this specific game, the CPU role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and handle game state updates. The benchmark results indicate that the Ryzen 5 5500 performs this task without becoming a bottleneck, as evidenced by the large FPS jumps when lowering resolution, which points to GPU limitation rather than CPU limitation.

FAQ

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

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings is 78 frames per second. This is a solid result for a puzzle platformer, providing smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rival, the Intel Core i5-12500?

A: The Ryzen 5 5500 has an average benchmark score of 19593, while the Intel Core i5-12500 scores 19668. This represents a delta of -0.4%, meaning the Ryzen 5 5500 is essentially on par with the i5-12500, trailing by less than half a percent.

Q: Is this GPU better than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710?

A: Yes. The Intel Arc B390's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1482, while the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 scores 1443. The Arc B390 is 2.7% faster than the GT 710 in this specific benchmark.

Q: What is the best frame rate this combo achieves in the entire test suite?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 156, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This represents the absolute ceiling for this combination.

Q: Does the system maintain 60 FPS at 4K resolution?

A: At 3840x2160, the system achieves 70 FPS on Low settings and 56 FPS on Medium settings. The High preset drops to 35 FPS, and Ultra falls to 34 FPS. Only the Low preset maintains above 60 FPS at 4K.

Q: What is the combo's overall ranking among all tested systems for this game?

A: The combo ranks 2547th out of 2887 total tested combinations. This places it in the bottom 11.8% of all systems tested in Inside.

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

The measured FPS data shows a clear pattern of GPU-bound performance. At 1080p with Low settings, the system produces 156 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops this to 112 FPS, and 4K Low delivers 70 FPS. This scaling is roughly linear with pixel count, indicating the GPU is the primary limiter.

For Medium settings, the pattern continues. At 1080p, the average is 125 FPS with a minimum of 106 and maximum of 144. At 1440p, this drops to 90 FPS with a range of 76 to 103. At 4K, the average falls to 56 FPS with a minimum of 48 and maximum of 65. The frame time consistency degrades as resolution increases, with the gap between minimum and maximum FPS widening.

High settings show a steeper drop. The 1080p High result is 78 FPS, 1440p High is 56 FPS, and 4K High is 35 FPS. This represents a 55% reduction from 1080p to 4K. Ultra settings follow a similar trajectory: 74 FPS at 1080p, 53 FPS at 1440p, and 34 FPS at 4K.

The scaling pattern reveals that the Intel Arc B390 is the bottleneck across all resolutions. The CPU's capability is not being tested here, as even at 1080p Low where the GPU has the least work, the system does not exceed 156 FPS. A CPU-bound scenario would show diminishing returns when lowering resolution, but the data shows nearly linear scaling with pixel count. This is characteristic of a GPU with limited fill rate and shader throughput.

The Arc B390's specifications support this interpretation. It has 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 ROPs. The pixel rate is 60.00 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 120.0 GTexel/s. The FP32 performance is 7.680 TFLOPS. These are modest figures for a modern GPU, placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. The nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX with a 1.3% lower score, the GeForce 800M with 1.5% lower, the GeForce GT 625 OEM with 2.5% lower, and the GeForce GT 710 with 2.7% lower.

At 4K, the system struggles to maintain playable frame rates on higher presets. The 35 FPS average on High and 34 FPS on Ultra are below the 60 FPS target most players prefer. The 4K Medium result of 56 FPS is borderline, and only the Low preset at 70 FPS provides comfortable headroom. This confirms that the GPU's 24 ROPs and 60 GPixel/s pixel rate are insufficient for high-resolution rendering at quality settings.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combo rank of 2547 out of 2887 total combinations places this system firmly in the lower tier of tested hardware. This rank reflects the GPU's weak performance relative to the rest of the database. The CPU is not the issue; the Ryzen 5 5500's 73rd percentile ranking shows it is a mid-range processor. The GPU's 9th percentile ranking drags the entire combo down.

This rank means that out of 2887 tested combinations, 2546 perform better in Inside and only 340 perform worse. The system is in the bottom 12% of all combinations. For a game released in 2016, this is a notable shortfall. Most modern integrated graphics or low-end discrete GPUs would outperform this setup.

The disparity between the CPU and GPU performance is stark. The CPU sits near the 73rd percentile, while the GPU is in the 9th percentile. This creates a significant imbalance where the GPU is clearly the limiting factor. The CPU has substantial headroom that goes unused because the GPU cannot render frames fast enough to utilize it.

In the context of the database, this combo is similar to pairing a modern mid-range processor with a GPU from over a decade ago. The Arc B390's nearest rivals, all NVIDIA GeForce GT series cards from previous generations, highlight this positioning. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 is the only GPU benchmark available, and it shows the card performing at the level of entry-level GPUs from years past.

The practical implication is that this system is not suitable for modern gaming at high resolutions. For Inside, a relatively light game, the combo delivers playable results only at 1080p with medium-to-high settings or at 4K with low settings. The rank of 2547 reflects this reality, placing the system in the bottom tier where playability is conditional on aggressive settings compromises.

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

The complete measured FPS data for this combo in Inside is as follows:

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low settings: 156 FPS average
• Medium settings: 125 FPS average, with a minimum of 106 and maximum of 144
• High settings: 78 FPS average
• Ultra settings: 74 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low settings: 112 FPS average
• Medium settings: 90 FPS average, with a minimum of 76 and maximum of 103
• High settings: 56 FPS average
• Ultra settings: 53 FPS average

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low settings: 70 FPS average
• Medium settings: 56 FPS average, with a minimum of 48 and maximum of 65
• High settings: 35 FPS average
• Ultra settings: 34 FPS average

The 1080p results show that the system is capable of smooth performance at lower resolutions. The Low preset at 156 FPS is well above any display refresh rate, and even Ultra at 74 FPS is comfortable for most players. The Medium preset's range of 106 to 144 FPS indicates consistent frame pacing.

At 1440p, the system still delivers playable results on all presets. The Low setting at 112 FPS is excellent, and Medium at 90 FPS is strong. The High preset at 56 FPS is borderline for 60 Hz displays, while Ultra at 53 FPS is slightly below. Players seeking 1440p gaming would need to use Medium settings or lower for the best experience.

The 4K results are where the system struggles. The Low preset at 70 FPS is playable, but the Medium preset drops to 56 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target. High and Ultra are effectively unplayable at 35 and 34 FPS respectively, with noticeable stutter. The Medium preset's minimum of 48 FPS indicates occasional dips that would be noticeable in gameplay.

The scaling between resolutions is consistent across settings. The difference between 1080p and 1440p shows roughly a 28% reduction in FPS across all presets. The difference between 1440p and 4K shows roughly a 37% reduction. This consistent scaling confirms the GPU is the limiting factor, as a CPU bottleneck would show less variation.

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

For 1080p gaming, the High preset at 78 FPS offers the best balance of visual quality and performance. The jump from High to Ultra only yields a 4 FPS improvement, which is negligible, while the visual difference between High and Ultra is minimal in this game. The Medium preset at 125 FPS is also excellent for players with high refresh rate displays.

For 1440p gaming, the Medium preset at 90 FPS is the recommended choice. It provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS and maintains good visual fidelity. The High preset at 56 FPS is acceptable for players who prioritize image quality over frame rate, but the Medium preset offers a 60% performance increase over High while still looking good. The Ultra preset at 53 FPS is not recommended due to the minimal visual gain over High.

For 4K gaming, the Low preset at 70 FPS is the only viable option for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset at 56 FPS is borderline, and the minimum of 48 FPS would cause noticeable stuttering. The High and Ultra presets at 35 and 34 FPS are not recommended, as the frame rates are too low for a responsive puzzle platformer experience.

The data indicates that the Medium preset is the sweet spot for this combo across all resolutions. At 1080p, it delivers 125 FPS, at 1440p it delivers 90 FPS, and at 4K it delivers 56 FPS. The Medium preset provides the best balance of visual quality and frame rate, with the caveat that 4K Medium is only marginally playable.

For players with 60 Hz displays, the recommendations are straightforward. At 1080p, all presets exceed 60 FPS, so the choice is purely visual preference. At 1440p, Medium and above meet the 60 FPS target, with Low being unnecessary. At 4K, only Low exceeds 60 FPS, so players must accept reduced visual quality for smooth gameplay.

The overall recommendation is to use Medium settings. This preset consistently provides the best experience across all resolutions, offering frame rates that are either at or above the 60 FPS target in most cases. The only exception is 4K, where Medium falls just short at 56 FPS, but this is still preferable to the 35 FPS of High settings. Players with high refresh rate displays at 1080p can safely use High or Ultra settings, as even Ultra maintains 74 FPS.