Inside

Inside is a puzzle-platformer with modest visual demands, but the measured frame rates for the AMD Ryzen 5 7400F and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 combination reveal a configuration that is heavily constrained by its graphics subsystem at higher resolutions. The data shows a system capable of high refresh rates at 1080p, but one that quickly falls to playable-but-not-smooth levels as pixel count rises. The following analysis breaks down the measured performance across resolutions and settings, contextualizing the results against the individual component benchmarks and the broader database of tested combinations.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and clearly indicates that the GPU becomes the dominant limiting factor as resolution increases. At 1080p with Low settings, the system produces an average of 134 FPS, but this falls to 97 FPS at 1440p and 61 FPS at 4K. That represents a 27.6% reduction from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 37.1% reduction from 1440p to 4K. The scaling pattern is consistent with a GPU that has ample headroom at lower resolutions but exhausts its fillrate and memory bandwidth as the pixel workload grows.

Looking at Medium settings, the trend is similar but with slightly smaller relative drops. The average frame rate moves from 107 FPS at 1080p, to 77 FPS at 1440p, and down to 49 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are 28.0% and 36.4% respectively, nearly identical to the Low setting pattern. This uniformity suggests that the resolution scaling is largely independent of the specific quality preset, reinforcing that the bottleneck is the GPU's raw rendering throughput rather than any particular shading feature.

At High settings, the scaling becomes even more pronounced. The system delivers 67 FPS at 1080p, 48 FPS at 1440p, and just 30 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1440p to 4K here is 37.5%, which is a slightly larger relative decline than at lower settings. This is likely because the higher quality preset increases the per-pixel work, making the GPU's limited pixel rate and memory bandwidth even more critical. The 4K High result of 30 FPS sits right at the edge of playability, while 4K Ultra drops to 29 FPS, showing that the card simply cannot maintain a fluid experience at that resolution regardless of preset.

The data suggests that the CPU is not a significant factor in this scaling. The Ryzen 5 7400F, with its Zen 4 architecture and high single-thread performance, is more than capable of feeding the GTX 1650 at these frame rates. The fact that 134 FPS is achievable at 1080p Low indicates the CPU can handle the game's logic and draw calls comfortably. The bottleneck is squarely on the GPU, which has only 4 GB of VRAM and a 128-bit memory bus, both of which become increasingly problematic as resolution climbs.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 7400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Raphael. It operates with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, which provides strong single-threaded performance that is well-suited for a game like Inside. The game is not heavily multi-threaded, so the processor's high per-core performance is more relevant than its core count. In Cinebench R23, the CPU scores 3,072 points in single-core and 21,765 points in multi-core, indicating a balanced profile that excels in both lightly and heavily threaded workloads.

The CPU's benchmark results place it in the 83rd percentile among all tested processors, with an average benchmark score of 32,750. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-14600T with an average score of 32,707 (0.1% difference) and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850H with 32,812 (-0.2% difference). These comparisons show that the 7400F sits in a tightly contested performance band, where it is essentially equivalent to several other mid-range and high-end mobile and desktop parts. For Inside specifically, this level of CPU performance is far beyond what the game requires, meaning the processor will never be the limiting factor in the measured frame rates.

The 7400F's memory support for DDR5 with dual-channel configuration and a bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s further ensures that memory bandwidth is not a constraint. The L3 cache is 32 MB shared, which is generous for a 6-core part and helps with game data locality. In this context, the CPU's role is to provide a stable platform that does not introduce frame time spikes or bottleneck the GPU. The measured FPS data confirms this, as the frame rates scale with resolution in a manner that is characteristic of GPU limitation, not CPU limitation. Even at 1080p Low where the GPU is least stressed, the system reaches 134 FPS, which is a clear indicator that the CPU can push well beyond 144 Hz in this title if paired with a more powerful graphics card.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 is a Turing-architecture GPU built on a 12 nm process, with 896 shading units, 56 texture mapping units, and 32 raster output units. It operates at a base clock of 1485 MHz and a boost clock of 1665 MHz, with a memory clock of 2001 MHz (8 Gbps effective). The GPU has 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 128.1 GB/s. These specifications are modest by modern standards, and the GPU's performance percentile of 40 among all tested GPUs reflects its entry-level positioning.

In synthetic benchmarks, the GTX 1650 scores 7,880 in Passmark G3D and 2,984 TFLOPS in FP32 compute. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon HD 8850M with a score of 7,447 (0.3% difference) and the Intel Arc A310 with 7,550 (-1% difference). These comparisons place the GTX 1650 in a narrow performance band where small differences in driver optimization or thermal behavior can shift the ranking. For Inside, the GPU's performance is the primary constraint on frame rates, particularly at higher resolutions.

The measured FPS data illustrates this constraint clearly. At 1080p Low, the GPU delivers 134 FPS, which is a strong result for an entry-level card. However, the frame rate drops to 107 FPS at Medium and 67 FPS at High, showing that the quality preset has a significant impact. At 1440p, the GPU struggles more, with only 97 FPS at Low and 48 FPS at High. At 4K, the GPU is clearly overmatched, with 61 FPS at Low and just 30 FPS at High. The 4 GB VRAM capacity is likely a contributing factor at 4K, as the game's textures and buffers may exceed this limit, causing the GPU to rely on slower memory access.

The GPU's 75 W TDP and lack of additional power connectors indicate that it is a low-power part, which limits its sustained boost clocks under load. This is evident in the 4K Ultra result of 29 FPS, which is only one frame lower than the High preset, suggesting that the GPU has reached a hard performance ceiling. The data indicates that the GTX 1650 is best suited for 1080p gaming in this title, with acceptable performance at Medium settings, but it is not capable of delivering a smooth experience at 1440p or 4K beyond Low settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 7400F and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 ranks 2,780 out of 2,887 tested combos in Inside. This places it in the bottom 4% of all combinations, which is a surprisingly low ranking given that the CPU is a modern, high-performance part. The low ranking is almost entirely attributable to the GPU, which drags down the overall system capability. The CPU alone ranks in the 83rd percentile, while the GPU ranks in the 40th percentile, and the combination's rank reflects the GPU's disproportionate influence on gaming performance.

The ranking suggests that the 7400F is severely underutilized when paired with the GTX 1650 in this game. The CPU is capable of much higher frame rates, but the GPU cannot keep up, resulting in a system that performs like a much older or lower-end configuration. This is a classic case of imbalance, where the CPU is far more powerful than the GPU, and the overall system performance is bottlenecked by the graphics card. The data shows that the combo's rank is not representative of the CPU's potential, but rather of the GPU's limitations.

In practical terms, this ranking means that most other tested combinations, including those with older or less powerful CPUs, would outperform this setup in Inside if they have a better GPU. The combo's position at 2,780 out of 2,887 indicates that it is near the bottom of the performance distribution, with only 107 combinations performing worse. This is a clear signal that the GTX 1650 is the primary limiting factor, and that upgrading the GPU would yield a massive improvement in frame rates, while upgrading the CPU would have negligible impact in this title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the system's performance across four resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the system delivers an average of 134 FPS at Low settings, 107 FPS at Medium, 67 FPS at High, and 64 FPS at Ultra. The Medium setting has a recorded minimum of 91 FPS and maximum of 124 FPS, indicating that frame times are relatively consistent, with no major stutters. The Low and High settings do not have recorded minimum/maximum values, but the averages suggest a smooth experience at Low and a playable, if not ideal, experience at High.

At 2560x1440, the averages drop to 97 FPS at Low, 77 FPS at Medium, 48 FPS at High, and 46 FPS at Ultra. The Medium setting shows a minimum of 66 FPS and maximum of 89 FPS, which is a wider spread than at 1080p, indicating that the GPU is working harder and frame times are less consistent. The High and Ultra settings are both below 50 FPS, which may be borderline for some players, but the game's slower pace means it could still be playable. The 1440p results show that the GTX 1650 is at the edge of its comfort zone, with only the Low preset providing a clearly smooth experience.

At 3840x2160, the performance drops significantly. The averages are 61 FPS at Low, 49 FPS at Medium, 30 FPS at High, and 29 FPS at Ultra. The Medium setting has a minimum of 41 FPS and maximum of 56 FPS, which shows that even the average is barely playable, and the minimum dips below 30 FPS. The High and Ultra results are essentially unplayable for most users, as they fall below the 30 FPS threshold that is generally considered the minimum for a playable experience. The 4K data makes it clear that this resolution is not viable for this GPU in Inside, except at Low settings where the 61 FPS average is just barely acceptable.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience for this combination is at 1920x1080 with Medium settings. This preset delivers an average of 107 FPS, with a minimum of 91 FPS, which ensures that the game remains fluid even during demanding scenes. The jump from Low to Medium costs 27 FPS on average, but provides a noticeable improvement in visual quality. The High preset at 1080p drops the average to 67 FPS, which is still playable but sacrifices the smoothness that is achievable at Medium. The Ultra preset offers only 64 FPS, which is a negligible improvement over High and not worth the performance cost.

For users with a 1440p monitor, the Low preset is the only viable option, delivering 97 FPS. The Medium preset at 77 FPS may be acceptable for some, but the minimum of 66 FPS could cause noticeable stutters. The High and Ultra presets are not recommended, as they drop below 50 FPS. At 4K, the Low preset is the only option that provides a playable experience at 61 FPS, but the Medium preset at 49 FPS may be tolerable for a game like Inside that does not require fast reflexes. The High and Ultra presets should be avoided entirely at 4K.

The data suggests that the optimal configuration is to prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity, as the GPU does not have enough headroom to run higher presets smoothly. For most users, 1080p Medium will provide the best balance of visual quality and performance. Those who prefer higher resolutions should be prepared to accept lower settings, as the GPU simply does not have the horsepower to maintain high frame rates at 1440p or 4K with enhanced visuals.

FAQ

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

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 134 at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is the only configuration that exceeds 120 FPS, indicating that the GPU is the limiting factor.

Q: Can this system run Inside at 4K smoothly?

A: No. At 4K, the average FPS ranges from 61 at Low settings to 29 at Ultra. Only the Low preset achieves a playable average above 60 FPS, while Medium drops to 49 FPS and High/Ultra fall to 30 or below.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its rivals?

A: The Ryzen 5 7400F has an average benchmark score of 32,750, which is 0.1% higher than the Intel Core i5-14600T (32,707) and 0.2% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H (32,697). It is 0.2% lower than the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850H (32,812).

Q: What is the GPU's performance percentile among all GPUs?

A: The GTX 1650 ranks in the 40th percentile among all tested GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 7,472. Its closest rival is the Intel Arc A310, which scores 7,550, a 1% difference.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this game?

A: The GPU is clearly the bottleneck. The CPU's high single-thread performance allows it to reach 134 FPS at 1080p Low, but the frame rate drops rapidly with resolution due to the GPU's limited 4 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1080p?

A: Medium settings at 1080p provide the best balance, with an average of 107 FPS and a minimum of 91 FPS. High settings at 67 FPS and Ultra at 64 FPS are playable but do not offer enough visual improvement to justify the frame rate loss.