Inside

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 pairing delivers a robust experience in Inside, a Puzzle Platformer from 2016. The data shows this combo achieves high frame rates across all tested resolutions and settings, with performance scaling predictably as graphical load increases. This analysis examines how the CPU’s 8-core, 16-thread configuration and the GPU’s 8 GB of GDDR6 memory contribute to the measured results, and what the frame rate curves indicate about system bottlenecks.

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

The Ryzen 7 9700X is a Zen 5 (Granite Ridge) desktop processor with 8 cores and 16 threads, running at a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. For a game like Inside, which is a side-scrolling puzzle platformer rather than a massive open-world simulation, this processor is exceptionally powerful. The benchmark data confirms its strength: a single-thread score of 1280 in 3dmark and 4459 in Cinebench R23 single-core, alongside a multithread score of 31588 in Cinebench R23. This places the CPU in the 89th percentile versus all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 36029.

The game’s performance at lower resolutions highlights the CPU’s capability. At 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves 379.1 FPS, which is more than double the 4K High result. This suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is fully capable of feeding the GPU, and the frame rate is not limited by processor throughput. The 3dmark 2-thread score of 2525 and 4-thread score of 4869 indicate strong performance in lightly threaded workloads, which is relevant for a game of this genre that may not utilize all 16 threads effectively. The processor’s 32 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR5 memory support (89.6 GB/s bandwidth) provide ample headroom for game assets and physics calculations, ensuring that the CPU rarely becomes the bottleneck even in the most demanding scenes at higher refresh rates.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combo ranks 612th out of 1671 tested combinations, placing it in the upper-middle tier of all systems tested in this game. This rank is not a reflection of inadequate performance—it confirms how well-optimized Inside is. The game runs exceptionally well on a wide range of hardware, meaning that many combinations, including those with much weaker components, also achieve high frame rates. The data shows that this pairing is far above the median, but the sheer number of combos ahead of it (611) is due to the game’s low system requirements.

Relative to its nearest CPU rivals, the Ryzen 7 9700X is tightly clustered. It is 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core i5-14500HX, 0.6% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845, but 0.4% behind the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H and 0.8% behind the Intel Core Ultra 5 225H. These deltas are negligible, indicating that the CPU choice has minimal impact on overall score in this context. The GPU, however, is more differentiated. The RTX 3070 is 0.9% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT and 1% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti, but 0.6% behind the AMD FirePro S7150 and 1.1% behind the AMD Radeon R9 M295X. These rival comparisons show that the RTX 3070 sits in a competitive performance band, and the final combo rank is largely determined by the GPU’s contribution.

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

Examining the High settings preset across resolutions reveals a clear scaling pattern. At 1080p High, the combo delivers 189.8 FPS. Moving to 1440p High, the frame rate drops to 133.9 FPS, a reduction of approximately 29%. At 4K High, the average is 84.2 FPS, which is a further 37% drop from 1440p. This steep decline as resolution increases points directly to the GPU as the limiting component. The CPU’s performance remains constant regardless of resolution, so the frame rate decrease is purely due to the increased pixel count and shading workload.

The scaling is even more pronounced at Low settings. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 379.1 FPS. At 1440p Low, it drops to 272.9 FPS, and at 4K Low, it falls to 173.8 FPS. The ratio between 1080p and 4K Low is roughly 2.18x, while the ratio between 1080p and 4K High is 2.25x. This consistency suggests that the GPU’s pixel throughput is the primary constraint. The RTX 3070’s 20.31 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 448.0 GB/s memory bandwidth are being fully exercised at higher resolutions. The data implies that the CPU is never the bottleneck; even at 4K Low, the 173.8 FPS is far above what a typical 60 Hz or 144 Hz display requires, and the processor has ample headroom to spare.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across all settings. At 1080p, the combo ranges from 183.1 FPS at Ultra to 379.1 FPS at Low, with Medium at 301.7 FPS and High at 189.8 FPS. The jump from High to Ultra is modest (183.1 vs 189.8), while the drop from Medium to High is substantial (301.7 to 189.8). This suggests that the High preset introduces significant graphical effects that heavily tax the GPU, while Ultra adds only a marginal increase in load.

At 1440p, the results are 129.7 FPS at Ultra, 133.9 FPS at High, 217.1 FPS at Medium, and 272.9 FPS at Low. The relative pattern mirrors 1080p, with Ultra and High being nearly identical (129.7 vs 133.9) and Medium being a large step up. At 4K, the Ultra preset delivers 80.5 FPS, High 84.2 FPS, Medium 138.1 FPS, and Low 173.8 FPS. The 4K Ultra and High results are close, indicating that the game’s Ultra settings at this resolution are pushing the RTX 3070 to its limits, but still maintaining playable frame rates above 60 FPS. The data shows that Medium settings at 4K provide a significant performance boost (138.1 FPS) without a massive visual fidelity loss, making it a sweet spot for high-resolution play.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to maintain a consistent 144 FPS experience?

A: The data shows that at 1440p Medium, the combo achieves 217.1 FPS, and at 1080p High it hits 189.8 FPS. For a 144 Hz display, 1440p Medium is a safe choice, while 4K High (84.2 FPS) is only suitable for 60 Hz or lower refresh rates.

Q: How does the RTX 3070 compare to its nearest rival, the RX 6600 XT, in this game?

A: The RTX 3070 has an average benchmark score of 28238, which is 0.9% higher than the RX 6600 XT’s score of 27985. This translates to a marginal performance lead, but in actual gameplay, the measured FPS will be nearly identical.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck at 1080p Low settings?

A: At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 379.1 FPS. Given the CPU’s strong single-thread performance (1280 in 3dmark single-thread), the GPU is almost certainly the limiting factor, as the processor has ample headroom to generate frames faster than the GPU can render them.

Q: What is the performance difference between High and Ultra settings at 4K?

A: The difference is minimal. At 4K High, the average FPS is 84.2, while at 4K Ultra it is 80.5. This 3.7 FPS difference indicates that Ultra settings add little extra visual load, but the GPU is already near its peak output.

Q: Does the Ryzen 7 9700X’s 16-thread capability benefit this game?

A: The game’s performance at 1440p High (133.9 FPS) and 4K High (84.2 FPS) suggests that the GPU is the primary constraint. The CPU’s multithread score of 31588 in Cinebench R23 is far above what is needed, indicating that extra threads are not a limiting factor in Inside.

Q: How does the combo’s rank of 612 out of 1671 reflect its actual gaming experience?

A: The rank is due to the game’s low system requirements, which allow many weaker combos to also hit high frame rates. The data shows this pairing still delivers 80.5 FPS at 4K Ultra, which is a smooth experience, so the rank undervalues its real-world capability.

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

For a balance of visual fidelity and frame rate, the Medium preset is the clear winner across all resolutions. At 1080p Medium, the combo delivers 301.7 FPS, which is more than enough for any high-refresh-rate monitor. At 1440p Medium, 217.1 FPS provides a fluid experience that exceeds the refresh rate of most gaming displays. Even at 4K Medium, 138.1 FPS is well above the 60 FPS threshold, making it the only preset that allows for high-resolution gaming without sacrificing smoothness. The High preset offers a marginal visual improvement over Medium but comes with a substantial performance cost—dropping from 301.7 to 189.8 FPS at 1080p and from 217.1 to 133.9 FPS at 1440p. This suggests that the High preset enables effects that are disproportionately expensive to render. The Ultra preset is nearly identical to High in performance (183.1 vs 189.8 at 1080p), so it can be enabled without additional penalty if the High look is desired. For most users, Medium is the recommended starting point, with the option to drop to Low (379.1 FPS at 1080p) for the absolute highest frame rates, or raise to High/Ultra for those who prioritize visuals over the headroom.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, based on the Ampere architecture with the GA104 chip, has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. The GPU’s base clock is 1500 MHz with a boost clock of 1725 MHz, and it offers 5888 shading units. In Inside, the GPU’s role is critical at higher resolutions, as evidenced by the frame rate scaling. The 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for this game, which is from 2016 and does not require massive texture memory pools. The measured FPS at 4K Ultra (80.5) indicates that the GPU’s compute power, rated at 20.31 TFLOPS FP32, is being fully utilized.

The GPU’s performance percentile of 72 versus all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 28238, places it in a solid mid-to-high range. Its nearest rivals show a tight cluster, with the RTX 3070 being just 1% ahead of the GTX 980 Ti and 0.9% ahead of the RX 6600 XT. This indicates that while the RTX 3070 is not a top-tier card by modern standards, it is more than capable of handling a well-optimized game like Inside. The data shows that the GPU is the primary factor in determining the final frame rate, especially at 4K, where the pixel fill rate and memory bandwidth become the limiting factors. The 448.0 GB/s bandwidth ensures that texture streaming and memory access are not bottlenecks, allowing the GPU to maintain high frame rates even at Ultra settings. The GPU’s 165.6 GPixel/s pixel rate supports the observed 4K performance, confirming that the RTX 3070 is well-matched to this CPU for this title.