Inside

Inside is a 2016 puzzle platformer that, on paper, should not stress modern flagship hardware. Yet, the measured data for the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination reveals a fascinating exercise in frame rate scaling, where the GPU’s raw power and the CPU’s immense single-thread capabilities interact in unexpected ways across different resolutions and presets. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS to understand where the bottleneck lies and what the optimal settings are for this specific pairing.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate data across the three tested resolutions—1920x1080, 2560x1440, and 3840x2160—tells a clear story about the balance between the CPU and GPU in this system. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 426 FPS. This is a staggeringly high number, which suggests that the game is being pushed to its absolute limits, likely hitting engine-level or CPU-imposed ceilings. Moving to 1440p on the same Low preset, the average only drops to 381 FPS, a reduction of about 10.6%. At 4K Low, the average is 265 FPS, which is a 30.5% drop from 1080p. The fact that the delta from 1080p to 1440p is so small (45 FPS) compared to the jump from 1440p to 4K (116 FPS) indicates that at lower resolutions, the Ryzen 7 9700X’s processing power is the primary limiter, keeping the GPU from being fully utilized.

This pattern becomes even more pronounced when looking at the High preset. At 1080p High, the average FPS is 294. Stepping up to 1440p High yields 211 FPS, a 28.2% decrease. The leap to 4K High brings the average down to 133 FPS, another 37% reduction. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is more severe here than in the Low preset, suggesting that the increased graphical workload is starting to engage the GPU more significantly. However, the most telling data point is the difference between the Low and High presets at the same resolution. At 1080p, the gap is 426 FPS (Low) vs 294 FPS (High), a difference of 132 FPS. This massive gap indicates that the settings are heavily influencing the CPU's draw call overhead, not just the GPU's pixel-pushing ability.

The data strongly implies that the RTX 4080 is underutilized at 1080p and even at 1440p. The GPU only begins to become the limiting factor when the resolution increases to 4K, where the pixel fill rate and memory bandwidth demands become substantial. The 4K Low score of 265 FPS versus the 4K High score of 133 FPS illustrates this perfectly; the 132 FPS gap at 4K is nearly identical to the 132 FPS gap at 1080p, suggesting that the cost of the High preset is a constant in terms of CPU-side processing, while the GPU is finally the bottleneck at 4K. This points to a system where the Ryzen 7 9700X is so fast that it leaves the RTX 4080 wanting for more work until the resolution is cranked to its maximum.

How This Combo Ranks

The measured performance places this specific combination in a strong position relative to the broader database of tested system configurations. The `comboRankInGame` field shows a rank of 110 out of 3716 tested combos. This places the Ryzen 7 9700X + RTX 4080 pairing in the top 3% of all systems tested for Inside, which is an exceptional result for a title that is not particularly demanding. This high ranking is almost certainly a direct result of the CPU's extraordinary single-threaded performance, which is critical for a game that appears to have significant CPU-side constraints at lower resolutions.

To put this rank in perspective, the CPU’s own benchmark data shows it performing near the top of its class. Its average benchmark score of 37943 places it in the 86th percentile of all CPUs, and its nearest rivals are all within a 0.4% margin. The Ryzen 7 9700X edges out the Intel Core i9-14901E by 0.1%, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 by 0.1%, and the Intel Core 5 211E by 0.3%. This microscopic delta between such powerful processors suggests that the game is not sensitive to the number of cores but rather to the peak clock speed and IPC (instructions per clock) of a single core. The boost clock of 5.50 GHz and the Zen 5 architecture contribute to a 3dmark_single_thread score of 1280, which is a key indicator of this capability.

The GPU also contributes to the high combo rank. The RTX 4080's average benchmark score of 54247 places it in the 86th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in the database include the RTX 4080 SUPER (0.1% higher score) and the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X (1.1% lower score). While the GPU is powerful, the rank of 110 suggests that the CPU is just as important for this game. If the GPU were the sole limiting factor, we would expect to see this combo rank closer to the GPU's percentile rank. The fact that it ranks higher than the GPU's 86th percentile ranking in the overall database suggests that the CPU's strength is pushing the combo into a higher echelon of performance than the GPU alone would achieve.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achieved by this combo?

A: The highest recorded average frame rate is 426 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: Does the game favor the CPU or GPU in this setup?

A: The data shows a CPU bottleneck at lower resolutions. For instance, the drop from 1080p Low (426 FPS) to 1440p Low (381 FPS) is only 45 FPS, while the drop from 1440p Low to 4K Low (265 FPS) is 116 FPS, indicating the GPU becomes the limiting factor only at 4K.

Q: How does the CPU's single-thread performance compare to its closest rivals?

A: The Ryzen 7 9700X has a 3dmark_single_thread score of 1280. Its average benchmark score of 37943 is within 0.4% of its nearest rivals, including the Intel Core i9-14901E and AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, showing a near tie in overall processing power.

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

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 381 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 201 FPS. This represents a significant 180 FPS drop for the highest visual fidelity.

Q: Is the RTX 4080's memory bandwidth a likely factor in the 4K results?

A: The RTX 4080 has a memory bandwidth of 716.8 GB/s. The 4K Low (265 FPS) and 4K High (133 FPS) scores show a 132 FPS difference due to settings, but the GPU is clearly the limiting factor at this resolution, suggesting the 16 GB of GDDR6X memory and its bandwidth are being heavily utilized.

Q: How does the combo rank for this game compare to other tested systems?

A: The combination ranks 110th out of 3716 tested combos, placing it in the top 3% of all systems in the database for Inside.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The detailed measurements provide a comprehensive view of performance scaling. At 1920x1080, the results are as follows: Low settings produce an average of 426 FPS. Medium settings see a drop to 393 FPS, with a minimum of 334 FPS and a maximum of 452 FPS. High settings yield 294 FPS, and Ultra settings produce 280 FPS. The progression shows a 146 FPS difference between Low and Ultra, highlighting the cost of higher graphical fidelity at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain exceptionally high. The Low preset delivers 381 FPS. Medium settings average 338 FPS, with a minimum of 287 FPS and a maximum of 389 FPS. High settings average 211 FPS, and Ultra settings average 201 FPS. This represents a 180 FPS difference between the Low and Ultra presets. The delta between Medium's average and High's average is a substantial 127 FPS, suggesting a particular setting within the High preset has a disproportionate impact on performance.

At 3840x2160, the GPU begins to feel the pressure. The Low preset still manages a very playable 265 FPS. Medium settings drop to 212 FPS, with a minimum of 181 FPS and a maximum of 244 FPS. High settings average 133 FPS, and Ultra settings dip to 126 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 139 FPS. Notably, the gap between High (133 FPS) and Ultra (126 FPS) is only 7 FPS, which is smaller than the 14 FPS gap seen at 1440p (211 to 201 FPS) and the 14 FPS gap at 1080p (294 to 280 FPS). This indicates that the Ultra preset's additional effects are less costly at 4K where the GPU is already saturated, or perhaps the High preset is already hitting a similar GPU limit.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings depend entirely on the user's display and performance goals. For players with a 1080p or 1440p 60Hz display, the High preset is an excellent choice, delivering 294 FPS and 211 FPS respectively. These are far beyond the refresh rate of any standard monitor, and the visual improvement over Medium is likely noticeable. Even the Ultra preset at 1080p (280 FPS) and 1440p (201 FPS) is a viable option, as it maintains frame rates well above 144Hz, which is the high end of most gaming displays. The data suggests that the CPU is the limiting factor here, so the GPU can handle the extra load of Ultra without significant penalty.

For those with a 4K 120Hz or 144Hz display, the High preset (133 FPS) is the sweet spot. It hits the 120Hz mark comfortably and is close to 144Hz. The Medium preset (212 FPS) offers a massive headroom for high-refresh 4K gaming, but the visual quality drop from High is substantial. The Ultra preset at 4K (126 FPS) is also a viable option, but it offers only a 7 FPS improvement over High, which is a negligible performance cost for the maximum settings. Given the small delta, choosing between High and Ultra at 4K is a matter of personal preference, but High provides a more stable frame rate for a typical 144Hz 4K panel.

The Low preset is only recommended for competitive play or for maximizing frame rate on extremely high-refresh monitors (e.g., 360Hz). At 1080p Low (426 FPS) and 1440p Low (381 FPS), the game is running at speeds that are almost certainly CPU-limited. For the vast majority of players, the Medium or High presets provide a much better balance of visual fidelity and performance. The Medium preset is a strong middle ground, with minimum frame rates of 334 FPS at 1080p and 287 FPS at 1440p, ensuring a smooth experience even in the busiest scenes.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X is a desktop processor from the 9000 series, featuring 8 cores and 16 threads based on the Zen 5 architecture. It has a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, with a TDP of 65 W. These specifications, combined with its benchmark results, paint a picture of a CPU that is perfectly suited for a game like Inside. The key metric is the 3dmark_single_thread score of 1280, which is exceptionally high. This single-thread performance is crucial because the measured FPS data shows the game scaling poorly with resolution at lower presets, a classic sign of a CPU-limited scenario.

The CPU's Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2211 further reinforces its strength. The game's low thread count requirement is evident when looking at the CPU's multithreaded scores; the 3dmark_16_threads score of 9824 is only marginally higher than the 3dmark_8_threads score of 8184, but the single-thread score is 1280. For a puzzle platformer, the game logic and the main thread often dictate performance. The 9700X's ability to maintain high clock speeds on a single core ensures that this thread never becomes a bottleneck. The data indicates that even the 4K results, where the GPU is the primary limiter, are still high enough to suggest the CPU is not holding the system back.

The 32 MB of shared L3 cache and 1 MB per-core L2 cache also contribute to low latency, which is beneficial for game physics and collision detection. The CPU's nearest rivals, all within 0.4% in average score, confirm that this is a top-tier processor for this workload. The fact that the combo ranks 110th out of 3716 is a direct testament to the CPU's ability to feed the RTX 4080, especially at 1080p and 1440p where the frame rate is nearly triple what a typical high-end system might achieve.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is a high-end graphics card from the GeForce 40-series, built on the Ada Lovelace architecture. It features 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 716.8 GB/s. Its boost clock is 2505 MHz, and it has a TDP of 320 W. The GPU's benchmark scores, including a Passmark G3D score of 34457 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6567, place it in the 86th percentile of all GPUs. This raw power is what allows the system to reach such high frame rates at 4K.

The GPU's role becomes clear when analyzing the resolution scaling. At 1080p and 1440p, the RTX 4080 has so much headroom that it is waiting for the CPU to send instructions. This is why the FPS is so high but also why the settings have such a large impact. The 4K results, however, show the GPU finally being pushed. The drop from 4K Medium (212 FPS) to 4K High (133 FPS) is a 79 FPS drop, which is a much steeper decline than the 45 FPS drop seen at 1440p (338 to 211). This indicates that at 4K, the GPU's shading units and memory bandwidth are the limiting factors.

The 16 GB of VRAM is more than sufficient for this game, likely not being a constraint at any settings. The 716.8 GB/s bandwidth is also adequate for the data throughput required. The RTX 4080's performance is so high that it essentially guarantees a playable experience at any resolution, but the data shows its true potential is only realized when the CPU can push it hard enough. The 4K Ultra score of 126 FPS shows that even at maximum settings and resolution, the GPU has enough power to maintain a high refresh rate experience, making the Ryzen 7 9700X the key enabler for the system's exceptional overall ranking.