Inside

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 pairing delivers a broad range of frame rates in Inside, from a highly playable 58 FPS at 4K High to a blistering 256 FPS at 1080p Low. This data reveals a system that scales dramatically with both resolution and graphical settings, suggesting a balance where the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, while the CPU’s strength becomes evident when the load is lightened. The measured results paint a picture of a capable, if not top-tier, combination for this puzzle platformer, ranking in the 78th percentile of tested configurations.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial, clearly identifying the GeForce RTX 2060 as the limiting factor at higher resolutions. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 128 at 1920x1080 to 92 at 2560x1440, a reduction of 36 FPS, and then further down to 58 at 3840x2160. This progression shows that the GPU’s rendering workload increases significantly with each pixel count step, and the performance penalty is consistent with a graphics card that is being pushed to its limits.

The scaling pattern is even more pronounced when looking at the Low preset. Here, the system achieves 256 FPS at 1080p, which drops to 184 FPS at 1440p, and then to 116 FPS at 4K. The fact that the 4K Low score (116 FPS) is still higher than the 1080p Ultra score (122 FPS) demonstrates that the game’s visual settings have a massive impact on the GPU load. This suggests that the RTX 2060’s compute units are the primary constraint in this title, as reducing the graphical complexity at a given resolution yields a much larger performance gain than reducing the resolution itself.

This data implies that for a locked 60 FPS experience at 4K, the user must significantly lower settings, as the High preset only manages 58 FPS. The jump from Medium (93 FPS) to High (58 FPS) at 4K is a steep 35 FPS drop, indicating that the High preset introduces a specific rendering feature that is particularly taxing on the Turing architecture. The gap between 1440p and 4K performance is wider than the gap between 1080p and 1440p, which is typical for a GPU with a 192-bit memory bus and 6 GB of VRAM, as the memory bandwidth becomes a critical factor at higher pixel densities.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, built on the 12 nm TU106 chip, is the clear performance bottleneck in this configuration at higher resolutions. Its 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s, which appears sufficient for Inside’s art style, but the 80.64 GPixel/s pixel rate and 201.6 GTexel/s texture rate are the metrics that likely dictate the frame rate at 4K. The GPU’s boost clock of 1680 MHz and base clock of 1365 MHz are standard for the 20-series, and the data shows that the card can handle 1080p and 1440p with ease, but struggles to maintain high frame rates at 4K with higher presets.

The benchmark results for the GPU show a Passmark G3D score of 14111, placing it in the 58th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals, including the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 and the AMD Radeon 680M, have nearly identical average scores, with deltas of 0.0% and 0.1% respectively. This indicates that while the RTX 2060 is not a high-end performer, it holds its own against a specific tier of graphics hardware. The measured FPS in Inside reflects this positioning: it is more than capable of delivering smooth gameplay at 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K results suggest that the card is operating at near its maximum capacity, especially with the High and Ultra presets.

The VRAM capacity of 6 GB is a point of interest. At 4K resolution, modern games often require more memory, but the data shows that Inside does not appear to be VRAM-limited, as the frame rates scale consistently with the processing power. The fact that the 4K Medium preset (93 FPS) is significantly higher than 4K High (58 FPS) points to a fill-rate or shader complexity bottleneck rather than a memory capacity issue. The GPU’s compute performance, measured at 5488 in Passmark GPU Compute, is likely the deciding factor in these scenarios, as the card’s 1920 shading units are fully utilized at higher settings.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F is a formidable partner for this GPU, providing ample headroom to prevent a CPU bottleneck in Inside. With 8 cores and 16 threads based on the Zen 5 architecture, this processor has a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. The Passmark single-thread score of 4691 and multithread score of 36470 place it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, indicating a very strong processor that is more than sufficient for the demands of this puzzle platformer.

The CPU’s performance relative to its rivals is tight, with the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX scoring 0.2% higher and the Intel Core i7-14700KF scoring 0.2% lower. This shows that the 9700F is in a highly competitive performance tier. In Inside, which is not typically a CPU-intensive title, the Ryzen 7 9700F’s high clock speeds and efficient architecture ensure that it never becomes the limiting factor. The evidence for this is the massive frame rates seen at 1080p Low (256 FPS), which far exceed what most displays can show, and even at 1080p Ultra (122 FPS), the GPU is still the primary constraint.

The CPU’s memory support for DDR5 with a dual-channel bus and 89.6 GB/s bandwidth also plays a role in feeding the GPU with data. While the game’s data set is not massive, the fast memory subsystem helps maintain high minimum frame rates, as seen in the Medium preset where the min FPS is 174 at 1080p. The processor’s 32 MB of shared L3 cache and 1 MB per-core L2 cache are also beneficial for keeping frequently accessed data close to the cores, reducing latency. This combination of high clock speeds, modern architecture, and fast memory means that the Ryzen 7 9700F is not a limiting factor in any of the measured configurations.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system is exceptionally fast. The Low preset achieves an average of 256 FPS, while Medium drops to 205 FPS (min 174, max 236). High settings yield 128 FPS, and Ultra averages 122 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra is a mere 6 FPS, suggesting that the Ultra preset adds minimal visual fidelity for a small performance cost. The scaling from Low to Ultra shows a 134 FPS range, demonstrating that the GPU is the primary driver of performance at this resolution, with the CPU providing enough power to avoid any bottleneck.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows the GPU beginning to strain. Low averages 184 FPS, Medium 147 FPS (min 125, max 169), High 92 FPS, and Ultra 88 FPS. The gap between High and Ultra narrows to just 4 FPS, indicating that these two presets are very similar in their GPU demands. The drop from 1080p Low to 1440p Low is 72 FPS, while the drop from 1080p High to 1440p High is 36 FPS, showing that the percentage loss is consistent as the resolution increases, but the absolute loss is larger at lower settings where the frame rate is higher.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 2060 is clearly the limiting component. The Low preset manages an average of 116 FPS, which is still smooth, but Medium drops to 93 FPS (min 79, max 106). High settings average 58 FPS, and Ultra only 55 FPS. The High and Ultra presets are nearly identical in performance, with just a 3 FPS difference, suggesting that the Ultra preset is not significantly more demanding. The minimum FPS of 79 at Medium shows that even at 4K, the system can avoid major frame drops, but the average frame rate will be a concern for users with high refresh rate 4K displays.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 ranks 2253 out of 2887 tested combos in Inside. This places it in the lower half of the database, which is somewhat surprising given the high CPU performance. The ranking indicates that while the CPU is a top-tier part, the GPU holds the combo back in the overall standings. Many other configurations likely feature more powerful graphics cards, which would allow for higher frame rates at 4K and with the Ultra preset.

The ranking suggests that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it performs admirably. The data shows that the CPU and GPU are well-matched at these resolutions, with the CPU providing significant headroom. However, the GPU’s 58th percentile ranking among all GPUs means that it is not a high-end part, and thus the combo’s overall rank is lower than what the CPU alone would suggest. The 4K results, where the GPU is the bottleneck, are the primary reason for the lower ranking.

For users considering this combo, the data implies that it is a balanced pairing for mainstream gaming. The 9700F will not hold the RTX 2060 back, and the system will deliver high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p. The rank of 2253 out of 2887 is a reflection of the GPU’s limits at higher resolutions and settings, not a sign of any inefficiency in the pairing itself. The CPU’s high percentile ranking ensures that it will be relevant for future GPU upgrades, making this a solid foundation for a gaming system.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS, the Medium preset is the most balanced for this hardware across all resolutions. At 1080p, it delivers 205 FPS, which is far beyond what any standard display can show, providing ample headroom for any frame rate fluctuations. At 1440p, it averages 147 FPS, which is excellent for high refresh rate monitors. Even at 4K, the Medium preset achieves 93 FPS, which is smooth and playable, making it the only preset above the 60 FPS threshold at this resolution.

The High preset is a viable option for 1080p and 1440p, with 128 FPS and 92 FPS respectively. However, at 4K, the High preset drops to 58 FPS, which is just below the standard 60 FPS refresh rate. For users with 4K displays, the Medium preset is clearly the better choice, as it provides a 35 FPS improvement over High. The Ultra preset offers negligible gains over High, with only a 6 FPS difference at 1080p and a 3 FPS difference at 4K, making it the least efficient choice in terms of performance per visual gain.

For users prioritizing the highest frame rates, the Low preset is the only option that consistently exceeds 100 FPS at 4K, with 116 FPS. However, the visual trade-off may be significant. The data suggests that the Medium preset is the sweet spot, providing a high frame rate at all resolutions while maintaining a balance between visual quality and performance. The 1440p Medium setting, with its 147 FPS average and 125 FPS minimum, appears to be the optimal configuration for a smooth and visually pleasing experience on this hardware.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest average frame rate this combo can achieve in Inside?*

A: The highest measured average frame rate is 256 FPS, which occurs at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

*Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Inside?*

A: Yes, but with limitations. At 4K with the Medium preset, it achieves 93 FPS (min 79, max 106). However, the High preset drops to 58 FPS, and the Ultra preset to 55 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its close rivals?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F scores within 0.9% of its nearest rivals. It is 0.2% slower than the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX, 0.2% faster than the Intel Core i7-14700KF, and 0.7% faster than the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X.

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

A: The difference is minimal. The High preset averages 92 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 88 FPS, a difference of only 4 FPS.

Q: Is the GPU a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the CPU is not a bottleneck, but the GPU does limit frame rates. At 1080p, the frame rate scales significantly with settings, from 256 FPS on Low to 122 FPS on Ultra, indicating the GPU is the primary factor in performance.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The lowest minimum frame rate recorded is 79 FPS, which occurs at 3840x2160 resolution with the Medium settings preset. This indicates the system maintains a playable frame rate even in demanding scenarios.