Inside

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 combination delivers extraordinarily high frame rates in Inside, a 2016 puzzle platformer. The data shows that this pairing is heavily GPU-limited at higher resolutions, but at 1080p, the CPU’s capabilities are pushed to their limits, resulting in performance that far exceeds the display refresh rates of most monitors. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS data to explain exactly how the processor and graphics card contribute to the game’s output, and where the true bottleneck lies.

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

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F is an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. In a game like Inside, which is a side-scrolling puzzle platformer rather than a massive open-world simulation, the demands on the CPU are relatively modest compared to the GPU. However, the data indicates that this processor is more than sufficient to feed the RTX 4090, especially at lower resolutions where the graphics card’s workload is lighter.

At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 431 FPS. This is the highest FPS recorded across all settings at that resolution, and it underscores that the Ryzen 7 9700F’s high single-thread performance—evidenced by its PassMark single-thread score of 4691—is crucial for achieving such high frame rates. The CPU is not the limiting factor here; even the most demanding preset at 1080p (Ultra) yields 309 FPS, which is still incredibly high and indicates that the processor has ample headroom.

Comparing the Ryzen 7 9700F to its nearest rivals, its average benchmark score is 69996. This places it 0.2% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX and 0.7% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, but 0.2% behind the Intel Core i7-14700KF. These deltas are marginal, meaning that in a CPU-light game like Inside, swapping to any of these processors would likely produce almost identical results. The 9700F’s 32 MB of shared L3 cache and 89.6 GB/s of memory bandwidth are more than adequate for the game’s data streaming needs, ensuring that scene transitions and physics calculations do not cause stutters.

The PassMark multithread score of 36470 and the floating-point math score of 77955 suggest that the CPU is also capable of handling any background tasks or streaming software without impacting game performance. While the game might not use all 16 threads, the availability of them ensures that the system remains responsive. The boost clock of 5.50 GHz is particularly beneficial for Inside, as the game’s logic and collision detection often rely on single-threaded performance, and the data shows that the CPU can sustain high frame rates without bottlenecking the GPU, even at 1440p where the average FPS exceeds 222 across all presets.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is the flagship GPU of the GeForce 40-series, built on the Ada Lovelace architecture. With 24 GB of GDDR6X memory and a memory bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s, it has more than enough resources to handle Inside’s relatively simple visuals at any resolution. The boost clock of 2520 MHz and the massive 16384 shading units provide immense raw compute power, which is reflected in the game’s frame rates.

At 4K Ultra settings, the combo still manages an average of 140 FPS. This reflects the RTX 4090’s ability to push high resolutions, but it also shows that even this monster GPU begins to feel the strain of 4K rendering. The data reveals a clear pattern: as resolution increases, the average FPS drops, which is the classic sign of a GPU bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the GPU is not working hard at all, yielding 431 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, it is working much harder to fill those pixels, dropping to 140 FPS.

The GPU’s PassMark G3D score is 38194, and its percentile ranking is 88, meaning it is outperformed by only 12% of all GPUs. Interestingly, the nearest rivals listed—such as the Intel Arc Pro A60 and AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48—have similar average benchmark scores (60326 and 60140 respectively), with deltas of 0% and 0.3%. This is surprising given the RTX 4090’s reputation, but it is likely that the PassMark G3D test suite does not fully capture the card’s real-world gaming performance, especially in a lightweight title like Inside. In this game, the RTX 4090’s 24 GB of VRAM is never close to being exhausted; the game is not texture-heavy, so the memory capacity is irrelevant. The data shows that the GPU’s clock speed and shader count are the primary drivers of performance, and they are more than sufficient to produce high frame rates at 1440p and 4K, with the 1440p Medium preset hitting 356 FPS.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how performance scales with resolution. Moving from 1080p to 1440p to 4K, the average frame rates drop consistently across all settings, but the percentage drop is not uniform. At High settings, the average FPS goes from 325 at 1080p to 234 at 1440p, a drop of 91 FPS (28%). Then, moving from 1440p to 4K, the average drops from 234 to 147 FPS, a further drop of 87 FPS (37%). This increasing rate of decline as resolution increases is a strong indicator that the GPU is becoming the limiting factor.

At Low settings, the drop is even more pronounced. The average FPS at 1080p is 431, at 1440p it is 386, and at 4K it is 293. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 45 FPS (10%), but the drop from 1440p to 4K is 93 FPS (24%). This shows that at Low settings, the CPU is still able to keep up at 1440p, but the GPU’s workload increases significantly at 4K, causing a larger relative performance hit.

The most telling data point is the Medium preset, which is the only one with recorded minimum and maximum FPS values. At 1080p Medium, the average is 398 FPS, with a minimum of 338 and a maximum of 457. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 356 FPS, with a minimum of 303 and a maximum of 410. At 4K Medium, the average falls to 235 FPS, with a minimum of 200 and a maximum of 270. The minimum FPS values show that even in the most demanding scenes, the combo never drops below 200 FPS, which is exceptional. However, the fact that the gap between the average and minimum FPS widens at higher resolutions (97 FPS at 1080p, 53 FPS at 1440p, and 35 FPS at 4K) suggests that the GPU is taking longer to render complex frames, introducing more variance. Overall, the data confirms that this system is CPU-bound at 1080p, but becomes progressively more GPU-bound as resolution increases, with the GPU being the primary limiter at 4K.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and refresh rate of the user’s display. At 1080p, all presets deliver well over 300 FPS, making the choice purely about visual fidelity. The Ultra preset yields 309 FPS, which is still high enough to saturate a 240Hz or even 360Hz monitor. However, the difference between High (325 FPS) and Ultra (309 FPS) is only 16 FPS, so users with very high refresh rate displays might prefer High to ensure a more stable frame time, even though the minimum FPS data is not available for those presets.

At 1440p, the Medium preset provides an average of 356 FPS, with a minimum of 303 FPS. This is an excellent choice for users with 1440p 240Hz monitors, as it stays consistently above the refresh rate. The Ultra preset at 1440p drops to 222 FPS, which is still very good, but the Medium preset’s higher minimum FPS (303 vs. not recorded for Ultra) suggests a more consistent experience. For those prioritizing visual quality, High at 234 FPS is a solid middle ground.

At 4K, the data shows that the Medium preset is the sweet spot. It delivers an average of 235 FPS, with a minimum of 200 FPS, ensuring that the game remains smooth even in busy scenes. The High preset at 147 FPS is playable but noticeably lower, and the Ultra preset at 140 FPS is the lowest measured. The Low preset at 293 FPS is the highest at 4K, but it sacrifices visual quality for a frame rate that is likely unnecessary. Therefore, for 4K gaming, the Medium preset offers the best balance, providing high FPS while maintaining a reasonable level of graphical detail. In summary, the data recommends Medium at 4K, Medium or High at 1440p, and High or Ultra at 1080p, depending on refresh rate.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 combination ranks 35th out of 2887 tested combos in Inside. This places it in the top 1.2% of all tested systems, which is an exceptional result. The data shows that this rank is driven by the GPU’s raw power, as the CPU is not the limiting factor in the game’s performance. The high rank confirms the fact that this is one of the fastest configurations available for this game, despite its age.

The 2887 combos tested include a wide variety of CPUs and GPUs, ranging from budget parts to top-tier hardware. Ranking 35th means that only 34 other combinations managed to produce higher average FPS across the tested settings. Given that the RTX 4090 is an end-of-life product and the Ryzen 7 9700F is a recent release, this rank is expected. The data suggests that to beat this combo, one would likely need a newer, more powerful GPU (like the successor to the 4090), as the CPU has plenty of headroom. The fact that this combo is not ranked first indicates that there are a few processors that can push the RTX 4090 slightly harder in certain scenarios, but the difference is marginal, as evidenced by the CPU’s nearest rivals having deltas of less than 1%. Overall, this rank confirms that the combo is a top-tier performer in Inside, capable of delivering ultra-high refresh rate gaming at 1440p and high refresh rate gaming at 4K.

FAQ

*Q: What is the maximum average FPS this combo achieves in Inside?*

A: The maximum average FPS recorded is 431, which occurs at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: At what settings and resolution does this combo deliver the most consistent performance?

A: The Medium preset is the only one with recorded minimum FPS values. At 1920x1080 Medium, the average is 398 FPS with a minimum of 338 FPS, indicating very consistent performance. At 2560x1440 Medium, the average is 356 FPS with a minimum of 303 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 4K with Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 Ultra, the average FPS is 140. This is the lowest average recorded, and the significant drop from lower resolutions indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K.

Q: How does the Ryzen 7 9700F compare to the Intel Core i7-14700KF in terms of benchmark scores?

A: The Ryzen 7 9700F has an average benchmark score of 69996, while the Intel Core i7-14700KF has an average score of 70163. The 9700F is 0.2% behind the Intel chip.

*Q: How much VRAM does the RTX 4090 have, and is it sufficient for Inside?*

A: The RTX 4090 has 24 GB of GDDR6X memory. The data shows that this is more than sufficient for Inside, as the game’s visual complexity is low, and the GPU’s memory bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s ensures smooth performance.

Q: What is the combo’s rank among all tested systems in this game?

A: This combo ranks 35th out of 2887 tested combinations. This places it in the top 1.2% of all systems tested for Inside.