Inside

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti delivers a highly capable experience in Inside, a puzzle platformer that is far more demanding at higher settings than its minimalist aesthetic suggests. The measured frame rates across resolutions reveal a configuration that scales predictably, with the GPU acting as the primary constraint at 4K while the CPU provides ample headroom at lower resolutions. This analysis breaks down the measured performance data, providing a clear picture of what this specific hardware combination offers.

Resolution Scaling

The data shows a classic GPU-bound scaling pattern, though the magnitude of the drop is heavily influenced by the graphics preset. At 1080p with Low settings, the combination produces an average of 216.8 FPS. Moving to 1440p reduces this to 160 FPS, a 26% decrease, and then to 96.7 FPS at 4K, a further 40% drop from the 1440p figure. This steep decline from 1440p to 4K is a clear indicator that the GTX 1660 Ti's rendering pipeline is saturated, and the pixel fill rate becomes the limiting factor.

The scaling is more moderate when the workload is heavier on the GPU. At High settings, the average frame rate moves from 111.7 FPS at 1080p to 77.6 FPS at 1440p (a 31% reduction) and finally to 49 FPS at 4K (a 37% reduction from 1440p). The Ultra preset shows a similar pattern, with the frame rate dropping from 105.5 FPS at 1080p to 72.8 FPS at 1440p and then to 47 FPS at 4K. The fact that the 4K to 1440p ratio is relatively consistent across High and Ultra presets suggests that the GPU is consistently the bottleneck at these higher resolutions, with the CPU not being a limiting factor.

The most telling observation is the difference between the Low and Ultra presets at the same resolution. At 1080p, the gap is enormous: 216.8 FPS versus 105.5 FPS. This 111 FPS difference shows that the GPU is doing significantly more work at Ultra, but it is still not fully maxed out. However, at 4K, the gap narrows to just 49.7 FPS (96.7 versus 47). This convergence at 4K confirms that the GPU's raw throughput, rather than any other system component, is the hard ceiling for performance. The CPU is never the primary constraint, as even the most demanding 4K Ultra scenario still yields a playable 47 FPS.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1080p with High settings?

A: The measured average frame rate is 111.7 FPS. This provides a smooth, high-refresh experience for the game's core mechanics.

Q: How does the 4K Ultra performance compare to 1080p Ultra?

A: The average frame rate drops from 105.5 FPS at 1080p to 47 FPS at 4K. This represents a 55% reduction in performance, highlighting the significant cost of rendering at four times the pixel count.

Q: Is the GTX 1660 Ti a bottleneck at 4K?

A: Yes. The data indicates a clear GPU bottleneck. With a 6 GB VRAM buffer and a 288.0 GB/s memory bandwidth, the card is saturated at 4K, as evidenced by the 4K High average of 49 FPS and 4K Ultra average of 47 FPS, which are very close together.

Q: What is the highest average frame rate recorded for this configuration?

A: The highest average frame rate is 216.8 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This shows the system can easily handle very high refresh rates when visual fidelity is reduced.

Q: How large is the performance gap between Medium and High settings at 1440p?

A: The gap is substantial. Medium settings yield an average of 128 FPS, while High settings yield 77.6 FPS. This 50 FPS difference demonstrates that the High preset introduces a significant rendering workload increase.

Q: What does the data suggest about the CPU's role in this game?

A: The Ryzen 7 3700X, with its 8 cores and 16 threads, provides more than enough processing power. The consistent frame rate drops with increasing resolution indicate the workload is being transferred to the GPU, and the CPU is not limiting the frame rate in any of the measured scenarios.

Settings Recommendations

For players prioritizing a high refresh rate experience at 1080p, the Low preset is exceptional, delivering an average of 216.8 FPS. This is ideal for competitive or fast-paced gameplay. The Medium preset still provides an excellent 177.2 FPS average, which is likely a better balance of visual quality and performance for most users at this resolution. High and Ultra presets, while still playable at 111.7 and 105.5 FPS respectively, offer diminishing returns in a game with a primarily monochromatic and atmospheric art style.

At 1440p, the Medium preset is the clear sweet spot. The 128 FPS average provides a fluid experience that takes full advantage of the resolution. The High preset, at 77.6 FPS, is also viable for those who prefer higher fidelity, but the 40% performance cost over Medium is significant. The Ultra preset drops to 72.8 FPS, which is a marginal difference from High but may not justify the potential for more demanding scenes.

For 4K gaming, the data suggests a fundamental trade-off. The Low preset is the only option that provides a truly smooth experience, averaging 96.7 FPS. The Medium preset, at 78.8 FPS, is also acceptable for many players. However, the High and Ultra presets, at 49 and 47 FPS respectively, are likely to feel less responsive. Given the minimal visual differences between Medium and High in this title, the Medium preset at 4K is the recommended choice for a balanced experience, ensuring the frame rate stays comfortably above 60 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

1920x1080

• Low: 216.8 FPS
• Medium: 177.2 FPS
• High: 111.7 FPS
• Ultra: 105.5 FPS

The scaling from Low to Medium is a 22% drop, but from Medium to High, the cost is much steeper at 37%. The jump from High to Ultra is relatively minor, at 6%.

2560x1440

• Low: 160 FPS
• Medium: 128 FPS
• High: 77.6 FPS
• Ultra: 72.8 FPS

At this resolution, the gap between Medium and High is pronounced, a 39% reduction. The difference between High and Ultra narrows further to just 6.6%.

3840x2160

• Low: 96.7 FPS
• Medium: 78.8 FPS
• High: 49 FPS
• Ultra: 47 FPS

At 4K, the performance hierarchy compresses. The Medium to High drop is 38%, but the High to Ultra drop is only 4%, showing that the GPU is hitting its absolute limits. The 4K Low preset is the only one to maintain an average above 90 FPS.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti is the decisive component in this configuration for Inside. Built on the Turing architecture with a TU116 chip, it operates at a base clock of 1500 MHz and a boost clock of 1770 MHz. The card's 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s. These specifications are the primary drivers of the frame rates observed.

The benchmark data shows that the GPU's performance relative to its peers is solid. It scores 12,871 in the Passmark G3D benchmark, placing it in the 55th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival is the AMD Radeon RX 570X, which scores 13,871, a delta of 0.4%. This indicates that the GTX 1660 Ti is positioned in the mid-range tier, which aligns with its 4K performance in this game.

The VRAM capacity and bandwidth are sufficient for the game's assets at 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K results suggest that the memory subsystem and the GPU's compute units are overwhelmed. The fact that the 4K High (49 FPS) and 4K Ultra (47 FPS) scores are nearly identical indicates that the card cannot process additional visual effects at this resolution; it is already fully saturated. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1,061 and the Geekbench Vulkan score of 58,014 further contextualize its raw compute power, which is simply insufficient to maintain high frame rates at 4K with advanced settings. The data confirms that while the CPU provides a stable foundation, the GTX 1660 Ti's capabilities define the performance envelope for this game.