Inside

The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D and AMD Radeon RX 9070 combination delivers exceptional performance in Inside, a 2016 Puzzle Platformer. The measured data reveals a system capable of extreme frame rates, with the 1080p Low preset reaching 433 FPS, while the most demanding 4K Ultra configuration still maintains a smooth 93 FPS. This analysis breaks down the specific performance characteristics, scaling behaviors, and component roles based exclusively on the provided benchmark results.

Resolution Scaling

The performance degradation from 1080p to 4K is significant but not uniform across all settings, indicating a complex interplay between the CPU and GPU. At the High preset, the average frame rate drops from 217 FPS at 1080p to 156 FPS at 1440p, and further to 98 FPS at 4K. This represents a 55% reduction from 1080p to 4K, suggesting that the GPU becomes increasingly stressed as pixel count rises. However, the fact that the frame rate remains above 90 FPS even at 4K High indicates that neither component is fully saturated, leaving headroom for future titles.

The scaling pattern changes dramatically when examining the Low preset. Here, the 1080p result reaches 433 FPS, dropping to 311 FPS at 1440p and 196 FPS at 4K. The 4K Low score is still more than double the 1080p High result, which shows that the game's lower graphical settings allow the CPU to push frame rates to extreme levels. The relative drop from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings is 28%, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is 37%. This increasing rate of decline with higher resolutions points to the GPU becoming the primary limiter as resolution scales, though the CPU's capability is still evident in the absolute numbers.

Medium settings provide the most complete dataset with minimum and maximum frame rates recorded. The 1080p Medium configuration shows an average of 346 FPS with a minimum of 294 FPS and a maximum of 398 FPS. Moving to 1440p Medium, the average drops to 249 FPS, with a spread from 212 to 287 FPS. At 4K Medium, the average is 157 FPS, with a range of 133 to 180 FPS. The consistency of the minimum frame rates relative to the averages—they stay within 15-18% of the mean—indicates a stable experience without major frame time spikes.

Ultra settings show the most pronounced resolution scaling. The 1080p Ultra average of 206 FPS is only slightly below the High preset's 217 FPS, suggesting diminishing returns in visual quality versus performance at lower resolutions. However, at 1440p Ultra the average falls to 148 FPS, a 28% reduction, and at 4K Ultra it drops to 93 FPS, another 37% reduction. The 4K Ultra result is the only configuration that approaches the lower bounds of high refresh rate displays, but it still remains comfortably above 60 FPS for smooth gameplay.

FAQ

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

A: The maximum measured average frame rate is 433 FPS, achieved at 1080p with the Low settings preset. This represents the absolute ceiling of performance for this hardware pairing in Inside.

Q: Can this system maintain 4K gaming at playable frame rates?

A: Yes, all measured 4K configurations exceed 90 FPS. The lowest average is 93 FPS at Ultra settings, while High settings yield 98 FPS, Medium reaches 157 FPS, and Low achieves 196 FPS.

Q: How does the 1440p Medium configuration compare to the 1080p Ultra setting?

A: The 1440p Medium average of 249 FPS is 21% higher than the 1080p Ultra average of 206 FPS. This suggests that users prioritizing frame rate over maximum visual fidelity may prefer Medium settings at a higher resolution.

Q: What is the frame rate consistency at 1440p Medium?

A: The 1440p Medium settings show a minimum of 212 FPS and a maximum of 287 FPS, with an average of 249 FPS. The narrow range indicates consistent frame pacing without significant stutters.

Q: Is there a significant performance gap between High and Ultra presets?

A: Across all resolutions, the gap is relatively small. At 1080p, High averages 217 FPS versus 206 FPS for Ultra, a 5% difference. At 4K, the gap widens slightly to 5% as well (98 FPS versus 93 FPS), suggesting Ultra's additional effects have a modest cost.

Q: Which resolution provides the best balance of visual quality and performance?

A: Based on the data, 1440p High at 156 FPS offers a strong balance, providing high resolution detail while maintaining frame rates well above 144 Hz displays. The 4K Medium option at 157 FPS delivers the same average but at a higher native resolution, making it an alternative for those with 4K monitors.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D is a desktop processor from the 9000 series, built on the Zen 5 architecture with the Granite Ridge codename. It features 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 4.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. The processor has a 96 MB shared L3 cache, which is substantial for a gaming-focused chip. Its benchmark scores show a Cinebench R23 multicore result of 22807 and a single-core score of 2228, with a Passmark multithread score of 41318 and a single-thread score of 4704.

In the context of Inside, the CPU's role is evident in the extreme frame rates achieved at lower resolutions and graphics settings. The 1080p Low result of 433 FPS and the 1440p Low result of 311 FPS demonstrate that the processor can drive the game engine to very high frame rates when the GPU is not heavily taxed. The data suggests that the game benefits from the high boost clock and the large cache, as the puzzle platformer likely has many draw calls and physics calculations that respond well to single-thread performance.

The CPU's performance relative to its peers is solid. Its average benchmark score of 58386 places it in the 92nd percentile of all CPUs. Compared to its nearest rivals, it is 0.1% ahead of the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M, 0.5% ahead of the Intel Core i9-14900, 0.2% behind the Intel Xeon w5-2545, and 0.7% behind the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 470. The differences are minimal, indicating that the 9850X3D is competitive with high-end processors from both AMD and Intel.

The combination of 8 cores and 16 threads at high clock speeds ensures that Inside's rendering thread and any background tasks have ample resources. The boost clock of 5.60 GHz is particularly relevant for frame rate generation in a game that is not heavily multithreaded, as the single-thread performance directly influences the maximum achievable FPS. The 96 MB L3 cache likely helps with the game's level data and texture streaming, reducing potential stutters.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Inside, this specific pairing of the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D and AMD Radeon RX 9070 holds a rank of 552 out of 2887 total combinations. This places it in the top 19% of all tested systems, which is a strong result given the game's age and the wide variety of hardware configurations that have been evaluated.

The rank reflects the system's ability to deliver high frame rates consistently across all tested settings and resolutions. While it does not reach the very top of the leaderboard—likely reserved for newer, higher-end GPUs or CPUs with more specialized optimizations—the 552nd position out of 2887 indicates that this combo outperforms the vast majority of systems. The high frame rates observed, particularly at 1080p and 1440p, contribute to this favorable ranking.

The percentile placement of the components individually also informs the combo's standing. The CPU is in the 92nd percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU is in the 69th percentile of all GPUs. The combination of a top-tier CPU with a mid-to-high-tier GPU results in a system that excels in CPU-bound scenarios, which aligns with the game's behavior at lower resolutions. The fact that the combo ranks higher than the GPU's percentile might suggest that the CPU's strength helps boost the overall performance in this specific title.

This ranking provides a benchmark for users considering similar hardware. It shows that the 9850X3D and RX 9070 can handle Inside with substantial headroom, making it a viable choice for those who want to play this game at high refresh rates or with maximum settings at 4K. The system's performance is well above average, and the measured data confirms that it can deliver a smooth experience across the board.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this hardware combination depend on the user's display refresh rate and resolution preference. For users with 1080p monitors, the Ultra preset at 206 FPS is the best choice, as it provides the highest visual quality while still delivering frame rates that exceed virtually all high refresh rate displays. The difference between High and Ultra at this resolution is only 11 FPS, so choosing Ultra for maximum fidelity is a rational trade-off.

For 1440p users, the Medium preset at 249 FPS offers a compelling balance. It provides a significant frame rate advantage over High (156 FPS) and Ultra (148 FPS), with a 60% improvement over the High preset. The minimum frame rate of 212 FPS at Medium ensures that even the most demanding scenes remain well above 144 Hz, making this the recommended configuration for competitive or high refresh rate play. Alternatively, users who prioritize image quality over raw speed can select High at 156 FPS, which still exceeds 144 Hz.

At 4K, the Medium preset at 157 FPS is the clear winner. It delivers more than 60% higher frame rates than the High preset (98 FPS) and 69% higher than Ultra (93 FPS). The 4K Medium configuration provides a minimum of 133 FPS, which is still comfortably above 120 Hz, making it suitable for high refresh rate 4K displays. For users with standard 60 Hz displays, the Ultra preset at 93 FPS is viable, but Medium offers a much smoother experience with only a moderate reduction in visual quality.

The Low preset is not recommended for any resolution due to the availability of higher settings with strong performance. At 1080p, Low achieves 433 FPS, but the visual quality reduction is substantial and unnecessary given that Ultra still reaches 206 FPS. The data indicates that Medium or High settings provide the best experience across all resolutions, with Medium being the optimal choice for 1440p and 4K, and Ultra being the best for 1080p.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1080p, the measured average frame rates span from 206 to 433 FPS depending on the settings preset. The Low preset achieves 433 FPS, Medium reaches 346 FPS with a range of 294 to 398 FPS, High delivers 217 FPS, and Ultra provides 206 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a 52% reduction in frame rate, reflecting the increased graphical load of higher presets.

For 1440p, the average frame rates range from 148 to 311 FPS. Low settings produce 311 FPS, Medium averages 249 FPS with a minimum of 212 and maximum of 287 FPS, High reaches 156 FPS, and Ultra drops to 148 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra at this resolution is minimal at only 8 FPS, while the jump from Medium to High is a significant 93 FPS.

At 4K, the measured averages span from 93 to 196 FPS. Low settings achieve 196 FPS, Medium averages 157 FPS with a range of 133 to 180 FPS, High delivers 98 FPS, and Ultra provides 93 FPS. The gap between Medium and High is 59 FPS, which is substantial, while the gap between High and Ultra is only 5 FPS, suggesting that Ultra's extra effects have a minor impact at this resolution.

The frame rate data shows that the Medium settings preset is the only one with complete minimum and maximum values across all resolutions. The minimum frame rates never fall below 133 FPS, which occurs at 4K Medium. This indicates a stable performance profile with no severe frame drops. The maximum frame rates reach up to 398 FPS at 1080p Medium, demonstrating the system's peak capability.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 is a graphics card from the Radeon RX 9000 series, based on the Navi 48 chip with RDNA 4.0 architecture. It features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 644.6 GB/s. The GPU has a base clock of 1330 MHz, a game clock of 2070 MHz, and a boost clock of 2520 MHz. Its compute capabilities include 3584 shading units, 224 texture mapping units, and 128 render output units, with an FP32 performance of 36.13 TFLOPS.

In Inside, the GPU's role becomes more prominent as resolution increases. The measured data shows that at 1080p, the frame rates are extremely high across all settings, indicating that the GPU is not a limiting factor at this resolution. However, the scaling from 1080p to 4K shows that the GPU's workload grows significantly, with 4K Ultra achieving only 43% of the 1080p Ultra frame rate. This is consistent with the GPU's memory bandwidth and compute capabilities being taxed by higher pixel counts.

The GPU's 16 GB of VRAM is more than sufficient for Inside, which is a game from 2016 with relatively modest texture requirements. The memory bandwidth of 644.6 GB/s ensures that data can be transferred quickly, supporting the high frame rates observed. The GPU's benchmark scores, such as a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6290 and a Passmark G3D score of 25381, indicate solid performance, but the 69th percentile ranking among all GPUs shows it is not a top-tier performer in synthetic tests.

The GPU's role is most evident at 4K, where the frame rates drop significantly compared to 1440p. The fact that 4K Medium achieves 157 FPS while 4K Ultra drops to 93 FPS highlights the GPU's sensitivity to increased graphical settings. The nearest rival comparisons show the RX 9070 is 0.6% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN Z and 1.1% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile, but 0.8% behind the AMD Radeon RX 6800S and 1.2% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER. These small differences indicate that the GPU's performance is competitive with previous generation high-end cards, but not exceptional in raw terms.