Inside

Inside is a 2016 puzzle platformer that, on paper, should be trivial for modern hardware. Yet, the measured FPS data for the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX paired with the AMD Radeon 890M reveals a fascinating bottleneck dynamic, where a flagship mobile CPU is held back by its integrated graphics at higher resolutions, but the combination still delivers playable results at 1080p.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is stark and clearly illustrates where the system’s limiting factor lies. At 1080p with High settings, the combo averages 69 FPS. Moving to 1440p drops that to 50 FPS, a 27.5% reduction. The jump to 4K is even more punishing, with the average falling to 31 FPS, a 55% reduction from the 1080p baseline. This scaling pattern is a textbook sign of a GPU-bound scenario: the CPU has ample headroom, but the Radeon 890M’s fill rate and shading power are overwhelmed as pixel count increases.

The Low settings preset provides the clearest view of this bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the system hits 139 FPS, but at 1440p Low, it drops to 100 FPS, and at 4K Low, it plummets to 63 FPS. Even with the graphical load minimized, the resolution scaling remains brutal, confirming that the integrated GPU’s raw throughput is the primary constraint. The data implies that the Ryzen 9 8945HX is essentially idle in these scenarios, waiting for the Radeon 890M to catch up. For a game as visually simple as Inside, the 4K Ultra setting yields just 30 FPS, suggesting that the GPU is struggling with the combination of high pixel count and the game's post-processing effects. The difference between 1080p High (69 FPS) and 4K High (31 FPS) shows that the GPU’s performance is nearly halved with each resolution step, a disproportionate drop that points directly to the 890M’s limited memory bandwidth and compute units.

The fact that the 4K Medium setting (50 FPS) matches the 1440p High setting (50 FPS) is particularly telling. This suggests that the game’s graphical settings have a nonlinear impact on GPU load, and that resolution is the dominant factor here. The CPU, with its 16 cores and 32 threads, is not the bottleneck in any resolution, as evidenced by the massive frame rate headroom at 1080p Low. Instead, the data indicates that the Radeon 890M, with its 1024 shading units and 32 ROPs, is the sole determinant of performance beyond 1080p.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX is a powerhouse, featuring 16 cores and 32 threads based on the Zen 4 architecture. With a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, it is designed for heavy multi-threaded workloads. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 42,713 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 6,030 in single-core, placing it in the 95th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX (0.1% faster) and the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D (0.6% faster), show that it is at the very top of the mobile CPU hierarchy.

However, in the context of Inside, this CPU power is almost entirely irrelevant. The game is a 2D puzzle platformer, which does not heavily utilize multi-threading. The single-core performance is more important, and here the 8945HX’s 6,030 score in R23 single-core is more than sufficient. The measured FPS data shows that at 1080p Low, the system achieves 139 FPS, which is likely near the game’s engine limit or the GPU’s limit, not the CPU’s. The fact that the FPS drops to 63 at 4K Low, while the CPU’s workload remains relatively constant, confirms that the CPU is not a limiting factor.

This is a case where the CPU’s 55W TDP and 5 nm process node are irrelevant to the gaming experience. The 8945HX is a server-grade processor in a laptop, and its 64 MB of L3 cache and dual-channel DDR5 memory support (83.2 GB/s bandwidth) are overkill for a game like Inside. The data suggests that the CPU is operating in a state of massive headroom, leaving the Radeon 890M as the sole performance gate. The Cinebench R20 multi-core score of 17,939 further emphasizes that this processor is built for tasks far more demanding than rendering a dim, atmospheric puzzle game, and its Passmark single-thread score of 3,907 indicates that even its single-core performance is not a concern.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon 890M is the integrated GPU, based on the RDNA 3.5 architecture. It has 1024 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, with a boost clock of 2900 MHz. Its FP32 performance is 5.939 TFLOPS, and it uses system shared memory, meaning its bandwidth is system-dependent. In the Passmark G3D benchmark, it scores 8,076, placing it in the 45th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon Vega 8 (0.1% slower), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 (0.7% faster), and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 465 (0.9% faster), which puts it in the range of older discrete entry-level cards.

This GPU is clearly the bottleneck in Inside. The measured FPS data shows that at 1080p Ultra, the system averages 66 FPS, but this drops to 47 FPS at 1440p Ultra and 30 FPS at 4K Ultra. The GPU’s 32 ROPs are responsible for pixel fill rate, and at 4K, the sheer number of pixels to be processed overwhelms it. The 64 TMUs are tasked with texture filtering, but the game’s art style is not texture-heavy, so the bottleneck is more likely the ROPs and the memory bandwidth.

The Radeon 890M’s 15W TDP is a clear indicator of its limitations. While the boost clock of 2900 MHz is high for an iGPU, the physical constraints of sharing power and memory with the CPU limit its sustained performance. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 590 is low, but it is not a direct indicator of game performance. The Geekbench Vulkan score of 40,808 shows that the GPU can handle modern APIs, but the raw throughput is insufficient for high-resolution gaming. The fact that the 4K Medium setting (50 FPS) matches the 1440p High setting (50 FPS) suggests that the GPU is hitting a hard wall around this performance level, regardless of settings, when the resolution is high. The data implies that the 890M is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can provide playable frame rates, but it is not a 4K solution.

How This Combo Ranks

In the specific game of Inside, this combination of AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and AMD Radeon 890M ranks 2,714 out of 2,887 tested combos. This places it in the bottom 6% of all system configurations tested for this game. This is a surprisingly low rank for a system with such a powerful CPU. The rank is almost entirely determined by the GPU’s performance, as the CPU’s massive computing power does not translate to higher frame rates in a 2D title.

The low rank is a direct consequence of the Radeon 890M being an integrated graphics solution. While it is one of the fastest iGPUs available, it is still far behind discrete GPUs. The data suggests that a system with a mid-range discrete GPU, even an older one, would rank significantly higher. The combo’s rank is a stark reminder that CPU performance is not a proxy for gaming performance, especially in titles that are not CPU-intensive. The fact that the GPU’s average benchmark score (9,210) is in the 45th percentile, and the CPU’s is in the 95th percentile, highlights the mismatch in capabilities. The 2,714th rank out of 2,887 means that the vast majority of systems tested, even those with older or weaker CPUs, achieve higher frame rates in Inside, solely because they have a dedicated graphics card.

This ranking serves as a warning for users who might assume that a top-tier CPU guarantees a good gaming experience. The data shows that the integrated GPU is the great equalizer, dragging the overall system performance down to the level of a budget laptop. While the CPU may be a 95th percentile performer, the GPU is only a 45th percentile performer, and the combination’s in-game rank reflects the GPU’s limitations, not the CPU’s strengths.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the system’s capabilities across resolutions and settings.

At 1920x1080, the system performs admirably. With Low settings, it averages 139 FPS, which is excellent for a smooth experience. Medium settings drop the average to 111 FPS, with a minimum of 94 FPS and a maximum of 127 FPS. High settings bring the average down to 69 FPS, and Ultra settings drop it further to 66 FPS. All of these are playable, and the system is clearly capable of handling the game at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops significantly. Low settings average 100 FPS, which is still very smooth. Medium settings average 80 FPS, with a minimum of 68 FPS and a maximum of 92 FPS. High settings average 50 FPS, and Ultra settings average 47 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is noticeable, with the High and Ultra settings falling below the 60 FPS threshold.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles. Low settings average 63 FPS, which is just playable. Medium settings average 50 FPS, with a minimum of 43 FPS and a maximum of 58 FPS. High settings average 31 FPS, and Ultra settings average 30 FPS. These are not ideal for a smooth experience, and the system is clearly not suited for 4K gaming in this title.

The data shows a clear pattern: the system is best used at 1080p, where it can handle even Ultra settings with a playable frame rate. At 1440p, it is playable on Medium or Low settings. At 4K, only Low settings are acceptable, and even then, the frame rate is marginal.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this system depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate.

For a 1080p display, the High preset at 69 FPS is the best balance of visual quality and performance. The jump from Medium (111 FPS) to High (69 FPS) is significant, but the visual improvement in a game like Inside is worth it. While Ultra (66 FPS) is also playable, it offers minimal visual gains over High for a 3 FPS drop, so High is the recommended choice.

For a 1440p display, the Medium preset at 80 FPS is the best option. It provides a smooth frame rate above 60 FPS, with a minimum of 68 FPS. The High preset (50 FPS) is playable but not ideal, and the Low preset (100 FPS) sacrifices too much visual quality. Medium is the sweet spot.

For a 4K display, the Low preset at 63 FPS is the only playable option. The Medium preset (50 FPS) is borderline, but the Low preset offers a more consistent experience. Higher settings at 4K result in frame rates in the 30s, which are not recommended for a smooth experience.

The data indicates that this system is a 1080p machine for this game. Users with higher-resolution displays should consider lowering the resolution or the settings to achieve a playable frame rate.

FAQ

Q: Is this system capable of running Inside at 4K Ultra settings?

A: No. The measured FPS at 3840x2160 Ultra is 30 FPS, which is below the standard 60 FPS target for a smooth experience. The system is not powerful enough for 4K Ultra gaming in this title.

Q: What is the best resolution for this system in Inside?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the optimal resolution. The system achieves playable frame rates across all settings at 1080p, with the Low preset hitting 139 FPS and the High preset at 69 FPS.

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX has an average benchmark score of 76,212. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX, is 0.1% faster with a score of 76,155. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is 0.6% faster with a score of 75,779.

Q: How does the GPU's performance compare to its rivals?

A: The AMD Radeon 890M has an average benchmark score of 9,210. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon Vega 8, is 0.1% slower with a score of 9,221. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 is 0.7% faster with a score of 9,273.

Q: Why is the system's rank in this game so low despite having a top-tier CPU?

A: The system ranks 2,714 out of 2,887 combos for Inside. This low rank is due to the integrated GPU being the bottleneck. The CPU's performance is not a factor in this 2D game, so the Radeon 890M's limitations determine the overall ranking.

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1440p with Medium settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 2560x1440 with Medium settings is 80 FPS, with a minimum of 68 FPS and a maximum of 92 FPS. This is a smooth and playable experience.