Inside

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 combination delivers remarkably consistent frame rates in Inside, a puzzle platformer that clearly favors high-frequency responsiveness. The pairing demonstrates that the CPU’s substantial L3 cache and the GPU’s balanced throughput create a synergistic profile, although the performance ceiling varies significantly depending on the graphical preset selected. This analysis breaks down the measured results, contextualizes the hardware’s role, and provides actionable settings guidance based strictly on the data available.

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

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D is a 6-core, 12-thread processor built on the Zen 3 architecture (Vermeer codename) using a 7 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz, with a 105 W TDP. The defining feature for this game is the 96 MB shared L3 cache, which is exceptionally large for the 5000 series. This cache hierarchy is crucial for Inside's physics-based interactions and streaming of environmental data, as it reduces memory latency and keeps frequently accessed data close to the cores.

Benchmark scores place this CPU in the 85th percentile of all tested processors, with an average benchmark score of 37018. Its nearest rivals are tightly clustered: the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (avg score 36945, deltaPct 0.2), the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 (avg score 37093, deltaPct -0.2), the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 (avg score 36938, deltaPct 0.2), and the Intel Core i9-12900T (avg score 37112, deltaPct -0.3). The performance deltas are minuscule, indicating that the 5500X3D sits squarely in a very competitive mid-range desktop segment. In the context of Inside, which is not a heavily threaded title, the 6-core/12-thread configuration is more than sufficient, and the high boost clock of 4.00 GHz ensures that the game's single-threaded logic runs without bottleneck. The data shows that at lower resolutions (1080p), the CPU’s role becomes more pronounced, as the frame rates achieved (up to 231 FPS on Low settings) suggest the processor can feed the GPU effectively without creating a constraint.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070, based on the Pascal architecture (GP104 chip) and manufactured on a 16 nm process, is the graphical workhorse of this pairing. It features 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 256.3 GB/s. The core clocks are 1506 MHz base and 1683 MHz boost, with memory running at 2002 MHz (8 Gbps effective). With 1920 shading units, 120 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, the GPU’s raw compute is rated at 6.463 TFLOPS FP32.

The GTX 1070 sits in the 47th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 9780. Its nearest rivals include the AMD FirePro W5000 (avg score 9803, deltaPct -0.2), NVIDIA Quadro M2000M (avg score 9832, deltaPct -0.5), NVIDIA Tesla M10 (avg score 9724, deltaPct 0.6), and NVIDIA Tesla C2070 (avg score 9716, deltaPct 0.7). The performance deltas here are also under 1%, meaning the GTX 1070 is statistically tied with these professional and mobile workstation parts in synthetic benchmarks. However, for Inside, the 8 GB VRAM is a critical asset, ensuring that even at 4K Ultra settings, the GPU does not run out of memory. The measured FPS data shows that the GPU can handle the game's visual effects, such as dynamic lighting and particle systems, with relative ease. At 1080p Low, the GPU produces 231 FPS, indicating that it is not the limiting factor at that setting; the bottleneck shifts to the CPU or engine logic. Conversely, at 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 50, highlighting the GPU’s pixel-pushing limits as resolution scales.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the comprehensive benchmark database, this specific configuration of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 holds a combo rank of 2370 out of 2887 tested combinations. This places it in the lower-middle tier of all recorded pairings. The rank of 2370 indicates that while this combo is fully capable of running Inside smoothly, there are many other hardware pairings that achieve higher average frame rates across the board. The ranking is a composite score, meaning it reflects performance across all tested resolutions and settings.

Given that the CPU is in the 85th percentile and the GPU in the 47th percentile, the overall combo rank is dragged down by the GPU’s mid-range standing. The data suggests that the GPU is the primary limiter for achieving top-tier performance in this game. For instance, a pairing with a faster GPU would likely see a significantly higher combo rank, as the CPU would be able to support a higher frame rate ceiling. However, for the target audience of this specific combo, the rank of 2370 out of 2887 is not a deterrent; it simply indicates that the system is positioned for consistent, playable performance rather than competitive esports-level frame rates.

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

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how this combo scales across resolutions and quality presets. At 1920x1080, the results are: Low averages 231 FPS, Medium averages 184 FPS (with a min of 157 and max of 212), High averages 115 FPS, and Ultra averages 110 FPS. The jump from Medium to High is substantial (69 FPS), while the gap between High and Ultra is minimal (5 FPS), suggesting that the High preset is a performance sweet spot that avoids the diminishing returns of Ultra.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates decrease predictably: Low averages 166 FPS, Medium averages 133 FPS (with a min of 113 and max of 153), High averages 83 FPS, and Ultra averages 79 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is roughly 28% on Low, but only about 28% on High as well, indicating a consistent scaling factor. At 3840x2160, the results show: Low averages 104 FPS, Medium averages 83 FPS (with a min of 71 and max of 96), High averages 52 FPS, and Ultra averages 50 FPS. The 4K High and Ultra settings are the only instances where the average FPS falls below 60, making them borderline for smooth gameplay on standard 60 Hz displays.

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

The data reveals a clear pattern of resolution scaling. From 1080p Low (231 FPS) to 4K Low (104 FPS), the frame rate drops by 55%. From 1080p High (115 FPS) to 4K High (52 FPS), the drop is also 55%. This consistent percentage decrease across all settings indicates that the GPU is the scaling bottleneck. When resolution increases, the number of pixels the GPU must render quadruples from 1080p to 4K. The GTX 1070’s 64 ROPs and 256.3 GB/s memory bandwidth are sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, the pixel fill rate and memory bandwidth become strained, causing the average FPS to halve.

The fact that the drop is consistent (55%) regardless of the preset suggests that the GPU’s raw rasterization throughput is the limiting factor, not the CPU. At 1080p Low, the CPU is capable of pushing 231 FPS, but as resolution increases, the GPU’s workload grows, and the CPU has more idle time waiting for the GPU to finish rendering. This is a classic GPU-bound scenario. The only outlier is the 4K Ultra setting (50 FPS), which shows a slightly larger drop than High (52 FPS), indicating that the additional shading complexity of Ultra settings places an even heavier load on the GPU’s shader units. The data strongly implies that to achieve higher frame rates at 4K, a GPU with more compute and memory bandwidth would be required, rather than a faster CPU.

FAQ

Q: Is this combo capable of running the game at 60 FPS at 1440p?

A: Yes, the measured data shows that at 2560x1440, the High preset averages 83 FPS, and even the Ultra preset averages 79 FPS. This provides a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: What is the highest resolution at which this combo can maintain an average above 100 FPS?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 231 FPS, and the Medium preset averages 184 FPS. At 2560x1440, only the Low preset (166 FPS) and Medium preset (133 FPS) exceed 100 FPS. At 3840x2160, no settings achieve an average above 104 FPS (Low).

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rival in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D has an average benchmark score of 37018, which is 0.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (36945) and the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 (36938). It is 0.2% lower than the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 (37093).

Q: Does the game use more than 8 GB of VRAM at 4K?

A: The data does not provide VRAM usage figures. However, the GTX 1070 has 8 GB of GDDR5 memory, and the game runs at an average of 50 FPS on 4K Ultra, which suggests that the memory capacity is sufficient for the game’s requirements at this resolution, as there are no reported crashes or severe stutters in the measured min FPS data.

Q: What is the performance difference between the High and Ultra presets at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the High preset averages 115 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 110 FPS. The difference is only 5 FPS, indicating that the Ultra preset’s additional visual effects do not significantly impact performance at this resolution.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU the limiting factor at 1080p Low?

A: The data suggests the CPU is the limiting factor at 1080p Low. The GPU produces 231 FPS, but the CPU’s maximum frame rate capability for this game is not explicitly listed. Given the CPU’s high percentile (85th) and the fact that the GPU’s percentile is lower (47th), it is likely that the CPU’s single-thread performance (Passmark single-thread score of 2941) is the ceiling at this setting, as the GPU is not fully saturated.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal experience for this combo depends on the user’s display and preference for visual fidelity. For 1080p displays, the High preset (115 FPS) is the recommended choice. It provides a smooth, high-refresh-rate experience while retaining substantial visual quality over the Medium preset (184 FPS). The Ultra preset (110 FPS) offers no meaningful FPS advantage over High and is thus not worth the negligible 5 FPS gain, as the visual difference between High and Ultra is typically minor.

For 1440p displays, the Medium preset (133 FPS) is the best balance of performance and quality. It is nearly 50 FPS faster than the High preset (83 FPS), and the drop from High to Medium is less perceptible at this resolution due to the higher pixel density. The Low preset (166 FPS) is excessive for most users and sacrifices too much visual detail.

For 4K displays, the Medium preset (83 FPS) is the only viable option for a smooth experience, as it stays well above 60 FPS. The High preset (52 FPS) and Ultra preset (50 FPS) fall below the 60 FPS threshold and may result in noticeable judder. If the user prefers maximum visual fidelity and has a 60 Hz display, the High preset could be tolerated, but the Medium preset offers a much more consistent frame rate with a 31 FPS advantage over High. The data indicates that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K being playable only on lower presets.