Inside

Inside is a puzzle platformer from 2016 that places modest demands on modern hardware, and the measured results for the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 confirm this. The data shows a configuration that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, yet capable of delivering very high frame rates even at 4K, making it an excellent match for high-refresh-rate displays at 1080p and 1440p. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS across resolutions and settings, examines the roles of the CPU and GPU, and provides recommendations based strictly on the benchmark data.

Resolution Scaling

The measured frame rates reveal a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases, with the most significant drop occurring between 1080p and 1440p. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 168.9 at 1920x1080 to 118.3 at 2560x1440, a reduction of approximately 30%. The transition from 1440p to 4K (3840x2160) is less severe proportionally, with the average dropping from 118.3 to 77.7, a further 34% decrease. This pattern indicates that the RTX 4060's rendering load is scaling as expected with pixel count, but the game's relatively simple visuals mean the GPU is not overwhelmed until the highest resolution.

The scaling behavior at Low settings is even more telling about the system's capabilities. At 1080p Low, the configuration achieves 242.3 FPS, which drops to 215.5 at 1440p and then to 151.2 at 4K. The relatively small penalty from 1080p to 1440p (about 11%) suggests that at lower settings, the CPU begins to play a more significant role in limiting performance, as the GPU has ample headroom to render frames quickly. However, the jump to 4K still imposes a substantial 30% performance cost, showing that even at Low settings, the sheer pixel count of 4K becomes a bottleneck for the GPU.

At Ultra settings, the story is similar but with lower absolute numbers. The configuration delivers 156.5 FPS at 1080p, 115.4 at 1440p, and 70.4 at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is the only measured scenario that falls below the 77.7 FPS High-settings equivalent, indicating that the combination of maximum visual fidelity and 4K resolution is the most demanding workload tested. The data suggests that for 4K gaming, users will need to compromise on settings to maintain high frame rates, while 1080p and 1440p offer substantial headroom across all presets.

The limiting component at 4K is clearly the GPU, as evidenced by the wide spread between Low (151.2 FPS) and Ultra (70.4 FPS) at that resolution. The RTX 4060's 8 GB of VRAM and 128-bit memory interface are sufficient for this game, but the rendering workload at 4K Ultra is substantial enough to cut performance by more than half compared to 4K Low. This is a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario, where the CPU has minimal impact on the final frame rate.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X is a Zen 2 architecture processor with 8 cores and 16 threads, base clocked at 3.60 GHz and boosting to 4.40 GHz. In the context of Inside, this CPU is massively overqualified. The game is a side-scrolling puzzle platformer that does not require significant multi-threaded processing power. The measured FPS at 1080p Low (242.3) and 1080p Medium (226.7) suggests the CPU is more than capable of feeding frames to the GPU without becoming a limiting factor.

The CPU's benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 19087 and a single-core score of 2694, place it in the 85th percentile against all CPUs. Its nearest rivals in average benchmark score include the Intel Core i5-12600 and the AMD Ryzen 5 5600XT, with deltas of -0.1% and 0.1% respectively, indicating that the 3700X is competitive with much newer mid-range processors. For a game like Inside, which likely relies on a few primary threads for game logic and physics, the 3700X's single-thread performance is more than sufficient, and its 16 threads provide ample headroom for any background tasks.

The data shows that at 1080p, the difference between Low and High settings is 73.4 FPS (242.3 vs 168.9), which is a substantial gap driven almost entirely by GPU load. However, the fact that the system can exceed 240 FPS at 1080p Low indicates that the CPU is not the bottleneck at these settings. If the CPU were limiting performance, we would expect to see a plateau in frame rates regardless of resolution or settings. Instead, the consistent scaling from 1080p to 4K across all presets confirms that the CPU is delivering frames well above what the GPU can render in most scenarios.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is the primary driver of performance in this configuration. Its boost clock of 2460 MHz and 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus provide 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's benchmark scores, including a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2302 and a Passmark G3D score of 19545, place it in the 66th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in average benchmark score are the AMD Radeon RX 6600M (delta -0.6%) and the Intel Arc B580 (delta 0.7%), showing it is a solid mid-range performer.

In Inside, the GPU's role becomes increasingly dominant as resolution rises. At 1080p, the RTX 4060 can easily render over 150 FPS even at Ultra settings (156.5), demonstrating that the game's visual effects are not particularly taxing for this Ada Lovelace architecture GPU. The 4K results show the GPU's limits more clearly: at High settings it manages 77.7 FPS, but at Ultra it drops to 70.4 FPS. This 9.4% performance penalty for moving from High to Ultra at 4K is relatively modest, suggesting that the Ultra preset adds effects that are not disproportionately expensive.

The GPU's memory configuration deserves attention. With 8 GB of VRAM, the RTX 4060 is well-suited for a game like Inside, which was released in 2016 and does not feature large texture packs or high-resolution assets. The measured performance does not indicate any VRAM-related stuttering or frame drops at 4K Ultra, which suggests that the 8 GB capacity is sufficient for this title. The memory bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s is also ample for the game's data throughput requirements, as evidenced by the smooth scaling from 1080p to 4K.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured frame rates, the optimal settings depend heavily on the user's target resolution and refresh rate. At 1920x1080, the High preset delivers 168.9 FPS, which is more than sufficient for any modern high-refresh-rate monitor. The Ultra preset drops to 156.5 FPS, still excellent, but the 7% performance cost over High may not be worth the marginal visual improvement in a game with this art style. For 1080p, High is the recommended balance, as it maintains a substantial frame rate headroom.

At 2560x1440, the High preset achieves 118.3 FPS, which is ideal for 120 Hz displays. The Ultra preset at this resolution delivers 115.4 FPS, only a 2.5% penalty over High, making Ultra a viable choice for users with 1440p monitors. The Medium preset provides 192 FPS, but the jump from Medium to High is a 38% reduction in frame rate, indicating that High is the sweet spot for visual fidelity versus performance. For 1440p, High or Ultra are both excellent choices, with the latter offering the best visuals without a significant performance hit.

At 3840x2160, the High preset is the only sensible choice for a smooth experience, delivering 77.7 FPS. The Ultra preset at 70.4 FPS is playable but may not be ideal for users sensitive to frame rate fluctuations. The Low preset at 151.2 FPS is overkill for a 4K display, and the Medium preset at 121.6 FPS is also highly playable. For 4K, High is the recommended preset, as it offers the best compromise between visual quality and frame rate, staying above the 60 FPS threshold with a comfortable margin.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Inside at 4K with maximum settings?

A: Yes, but with a caveat. The measured average FPS at 4K Ultra is 70.4, which is above the 60 FPS standard. However, the 4K High preset delivers 77.7 FPS, a 10% improvement, making it a more comfortable option for maintaining higher frame rates.

Q: What is the best resolution for a 144 Hz monitor?

A: At 1080p, the High preset delivers 168.9 FPS, which exceeds a 144 Hz refresh rate. At 1440p, the High preset delivers 118.3 FPS, which falls short of 144 Hz but is still very smooth. For a 144 Hz display, 1080p with High settings is the only resolution that fully saturates the refresh rate based on the data.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 compare to its nearest rivals in this game?

A: The benchmark data shows the RTX 4060's average GPU score is 23181, with the AMD Radeon RX 6600M scoring 23321 (delta -0.6%) and the Intel Arc B580 scoring 23021 (delta 0.7%). In Inside, the RTX 4060's measured performance is more than adequate, but these rival comparisons are based on synthetic benchmarks, not in-game FPS.

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 3700X a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The data suggests it is not. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 242.3 FPS, and at Medium it hits 226.7 FPS. The high frame rates at these settings indicate the CPU can feed the GPU sufficiently. The 3700X's Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2694 supports its capability for gaming workloads.

Q: What is the performance difference between High and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: The measured difference is minimal. At 1440p High, the average FPS is 118.3, while at Ultra it is 115.4. This 2.5% performance penalty is negligible, making Ultra a reasonable choice for users who prioritize visual quality at 1440p.

Q: Does the 8 GB VRAM limit performance at 4K?

A: Based on the measured data, no. The system achieves 77.7 FPS at 4K High and 70.4 FPS at 4K Ultra, with no indications of VRAM-related issues. The game's 2016 release date means it does not have high memory demands, and the 8 GB GDDR6 memory is sufficient for this title.