Inside

Inside is a 2016 puzzle platformer that, despite its age, still presents an interesting performance profile when paired with the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti. The measured data for this combination spans all three primary resolutions and four quality presets, revealing a system that is heavily capable of running this title at high refresh rates. The benchmark results indicate that the CPU is rarely the limiting factor, with the GPU carrying the bulk of the rendering load, particularly at higher resolutions and settings. This analysis will walk through the measured frames per second (FPS) data to explain how the game scales, what settings offer the best experience, and how this specific hardware pairing ranks among other tested configurations.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data shows a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases, which is typical for a game like Inside that is not exceptionally demanding on modern hardware. At the Low preset, the average FPS drops from 346 at 1920x1080 to 249 at 2560x1440, and finally to 156 at 3840x2160. This represents a substantial 28% decrease from 1080p to 1440p and a further 37% decrease from 1440p to 4K. The scaling is nearly linear, indicating that at these lower graphical loads, the GPU is still the primary bottleneck, as the number of pixels being rendered is the dominant variable.

Moving to the Medium preset, a similar trend is observed, though the percentage drops are slightly more pronounced. The average FPS is 277 at 1080p, which falls to 199 at 1440p (a 28% drop) and then to 125 at 4K (a 37% drop from 1440p). The High preset shows a slightly different pattern. The average FPS at 1080p is 173, at 1440p it is 124 (a 28% drop), and at 4K it is 78 (a 37% drop from 1440p). This consistency in relative performance across presets suggests that the game's rendering pipeline is well-balanced, and the load is being shifted proportionally between the CPU and GPU as resolution changes.

The Ultra preset follows the same scaling trend as the others. With an average of 165 FPS at 1080p, it drops to 118 at 1440p (a 28% decrease) and then to 74 at 4K (a 37% decrease from 1440p). This uniform scaling across all presets is a strong indicator that the limiting component is the GPU. The CPU, with its 12 cores and 24 threads, is not being saturated by the game's physics or logic at any of these settings, as evidenced by the fact that the performance drop is almost entirely dependent on the resolution increase. The data suggests that this is a GPU-bound scenario across the board, which is a common and favorable situation for a system with a high-end CPU like the Ryzen 9 9900X3D.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS rows provide a clear picture of how the quality presets impact performance, allowing for a data-driven recommendation. Across all three resolutions, the jump from Low to Medium is significant, but the jump from Medium to High is even more substantial in terms of the FPS cost. For instance, at 1920x1080, the average FPS is 346 on Low and 277 on Medium, a difference of 69 FPS. However, moving from Medium to High drops the average from 277 to 173, a difference of 104 FPS. This indicates that the High preset introduces a significant graphical load that the RTX 3060 Ti must process.

For a game like Inside, where the visual atmosphere is a key component, the High preset offers a compelling balance. At 1920x1080, the average FPS on High is 173, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay and is likely high enough to take advantage of a 144Hz monitor. At 2560x1440, the High preset still delivers a very playable 124 FPS average. Even at 4K, the High preset manages an average of 78 FPS, which is perfectly smooth for this genre of game. The Ultra preset, on the other hand, only provides a marginal visual upgrade while costing a significant amount of performance. At 1080p, Ultra averages 165 FPS, which is only 8 FPS less than High, but at 1440p and 4K, the gap widens to 6 and 4 FPS respectively. The data suggests that the Ultra preset is not worth the performance hit, as the gains over High are minimal.

The Medium preset is also a valid choice for those seeking very high refresh rates, especially at 1440p, where it delivers a 199 FPS average. However, for the best balance of visual fidelity and performance, the High preset appears to be the sweet spot. At 1080p, it provides a high refresh rate experience, and at 1440p, it is more than sufficient for a smooth, immersive playthrough. The 4K performance on High is also surprisingly strong for this GPU, making it a viable option for those with a 4K display who are willing to accept a slightly lower but still perfectly smooth frame rate. The data strongly suggests that High is the optimal preset for this combination.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti has a recorded rank of 1273 out of 2887 tested combos in Inside. This places it in the 44th percentile of all tested systems, which is a solid, mid-tier result. This ranking is more a reflection of the RTX 3060 Ti's position in the market rather than any deficiency in the system as a whole. The GPU is a previous-generation mid-range card, and when paired with a top-tier, current-generation CPU, the overall system performance is often still limited by the GPU's capabilities.

To contextualize this rank, it's helpful to look at the CPU and GPU individually. The Ryzen 9 9900X3D has a percentile rank of 91 among all CPUs, indicating it is in the top 9% of processors. Its nearest rivals in the CPU benchmark database are the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF, which has an average score 0.6% lower, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K, which has an average score 1.3% higher. This shows that the CPU is a top-tier performer. In contrast, the RTX 3060 Ti has a percentile rank of 59 among all GPUs, placing it in the upper-middle tier. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 9060, with an average score 0.7% higher, and the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT, with an average score 1.4% higher. This confirms that the GPU is the less dominant component in this pairing.

Therefore, the combo rank of 1273 is a direct result of the GPU's performance tier. The data indicates that the system is not underperforming; rather, it is performing as expected for a mid-range GPU paired with a high-end CPU. In a game like Inside, which is not heavily CPU-dependent, the GPU is the primary determinant of the final FPS, and its performance relative to other GPUs is what ultimately drives the combo's position in the rankings. The CPU's high performance is a benefit in other, more CPU-intensive titles, but for this specific game, the GPU's capability is the deciding factor.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at the system's performance across all tested configurations. At 1920x1080, the system is exceptionally fast. The Low preset yields an average of 346 FPS, while Medium drops to 277 FPS with a minimum of 235 and a maximum of 318. The High preset averages 173 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 165 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra is minimal, at only 8 FPS, making Ultra a poor choice for the extra load.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains very high. The Low preset averages 249 FPS, and the Medium preset averages 199 FPS, with a minimum of 169 and a maximum of 229. The High preset delivers a solid 124 FPS average, while the Ultra preset falls slightly behind at 118 FPS. This resolution is clearly a sweet spot for this combo, as even the High preset maintains a frame rate that is well above the standard 60 FPS target and is high enough for most high-refresh-rate displays.

At 3840x2160, the system begins to show the limitations of the RTX 3060 Ti. The Low preset still manages a very respectable 156 FPS average. The Medium preset averages 125 FPS, with a minimum of 106 and a maximum of 144, which is still a very playable experience. The High preset drops to an average of 78 FPS, which is smooth for this type of game. Finally, the Ultra preset averages 74 FPS. The data shows that even at 4K, the system is capable of delivering a smooth experience on the High preset, which is a strong result for a mid-range GPU. The measured values are consistent and show no signs of unexpected performance cliffs, indicating a stable and well-matched configuration.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the defining component in this system's gaming performance. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is sufficient for Inside, as the game is not known for using large amounts of VRAM. The GPU's clock speeds are listed as a base of 1410 MHz and a boost of 1665 MHz. The data suggests that the card is able to sustain its boost clock effectively, as the FPS figures are consistently high and scale predictably with resolution.

The GPU's benchmark scores also paint a clear picture of its capabilities. It has an average benchmark score of 16129 and a percentile rank of 59, meaning it performs better than 59% of all GPUs in the database. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon RX 9060, which scores 0.7% higher, and the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT, which scores 1.4% higher. The RTX 3060 Ti is based on the Ampere architecture, which is a mature and well-supported design. The data indicates that for a game like Inside, the GPU's raw rasterization performance is the primary driver of the FPS, and its 8 GB of VRAM is not a limiting factor at any of the tested settings or resolutions. The card's performance is consistent with its position in the mid-range market, and it is the component that dictates the frame rates seen in the measurements.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D, with its 12 cores and 24 threads, is a powerhouse processor that plays a minimal role in limiting the performance in Inside. Its base clock of 4.40 GHz and boost clock of 5.50 GHz, combined with its large 128 MB of L3 cache, make it an exceptionally fast CPU. The benchmark results confirm its high-end status, with an average benchmark score of 54762 and a percentile rank of 91. Its nearest rivals are the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF, which scores 0.6% lower, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K, which scores 1.3% higher.

In this specific game, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with data. Given the predictable FPS scaling with resolution, it is evident that the CPU is not a bottleneck. The game's engine is likely not using all 24 threads, but the single-thread performance of the 9900X3D is exceptionally high, as shown by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6739. This strong single-core performance is more than sufficient for the game's logic. The data strongly suggests that the CPU is idling or partially loaded while the GPU is working at full capacity. This is an ideal scenario, as it means the system's performance is entirely dependent on the GPU, and any future GPU upgrade would result in a direct and proportional increase in frame rates without needing to change the processor.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with the High preset?

A: The average FPS at 1920x1080 with the High preset is 173.

Q: How does the system perform at 4K with the Medium preset?

A: At 3840x2160 with the Medium preset, the system achieves an average FPS of 125, with a minimum of 106 and a maximum of 144.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor, as FPS scales predictably with resolution. The CPU, with a percentile rank of 91, is not a bottleneck.

Q: Which preset offers the best balance between visual quality and performance?

A: The High preset appears to be the best choice, as it delivers high average FPS (173 at 1080p, 124 at 1440p, 78 at 4K) while the Ultra preset offers a minimal FPS gain of only 8 FPS at 1080p over High.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested systems?

A: This combo ranks 1273 out of 2887 tested combinations, placing it in the mid-tier of all tested systems.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The lowest average FPS recorded is 74, which occurs at 3840x2160 resolution with the Ultra settings preset.