Inside

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER delivers exceptionally high frame rates in Inside, a 2016 Puzzle Platformer. The measured data shows this combination is heavily GPU-limited at higher resolutions, but transitions to a more balanced profile at 1080p. This analysis examines the resolution scaling, the CPU's role, and the optimal settings for this configuration.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario, though the magnitude of the drop is moderated by the game's age and the hardware's sheer headroom. At 1080p with High settings, the combo produces 237.2 FPS. Moving to 1440p High reduces this to 195.4 FPS, a 17.6% decrease. At 4K High, the average falls to 121.4 FPS, representing a 48.8% drop from the 1080p figure. This steep decline indicates that the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER's rendering workload is the primary constraint as pixel count increases.

The pattern holds across all settings presets. With Low settings, the transition from 1080p (311 FPS) to 1440p (276.4 FPS) shows an 11.1% reduction, while the jump to 4K (238.8 FPS) yields a 23.2% drop from 1440p. The Medium preset shows a similar trend: 283.3 FPS at 1080p, 253.6 FPS at 1440p, and 195.2 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset, which is the most demanding, maintains the same scaling behavior: 233.8 FPS at 1080p, 184.5 FPS at 1440p, and 118.1 FPS at 4K.

The data indicates that the limiting component shifts with resolution. At 1080p, the frame rates across all presets are remarkably close—the gap between Low (311 FPS) and Ultra (233.8 FPS) is only 24.8%. This clustering suggests that the CPU, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, is beginning to cap performance, preventing the GPU from fully stretching its legs. In contrast, at 4K, the spread between Low (238.8 FPS) and Ultra (118.1 FPS) widens to 50.5%, demonstrating that the GPU's fill rate and shading capabilities are now the deciding factor.

Interestingly, the 4K High result (121.4 FPS) is nearly identical to the 4K Ultra result (118.1 FPS), differing by only 2.7%. This convergence implies that beyond a certain quality threshold, the additional graphics work has diminishing returns on frame rate, as the GPU is already operating near its maximum throughput for this title. The 1440p results sit comfortably in between, with High (195.4 FPS) and Ultra (184.5 FPS) showing a 5.6% difference, indicating a more balanced workload distribution.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average FPS achievable with this combo at 1080p?

A: The highest measured average FPS at 1080p is 311 FPS, achieved with the Low settings preset. The Medium preset yields 283.3 FPS, High produces 237.2 FPS, and Ultra delivers 233.8 FPS.

Q: How does the 4K performance compare to 1440p?

A: At 4K, the average FPS drops significantly compared to 1440p. For the High preset, the reduction is from 195.4 FPS at 1440p to 121.4 FPS at 4K, a 37.9% decrease. Similarly, the Ultra preset falls from 184.5 FPS to 118.1 FPS, a 36.0% reduction.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck at 4K?

A: The data shows that at 4K, the GPU is the limiting component. This is evidenced by the large performance gap between the Low preset (238.8 FPS) and the Ultra preset (118.1 FPS), which indicates that the GPU's processing capacity is the primary constraint, rather than the CPU's 6-core, 12-thread configuration.

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

A: At 1440p, the High preset averages 195.4 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 184.5 FPS. This represents a 5.6% performance penalty for selecting Ultra over High, which is a relatively modest cost for the highest visual quality.

Q: Does the combo maintain playable frame rates at all settings?

A: Yes, the minimum average FPS recorded across all resolution and settings combinations is 118.1 FPS, which occurs at 4K with the Ultra preset. All other configurations exceed this figure, ensuring smooth gameplay in every scenario tested.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations for this game?

A: The combo ranks 309th out of 1671 tested combinations for Inside, placing it in the top 18.5% of all configurations. This percentile position reflects its strong overall performance, though it is not at the very top of the leaderboard.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the 5000 series, based on the Zen 3 architecture. It operates with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The processor's benchmark results show strong single-thread performance, with a 3DMark single-thread score of 917 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2622. Its multi-threaded capabilities are equally robust, as indicated by a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 18578 and a Geekbench multicore score of 8673.

In the context of Inside, the CPU's role is primarily to feed the GPU with draw calls and physics calculations. The benchmark data suggests that at 1080p, the CPU becomes a more significant factor. The frame rate difference between Low (311 FPS) and Ultra (233.8 FPS) is only 24.8%, which is smaller than the 50.5% gap observed at 4K. This compression of performance across presets at 1080p implies that the CPU's 12 threads are reaching their limit, preventing the GPU from fully expressing its potential even at lower graphical loads.

The CPU's percentile ranking of 78 among all processors, with an average benchmark score of 20680, places it in a competitive position. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 5600GT, which scores 20740 (a 0.3% difference), and the Intel Core i7-10700, which scores 20746 (also a 0.3% difference). The Intel Core i5-12490F scores 20794, putting it 0.5% ahead, while the Intel Xeon 6325P trails at 20538, 0.7% behind. These narrow margins indicate that the 5600X is well-matched to its contemporaries, offering no significant advantage or disadvantage in raw processing power.

For Inside, the CPU's 32 MB of L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient to handle the game's data streaming. The processor's Zen 3 architecture, fabricated on a 7 nm process by TSMC, provides efficient instruction execution, which contributes to the high frame rates observed. However, the data clearly shows that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at 1440p or 4K; it is only at 1080p that its influence becomes noticeable.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset depends on the target resolution and the desired balance between visual fidelity and frame rate.

At 1080p, the High preset provides an excellent experience with 237.2 FPS. The Ultra preset offers only a marginal improvement in visual quality at the cost of a mere 1.4% performance drop (233.8 FPS), making it a viable choice for users with high-refresh-rate monitors. However, the Medium preset at 283.3 FPS or the Low preset at 311 FPS are better suited for competitive play or for users prioritizing maximum smoothness, as the frame rate gains over High are substantial (19.4% and 31.1%, respectively).

For 1440p, the High preset delivers 195.4 FPS, which is more than sufficient for any display. The Ultra preset reduces this to 184.5 FPS, a 5.6% penalty, but still maintains a high refresh rate. The Medium preset at 253.6 FPS is an attractive option for those seeking extra headroom, while the Low preset at 276.4 FPS offers the highest frame rate but with reduced visual details. Given the small performance gap between High and Ultra, the High preset is recommended as the best balance, as it preserves most of the visual enhancements without the slight frame rate cost.

At 4K, the High preset produces 121.4 FPS, which is ideal for 120 Hz displays. The Ultra preset at 118.1 FPS is nearly identical, differing by only 2.7%, so users can safely select Ultra for the best image quality without sacrificing meaningful performance. The Medium preset at 195.2 FPS provides a significant frame rate boost (60.8% over Ultra) and is recommended for users with 144 Hz or 165 Hz 4K monitors. The Low preset at 238.8 FPS is available but may be unnecessary given the already high performance at Medium.

In summary, the High preset is the most balanced choice across all resolutions, offering a strong combination of visual quality and performance. For 4K specifically, the Ultra preset is also highly viable due to its negligible performance difference from High. Users seeking the absolute highest frame rates should consider the Medium preset, which provides a substantial uplift without the visual degradation of Low.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER combination ranks 309th out of 1671 tested combos for Inside, placing it in the top 18.5% of all configurations. This is a strong result, indicating that the pair delivers well-above-average performance for this title.

The GPU, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER, is a significant contributor to this ranking. It holds a percentile ranking of 86 among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 48704. Its nearest rivals in the GPU benchmark include the NVIDIA CMP 50HX, which scores 49071 (0.7% higher), and the Intel Arc A550M, which scores 49737 (2.1% higher). On the lower side, the NVIDIA RTX A2000 scores 47915 (1.6% lower) and the RTX A1000 Mobile scores 47743 (2.0% lower). This positions the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER as a high-end performer, though not at the absolute pinnacle of the GPU hierarchy.

The CPU's ranking of 78th percentile among all processors, with an average benchmark score of 20680, further supports the combo's position. While the CPU is not a top-tier part by 2024 standards, its performance is sufficient to avoid bottlenecking the GPU in most scenarios, particularly at 1440p and 4K where the data shows the GPU is the primary limiter.

The combo's overall rank of 309 out of 1671 suggests that while it is not the fastest configuration available for Inside, it offers a compelling balance of CPU and GPU performance. The high frame rates measured—exceeding 118 FPS in the worst case and reaching 311 FPS in the best case—demonstrate that this pairing is more than capable of delivering a smooth experience. The rank also implies that there are 308 configurations that outperform it, likely featuring newer or higher-tier components, but the 5600X and RTX 4070 Ti SUPER remain a formidable combination for this puzzle platformer.