Inside

Inside is a 2016 puzzle platformer that places minimal demands on modern hardware, yet the measured results for the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X paired with the Intel Arc B390 reveal a configuration that is severely bottlenecked by its graphics component. The data shows a system capable of high frame rates at lower resolutions but one that struggles to maintain smooth performance at 4K, particularly on higher quality presets. This analysis breaks down the CPU and GPU roles, settings recommendations, ranking, resolution scaling, and exact measured performance figures.

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

The AMD Ryzen 5 7600X is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the 7000 series, built on the Zen 4 architecture (codenamed Raphael) using a 5 nm process at TSMC. It operates with a base clock of 4.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, with a TDP of 105 W. The processor supports DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration and has a 32 MB shared L3 cache, along with 1 MB of L2 cache per core. Its integrated Radeon Graphics are present but are not the active rendering solution here; the discrete Intel Arc B390 handles the graphics workload.

For a game like Inside, which is a side-scrolling puzzle platformer with a relatively static camera and simple geometry, the CPU workload is light. The Ryzen 5 7600X's single-thread performance is exceptionally strong, as evidenced by a PassMark single-thread score of 4135 and a 3DMark single-thread score of 1060. This matters because the game's physics and logic are likely handled on a single or few threads, and the high boost clock of 5.30 GHz ensures that these tasks are completed with minimal latency. The multi-threaded capabilities, shown by a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15236 and a PassMark multithread score of 28390, are largely irrelevant for this title, as it is not designed to scale across many cores.

The data indicates that the CPU is not a limiting factor in any of the measured configurations. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 156 FPS, which is a high frame rate that would require a capable CPU to feed the GPU, but the Arc B390 is the component that prevents even higher numbers. The processor's percentile ranking of 79 among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 27636, places it in the upper tier of desktop processors. Its nearest rivals, the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X and Intel Core i5-12600K, both have an average score of 27578, showing a delta of 0.2%, essentially identical performance. This confirms that the 7600X is more than adequate for Inside, and the performance ceiling is imposed by the graphics card, not the processor.

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

The Intel Arc B390 is a mobile-class integrated graphics solution based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, manufactured on a 3 nm process by Intel. It operates with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. Crucially, it has no dedicated VRAM; its memory size, type, and bus width are all listed as "System Shared," meaning it relies on the system's DDR5 memory. The memory bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent," which in practice means it shares bandwidth with the CPU, potentially creating a bottleneck in memory-intensive scenarios.

The GPU has 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 24 render output units (ROPs). It also features 12 ray tracing cores, though Inside does not utilize ray tracing. The pixel rate is 60.00 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 120.0 GTexel/s, with an FP32 compute rating of 7.680 TFLOPS. Despite these specifications, the GPU's performance percentile is only 9, indicating it is among the lowest-performing graphics processors in the benchmark database. Its average benchmark score of 1482 is only slightly above the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463, delta 1.3%) and the GeForce 800M (1460, delta 1.5%), both of which are ancient, low-end parts. This context is essential: the Arc B390 is not a gaming GPU in the traditional sense, and its performance in Inside reflects that.

The measured FPS data shows a clear pattern. At 1080p Low, the GPU delivers 156 FPS, which is excellent. However, this number drops dramatically as resolution and settings increase. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS falls to 34, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. The GPU's lack of dedicated VRAM means it must copy textures and frame data to and from system memory over the memory bus, and at higher resolutions, the increased data volume overwhelms this shared bandwidth. The boost clock of 2500 MHz is decent, but the architecture is simply not designed for high-end gaming workloads, and the results in Inside confirm that it struggles to maintain 60 FPS at 1440p with High settings (56 FPS) and fails to do so at 4K with any preset above Low (70 FPS).

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

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings for this combo depend heavily on the target resolution. For a 60 FPS experience, the data provides clear boundaries.

At 1080p, the Medium preset yields an average of 125 FPS, with a minimum of 106 FPS and a maximum of 144 FPS. This is a smooth, highly playable experience that also offers better visual fidelity than Low (156 FPS). High settings at 1080p drop to 78 FPS, which is still above 60, but Ultra falls to 74 FPS. For the best balance of visual quality and performance at 1080p, Medium is the recommended preset, as it provides a significant frame rate buffer above the 60 FPS threshold while maintaining a consistent minimum above 100 FPS.

At 1440p, the situation becomes more constrained. Medium settings produce an average of 90 FPS, with a minimum of 76 FPS and a maximum of 103 FPS, which is still comfortably playable. High settings drop to 56 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target, and Ultra falls to 53 FPS. Therefore, at 1440p, Medium is the only preset that maintains an average above 60 FPS, making it the clear recommendation for a smooth experience.

At 4K, the options are limited. Low settings produce an average of 70 FPS, which is above 60 but may have noticeable visual degradation. Medium settings drop to 56 FPS, with a minimum of 48 FPS, which may cause visible stuttering in a game that relies on precise timing. High and Ultra are not viable, averaging 35 FPS and 34 FPS, respectively. For 4K, the data suggests that Low is the only preset that consistently hits the 60 FPS mark, though users sensitive to frame pacing issues may prefer Medium despite the lower average.

How This Combo Ranks, use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X and the Intel Arc B390 ranks 2547 out of 2887 tested combos for Inside, placing it in the bottom 12% of all configurations. This ranking is a direct consequence of the GPU's limited performance, as the CPU is well above average. The rank of 2547 indicates that this is a low-end pairing for this specific game, even though the CPU is capable of much more.

The data shows that the GPU's percentile of 9 is the primary driver of this low ranking. The CPU's percentile of 79 would typically suggest a high-performing system, but the GPU's performance drags the entire combo down. In comparison to other combos in the database, this pairing is likely outclassed by any system with a mid-range or high-end discrete GPU, even if paired with a weaker CPU. The ranking is a clear signal that the Arc B390 is not suited for gaming at the higher resolutions and settings that this CPU could otherwise support. For a game like Inside, which is not demanding on the CPU, the GPU is the sole determinant of the experience, and its limitations are fully exposed.

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

The resolution scaling patterns in the measured data are stark and reveal the GPU as the definitive bottleneck. From 1080p to 1440p, the average FPS drops by approximately 28% across most settings. For example, at Low settings, the drop is from 156 FPS to 112 FPS (a 28% reduction), and at Medium, from 125 FPS to 90 FPS (a 28% reduction). This is a typical scaling for a GPU that is becoming pixel-bound, but the drop is more severe than what would be expected from a purely GPU-limited scenario, suggesting that the shared memory bandwidth is also a factor.

From 1440p to 4K, the drop is even more pronounced. At Low settings, the FPS falls from 112 to 70, a 37.5% reduction. At Medium, it falls from 90 to 56, a 37.8% reduction. This amplified drop at 4K indicates that the GPU's pixel throughput and memory bandwidth are being saturated. The pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s is insufficient for 4K at high quality settings, and the lack of dedicated VRAM forces the GPU to rely on system memory, which is slower and shared with the CPU.

If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect the FPS to remain relatively constant across resolutions, as the game's logic would be the bottleneck. Instead, the FPS scales inversely with resolution, which is a classic sign of a GPU-limited workload. The CPU's strong single-thread performance (PassMark single-thread 4135) ensures that it is not the constraint, even at 1080p Low where the system is pushing 156 FPS. The conclusion is unambiguous: the Intel Arc B390 is the component that determines the performance ceiling, and its limitations become more apparent as the resolution increases.

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

The following is the exact measured average FPS data for the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X and Intel Arc B390 in Inside, organized by resolution and settings.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 156 FPS average
• Medium: 125 FPS average (minimum 106 FPS, maximum 144 FPS)
• High: 78 FPS average
• Ultra: 74 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 112 FPS average
• Medium: 90 FPS average (minimum 76 FPS, maximum 103 FPS)
• High: 56 FPS average
• Ultra: 53 FPS average

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 70 FPS average
• Medium: 56 FPS average (minimum 48 FPS, maximum 65 FPS)
• High: 35 FPS average
• Ultra: 34 FPS average

The data shows that at 1080p, all presets are playable, with even Ultra maintaining a 74 FPS average. At 1440p, the High and Ultra presets fall below 60 FPS, making Medium the highest playable preset. At 4K, only Low achieves an average above 60 FPS (70 FPS), while Medium is borderline at 56 FPS, and High and Ultra are not viable for smooth gameplay. The minimum FPS data for Medium settings shows a consistent pattern: at 1080p, the minimum is 106 FPS; at 1440p, it drops to 76 FPS; and at 4K, it falls to 48 FPS. This indicates that frame pacing becomes less stable as resolution increases, further confirming the GPU's struggle with higher pixel counts.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and preset for a smooth 60 FPS experience?

A: The data shows that 1080p Medium (125 FPS average) and 1440p Medium (90 FPS average) both provide a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. For 4K, only Low (70 FPS average) achieves an average above 60 FPS, while Medium (56 FPS average) falls short.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this configuration?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU's percentile ranking is 79, while the GPU's is 9. The FPS drops significantly with resolution (from 156 FPS at 1080p Low to 70 FPS at 4K Low), which is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck, as the CPU's workload does not scale with resolution.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Arc B390 has an average benchmark score of 1482. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, has a score of 1463, making the Arc B390 1.3% faster. It is also 1.5% faster than the GeForce 800M (1460) and 2.5% faster than the GeForce GT 625 OEM (1446).

Q: What is the performance difference between 1080p and 4K at High settings?

A: At 1080p High, the average FPS is 78. At 4K High, the average FPS drops to 35. This represents a 55% reduction in performance, highlighting the GPU's inability to handle the pixel count at higher resolutions.

Q: Can this combo run Inside at Ultra settings at any resolution?

A: Yes, at 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 74, which is playable. At 1440p Ultra, the average FPS drops to 53, and at 4K Ultra, it falls to 34 FPS, which is not smooth.

Q: Does the CPU's multi-threading capability affect the game's performance?

A: No, the data suggests it does not. The game is not CPU-intensive, and the CPU's multi-thread score (Cinebench R23 multi-core 15236) is not a factor. The FPS is determined by the GPU, as evidenced by the resolution scaling, not by the CPU's thread count.