Inside

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER delivers a remarkably fluid experience in Inside, a 2016 puzzle platformer that clearly favors high frame rates over raw graphical fidelity. The measured data shows this combination landing at rank 1148 out of 1671 tested combos, which places it in the 31st percentile—a position that suggests the pairing is more about consistent, high-refresh-rate gameplay than about pushing the visual envelope. The numbers reveal a system that is heavily GPU-bound at higher settings, yet capable of extraordinary frame rates when the load is lightened, making it a versatile choice for this specific title.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is dramatic and tells a clear story about where the bottleneck lies. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces 278.8 FPS, which falls to 202.7 FPS at 1440p and then to 125.8 FPS at 4K. That is a 55% reduction from 1080p to 4K on Low settings, indicating that even a relatively simple game like Inside becomes progressively more demanding on the GPU as pixel count rises. The pattern holds across all settings, but the magnitude of the drop varies significantly. On High settings, the frame rate goes from 140.1 FPS at 1080p to 102.1 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 64.3 FPS at 4K—a 54% decline. The scaling is nearly linear, which is typical for a puzzle platformer where the scene complexity does not change drastically with resolution, but the pixel fill rate requirement does.

What is more telling is the relationship between settings and resolution. At 4K, the gap between Low (125.8 FPS) and Ultra (61.5 FPS) is a massive 64.3 FPS, meaning the RTX 2060 SUPER is struggling to maintain high frame rates at the highest settings when pushing 8.3 million pixels. At 1080p, the same settings gap is 143.9 FPS, showing that the CPU has ample headroom at lower resolutions. The data implies that the limiting component shifts from the GPU to the CPU as resolution decreases. At 1080p Low, the 278.8 FPS result is likely near the CPU's maximum frame delivery capability for this game engine, whereas at 4K Ultra, the GPU is clearly the constraining factor. This is a classic sign of a balanced pairing that favors high refresh rate monitors at 1080p and 1440p, but sacrifices frame rate at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 1148 out of 1671 tested combinations places it in the lower third of all tested systems for Inside. This might seem surprising given the high frame rates measured, but it reflects the fact that many other combos in the database feature more powerful GPUs that can push even higher numbers at 4K. The percentile position suggests that while this pairing is perfectly playable, it is not competitive with top-tier setups that prioritize maximum frame rates at all resolutions. The RTX 2060 SUPER's percentile vs all GPUs is 63, meaning it outperforms 63% of all GPUs in general benchmarks, but in this specific game, the combo's rank is lower due to the CPU's strong performance not being fully utilized at higher resolutions.

The CPU itself is a powerhouse, with a percentile vs all CPUs of 90 and an average benchmark score of 39453. Its nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 4245P, which scores 39383 (0.2% higher), and the Intel Core i7-13700, which scores 39857 (1% higher). This indicates that the Ryzen 9 5900X is not the limiting factor in most scenarios. The GPU, on the other hand, has a percentile of 63 and an average score of 19774, with its nearest rival being the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN at 19706 (0.3% lower). The delta between the GPU and its rivals is small, suggesting that the RTX 2060 SUPER is a mid-tier card that can be outclassed by newer or higher-end models. In Inside, the combo rank is likely dragged down by the GPU's performance at 4K, where the 61.5 FPS Ultra result is below the 60 FPS threshold that many gamers consider the minimum for smooth gameplay.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves in Inside?*

A: The highest measured average FPS is 278.8, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This indicates that the CPU and GPU can deliver extremely high frame rates when the graphical load is minimal.

Q: Can this combo maintain 60 FPS at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, where it achieves 125.8 FPS. At High settings, the average drops to 64.3 FPS, which is still above 60, but at Ultra settings, it falls to 61.5 FPS, barely crossing the threshold. Medium settings yield 103 FPS, so 60 FPS is achievable at all settings except possibly the most demanding.

*Q: How does the combo's rank in Inside compare to its general GPU percentile?*

A: The combo ranks 1148 out of 1671 in Inside (31st percentile), while the GPU alone has a percentile of 63 versus all GPUs. This discrepancy suggests that the game's specific demands, likely related to pixel fill rate, are not fully met by the RTX 2060 SUPER, pulling the combo's rank down.

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

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings produce 202.7 FPS, while Ultra settings produce 95.7 FPS. This is a difference of 107 FPS, showing that the GPU is significantly taxed by higher settings even at a mid-range resolution.

Q: Is the Ryzen 9 5900X a bottleneck at any resolution?

A: The data suggests the CPU is not a bottleneck at 4K, where the GPU is clearly the limiting factor. However, at 1080p Low, the 278.8 FPS result may be near the CPU's maximum frame delivery limit, indicating a potential bottleneck at very low resolutions.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 SUPER compare to its nearest rival in general benchmarks?

A: The RTX 2060 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 19774, while its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN, scores 19706, a difference of 0.3%. This indicates nearly identical general performance, though game-specific results may vary.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the combo's capabilities across three resolutions and four settings levels. Starting at 1920x1080, the results are exceptional: Low settings deliver 278.8 FPS, Medium drops to 223.6 FPS, High achieves 140.1 FPS, and Ultra still manages 134.9 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium is 55.2 FPS, while the gap between High and Ultra is only 5.2 FPS, suggesting that the transition from High to Ultra is not particularly demanding on the GPU at this resolution. The 1080p results are all well above 120 FPS, making this an ideal setup for high-refresh-rate monitors.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain strong but show a clear step down. Low settings produce 202.7 FPS, which is a 27% reduction from 1080p. Medium delivers 163.2 FPS, High drops to 102.1 FPS, and Ultra falls to 95.7 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 107 FPS, indicating that the GPU is more stressed at this resolution. All settings except Ultra remain above 100 FPS, making 1440p a viable option for smooth gameplay, though Ultra may require a slight compromise.

At 3840x2160, the results become more varied. Low settings still produce a respectable 125.8 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold. Medium achieves 103 FPS, but High drops to 64.3 FPS, and Ultra falls to 61.5 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 64.3 FPS, showing that the GPU is the primary limiting factor. High and Ultra settings are barely above 60 FPS, which means any demanding scene could potentially cause drops below the threshold. The data suggests that 4K gaming is possible, but only with settings adjustments to maintain a comfortable frame rate margin.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is the defining component in this pairing, and its specifications explain the measured results. With 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth, the card has sufficient memory bandwidth for Inside's relatively simple textures and effects. The 2176 shading units and 64 ROPs are adequate for this game, but the pixel fill rate of 105.6 GPixel/s becomes a limiting factor at 4K. The boost clock of 1650 MHz is modest by modern standards, yet it is enough to deliver the frame rates seen in the data. The card's FP32 performance of 7.181 TFLOPS is more than enough for a puzzle platformer, which likely does not stress the compute units heavily.

The GPU's benchmark scores reinforce its mid-tier status. The Passmark G3D score of 16462 and DirectX 12 score of 61 indicate solid DirectX 12 performance, which is relevant for a game that can run on modern APIs. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2011 is not particularly high, but it aligns with the card's position in the 63rd percentile. The RTX 2060 SUPER is a Turing architecture card with 34 RT cores and 272 tensor cores, though these are unlikely to be utilized in Inside, which was released before ray tracing became mainstream. The card's 175 W TDP and dual-slot design are typical for its performance class, and the 1x 8-pin power connector is sufficient for the power draw. The data indicates that the GPU is the bottleneck at 4K, where the 61.5 FPS Ultra result is likely limited by the card's ROP throughput and memory bandwidth.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience per the measured rows, the ideal settings depend on the target resolution and frame rate preference. At 1920x1080, Ultra settings offer 134.9 FPS, which is more than sufficient for any display, and the visual quality is maximized. There is no reason to lower settings at 1080p, as even Ultra maintains a high frame rate. At 2560x1440, Ultra drops to 95.7 FPS, which is still smooth, but High settings at 102.1 FPS offer a better margin. The difference between High and Ultra at 1440p is only 6.4 FPS, so the visual upgrade from Ultra may not be worth the slight frame rate loss. Medium at 163.2 FPS is the best choice for competitive play or high refresh rate monitors, as it provides a significant FPS boost over High.

At 3840x2160, the recommendation is more nuanced. Low settings produce 125.8 FPS, which is excellent, but the visual quality may be too reduced for a game that relies on atmospheric lighting. Medium at 103 FPS is a good middle ground, offering a balance between visual fidelity and frame rate. High at 64.3 FPS and Ultra at 61.5 FPS are both above 60 FPS, but they are close to the threshold, meaning any complex scene could cause noticeable drops. For a consistent 60 FPS experience at 4K, Medium settings are the safest choice, as they provide a 38.7 FPS margin over the 60 FPS threshold. Ultimately, the best preset is the one that matches the user's refresh rate and tolerance for frame rate fluctuations, but the data clearly shows that Medium at 4K and Ultra at 1080p offer the most balanced experience.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, and its performance characteristics are well-documented in the benchmark data. With a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, the CPU is capable of handling high frame rates in games that are not heavily threaded. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 33150 and single-core score of 4680 indicate strong performance, which is crucial for games that rely on a few fast cores. The Passmark single-thread score of 3469 is above average, and the multithread score of 39002 shows that the CPU can handle many tasks simultaneously.

In the context of Inside, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with frames as quickly as possible. The measured FPS at 1080p Low (278.8 FPS) suggests that the CPU can generate frames at a rate that exceeds the GPU's capabilities at higher resolutions. The 3DMark 2-thread score of 1852 and 4-thread score of 3588 indicate that the CPU's single-threaded performance is sufficient for the game's logic and physics, which are likely not heavily threaded. The CPU's 64 MB of L3 cache is ample for the game's data, and the dual-channel DDR4 memory with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth is not a bottleneck. The Ryzen 9 5900X's percentile of 90 versus all CPUs confirms that it is a top-tier processor, and its nearest rivals, such as the AMD EPYC 4245P, show only marginal differences in average score. The data indicates that the CPU is not a limiting factor in Inside, except possibly at very low resolutions where the frame rate approaches the CPU's maximum capability. At 1080p Low, the 278.8 FPS result is likely near the ceiling for this CPU's frame delivery, but this is an extreme scenario. In all other measured configurations, the GPU is the primary determinant of performance, and the CPU has ample headroom to support the RTX 2060 SUPER without becoming a bottleneck.