Inside

The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D is an 8-core, 16-thread desktop processor based on the Zen 5 architecture, built on TSMC's 4 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 4.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, backed by a substantial 96 MB of shared L3 cache. In the context of Inside, a 2D puzzle-platformer, the CPU's role is less about raw multi-threaded throughput and more about maintaining consistent frame pacing and avoiding bottlenecks at high frame rates. The benchmark data shows that the processor's PassMark single-thread score of 4704 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2228 are strong indicators of its ability to handle the game's physics and logic updates efficiently. While the Ryzen 7 9850X3D has a TDP of 120 W and supports DDR5 memory with dual-channel bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, the game's modest requirements mean that these features are unlikely to be fully stressed.

The CPU's multi-threaded capabilities are also relevant, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 22807 and a PassMark multi-thread score of 41318. However, for a game like Inside, which is not heavily threaded, the single-core performance is the more critical factor. The 8-core configuration ensures that even background tasks or system overhead won't interfere with the game's rendering thread. The processor's position in the broader market is solid, ranking in the 92nd percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 58386. Its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M (0.1% higher average score) and Intel Core i9-14900 (0.5% lower), show that the Ryzen 7 9850X3D is competitive, though these differences are negligible for this game. The data suggests that the CPU provides ample headroom, ensuring that the Intel Arc B570 GPU becomes the primary determinant of performance in most scenarios.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D and Intel Arc B570 achieves a combo rank of 2983 out of 3716 tested combinations in Inside. This places the pairing in the lower-middle portion of the performance distribution, which is a direct reflection of the GPU's capabilities rather than the CPU's. The data indicates that the combo is not near the top tier, where high-end graphics cards would push frame rates much higher. Given that the CPU is a top-tier processor by its own metrics, ranking in the 92nd percentile, the bottleneck in this pairing is clearly the GPU. The Arc B570, with its average benchmark score of 20556, sits in the 65th percentile among all GPUs, and its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (0.1% higher) and Intel Arc A750 (0.1% lower). This suggests that the combo's rank is consistent with a mid-range GPU paired with an overqualified CPU.

The rank of 2983 out of 3716 combos means that approximately 20% of tested configurations perform worse, while the vast majority perform better. For a game that is not graphically demanding, this rank highlights that the GPU is limiting the experience. The measured frame rates at 1080p with High settings (120 FPS average) and 4K with High settings (54 FPS average) show that the combo struggles to maintain high frame rates at higher resolutions. This is not a reflection of the CPU's performance, as even a less powerful CPU would likely yield similar results with this GPU. The data suggests that if the goal is to achieve higher frame rates in Inside, the GPU would need to be upgraded, as the CPU is not the limiting factor. The combo's rank serves as a cautionary note: a powerful CPU does not guarantee high performance if the GPU cannot keep up.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 240 FPS, which is the highest frame rate recorded. Moving to 1440p with Low settings, the average drops to 172 FPS, a 28.3% decrease. At 4K with Low settings, the average falls further to 108 FPS, a 55% decrease from the 1080p baseline. This dramatic drop indicates that the GPU is heavily taxed at higher resolutions, and the CPU is not the limiting factor. The pattern is consistent across all settings: at High settings, the average FPS goes from 120 at 1080p to 86 at 1440p (a 28.3% drop) and then to 54 at 4K (a 55% drop from 1080p). The scaling is nearly identical across settings, suggesting that the GPU's rendering load increases proportionally with pixel count.

This scaling behavior is typical of a GPU-bound scenario. The Intel Arc B570, with 10 GB of GDDR6 memory and a memory bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s, is being pushed to its limits at 4K, especially at higher settings. At 1080p, the GPU has enough headroom to deliver high frame rates, but at 4K, the pixel throughput demands exceed its capabilities. The data shows that the gap between Low and Ultra settings widens as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference between Low (240 FPS) and Ultra (114 FPS) is 126 FPS, while at 4K, the difference is 56 FPS (108 FPS vs 52 FPS). This indicates that at lower resolutions, the settings have a more pronounced effect on performance, while at higher resolutions, the GPU's raw pixel processing capacity becomes the dominant factor. The limiting component in this combo is unambiguously the GPU, as the CPU's performance metrics suggest it could handle much higher frame rates without breaking a sweat.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the combo's performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the average frame rates range from 114 FPS at Ultra settings to 240 FPS at Low settings. The Medium preset delivers an average of 192 FPS, with a minimum of 163 FPS and a maximum of 221 FPS, indicating a stable experience with minimal frame time variance. The High preset at 1080p achieves 120 FPS on average, which is a solid result for a game like Inside. The data shows that at 1080p, even the most demanding Ultra preset maintains an average above 100 FPS, making the game highly playable. The minimum FPS values are only provided for Medium settings, but the 163 FPS floor at 1080p suggests that frame pacing is excellent.

Moving to 2560x1440, the average frame rates drop noticeably. At Ultra settings, the combo manages 82 FPS, while High settings yield 86 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p produces an average of 138 FPS, with a minimum of 117 FPS and a maximum of 159 FPS. The Low preset at 1440p reaches 172 FPS on average. This resolution represents a sweet spot for the combo, as even the Ultra preset remains above 60 FPS, providing a smooth experience. At 3840x2160, the performance becomes more constrained. The Low settings preset is the only one that delivers a high average frame rate at 108 FPS, while Medium settings drop to 87 FPS, with a minimum of 74 FPS and a maximum of 100 FPS. High settings at 4K average 54 FPS, and Ultra settings average just 52 FPS. The 4K data indicates that the combo is only suitable for 4K gaming at Low settings if a 60 FPS target is desired, as the Medium preset falls short.

The data also shows that the scaling between settings is not linear. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Medium is 48 FPS, between Medium and High is 72 FPS, and between High and Ultra is 6 FPS. This suggests that the High to Ultra transition has minimal impact on performance at 1080p, possibly due to the game's simple graphics. At 4K, the differences are more compressed, with a 21 FPS gap between Low and Medium, a 33 FPS gap between Medium and High, and a 2 FPS gap between High and Ultra. This compression at 4K reinforces that the GPU is the limiting factor, as the settings have less impact when the pixel count is high.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B570 is a mid-range graphics card based on the Xe2-HPG architecture, built on a 5 nm process. It features 2304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units, and 80 raster output units, with 18 ray tracing cores. The GPU operates at a base and boost clock of 2500 MHz, with memory running at 2375 MHz (19 Gbps effective). The 10 GB of GDDR6 memory is connected via a 160-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s. These specifications indicate a card that is designed for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with some capability at 4K for less demanding titles. In Inside, the GPU's role is directly reflected in the measured frame rates, particularly at higher resolutions where its raw computing power is taxed.

The GPU's benchmarks show a PassMark G3D score of 14195 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2649, placing it in the 65th percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (0.1% higher average score) and Intel Arc A750 (0.1% lower). The Arc B570's FP32 performance of 11.52 TFLOPS and texture rate of 360.0 GTexel/s are adequate for a game like Inside, but the data shows that at 4K, the card struggles to maintain high frame rates. The 10 GB VRAM is sufficient for this game, as Inside does not have heavy texture requirements, but the memory bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s may be a limiting factor at 4K. The GPU's TDP of 150 W and suggested PSU of 450 W indicate it is a power-efficient card, but its performance ceiling is evident in the 4K results.

The GPU's role as the bottleneck is clear when comparing the frame rates across settings. At 1080p, the GPU can deliver over 200 FPS at Low settings, but at 4K, the same settings yield less than half that. The data suggests that the Arc B570 is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming in Inside, where it can provide a smooth experience at all settings. At 4K, only the Low preset achieves an average above 100 FPS, and even then, it is borderline for high-refresh-rate displays. The GPU's performance in this game is consistent with its benchmark scores, indicating that it is a capable mid-range card but not a high-end solution for 4K gaming.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with High settings?

A: The average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings is 120 FPS.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K with Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 52 FPS.

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

A: The data indicates that 2560x1440 with Medium settings provides a strong balance, with an average of 138 FPS and a minimum of 117 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this combo?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor, as the CPU's benchmark scores are high, and frame rates drop significantly with increasing resolution, which is characteristic of a GPU bottleneck.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded at 1440p with Medium settings?

A: The minimum FPS at 2560x1440 with Medium settings is 117 FPS, with a maximum of 159 FPS.

Q: Can this combo achieve 60 FPS at 4K?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, which produce an average of 108 FPS. At Medium settings, the average drops to 87 FPS, which is still above 60, but the minimum of 74 FPS suggests some variance.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 1080p gaming, the Ultra preset is recommended, as it delivers an average of 114 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The High preset offers 120 FPS, which is slightly higher, but the visual quality difference between High and Ultra is likely minimal given the small 6 FPS gap. For users with high-refresh-rate monitors (144 Hz or higher), the Medium preset at 1080p provides an average of 192 FPS, ensuring a fluid experience, though the visual fidelity is reduced.

At 1440p, the Medium preset is the best choice for a balanced experience, with an average of 138 FPS and a minimum of 117 FPS, ensuring no significant frame drops. The High preset at 1440p yields 86 FPS, which is still above 60, but the Medium preset offers a substantial performance boost with only a modest visual trade-off. For users who prioritize visual quality over raw frame rate, the Ultra preset at 82 FPS is viable, but the data suggests that Medium provides a better overall experience. At 4K, the situation is more constrained. The Low preset is the only one that delivers a consistently high frame rate, with an average of 108 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K averages 87 FPS, which is playable, but the minimum of 74 FPS indicates potential stuttering. For a smooth 4K experience, the Low preset is recommended, as the visual differences in Inside are not substantial enough to justify the performance hit of higher settings. The data clearly shows that the combo is best utilized at 1080p and 1440p, where it can provide excellent performance across all settings.