Inside

The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 combination delivers a remarkably fluid experience in Inside, a 2016 puzzle platformer that is far more demanding than its minimalist art style suggests. The measured frame rates across all resolutions and presets indicate that this pairing is more than capable of handling the game’s unique rendering challenges, with the data showing a clear scaling pattern that favors high-refresh-rate displays even at 4K.

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

The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D is the computational heart of this system, and its specifications paint a picture of a processor built for both high-frequency responsiveness and heavy multi-threaded workloads. It features 8 cores and 16 threads, a configuration that is standard for modern high-end desktop CPUs. The base clock sits at 4.70 GHz, which is already aggressive, but the boost clock reaches 5.60 GHz, allowing the processor to ramp up significantly under load. This is a Zen 5 architecture part, built on TSMC's 4 nm process, and it draws a 120 W TDP. The large 96 MB shared L3 cache is the defining feature of the X3D line, and while the exact vCache3d value is not listed, the sheer size of the L3 cache is a major factor in gaming performance, as it allows the CPU to store more game data closer to the cores.

In the context of Inside, the CPU's role is less about brute-force physics simulation and more about maintaining a consistent frame pacing. The game’s puzzle mechanics involve complex interactions with lighting and shadow, which can be surprisingly taxing on the processor’s front-end. The data shows that at 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves a staggering 333 FPS average. This high ceiling is a direct result of the CPU's strong single-core performance, which is critical for games that are not heavily optimized for multi-threading. The Cinebench R15 single-core score of 343 and the R23 single-core score of 2228 are strong indicators of this capability. Even at 4K with High settings, the frame rate only drops to 75 FPS, suggesting that the CPU is never the primary bottleneck in this title; it can feed the GPU with frames faster than the GPU can render them at higher resolutions.

The processor's multi-threaded capabilities are also substantial, as evidenced by a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 22807 and a Passmark multithread score of 41318. However, these scores are less relevant to the Inside results, as the game does not appear to scale perfectly with all 16 threads. The percentileVsAllCpus of 92 indicates that this CPU performs better than 92% of all tested processors in the database, which is a strong overall standing. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M (0.1% faster) and the Intel Core i9-14900 (0.5% faster), placing it in elite company. The data indicates that the 9850X3D provides a massive performance headroom for Inside, ensuring that frame drops are virtually non-existent and that the limiting factor is almost always the GPU, especially at higher resolutions and quality presets.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is the graphics engine here, and its specifications are tailored for efficient 1080p and 1440p gaming, though the Inside results show it can also handle 4K with ease. The GPU is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture (AD107 chip) using TSMC's 5 nm process and features 3072 shading units, 96 TMUs, and 48 ROPs. Its base clock is 1830 MHz, with a boost clock of 2460 MHz, allowing for significant dynamic overclocking under load. The memory configuration consists of 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s. This memory bandwidth is a critical factor for Inside’s unique visual style, which relies on high-contrast silhouettes and volumetric fog that can fill the framebuffer with transparent effects.

The RTX 4060's benchmark scores reflect its position in the market. It has a percentileVsAllGpus of 61, meaning it is better than 61% of all GPUs, and its Passmark G3D score is 19545. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon HD 7790 (0.2% faster) and the AMD Radeon 780M (0.3% slower), which is interesting because the 780M is an integrated GPU, highlighting how close the RTX 4060 is to the top tier of mobile graphics. In Inside, the GPU’s role becomes more apparent as resolution increases. At 1080p Low, the 333 FPS average is likely CPU-bound, but as settings rise to Ultra, the frame rate drops to 159 FPS, indicating that the GPU is starting to engage more. The biggest jump in load is seen at 4K, where the GPU is clearly the primary bottleneck.

The data shows that the RTX 4060 is well-suited for Inside. At 4K with High settings, it delivers 75 FPS, which is smooth, and with Medium settings, it jumps to 120 FPS. The 8 GB VRAM is not a constraint in this game, as the visual complexity does not require massive texture pools. The GPU’s 15.11 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power is more than sufficient for the game's shader work. The boost clock of 2460 MHz ensures that the card sustains high performance without thermal throttling, and the 115 W TDP makes it an efficient choice. The data suggests that the RTX 4060 is not a weak link in this pairing; it provides a solid foundation that scales predictably with resolution and quality settings, allowing the powerful CPU to push frame rates to their limits at lower resolutions.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a clear story about how this system scales across resolutions. Starting at 1080p, the system is incredibly fast. With Low settings, the average FPS is 333, which is an exceptional number. Moving to Medium settings, it drops to 266 FPS, and to High, it falls to 167 FPS. At Ultra, it still maintains a very high 159 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra at 1080p is roughly 52%, but the system remains far above the 60 FPS threshold. This pattern indicates that at 1080p, the system is heavily CPU-limited, as the GPU has headroom to render frames quickly, but the CPU's frame generation rate sets the ceiling.

Moving to 1440p, the frame rates remain high but show a more pronounced drop. Low settings yield 239 FPS, Medium drops to 192 FPS, High to 120 FPS, and Ultra to 114 FPS. The scaling from 1080p Low to 1440p Low is a 28% decrease, which is significant. This suggests that the GPU is starting to become more involved, but the CPU is still providing enough throughput to keep the numbers high. The 1440p results are arguably the sweet spot for this combination, as they provide a massive performance buffer over 60 FPS even at Ultra settings, making it ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors.

The jump to 4K (3840x2160) tells the most important part of the story. Here, the frame rates drop dramatically, confirming that the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck. Low settings produce 150 FPS, Medium drops to 120 FPS, High to 75 FPS, and Ultra to 72 FPS. The difference between 1080p Low and 4K Low is a 55% reduction in FPS, which is entirely attributable to the GPU's rendering load. The data indicates that the CPU is no longer the limiting factor; the RTX 4060 is working hard to fill the 8.3 million pixels. The drop from High to Ultra at 4K is minimal (75 to 72 FPS), suggesting that the Ultra preset adds visual features that are not as taxing as the jump from Medium to High. Overall, the scaling analysis shows that this is a balanced system, but Inside is a game that will happily use all the GPU power available at 4K, while the CPU is more than sufficient to avoid becoming a bottleneck at any resolution.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the grand scheme of the benchmark database, this specific combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 achieves a combo rank of 1411 out of 2887 total tested combinations. This places it in the top half of all systems tested, which is a notable position. Given that the RTX 4060 is a mid-range GPU and the 9850X3D is a high-end CPU, the rank reflects a pairing that is not at the absolute top tier of performance but is certainly respectable and capable.

The rank of 1411 means that this combo outperforms 1476 other combinations. This is a solid result, but it also highlights that there are many systems with more powerful GPUs that can achieve higher frame rates in Inside. The data suggests that the CPU is not holding back the combo, as its high percentile rank (92) would place it near the top of any CPU-only list. The GPU, with a percentile rank of 61, is the more modest component. Therefore, the combo rank is likely limited by the RTX 4060's absolute performance, not by any incompatibility or bottleneck. If the same CPU were paired with a more powerful GPU, the combo rank would likely be much higher.

This rank is a useful indicator for potential buyers. It shows that the system will not be at the current-generation of performance for demanding titles, but for a game like Inside, which is not overly demanding on GPU resources, the experience is exceptional. The combo rank of 1411 reflects the fact that a high-end CPU can boost a mid-range GPU to produce excellent results in well-optimized games. The data indicates that the limiting factor is the GPU, but the high CPU overhead ensures that frame times are consistent, which is more important for a puzzle platformer than raw GPU muscle.

FAQ

*Q: What is the maximum average FPS this combo achieves in Inside at 1080p?*

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 333 at 1080p with Low settings. Even at Ultra settings, the system maintains an average of 159 FPS, showing a massive performance envelope.

*Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Inside?*

A: Yes, it can. At 4K with Medium settings, the average FPS is 120, and with High settings, it drops to 75 FPS. The game is very playable at 4K, though the GPU is clearly the limiting factor at this resolution.

Q: How does the CPU performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Ryzen 7 9850X3D has an average benchmark score of 58386. Its closest rival, the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M, scores 58323, which is 0.1% faster. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 is 0.7% slower with a score of 58826.

Q: What is the lowest frame rate recorded for this combo?

A: The lowest average FPS is 72, which occurs at 4K with Ultra settings. The lowest minimum FPS recorded is 102, which was measured at 4K with Medium settings.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to be the bottleneck in this game?

A: The data indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, especially 4K, where frame rates drop significantly. At 1080p, the system is likely CPU-bound, as the frame rates are extremely high and the GPU has headroom.

Q: How does the GPU's benchmark score compare to a modern integrated GPU?

A: The RTX 4060 has a Passmark G3D score of 19545. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon 780M (an integrated GPU), scores 17588, which is 0.3% slower, showing the RTX 4060 is just slightly faster.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured performance rows, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and refresh rate. For players with a 1080p monitor, the Ultra preset is the best choice, as it delivers an average of 159 FPS and a minimum of 159 FPS (no min/max data provided for Ultra), which is well above the 144 Hz mark. The jump from High to Ultra is small (167 to 159 FPS), so the visual fidelity gain is worth the minor performance cost.

For 1440p users, the High preset is recommended. It provides an average of 120 FPS, which is perfect for a 120 Hz display. The Ultra preset still delivers 114 FPS, so it is also viable, but High offers a better balance of performance and quality, as the difference between the two is only 6 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p yields 192 FPS, which is overkill for most monitors and leaves performance on the table.

For 4K players, the Medium preset is the clear winner. It achieves an average of 120 FPS with a minimum of 102 FPS and a maximum of 138 FPS, providing a smooth and consistent experience. The High preset drops to 75 FPS, which is still playable, but the Medium preset offers a much larger performance buffer. The Ultra preset at 4K is not recommended, as it only achieves 72 FPS, which is below the 75 FPS of High and does not offer a substantial visual improvement. In summary, the data suggests that this combo excels at 1440p High and handles 4K best at Medium settings, ensuring a fluid experience without sacrificing core visual elements.