Inside

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 combination delivers exceptionally high frame rates in Inside, a 2016 puzzle platformer. The measured data shows this pairing is heavily overqualified for the game’s demands, with performance scaling predictably across resolutions and settings. This analysis breaks down the CPU and GPU contributions, optimal settings, and how the combo ranks among the 2,887 tested configurations.

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 based on the Zen 3 architecture, using the Vermeer codename on a 7 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz, drawing a 105 W TDP. The chip features a substantial 96 MB of shared L3 cache, alongside 64 KB of L1 and 512 KB of L2 per core. This cache configuration is particularly relevant for gaming workloads, as it reduces latency when accessing frequently used data.

In synthetic benchmarks, the processor achieves a Passmark single-thread score of 2,941 and a multi-thread score of 20,363. Its integer math score is 60,033, while floating-point math reaches 34,511. The data compression test yields 230,392, and encryption scores 13,967. These figures place the CPU in the 85th percentile among all tested processors, with an average benchmark score of 37,018.

The nearest rivals in the benchmark database show extremely tight competition. The AMD Ryzen 5 5600F scores 36,945, a delta of only 0.2% lower. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 scores 37,093, which is 0.2% higher. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 matches the 5600F at 36,938, also 0.2% off. The Intel Core i9-12900T leads slightly at 37,112, a 0.3% advantage. This cluster of scores indicates the 5500X3D is positioned in a highly competitive mid-range performance tier.

For Inside, which is not a demanding title, the CPU’s 6 cores and 12 threads are more than sufficient. The game’s 2D side-scrolling perspective and limited physics simulation do not stress multi-threaded performance heavily. However, the large L3 cache and strong single-thread score of 2,941 ensure that any frame pacing or draw-call overhead is handled without becoming a bottleneck. The data supports this: at 1080p Low settings, the combo reaches 268 FPS, a figure that is unlikely to be constrained by the processor given its high single-thread capability relative to the game’s modest requirements.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is built on the Ampere architecture, using the GA102 chip manufactured on an 8 nm process by Samsung. It contains 28,300 million transistors on a 628 mm² die. The GPU has 8,704 shading units, 272 texture mapping units, and 96 raster output units. It also includes 68 RT cores and 272 tensor cores, though these are largely irrelevant for a puzzle platformer like Inside.

The GPU’s memory subsystem is a 10 GB GDDR6X configuration on a 320-bit bus, providing 760.3 GB/s of bandwidth. The memory clock is 1188 MHz, translating to 19 Gbps effective. The core clocks are 1440 MHz base and 1710 MHz boost. Pixel fill rate is 164.2 GPixel/s, and texture rate is 465.1 GTexel/s. The FP32 compute capability is 29.77 TFLOPS.

In GPU benchmarks, the RTX 3080 scores 25,086 in Passmark G3D and 14,397 in GPU compute. Its average benchmark score is 23,172, placing it in the 68th percentile among all GPUs. The nearest rivals are unusual: the NVIDIA P106-100 scores 23,249 (0.3% higher), the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 16 scores 23,250 (0.3% higher), the AMD Radeon RX 6600M scores 23,273 (0.4% higher), and the AMD Radeon R9 M290X scores 23,276 (0.4% higher). These delta values are remarkably small, suggesting the RTX 3080 sits at a performance plateau where many cards converge in aggregate scoring.

For Inside, the RTX 3080’s 10 GB of VRAM is ample; the game’s art style uses simple textures and limited geometry. The high memory bandwidth of 760.3 GB/s is not fully utilized, but it ensures that even at 4K resolution, the GPU can deliver the high frame rates observed. The boost clock of 1710 MHz allows the card to sustain performance without thermal throttling in this lightweight title, as evidenced by the consistent frame times across all measured rows.

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

Examining the measured FPS across settings and resolutions, the data provides clear guidance for the optimal experience. At 1080p, the Low preset yields 268 FPS, Medium achieves 247 FPS, High reaches 206 FPS, and Ultra drops slightly to 203 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 65 FPS, but even Ultra remains above 200 FPS, which is far beyond the refresh rate of most monitors.

At 1440p, the pattern mirrors 1080p. Low produces 240 FPS, Medium hits 222 FPS, High delivers 158 FPS, and Ultra reaches 151 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 89 FPS, but again, the lowest figure of 151 FPS is still exceptionally smooth for a game of this type.

At 4K, the differences become more pronounced. Low settings produce 199 FPS, Medium drops to 159 FPS, High yields 99 FPS, and Ultra falls to 95 FPS. Here, the gap between Low and Ultra widens to 104 FPS. Notably, the Medium preset at 4K includes a minimum FPS of 135 and a maximum of 183, showing some variance but still maintaining a playable experience.

The data suggests that the Medium preset offers the best balance between visual fidelity and performance across all resolutions. At 1080p, Medium’s 247 FPS is only 21 FPS below Low but provides improved visual quality. At 1440p, Medium’s 222 FPS is similarly close to Low’s 240 FPS. At 4K, Medium’s 159 FPS is 40 FPS below Low but remains well above the 60 FPS threshold, while High and Ultra drop below 100 FPS. For users with high-refresh-rate displays, Medium at 1080p or 1440p is the sweet spot, delivering frame rates that exceed what most monitors can display while maintaining visual polish.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 ranks 1,033 out of 2,887 tested combos in Inside. This places it in the upper-middle tier of all configurations, at roughly the 64th percentile. Given the game’s age and low graphical demands, this ranking is somewhat surprising; many lower-end GPUs paired with fast CPUs could achieve similar frame rates.

The ranking reflects the fact that Inside is not a demanding title for modern hardware. The RTX 3080’s raw power is largely underutilized, and the CPU’s performance is more than adequate. The combo’s position in the rankings is likely influenced by the fact that many other tested combos include similarly powerful or more powerful components. For context, the CPU’s average benchmark score of 37,018 is 0.2% above the Ryzen 5 5600F and 0.3% below the Core i9-12900T, indicating it is competitive but not top-tier. The GPU’s average score of 23,172 is 0.3% to 0.4% below its nearest rivals, suggesting it is slightly behind the curve in aggregate benchmarks.

In practical terms, the rank of 1,033 out of 2,887 means this combo performs better than the majority of tested systems in Inside, but it is not among the elite configurations that might push frame rates to the absolute maximum. The measured FPS data, however, shows that the combo is rarely the limiting factor; even at 4K Ultra, it achieves 95 FPS, which is more than sufficient for smooth gameplay.

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

The FPS scaling across resolutions reveals the nature of the bottleneck in this system. At Low settings, the frame rate drops from 268 FPS at 1080p to 240 FPS at 1440p, a decline of 10.4%, and then to 199 FPS at 4K, a further decline of 17.1% from 1440p. This pattern indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting factor, as the CPU’s workload does not change significantly with resolution.

At Medium settings, the drop is steeper: 247 FPS at 1080p falls to 222 FPS at 1440p, a 10.1% decrease, and then to 159 FPS at 4K, a 28.4% decrease from 1440p. The larger drop at 4K suggests that the GPU’s memory bandwidth and compute resources are being taxed more heavily as pixel count increases.

At High settings, the scaling is more pronounced: 206 FPS at 1080p drops to 158 FPS at 1440p, a 23.3% decrease, and then to 99 FPS at 4K, a 37.3% decrease from 1440p. This shows that the RTX 3080’s performance degrades more rapidly at higher settings and resolutions, which is expected given the increased shading load.

At Ultra settings, the pattern continues: 203 FPS at 1080p falls to 151 FPS at 1440p, a 25.6% decrease, and then to 95 FPS at 4K, a 37.1% decrease from 1440p. The consistent drop pattern across settings indicates that the GPU is the bottleneck at all resolutions. The CPU, with its high single-thread score of 2,941, does not constrain performance even at 1080p Low, where the frame rate exceeds 260 FPS.

The data indicates that the RTX 3080 is the limiting component in this combo. At 1080p, the GPU is able to produce very high frame rates, but as resolution increases, the GPU’s workload grows quadratically, leading to the observed declines. The CPU’s 6 cores and 12 threads are never stressed to their limit in Inside, as evidenced by the fact that the frame rate drops are directly proportional to resolution rather than being capped by CPU performance.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest average FPS achieved by this combo in Inside?*

A: The highest measured average FPS is 268, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: Does the combo maintain 60 FPS at 4K Ultra settings?

A: Yes, at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 95, which is above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the CPU compare to the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F in average benchmark score?

A: The Ryzen 5 5500X3D scores 37,018, which is 0.2% higher than the Ryzen 5 5600F’s 36,945.

Q: What is the GPU’s memory bandwidth?

A: The RTX 3080 has a memory bandwidth of 760.3 GB/s, using 10 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 320-bit bus.

*Q: What is the combo’s rank among all tested configurations in Inside?*

A: The combo ranks 1,033 out of 2,887 tested combos.

Q: At 1440p Medium settings, what are the minimum and maximum FPS?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the average FPS is 222, with a minimum of 188 and a maximum of 255.

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

The measured FPS data is presented below, organized by resolution and settings preset.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the High preset produces an average of 99 FPS with no minimum or maximum recorded. The Low preset yields 199 FPS average. The Medium preset shows an average of 159 FPS, with a minimum of 135 and a maximum of 183. The Ultra preset delivers 95 FPS average.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the High preset achieves 158 FPS average. The Low preset reaches 240 FPS average. The Medium preset produces 222 FPS average, with a minimum of 188 and a maximum of 255. The Ultra preset yields 151 FPS average.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the High preset delivers 206 FPS average. The Low preset achieves 268 FPS average. The Medium preset produces 247 FPS average, with a minimum of 210 and a maximum of 285. The Ultra preset reaches 203 FPS average.

This data shows a clear hierarchy: lower resolutions and lower settings produce higher frame rates, with the Medium preset offering a good middle ground between visual quality and performance. The absence of minimum and maximum FPS values for High, Low, and Ultra presets indicates that the measurement process did not capture frame time variance for those configurations, but the averages are consistently high across all rows.