Inside

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X and AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT combination delivers an exceptional experience in Inside, a puzzle platformer where frame rates are so high that they often exceed the refresh rate of most displays. The measured data shows this pairing is not merely capable, but overwhelmingly powerful for this title, with performance scaling predictably across resolutions and settings. The benchmark results indicate a system that can render this game at frame rates exceeding 400 FPS at 1080p on Low settings, and still maintain a fluid 88.3 FPS at 4K Ultra, making it a definitive choice for high-refresh-rate displays.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience, the High preset at 2560x1440 represents the optimal balance between visual fidelity and performance. The data shows a 146.8 FPS average at this combination, which is well above the threshold for smooth gameplay and leaves significant headroom for any potential dips in more complex scenes. Moving from High to Ultra at this resolution costs a modest 3.6 FPS (143.2 FPS), a negligible difference that suggests Ultra is also a viable option for those who prioritize maximum visual quality without concern for the small performance hit.

At 1920x1080, the High preset is the most sensible choice, as it delivers a 204.9 FPS average. While the Low preset achieves a staggering 411.5 FPS, the visual compromise is unnecessary given that High already provides a frame rate that far exceeds any standard display's capabilities. The Ultra preset at 1080p, with 198.1 FPS, is also an excellent option, offering the highest fidelity while still maintaining a performance level that is indistinguishable from High in practical terms.

The 4K Ultra setting is the only combination in the dataset that approaches a potential performance bottleneck, with an 88.3 FPS average. This is still a very playable frame rate, but the data suggests that for 4K displays, the High preset (90.7 FPS) is the recommended starting point. The difference between High and Ultra at 3840x2160 is only 2.4 FPS, indicating that the game is not heavily taxing the GPU at this resolution, and users can comfortably choose either preset based on personal preference. The Medium presets offer a middle ground, but the high performance of the High and Ultra presets makes them the more compelling choices for this hardware.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest average frame rate recorded for this combo in Inside?*

A: The highest average frame rate is 411.5 FPS, achieved at the 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This demonstrates the immense headroom this hardware has for this game.

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

A: The 4K Ultra setting produces an average of 88.3 FPS, while 1440p High delivers 146.8 FPS. This represents a significant 58.5 FPS advantage for the 1440p High configuration, showing the scaling impact of resolution and settings.

Q: In this game, which component is more likely to be the limiting factor?

A: The data implies that the GPU is the primary scaling factor. As resolution increases from 1080p to 4K, frame rates drop consistently, which is characteristic of GPU-bound performance. The CPU's role appears less critical, as even at 4K Low, the system achieves 188.8 FPS, indicating the CPU is not a bottleneck at any tested setting.

Q: Is the Ryzen 5 9600X's single-thread performance relevant for this game?

A: Yes, the CPU's strong single-thread performance, evidenced by a 3dmark_single_thread score of 1253, is beneficial for maintaining high frame rates in this type of game. The data shows that even at lower resolutions where CPU load is relatively higher, the system is able to produce frame rates exceeding 198 FPS on Ultra settings, suggesting the CPU's single-core capabilities are more than adequate.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested system combinations for this game?

A: The combo ranks 442nd out of 1671 tested combinations. This places it in the top 26.5% of all systems tested, which is a strong result but not at the very top, likely due to the presence of higher-tier components in the database.

Q: Does the game have a preference for the High or Ultra preset at 4K?

A: The data shows a negligible difference between the two. High averages 90.7 FPS while Ultra averages 88.3 FPS, a difference of only 2.4 FPS. This suggests that either preset is viable at 4K, and the choice between them comes down to a preference for maximum visual detail versus a slightly higher frame rate buffer.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture, with a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. For a puzzle platformer like Inside, the game's workload is not particularly demanding on multi-threaded performance. The data supports this, as the system achieves extremely high frame rates across all tested configurations, suggesting that the CPU's 12 threads are rarely, if ever, a limiting factor.

The CPU's single-core performance, however, is crucial for maintaining high frame rates. The 3dmark_single_thread score of 1253 indicates a strong single-core capability. This is reflected in the game's performance, particularly at 1080p where the system hits 411.5 FPS on Low settings. At this resolution, the CPU's ability to process game logic and draw calls quickly becomes more relevant, and the 9600X's high boost clock of 5.40 GHz ensures it can keep up with the GPU's output. The data shows a clear pattern: as resolution increases and the GPU becomes more stressed, the frame rates drop, but the CPU still provides a solid foundation for the 90.7 FPS at 4K High.

The processor's strong benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 25525 and a singlecore score of 3603, further confirm its overall capability. In this specific game, the CPU's performance is more than sufficient, with the data showing a performance that is never constrained by the processor. The 3dmark_16_threads score of 7585 and the passmark_multithread score of 30027 indicate a well-rounded processor that can handle the game's requirements with ease, leaving the GPU as the primary determinant of final frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X and the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT achieves a combo rank of 442 out of 1671 tested combinations in Inside. This places it in the top 26.5% of all systems tested, a solid performance that aligns with the high frame rates observed. The CPU's individual percentile of 85 (vs all CPUs) and the GPU's percentile of 76 (vs all GPUs) indicate that both components are above average, and their pairing results in a system that is well-positioned for this game.

The ranking, while not at the very top, suggests that there are other combinations with more powerful components that can achieve even higher frame rates, particularly at 4K Ultra. The data shows that this combo's 4K Ultra score of 88.3 FPS is strong, but it is not in the highest tier. The CPU's nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i5-13490F and the AMD Ryzen 5 230, have very similar average benchmark scores (28173 and 28164, respectively, with deltaPct of 0.3% from the 9600X's 28246). This indicates that the CPU's performance is on par with its direct competitors. The GPU's nearest rivals, including the AMD FirePro S9300 X2 and the NVIDIA P104-100, also show very small performance deltas (0.2% and -0.4%, respectively), confirming the 7800 XT's position in the GPU hierarchy.

The rank of 442 reflects the balanced nature of this pairing. It is not a top-tier, enthusiast-level configuration, but it is a high-performance combo that delivers an excellent experience in this game, as evidenced by the frame rates being consistently above 88 FPS even at the most demanding settings.

Resolution Scaling

The data shows a clear and predictable scaling of performance with resolution, highlighting the GPU-bound nature of Inside. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 on High settings, the average frame rate drops from 204.9 FPS to 146.8 FPS, a 28.4% decrease. Further scaling to 3840x2160 results in a 90.7 FPS average, a 38.2% drop from the 1440p figure. This pattern is consistent across all settings, with the Low preset showing the most dramatic decline from 411.5 FPS at 1080p to 188.8 FPS at 4K, a 54.1% reduction.

This scaling behavior is a classic indicator of a GPU-limited scenario. The CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with data fast enough, but the GPU's rendering workload increases significantly with resolution. The fact that the frame rate at 4K Low (188.8 FPS) is still higher than the frame rate at 1080p Ultra (198.1 FPS) is particularly telling. It shows that the GPU is the primary bottleneck, as the same GPU can produce a higher frame rate at a higher resolution when the graphical settings are lowered. In contrast, if the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see a much smaller performance difference between resolutions at the same settings. The data suggests that for 1080p and 1440p gaming, this combo has massive headroom, and the frame rates are more likely to be limited by the display's refresh rate rather than the hardware's capability.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the combo's performance across all settings and resolutions.

At 1920x1080, the system delivers exceptional performance. The Low preset leads with 411.5 FPS, followed by Medium at 331.4 FPS, High at 204.9 FPS, and Ultra at 198.1 FPS. These figures are all well above 144 FPS, making this an ideal setup for high-refresh-rate monitors at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains very high. The Low preset averages 294 FPS, while Medium yields 237.1 FPS. The High preset produces 146.8 FPS, and Ultra is close behind at 143.2 FPS. This resolution offers a good balance between visual quality and performance, with the High and Ultra presets comfortably exceeding 60 FPS for a smooth experience.

At 3840x2160, the performance begins to show the expected scaling. The Low preset still manages an impressive 188.8 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 149.1 FPS. The High preset averages 90.7 FPS, and Ultra is the most demanding, with an 88.3 FPS average. Even at 4K Ultra, the system maintains a frame rate that is perfectly playable, though it is no longer in the "high refresh rate" territory. The data shows a consistent and logical progression, with each increment in resolution or settings reducing the average FPS in a predictable manner.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT is the primary driver of performance in this game. With 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus and a bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s, it has ample resources to handle the game's textures and rendering requirements at all tested settings. The GPU's architecture, RDNA 3.0, with 3840 shading units and a boost clock of 2430 MHz, provides the raw compute power needed for high frame rates.

The data strongly indicates that the GPU is the limiting component in this game. This is evident from the performance scaling across resolutions. When the resolution is increased, the frame rate drops significantly, which is a hallmark of GPU-bound performance. The GPU's 3dmark_steel_nomad_dx12 score of 4157 and passmark_g3d score of 24176 are strong indicators of its overall capability. The fact that the system can achieve 411.5 FPS at 1080p Low shows that the GPU is not being fully utilized at lower resolutions, but its performance ceiling is reached as the resolution and settings are increased.

The 16 GB of VRAM is more than sufficient for Inside, and it is unlikely to be a limiting factor in any scenario. The GPU's high memory bandwidth ensures that texture data can be streamed quickly, contributing to the consistent frame rates observed. The benchmark results confirm that the 7800 XT is a high-performance card, and in this game, its role is to provide the graphical horsepower that determines the final frame rate, with the CPU providing a stable and capable foundation that never holds it back.