Inside

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT combination delivers a thoroughly playable experience in Inside, a puzzle platformer from 2016. The data shows a configuration that is heavily GPU-limited at higher resolutions, but capable of exceptional frame rates at 1080p. This analysis breaks down the measured performance across resolutions and settings, interpreting the numbers from the benchmark database.

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

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture (codenamed Granite Ridge) and built on a 4 nm process. It operates on the AMD Socket AM5 platform with a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. The processor features a substantial 64 MB of shared L3 cache, alongside 1 MB of L2 and 80 KB of L1 per core. This is a high-end desktop part, with a 120 W TDP and support for DDR5 memory across a dual-channel bus, providing 89.6 GB/s of memory bandwidth.

In the context of Inside, a game that is not demanding on multi-threaded workloads, the CPU’s raw single-thread performance is the primary contributor to high frame rates. Benchmark results show a 3dmark_single_thread score of 1286 and a 3dmark_2_threads score of 2519. The processor’s strength is further validated by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6555 and a Passmark single-thread score of 4672. For a puzzle platformer, the game's logic and physics often rely on a few threads, and the 9900X’s performance here is more than sufficient.

The CPU’s general performance ranking places it in the 94th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 54450. This puts it in a tight cluster with its nearest rivals. The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D has an average score of 54681, which is a deltaPct of -0.4, meaning the 9900X is marginally behind. The Intel Core i7-14700F is 0.7% behind the 9900X, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K and 245KF are 1.5% and 1.8% ahead, respectively. These differences are negligible in real-world gaming, and the data suggests that the CPU is not the bottleneck in this configuration.

The measured FPS data reinforces this. At 1080p Low settings, the system achieves 277.5 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1080p is significant, dropping to 133.7 FPS, but this change is attributable to the GPU handling increased graphical load, not a CPU limitation. The sheer scale of these numbers—well above the refresh rates of most monitors—indicates that the CPU provides a robust foundation, ensuring that frame pacing is not a concern. The 9900X delivers ample headroom for this title, and the data suggests its role is to eliminate any potential for CPU-bound frame dips.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT is the graphics card in this pairing, based on the RDNA 1.0 architecture and the Navi 10 chip, manufactured on a 7 nm process. It has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. The GPU’s clocks are listed with a base of 1605 MHz, a game clock of 1755 MHz, and a boost clock of 1905 MHz. The memory operates at a 1750 MHz clock, which is specified as 14 Gbps effective. The card has 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, with a pixel rate of 121.9 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 304.8 GTexel/s.

This GPU is from the Radeon RX 5000 series and is now an end-of-life product. Its overall performance percentile is 68, indicating it sits above the median of all GPUs but is not a top-tier part. Its average benchmark score is 24731. The nearest rivals show a very tight grouping: the NVIDIA RTX A5000 Mobile is 0.1% ahead, the Intel Arc A350M is 0.3% behind, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile is 0.6% behind, and the NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 is 0.9% behind. This indicates the RX 5700 XT is positioned in a highly competitive mid-range segment.

In Inside, the GPU is the primary determinant of performance at higher settings. The measured frames per second show a clear correlation with the graphics workload. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 58.3, which is the lowest measured value. Even at 1080p Ultra, the frame rate is 133.7 FPS, a significant reduction from the 277.5 FPS seen at Low settings. This scaling highlights the GPU's role as the limiting component as resolution and visual complexity increase. The 8 GB VRAM is adequate for this title, as the game’s art style and geometry do not appear to exceed this capacity based on the stable frame rates observed, though the data does not provide specific VRAM usage.

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

The resolution scaling data clearly illustrates the shift in system bottleneck. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 to 3840x2160, there is a consistent and substantial drop in average frame rates across all settings. This pattern is classic evidence of a GPU-bound system.

At High settings, the average FPS is 136.9 at 1080p, drops to 100.3 at 1440p, and further to 65.8 at 4K. This represents a 27% reduction from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 34% reduction from 1440p to 4K. The scaling is similar for other presets. For instance, on Medium settings, the system achieves 221.8 FPS at 1080p, 156.4 FPS at 1440p, and 97.7 FPS at 4K. The Low preset shows the most extreme scaling, from 277.5 FPS at 1080p down to 125.9 FPS at 4K.

The fact that the frame rate nearly halves when moving from 1080p Low to 4K Low (277.5 to 125.9 FPS) points to the GPU’s fill-rate and shading limits being reached. The CPU, with its high single-thread scores, is capable of feeding the GPU with data, but the GPU cannot render the increasing pixel count at the same speed. The 1440p results suggest a balanced point where the system still delivers high performance, but the trend is unmistakable. The data indicates that the RX 5700 XT is the definitive performance ceiling for this configuration, and any attempt to run at 4K with higher settings will be constrained by the graphics card.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

The measured data provides a clear picture of the performance envelope for each preset. The goal is to identify a setting that provides a smooth, high-refresh-rate experience without sacrificing visual fidelity.

At 1080p, the Ultra preset delivers an average of 133.7 FPS. This is a playable frame rate, but the High preset offers a slight improvement at 136.9 FPS, a difference of only 3.2 FPS. Given the negligible performance delta, the High preset is the optimal choice at this resolution. It provides the visual enhancements of the Ultra preset with a nominally higher frame rate, suggesting that the Ultra preset’s additional effects are not meaningfully taxing the GPU. The Medium preset at 221.8 FPS is for those who prioritize maximum refresh rates, but the visual step up from High to Ultra is minimal in performance cost.

At 1440p, the situation is similar. The High preset achieves 100.3 FPS, which is an excellent result for a 1440p monitor with a 100 Hz refresh rate. The Ultra preset drops to 94.3 FPS, which is still smooth but below the 100 FPS mark. The data suggests that High is the sweet spot here, offering a 6 FPS advantage over Ultra while providing a similar visual experience. The Medium preset at 156.4 FPS is viable for high-refresh-rate 1440p displays.

For 4K, the High preset yields 65.8 FPS, which is the only preset that achieves a frame rate above 60 FPS. The Ultra preset falls to 58.3 FPS, which is noticeably less smooth. The Low and Medium presets are faster, but they may compromise the game's atmospheric lighting and shadow quality. For a 60 Hz 4K display, the High preset is clearly the best balance, as it is the only configuration that consistently stays above the 60 FPS threshold. The recommendation from the data is to use High settings for the best experience at 1080p and 1440p, and to use High settings at 4K if a 60 Hz display is in use, as it is the only preset with an average FPS above 60.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and setting combination for a 60 Hz monitor?

A: For a 60 Hz display, the 4K High preset is the only 4K configuration with an average frame rate above 60 FPS, achieving 65.8 FPS. At 1440p, the Ultra preset (94.3 FPS) and High preset (100.3 FPS) both comfortably exceed 60 FPS, so High is recommended for the extra performance headroom.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU limit performance in this game?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. Benchmark results show a steep decline in frame rates as resolution increases. For example, at High settings, the average FPS drops from 136.9 at 1080p to 65.8 at 4K, a reduction of over half. This scaling is characteristic of a GPU bottleneck.

Q: How does the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X compare to its nearest rivals in overall CPU benchmarks?

A: The 9900X has an average benchmark score of 54450, which places it in the 94th percentile. Its closest competitor, the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D, has an average score of 54681, making the 9900X only 0.4% slower. The Intel Core i7-14700F is 0.7% slower, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K and 245KF are 1.5% and 1.8% faster, respectively. These differences are marginal.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the Low preset achieves an average of 277.5 FPS, while the Ultra preset achieves 133.7 FPS. This represents a reduction of 143.8 FPS, or about 52% lower performance, when moving to the highest visual quality settings.

Q: Is the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT a high-performance GPU relative to others?

A: The RX 5700 XT sits in the 68th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 24731. Its performance is nearly identical to its nearest rivals, with the NVIDIA RTX A5000 Mobile being only 0.1% faster and the Intel Arc A350M being 0.3% slower. It is a solid mid-range performer, not a top-tier card.

Q: Can this system achieve high refresh rates at 1440p?

A: Yes, the data shows it can. At 1440p, the Medium preset achieves an average of 156.4 FPS, and the High preset achieves 100.3 FPS. Even the Ultra preset maintains a 94.3 FPS average, making it suitable for a 144 Hz monitor if the High or Medium presets are selected.