Inside

# Inside — AMD Ryzen 9 5950X + Intel Arc B570

The combination of AMD's 16-core Ryzen 9 5950X and Intel's Arc B570 produces a consistent, playable experience across all tested resolutions in Inside, a 2016 puzzle platformer. The measured frame rates show this pairing handles the game's 2D side-scrolling visuals with considerable headroom, though the scaling pattern reveals where the bottleneck shifts between CPU and GPU as resolution climbs.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep but predictable across all quality presets. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 240 FPS at 1920x1080 to 172 FPS at 2560x1440, a 28% reduction, and then to 108 FPS at 3840x2160, another 37% cut. This pattern indicates that at 1080p Low, the system is heavily CPU-limited — the Ryzen 9 5950X's single-thread performance (3,470 in PassMark single-thread) and 3.40 GHz base clock are enough to push the Arc B570 to its limits at lower pixel counts, but the GPU starts to take over as pixel count increases.

At High settings, the scaling is more linear: 120 FPS at 1080p drops to 86 FPS at 1440p (-28%) and then to 54 FPS at 4K (-37%). The consistent percentage drops across Low and High presets suggest that the Arc B570's rendering load scales predictably with resolution, and the game engine's overhead remains relatively constant. The 4K High result of 54 FPS is the first point where the combination dips below the 60 FPS threshold, indicating that at 4K, the GPU's 10 GB GDDR6 memory and 380.0 GB/s bandwidth are working hard to maintain fluid motion.

Medium settings show a narrower relative gap between resolutions: 192 FPS at 1080p, 138 FPS at 1440p, and 87 FPS at 4K. The Medium preset at 4K, with a minimum of 74 FPS and maximum of 100 FPS, is the only 4K configuration that maintains a comfortable margin above 60 FPS throughout. Ultra settings, meanwhile, produce the lowest frame rates at every resolution — 114 FPS at 1080p, 82 FPS at 1440p, and 52 FPS at 4K — with the 4K Ultra result falling just below the 54 FPS High result, suggesting that Ultra's additional effects tax the GPU more than the CPU.

The key insight from resolution scaling is that the limiting component changes between 1080p and 4K. At 1080p, the 240 FPS Low result indicates the CPU is the primary constraint — the Ryzen 9 5950X's 16 cores and 32 threads are more than enough for Inside's modest threading requirements, but the per-core clock speed of up to 4.90 GHz boost determines the ceiling. At 4K, the Arc B570 becomes the bottleneck, as evidenced by the relatively small gap between High (54 FPS) and Ultra (52 FPS) at that resolution — the GPU is saturated regardless of quality preset.

CPU Role

The Ryzen 9 5950X is a 16-core, 32-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture (Vermeer) on a 7 nm TSMC process. With a base clock of 3.40 GHz and boost clock of 4.90 GHz, it delivers strong single-thread performance: a PassMark single-thread score of 3,470 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2,083. In Inside, which is primarily a 2D platformer with limited physics simulation, the game rarely uses more than a few threads, so the CPU's multi-core muscle (Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 26,017) is mostly idle.

The benchmark data supports this interpretation. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 240 FPS — likely the engine's frame rate cap or a practical ceiling given the CPU's single-thread capabilities. The Ryzen 9 5950X's 3DMark single-thread score of 944 and 2-thread score of 1,856 show that even with just two threads engaged, the processor can sustain high instruction throughput. The game's puzzle platformer nature means most frames are rendered with minimal AI or physics overhead, allowing the CPU to feed the GPU at high rates.

Comparing to nearest rivals in CPU benchmarks, the Ryzen 9 5950X sits within a tight cluster: it trails the Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX by 0.2% (52,073 vs. 51,947 average score) and the AMD EPYC 8124P by 0.3%, while leading the Intel Core i9-13900F by 0.4% and trailing the Intel Core i7-14700 by 0.7%. These sub-1% differences are negligible in gaming contexts, meaning any of these CPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates in Inside when paired with the same GPU. The CPU's 64 MB L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support (51.2 GB/s bandwidth) provide ample bandwidth for the game's texture streaming, though Inside's modest asset sizes likely don't stress this.

At 4K resolutions, the CPU's role diminishes further. The 4K Low result of 108 FPS versus the 4K High result of 54 FPS shows that the GPU is the limiting factor — doubling the quality preset halves the frame rate, while the CPU has no trouble maintaining its end of the pipeline. The Ryzen 9 5950X's percentile ranking of 91 among all CPUs confirms it is a high-end part, but in Inside, even a mid-range processor would likely achieve similar results at 4K.

FAQ

Q: Why does the 1080p Low preset hit 240 FPS while 4K Low only reaches 108 FPS?

A: At 1080p Low, the Intel Arc B570 is not the bottleneck — the Ryzen 9 5950X's single-thread performance (3,470 PassMark) and boost clock of 4.90 GHz allow the game to run at its maximum frame rate. At 4K Low, the GPU must render four times as many pixels, and the Arc B570's 10 GB GDDR6 memory and 160-bit bus width (380.0 GB/s bandwidth) become the limiting factor, capping performance at 108 FPS.

*Q: Is the Intel Arc B570 capable of running Inside at 60 FPS in 4K?*

A: Yes, but only at Medium settings. The 4K Medium preset averages 87 FPS with a minimum of 74 FPS, comfortably above 60. At High settings, the average drops to 54 FPS, and at Ultra it falls to 52 FPS, both below the 60 FPS threshold. Low settings at 4K deliver 108 FPS, but the visual quality trade-off may not be worth the frame rate gain.

*Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations for Inside?*

A: The combination ranks 2,301 out of 2,887 tested combos, placing it in the 20th percentile of all systems. This relatively low ranking reflects that Inside is an older game (released 2016) that does not heavily utilize high-end hardware — many lower-spec combos achieve similar or better frame rates at lower resolutions.

*Q: Does the Ryzen 9 5950X's 16-core configuration benefit Inside specifically?*

A: No. Inside is a 2D puzzle platformer that uses minimal multi-threading. The CPU's 3DMark 2-thread score of 1,856 and single-thread score of 944 suggest that only one or two cores are actively used. The 16 cores and 32 threads are largely idle, making the CPU's single-thread performance (PassMark 3,470) the relevant metric for this game.

Q: What preset provides the best balance of frame rate and visual quality at 1440p?

A: Medium at 2560x1440 delivers 138 FPS average with a minimum of 117 FPS, providing a large margin above 60 FPS while enabling moderate visual enhancements. High at 1440p averages 86 FPS, still smooth but with less headroom. Ultra at 1440p drops to 82 FPS, and Low at 1440p reaches 172 FPS but sacrifices visual fidelity.

Q: Is the frame rate at 1080p High (120 FPS) limited by the CPU or GPU?

A: The data suggests a balance. At 1080p Low, the system hits 240 FPS, indicating the CPU can push beyond 120 FPS. At 1080p High, the GPU's additional rendering load (more effects, higher resolution textures) brings the average down to 120 FPS, suggesting the Arc B570 is the limiting factor at this preset. The GPU's PassMark G3D score of 14,195 and 11.52 TFLOPS FP32 performance support this interpretation.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates across all presets. Low settings average 240 FPS, Medium averages 192 FPS (minimum 163, maximum 221), High averages 120 FPS, and Ultra averages 114 FPS. The gap between Medium and High (72 FPS) is larger than the gap between High and Ultra (6 FPS), suggesting that the Ultra preset adds minimal visual improvements for a small performance cost at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the averages drop across the board: Low delivers 172 FPS, Medium 138 FPS (minimum 117, maximum 159), High 86 FPS, and Ultra 82 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p maintains a minimum above 60 FPS with significant headroom, making it the most robust option for high-refresh-rate displays. The High and Ultra results (86 and 82 FPS) are close, indicating that the Ultra preset's additional effects are not particularly demanding on the Arc B570 at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the system's performance becomes more marginal. Low settings average 108 FPS, Medium 87 FPS (minimum 74, maximum 100), High 54 FPS, and Ultra 52 FPS. The 4K Medium result is the only preset at this resolution that stays comfortably above 60 FPS, while High and Ultra both dip below the threshold. The 4K Low result of 108 FPS demonstrates that the GPU can handle 4K rendering when the visual load is minimal, but the quality presets that add lighting effects or shadow detail push the Arc B570 past its comfort zone.

The min/max data for Medium presets across all resolutions shows consistent frame pacing: at 1080p, the range is 163-221 FPS (a 58 FPS spread); at 1440p, it's 117-159 FPS (42 FPS spread); and at 4K, it's 74-100 FPS (26 FPS spread). The narrowing range at higher resolutions indicates that the GPU becomes more consistently saturated, reducing frame time variance even as average FPS drops.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X + Intel Arc B570 combination ranks 2,301 out of 2,887 tested combos for Inside, placing it in the bottom 20% of all systems tested. This low ranking is somewhat misleading — the combo delivers playable frame rates at all resolutions and presets, with only 4K High and 4K Ultra falling below 60 FPS. The ranking reflects that Inside is not a demanding game, and many older or lower-end combos achieve similar frame rates because the game's requirements are modest.

The CPU's benchmark percentile of 91 (vs. all CPUs) and the GPU's percentile of 65 (vs. all GPUs) indicate that both components are above average in their respective categories. However, the combo's rank in Inside suggests that the game does not utilize the hardware's potential — a system with a weaker CPU and GPU could match or exceed these results if the GPU has sufficient raw pixel throughput. The GPU's nearest rivals in average benchmark score include the Intel Arc A750 (20,582, 0.1% faster), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (20,534, 0.1% faster), and the AMD Radeon R9 M390X (20,662, 0.5% faster), all of which would likely perform similarly in Inside.

The discrepancy between component-level percentiles and the in-game ranking highlights that Inside is a CPU-light, GPU-moderate title. The Ryzen 9 5950X's 16-core configuration is overkill for this game, and the Arc B570's mid-range performance is sufficient for most presets. For users prioritizing Inside specifically, a less powerful CPU would yield identical results, but for a general-purpose gaming system, this combo offers strong performance in more demanding titles.

Settings Recommendations

For players using a 1080p display, the Medium preset (192 FPS average) offers the best balance of visual quality and performance. The jump to High (120 FPS) cuts frame rate by 37% while providing diminishing visual returns, and Ultra (114 FPS) only marginally improves on High. Low (240 FPS) is unnecessary unless targeting a 240 Hz display, and even then, Medium's 192 FPS is close enough to the refresh rate cap.

At 1440p, Medium (138 FPS) remains the sweet spot, with a minimum of 117 FPS ensuring no drops below 60. High (86 FPS) is acceptable for 60 Hz displays but lacks headroom for 120 Hz+ monitors. Ultra (82 FPS) offers minimal visual gains over High and is not recommended. Low (172 FPS) is viable for competitive play but sacrifices the game's atmospheric lighting.

For 4K displays, Medium (87 FPS) is the only preset that delivers a consistently smooth experience, with a minimum of 74 FPS. High (54 FPS) and Ultra (52 FPS) both fall below 60 FPS, making them unsuitable for a fluid experience. Low (108 FPS) is an option for players who prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity, but the game's artistic style benefits from higher quality settings.

The data suggests that Medium is the optimal preset across all resolutions for this combo, balancing GPU load with visual quality. The Arc B570's 10 GB VRAM is sufficient for Medium textures at 4K, and the 380.0 GB/s bandwidth prevents memory-related stutters. Players with G-Sync or FreeSync displays can tolerate the 52-54 FPS range of High/Ultra at 4K, but the 74 FPS minimum of Medium provides a safer margin.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B570, based on the Xe2-HPG architecture (Battlemage generation), features 2,304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units, and 80 raster output units. Its 10 GB GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus delivers 380.0 GB/s bandwidth, with a memory clock of 2375 MHz (19 Gbps effective). The GPU's base and boost clocks are both 2500 MHz, yielding 11.52 TFLOPS FP32 performance and a pixel rate of 200.0 GPixel/s.

In Inside, the GPU's role becomes dominant at higher resolutions. The 4K results show that the Arc B570's pixel fill rate and memory bandwidth are the primary constraints — the 200.0 GPixel/s pixel rate is sufficient for the game's 2D rendering, but the 160-bit memory bus limits texture bandwidth at high resolutions. The GPU's PassMark G3D score of 14,195 and DirectX 12 score of 72 indicate solid DirectX 12 performance, though Inside is a DirectX 11-era title (released 2016) that may not fully utilize the GPU's modern features.

The GPU's 18 ray tracing cores and 12 Ultimate (12_2) DirectX support are irrelevant for Inside, as the game does not use ray tracing or advanced DX12 features. Instead, the GPU's rasterization performance (80 ROPs, 144 TMUs) determines the frame rates. The texture rate of 360.0 GTexel/s is more than adequate for the game's 2D sprites and backgrounds, and the 5 nm TSMC process (19,600 million transistors) ensures efficient power delivery within the 150 W TDP.

Comparing to rivals, the Arc B570's average benchmark score of 20,556 places it near the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (20,534, 0.1% slower) and Intel Arc A750 (20,582, 0.1% faster). These sub-1% differences suggest that any of these GPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates in Inside, reinforcing that the game is not GPU-intensive. The GPU's 65th percentile ranking among all GPUs confirms it is a mid-range part, but for this specific title, its performance is sufficient at all but the most demanding 4K presets.

The 4K High (54 FPS) and 4K Ultra (52 FPS) results indicate that the Arc B570's 10 GB VRAM and 380.0 GB/s bandwidth are the limiting factors at these settings. The GPU's memory bus width of 160 bits is narrower than many competitors, which may explain the sharp drop from Medium (87 FPS) to High (54 FPS) — the additional texture detail and effects require more memory bandwidth than the GPU can provide. For players who want 4K High or Ultra, a GPU with a wider memory bus or higher bandwidth would be necessary, but for Medium settings, the Arc B570 performs admirably.