Inside

The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X paired with the Intel Arc B370 presents a striking study in bottleneck dynamics within the puzzle platformer Inside. The 12-core, 24-thread Zen 4 processor is a high-end desktop part, while the Arc B370 is an integrated graphics solution with performance characteristics that place it near the bottom of the GPU percentile rankings. The measured frame rates across resolutions and settings clearly illustrate this imbalance.

Resolution Scaling

The data shows a dramatic and predictable drop in performance as resolution increases, confirming that the Intel Arc B370 is the primary limiting component in this configuration. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 141 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at Low settings, that figure falls to 101 FPS, a reduction of 28.4%. At 3840x2160 with Low settings, the average further drops to 64 FPS, which is a 54.6% decrease from the 1080p result.

The scaling pattern under High settings is similar but shows the GPU being pushed even harder. The average frame rate at 1080p High is 70 FPS. At 1440p High, it drops to 51 FPS, a 27.1% decline. At 4K High, the average plummets to 32 FPS, which is a 54.3% reduction from the 1080p baseline. This consistent halving of performance from 1080p to 4K indicates that the rendering workload is scaling directly with pixel count, a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario.

The frame time consistency, where min/max data is available, also degrades with resolution. At 1080p Medium, the average is 113 FPS with a minimum of 96 and a maximum of 130. At 1440p Medium, the average is 81 FPS, with the minimum falling to 69 and the maximum to 93. At 4K Medium, the average is 51 FPS, and the minimum and maximum are 43 and 59, respectively. The widening gap between minimum and average FPS at higher resolutions suggests that the GPU is struggling to maintain consistent frame pacing as its compute resources become saturated.

The performance cliff between 1440p and 4K is particularly steep. For High settings, the drop is from 51 FPS to 32 FPS, a 37.3% loss. For Medium settings, the drop is from 81 FPS to 51 FPS, a 37.0% loss. These substantial reductions show that 4K resolution is an extreme burden for the Arc B370, pushing it well below the threshold for smooth gameplay in this title. The 4K Ultra preset is nearly unplayable, with an average of just 30 FPS. The data strongly suggests that 1080p is the intended operating resolution for this pairing, with 1440p being a stretch that requires lower settings for acceptable performance.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X is a powerhouse processor, and its specifications are far beyond what a game like Inside requires. With 12 cores, 24 threads, a base clock of 4.70 GHz, and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, it possesses a massive amount of headroom for this title. The processor's benchmark scores reinforce this. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score is 29300, and its single-core score is 2016.5. It also demonstrates robust multi-threaded performance in other tests, such as a Passmark multithread score of 51406 and a Geekbench multicore score of 19267.

The CPU's role in this specific configuration is to feed frames to the GPU as fast as possible, and it does so without becoming a bottleneck. The evidence for this lies in the resolution scaling data. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the frame rates would remain relatively flat regardless of resolution. Instead, we see frame rates that nearly halve when moving from 1080p to 4K, which is the signature of a GPU that is unable to keep up with the rendering demands.

The single-threaded performance of the 7900X is also more than sufficient. Its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2016.5 and Passmark single-thread score of 4238 indicate that it can handle the primary game logic thread with ease. The 3DMark single-thread score of 1093 further confirms this. Even with a high-refresh-rate 1080p display, the CPU can generate frames faster than the Arc B370 can render them, meaning the CPU is effectively idle, waiting on the GPU.

In the context of its rivals, the 7900X sits comfortably. It has an average benchmark score of 53288, which places it in the 91st percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 7313P, has an average score of 53206, a negligible 0.2% difference. The Intel Core i7-14700F scores 53620, which is 0.6% higher, while the Intel Xeon Phi 7290 scores 53469, 0.3% higher. These are all within a margin of error, but it shows the 7900X is a top-tier performer that will not hold back any game in this genre.

How This Combo Ranks

The benchmark database ranks this specific CPU and GPU combination at 2654 out of 2887 tested combos for Inside. This places it in the bottom 8% of all configurations, which is a direct consequence of the GPU's low performance ceiling. The comboRankInGame is a holistic metric, and the Intel Arc B370 drags the overall ranking down significantly despite the CPU's high standing.

The CPU's own percentile rank of 91 indicates it is in the top 9% of all processors. The GPU, however, has a percentile rank of only 5, meaning it performs better than just 5% of all GPUs tested. This stark contrast between the two components is the defining characteristic of this pairing. The combo's rank of 2654 is a direct reflection of the GPU's limitations, as the CPU is clearly not the constraining factor.

The GPU's average benchmark score of 1184 is almost identical to its nearest rivals. The ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 scores 1186, which is a 0.2% difference. The ATI Radeon HD 5770 scores 1190, a 0.5% difference, and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M scores 1192, a 0.7% difference. These are all legacy or low-power parts, which contextually illustrates the Arc B370's performance tier. The CPU, in contrast, is competing with server-grade and high-end desktop parts, underscoring the massive performance gap between the two components in this system.

FAQ

*Q: Can this system run Inside at 4K resolution?*

A: Technically, yes, but the experience will be poor. At 4K with High settings, the average frame rate is 32 FPS, and at Ultra, it drops to 30 FPS. These are below the generally accepted threshold for smooth, responsive gameplay, making 4K a non-viable option for a good experience in this title.

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU and GPU combo?

A: The data clearly indicates that 1920x1080 is the most suitable resolution. All settings presets at 1080p achieve playable frame rates, with Low at 141 FPS, Medium at 113 FPS, High at 70 FPS, and Ultra at 67 FPS. This resolution allows the GPU to keep up with the CPU's frame generation capability.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X a bottleneck in this system?

A: No. The benchmark results show that the frame rates scale inversely with resolution, which is a definitive indicator of a GPU bottleneck. The 7900X, with its high core count and clock speeds, has ample performance to feed the Arc B370 and is not limiting the system's output in this game.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B370 compare to its closest rivals?

A: The Arc B370 has an average benchmark score of 1184. Its nearest rival, the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, scores 1186, a 0.2% difference. The ATI Radeon HD 5770 scores 1190, a 0.5% difference, and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M scores 1192, a 0.7% difference. They are all statistically tied in performance.

Q: What is the impact of changing settings from Low to Ultra at 1080p?

A: The performance cost is significant. At 1080p, the average frame rate drops from 141 FPS on Low to 113 FPS on Medium, a 19.9% decrease. Moving to High reduces it to 70 FPS, a 50.4% decrease from Low, and Ultra drops it further to 67 FPS, a 52.5% decrease from Low. The jump from Medium to High is the most substantial single-step reduction in performance.

Q: Is the CPU's performance consistent with its competition?

A: Yes, the 7900X is a top-tier part. With an average score of 53288, it is within 0.6% of its nearest rivals, including the Intel Core i7-14700F (53620) and the AMD EPYC 7313P (53206). Its performance is essentially on par with these high-end alternatives.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on Intel's 3 nm process. Its specifications are modest, with 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster operation pipelines. It also features 10 ray tracing cores. The GPU's boost clock is 2400 MHz, and it shares system memory, with bandwidth listed as "System Dependent."

In Inside, the GPU is the clear limiting factor. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1184, which places it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. This low score is reflected in the measured frame rates. The GPU's compute capabilities are simply not sufficient for high-resolution rendering in this title. The FP32 performance is 6.144 TFLOPS, which is a low figure for modern gaming, and the pixel rate is 48.00 GPixel/s, which limits fill-rate-bound scenarios.

The VRAM situation is also a concern. The Arc B370 has no dedicated VRAM; it uses "System Shared" memory. This means the memory bandwidth is dependent on the system's RAM and bus configuration. While this might be acceptable for a puzzle platformer like Inside at lower resolutions, it can become a bottleneck at higher settings and resolutions where texture and geometry data demands increase.

The GPU's performance in the game is directly tied to its 3DMark score. The 32 FPS average at 4K High and 51 FPS at 1440p High are consistent with a GPU that scores around 1184 in the Steel Nomad benchmark. Its nearest rivals, such as the ATI Radeon HD 5770, are similarly aged and low-power parts, which confirms the Arc B370's position as an entry-level solution. The 25 W TDP and lack of power connectors highlight its integrated nature and intended use case for basic computing, not high-end gaming.

Settings Recommendations

The ideal settings preset is heavily dependent on the target resolution. For players aiming for the smoothest experience at 1920x1080, the Low preset is the clear winner. At an average of 141 FPS, it provides a massive performance cushion. The Medium preset, at 113 FPS, is also excellent and offers a better balance of visuals and speed. For a more visually rich experience while maintaining high frame rates, the High preset at 70 FPS is a viable option. The Ultra preset at 67 FPS offers only a marginal visual upgrade over High while costing a small amount of performance, making it the least efficient choice at 1080p.

At 2560x1440, the options become more constrained. The Low preset, with an average of 101 FPS, is the only setting that ensures a consistently smooth experience. The Medium preset at 81 FPS is still playable, but the minimum frame rate of 69 FPS indicates it is starting to approach the edge of comfort. The High preset at 51 FPS and the Ultra preset at 48 FPS are not recommended for a game that benefits from fluid motion, as they fall below the 60 FPS threshold.

At 3840x2160, the data shows that no preset provides a satisfactory experience. The Low preset at 64 FPS is the only one that approaches playability. The Medium preset at 51 FPS and the High preset at 32 FPS are too slow for a responsive puzzle platformer, and the Ultra preset at 30 FPS is effectively a slideshow. The performance at 4K is a clear indication that this resolution is beyond the capabilities of the Intel Arc B370 in this game.

The most balanced recommendation for this hardware combo is to play at 1920x1080 with the Medium preset. This configuration yields an average of 113 FPS with a minimum of 96 FPS, providing a smooth and responsive experience that is well-suited to the game's physics-based puzzles. If a higher resolution is absolutely necessary, 1440p with the Low preset is the only acceptable option. The data is unambiguous: the Intel Arc B370 is a 1080p-class GPU, and attempting to run Inside at higher resolutions will result in a degraded experience.