Inside

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 delivers a remarkably fluid experience in Inside, a Puzzle Platformer from 2016, with measured frame rates that range from 81 FPS at 4K Ultra to 378 FPS at 1080p Low. This combination of a high-end 12-core Zen 5 processor and an Ampere-based mid-range GPU proves that the game’s rendering demands are easily met, with the data showing that even the most demanding preset at the highest resolution remains comfortably above playable thresholds, while lower resolutions push into high-refresh-rate territory that far exceeds typical display capabilities.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and consistent scaling pattern as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 189 FPS at 1080p to 136 FPS at 1440p, then further to 85 FPS at 4K. This represents a 55% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K, which is a substantial hit but one that leaves the game very playable at every step. The pattern suggests that while the GPU is becoming more stressed at higher resolutions, the absolute performance ceiling of this combo is high enough that even the 4K result remains smooth.

Looking at Low settings, the scaling is even more pronounced in absolute terms. The average frame rate at 1080p Low is 378 FPS, which drops to 272 FPS at 1440p and then to 171 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 4K here is 207 FPS, a 55% decrease that mirrors the High settings percentage. This consistency across presets indicates that resolution scaling is primarily a GPU-bound phenomenon in Inside, with the RTX 3070’s rendering throughput being the limiting factor as pixel count rises. The CPU, with its 12 cores and 24 threads from the Ryzen 9 9900X3D, clearly has ample headroom to feed the GPU even at 4K, as evidenced by the fact that frame rates remain high rather than collapsing due to a CPU bottleneck.

Medium settings show a similar trajectory. At 1080p Medium, the average is 302 FPS, falling to 217 FPS at 1440p and 136 FPS at 4K. The 4K result at Medium includes a minimum FPS of 116 and a maximum of 157, showing some variance but no severe frame-time spikes. Ultra settings, the most demanding preset, produce 180 FPS at 1080p, 129 FPS at 1440p, and 81 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra figure is the lowest measured in the entire dataset, yet at 81 FPS it still clears the 60 FPS threshold by a comfortable margin, suggesting that this combo can handle the game at maximum fidelity on a 4K display without dipping into stutter territory.

The scaling behavior indicates that the RTX 3070’s 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth are sufficient for Inside’s visual load, even at 4K Ultra. If VRAM capacity were a limiting factor, we would expect to see larger drops or memory-related stutters at higher resolutions, but the steady progression from 180 to 129 to 81 FPS across Ultra settings shows a linear relationship with pixel count rather than a cliff effect. The data therefore points to the GPU’s compute and memory subsystem as the primary constraint at 4K, while at 1080p and 1440p the frame rates are so high that the game becomes more about display refresh rate limits than hardware capability.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070’s specifications provide context for its performance in Inside. The GPU features a base clock of 1500 MHz and a boost clock of 1725 MHz, with 5888 shading units, 184 texture mapping units, and 96 render output units. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory operates at 1750 MHz with a 256-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. In a game like Inside, which is a 2D side-scrolling puzzle platformer with stylized visuals rather than a photorealistic 3D title, these specifications are more than adequate, and the measured frame rates confirm that the GPU is rarely the bottleneck outside of 4K Ultra.

The RTX 3070’s FP32 performance is rated at 20.31 TFLOPS, with a pixel rate of 165.6 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 317.4 GTexel/s. These figures indicate a GPU that was designed for 1440p gaming at high refresh rates when it launched in 2020, and Inside’s modest rendering complexity means the card can push far beyond that. At 1080p Low, the 378 FPS average suggests the GPU is operating well below its saturation point, with frame generation limited more by the game’s engine or the CPU’s frame submission rate than by raw pixel throughput. The Ryzen 9 9900X3D, with a boost clock of 5.50 GHz and 128 MB of L3 cache, provides single-thread performance that is more than sufficient for this older title, as evidenced by the 3DMark single-thread score of 1269 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6739.

The GPU’s memory configuration is also relevant to Inside’s performance. The 8 GB frame buffer at 4K Ultra does not appear to cause issues, as the 81 FPS average with no reported minimum FPS (null in the data) suggests stable performance. Had the game required more than 8 GB of VRAM, we might see frame drops or texture pop-in, but the data shows no such signs. The memory clock of 1750 MHz (effective 14 Gbps) provides sufficient bandwidth for the game’s assets, and the 256-bit bus ensures that data transfer is not a limiting factor at any resolution tested.

The RTX 3070’s generation and architecture, Ampere on Samsung’s 8 nm process, is older than the CPU but still highly capable for this title. The GPU’s percentile ranking of 61 against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 17208, places it in the mid-range of modern hardware, but Inside’s low graphical demands mean that even this mid-range standing translates to triple-digit frame rates at most settings. The nearest rivals in the GPU benchmark data include the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT with a 0.7% higher score, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 at 1% higher, and the AMD Radeon HD 7970M at 1.1% higher, while the NVIDIA Tesla K40c is 1.5% lower. These close margins in synthetic benchmarks, however, do not reflect the real-world gaming performance measured here, where the RTX 3070 consistently delivers high FPS across all tested configurations.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 ranks 986 out of 2887 tested combos for Inside, placing it in the 66th percentile of all CPU-GPU pairings in the database. This rank is notable because the CPU is a high-end part, with a 91st percentile ranking against all CPUs and an average benchmark score of 54762, while the GPU sits lower at the 61st percentile with an average score of 17208. The combo’s overall rank of 986 suggests that the RTX 3070 is the limiting component in this pairing, as a stronger GPU would likely push this combo much higher in the rankings for a game like Inside.

The CPU’s nearest rivals in the benchmark data include the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF with an average score of 55093 (0.6% lower), the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K at 54053 (1.3% higher), the Intel Xeon 6505P at 53701 (2% higher), and the Intel Core i7-14700F at 53620 (2.1% higher). These rivals all have similar average benchmark scores, indicating that the Ryzen 9 9900X3D’s performance is closely matched by several mainstream and workstation processors. However, for Inside, the CPU is rarely the bottleneck, so the combo’s rank is more heavily influenced by the GPU’s capabilities.

Given that the combo ranks 986 out of 2887, there are 1901 combos that perform worse and 985 that perform better. This mid-tier placement means that while this setup is not in the top tier for Inside, it still delivers excellent playable performance, as the measured FPS data shows. The rank reflects the GPU’s mid-range standing more than any deficiency in the CPU, and for a game that is not graphically intensive, the combo’s performance is more than sufficient for a smooth experience. The data indicates that if the goal is to maximize frame rates in Inside, the RTX 3070 would need to be paired with a more powerful GPU, but as it stands, the 986th rank is a solid result that aligns with the measured frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured FPS data shows a wide spread across settings. Low settings produce an average of 378 FPS, which is the highest figure in the entire dataset. Medium settings yield 302 FPS on average, with a minimum of 257 FPS and a maximum of 347 FPS, indicating some frame variance but no dips below 240 FPS. High settings drop to 189 FPS, and Ultra settings produce 180 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra at 1080p is only 9 FPS, suggesting that Ultra offers marginal visual gains for a small performance cost. The 1080p Low figure of 378 FPS is likely beyond the refresh rate of most monitors, meaning the game would be limited by display capabilities rather than hardware.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong. Low settings average 272 FPS, which is still a very high frame rate. Medium settings average 217 FPS, with a minimum of 185 FPS and a maximum of 250 FPS. High settings produce 136 FPS, and Ultra settings yield 129 FPS. The gap between High and Ultra at 1440p is 7 FPS, similar to the 1080p difference. The 1440p Low figure of 272 FPS shows that the GPU has headroom even at this resolution, while the Ultra figure of 129 FPS indicates that the most demanding settings are still well above 60 FPS, making 1440p Ultra a viable option for smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the performance takes a more significant hit but remains playable. Low settings average 171 FPS, which is a substantial drop from 1080p Low but still very smooth. Medium settings average 136 FPS, with a minimum of 116 FPS and a maximum of 157 FPS, showing that even the worst-case frames stay above 100 FPS. High settings produce 85 FPS, and Ultra settings yield 81 FPS. The 4K Ultra figure of 81 FPS is the lowest measured, but it still exceeds the 60 FPS target by a healthy margin. The 4K Low figure of 171 FPS demonstrates that the RTX 3070 can handle 4K gaming in Inside without compromising on smoothness, while 4K Ultra is reserved for those who prioritize visual fidelity over frame rate headroom.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on which preset offers the best experience for this combo. At 1080p, the difference between High and Ultra is only 9 FPS (189 vs 180), making Ultra the obvious choice for those who want maximum visual quality without sacrificing performance, as both settings are far above any playability threshold. At 1440p, the same pattern holds, with High at 136 FPS and Ultra at 129 FPS, a difference of just 7 FPS. Given that both settings deliver frame rates well above 120 FPS, Ultra is recommended for 1440p displays that support high refresh rates, as the visual upgrade comes at a negligible cost.

At 4K, the choice becomes more nuanced. High settings produce 85 FPS, while Ultra produces 81 FPS, a difference of only 4 FPS. Since both are above 60 FPS, Ultra is again the recommended preset for 4K gaming, as the performance penalty is minimal. However, for users with 4K displays that have a 60 Hz refresh rate, either High or Ultra would suffice, with Ultra providing the best image quality. Medium settings at 4K produce 136 FPS, which is higher than High or Ultra, but the visual downgrade from High to Medium may not be worth the extra frame rate headroom unless the display supports very high refresh rates.

For competitive or high-refresh-rate play, Low settings at 1080p (378 FPS) or 1440p (272 FPS) offer the highest possible frame rates, but these presets likely reduce visual fidelity significantly. Given that Inside is a puzzle platformer with a strong atmospheric aesthetic, the visual quality of High or Ultra presets is likely more important than raw frame rate, especially since even 4K Ultra at 81 FPS is perfectly smooth. The data suggests that Ultra settings at any resolution tested provide the best balance of visual quality and performance, with no preset resulting in frame rates below 60 FPS. Therefore, the recommendation is to use Ultra settings at all resolutions, with the understanding that 4K Ultra at 81 FPS is the most demanding configuration but still well within playable territory.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest average frame rate measured for this combo in Inside?*

A: The highest average frame rate is 378 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: Does the combo maintain 60 FPS at 4K Ultra?

A: Yes, the average frame rate at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 81 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How much does the frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K at High settings?

A: At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 189 FPS at 1920x1080 to 85 FPS at 3840x2160, a reduction of 104 FPS.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for Medium settings?

A: The minimum FPS for Medium settings varies by resolution: 257 FPS at 1920x1080, 185 FPS at 2560x1440, and 116 FPS at 3840x2160.

Q: How does the CPU’s benchmark score compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D has an average benchmark score of 54762, which is 0.6% lower than the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF, 1.3% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K, 2% higher than the Intel Xeon 6505P, and 2.1% higher than the Intel Core i7-14700F.

*Q: What is the combo’s rank among all tested CPU-GPU pairings for Inside?*

A: The combo ranks 986 out of 2887 tested combos, placing it in the upper third of all pairings.