Inside

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

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge). It operates with a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, which are the figures that directly influence how quickly it can process the game's logic and physics. For a puzzle platformer like Inside, the CPU demand is not as extreme as in large-scale strategy titles, but the single-thread performance is still the primary driver of frame pacing. The processor's benchmark scores reflect a strong single-core showing, with a 3dmark_single_thread score of 1253 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3603. These scores indicate that the CPU can handle the game's per-frame calculations without becoming a bottleneck, allowing the GPU to do most of the work.

The CPU's multi-threaded capabilities are also relevant, though less critical for this genre. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the chip scores 25525, and in Geekbench multi-core it reaches 15182. These results show that even if Inside were to offload some background tasks to other threads, the 12 threads available are more than sufficient. The L3 cache is 32 MB shared, which helps with data reuse in the game's relatively small scenes. Compared to its nearest rivals, the CPU sits comfortably in the middle of the pack. The Intel Core i5-13490F scores an average of 28173, while the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X has an average benchmark score of 28246, putting it 0.3% ahead. It is also 0.3% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 230, which scores 28164. The AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS and Intel Core i5-14500T are slightly ahead, with the 8845HS scoring 28369 (0.4% higher) and the 14500T scoring 28377 (0.5% higher). These deltas are negligible in gaming terms, suggesting that the 9600X is fully capable of feeding the GPU in this title.

The processor's 65 W TDP and use of DDR5 memory with a dual-channel configuration contribute to its efficiency, but the actual frame rates observed in the data are more dependent on the GPU. For Inside, the CPU's role is to maintain a consistent frame delivery, and the benchmark results suggest it does so without issue. The single-thread performance, in particular, ensures that the game's occasional complex physics puzzles are resolved quickly, preventing any stutter that might occur from a slower core. The data shows that at 1080p Low settings, the average frame rate reaches 420.1 FPS, which is far beyond what the CPU could limit, confirming that the 9600X is not a constraining factor at lower resolutions.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is the primary driver of the frame rates in Inside. This Ampere-architecture GPU features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 912.4 GB/s. For a game with the visual simplicity of Inside, this memory capacity is more than ample; the texture data and scene geometry for this puzzle platformer are not demanding by modern standards. The GPU's base clock is 1365 MHz, which boosts to 1665 MHz, and these clocks determine how quickly the shading units can process the game's lighting and shadow effects. With 10240 shading units, the RTX 3080 Ti has a massive parallel processing capability, which shows in the frame rate results.

The GPU's benchmark scores place it in the upper echelon, with a 3dmark_steel_nomad_dx12 score of 5077 and a Passmark G3D score of 26896. Its average benchmark score is 41224, which puts it 0.5% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 (41441) and 0.9% behind the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 (41610). It is also 1.1% behind the newer NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 (41687) and 1.6% behind the NVIDIA Tesla M40 (41897). These small differences are irrelevant at the frame rates observed here, as the GPU is never strained by the game's workload. The 34.10 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is far beyond what Inside requires, meaning the GPU operates well below its maximum capacity, leading to high average frame rates even at 4K.

The memory clock of 1188 MHz (19 Gbps effective) ensures that the GPU does not wait on data transfer, which is crucial for maintaining the high frame rates seen in the measurements. At 3840x2160 Ultra settings, the average frame rate is 95.4 FPS, which is still smooth, but the jump to High settings at the same resolution yields 101.7 FPS, showing that the GPU has headroom. The data indicates that the RTX 3080 Ti is overkill for this title, but that overkill translates into a consistent, high-refresh-rate experience across all resolutions.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achieved by this combo in Inside?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 420.1 FPS, which occurs at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rival, the Intel Core i5-13490F?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X has an average benchmark score of 28246, which is 0.3% higher than the Intel Core i5-13490F's score of 28173.

Q: Is the GPU's 12 GB VRAM sufficient for 4K gaming in this title?

A: Yes, the data shows that at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings, the average frame rate is 95.4 FPS, indicating the VRAM is not a limitation for Inside.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 2560x1440?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low setting produces an average of 329 FPS, while the Ultra setting produces 156.4 FPS, a difference of 172.6 FPS.

Q: How does the GPU's performance compare to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090?

A: The RTX 3080 Ti's average benchmark score is 41224, which is 0.5% lower than the RTX 3090's score of 41441.

Q: Does the CPU's 6-core configuration limit the frame rate at 1080p?

A: No, the data shows that at 1920x1080 with Medium settings, the average frame rate is 364.2 FPS, which is not CPU-limited, as the single-thread performance is strong.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti ranks 253rd out of 1671 tested combos in Inside. This placement in the 85th percentile of all combos indicates that this pairing is well above average for this game. The high rank is largely attributable to the GPU's raw power, which dominates the frame rate results, rather than the CPU, which is competent but not the primary factor. The data shows that this combo outperforms the vast majority of other systems tested, with only 252 combinations achieving higher average frame rates across the various settings and resolutions.

The rank of 253 suggests that while this is not an absolute top-tier setup (which would require a more recent GPU like the RTX 5070, which is only 1.1% faster in benchmarks), it is still a very strong performer. The fact that the combo sits in the top 15% of all tested systems means that for a puzzle platformer like Inside, the user will experience near-maximum performance. The CPU's position within its own peer group (85th percentile of all CPUs) and the GPU's position (83rd percentile of all GPUs) both contribute to this solid ranking. The slight delta between the CPU and its nearest rivals does not affect the gaming outcome, as the GPU is the limiting factor only at extremely high frame rates, which the game does not require.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates provide a clear picture of how the combo scales across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the Low setting yields an average of 420.1 FPS, which is the highest recorded. Moving to Medium reduces the average to 364.2 FPS, a drop of 55.9 FPS. High settings produce 231.5 FPS, and Ultra settings lower the average to 217.7 FPS. The scaling is not linear, with the largest gap between Medium and High (132.7 FPS), indicating that High settings introduce significant visual effects that impact performance.

At 2560x1440, the pattern is similar but with lower overall frame rates. Low settings average 329 FPS, Medium averages 261.2 FPS, High averages 165.5 FPS, and Ultra averages 156.4 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra is only 9.1 FPS, suggesting that the Ultra preset adds minimal visual improvements over High at this resolution. At 3840x2160, the frame rates are the lowest but still highly playable. Low settings average 207.9 FPS, Medium averages 162.5 FPS, High averages 101.7 FPS, and Ultra averages 95.4 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium is 45.4 FPS, while the gap between High and Ultra is just 6.3 FPS, again showing diminishing returns at the highest settings.

The data shows that the GPU maintains over 95 FPS even at 4K Ultra, which is impressive for a game of this type. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p reduces performance by roughly 20-25% across settings, while the jump from 1440p to 4K reduces performance by about 40-50%. This indicates that the GPU is bandwidth-limited at higher resolutions, but the 912.4 GB/s bandwidth is sufficient to keep frame rates above 90 FPS in all cases.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience for this combo depends on the user's display refresh rate and resolution preference. For a 1080p display with a 240 Hz refresh rate, the High setting is the optimal choice, as it produces 231.5 FPS, which is close to the refresh rate cap, while Ultra at 217.7 FPS is also viable. For a 1440p display with a 165 Hz refresh rate, the High setting at 165.5 FPS is the perfect match, providing the highest visual quality without exceeding the display's capability. The Ultra setting at 156.4 FPS is also acceptable, but the difference in visual quality is minimal.

For 4K displays, the High setting at 101.7 FPS is recommended for those with 120 Hz displays, as it provides a smooth experience with good visual fidelity. The Ultra setting at 95.4 FPS is a viable alternative for users who prioritize visual quality over frame rate, but the 6.3 FPS difference between High and Ultra suggests that High is the more sensible choice. The Low and Medium settings are not recommended for this GPU, as they leave significant performance on the table. The data shows that even at 4K, the GPU has enough headroom to run High settings comfortably, so there is no need to drop to Medium or Low unless the user is targeting frame rates above 200 FPS at lower resolutions.

In summary, the High preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance across all resolutions, with the 1080p High setting providing the highest absolute frame rate (231.5 FPS) that is still visually rich. For users with high-refresh-rate 1080p or 1440p monitors, the High preset is the clear winner, while for 4K users, High is also the recommended starting point, with Ultra as a fallback for those who prefer maximum detail.