Inside

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti combination delivers remarkably consistent frame rates in Inside, a puzzle platformer that scales heavily with GPU load rather than CPU throughput. The data shows a system that is fundamentally overqualified for the game's demands, with performance ceilings at every resolution that point to the RTX 3070 Ti as the definitive bottleneck.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and predictable pattern: as resolution increases, frame rates drop proportionally, indicating that the RTX 3070 Ti is the limiting component in this pairing. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces 397 FPS average. Dropping to 1440p Low yields 285 FPS, a 28% reduction, and 4K Low yields 179 FPS, a 55% reduction from the 1080p figure. This scaling behavior is classic GPU-bound rendering, where pixel count directly dictates output.

The Medium preset shows the same trend. At 1080p Medium, the average is 317 FPS, which falls to 228 FPS at 1440p Medium (28% lower) and 143 FPS at 4K Medium (55% lower). The High preset follows suit: 198 FPS at 1080p, 143 FPS at 1440p (28% drop), and 90 FPS at 4K (55% drop). The consistency of these percentage drops across all three settings presets is strong evidence that the CPU is not throttling performance at any resolution.

The Ultra preset shows the smallest absolute numbers but the same relative pattern. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 189 FPS. At 1440p Ultra, it falls to 136 FPS (28% lower), and at 4K Ultra, it reaches 85 FPS (55% lower). The fact that the drop percentages remain stable regardless of settings tier confirms that resolution scaling is uniform and entirely GPU-limited.

What is notable is that even at 4K Ultra, the combo still delivers 85 FPS average, which exceeds the 60 FPS threshold that many consider the baseline for smooth gameplay. At 4K High, the 90 FPS average provides a comfortable margin, and 4K Medium at 143 FPS is exceptionally smooth for a 4K output. The data suggests that users with 4K displays can confidently run this game at High or even Medium settings without worrying about frame drops, as the minimum recorded FPS at 4K Medium is 122.

The 1080p results are extraordinarily high, ranging from 189 FPS at Ultra to 397 FPS at Low. These numbers vastly exceed the refresh rate capabilities of most monitors, meaning that the system is effectively wasted at 1080p for this title. The 1440p results are similarly overkill, with even the Ultra preset at 136 FPS surpassing 120Hz display capabilities.

CPU Role

The Ryzen 9 9900X3D is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture with a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. It features a 128 MB L3 cache, which is substantial for gaming workloads. However, for Inside, a puzzle platformer that is not computationally demanding, the CPU's role is minimal.

Benchmark data shows the CPU's strengths: it scores 47,737 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 6,739 in single-core, with a Geekbench multicore score of 22,884 and single-core of 3,041. The PassMark multithread score is 56,154, and the single-thread score is 4,646. These numbers place the CPU in the 91st percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 54,762.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the 9900X3D is effectively tied with the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF, which scores 55,093 (a -0.6% delta), and slightly ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K at 54,053 (+1.3%), the Intel Xeon 6505P at 53,701 (+2%), and the Intel Core i7-14700F at 53,620 (+2.1%). These small percentage differences indicate that for general compute tasks, the 9900X3D is competitive but not dominant.

For Inside specifically, the CPU's capabilities are far beyond what the game requires. The fact that frame rates scale so consistently with resolution, and that the percentage drops from 1080p to 4K are nearly identical across all settings presets, demonstrates that CPU threading is not a constraint. The 12 cores and 24 threads are idle headroom; the game likely uses only a handful of threads, and the high single-core score of 6,739 in Cinebench R23 ensures that even the main game thread is nowhere near a bottleneck.

The CPU's memory support for DDR5 with dual-channel configuration and 89.6 GB/s bandwidth is ample for this game's data streaming needs. The large L3 cache may help with asset loading, but the measured FPS data does not show any CPU-related dips or stutters, as evidenced by the minimum FPS figures at Medium settings: 270 at 1080p, 194 at 1440p, and 122 at 4K. These minimums are all well above playable thresholds.

FAQ

*Q: Can this combo run Inside at 4K with maximum settings?*

A: Yes. The measured data shows 85 FPS average at 4K Ultra settings. While this is the lowest result in the dataset, it remains above 60 FPS and provides a smooth experience, though High settings at 90 FPS or Medium at 143 FPS offer better headroom.

*Q: Is the RTX 3070 Ti the bottleneck in this system for Inside?*

A: The data strongly suggests yes. The consistent 28% FPS drop from 1080p to 1440p, and 55% drop from 1080p to 4K, across all settings presets is a hallmark of GPU-limited rendering. The CPU's benchmark scores, including 47,737 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 6,739 in single-core, indicate it has ample headroom.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a 1440p monitor?

A: For 1440p, the High preset at 143 FPS average is the best balance, as it delivers frame rates that exceed most 120Hz monitors. The Ultra preset at 136 FPS is also viable if you prefer maximum visual fidelity, but the difference in frame rate is minimal (7 FPS).

Q: How does the RTX 3070 Ti compare to its nearest rivals in overall GPU benchmarks?

A: The RTX 3070 Ti has an average benchmark score of 29,945, placing it in the 75th percentile of all GPUs. It is essentially tied with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Mobile (29,928, +0.1% delta) and AMD Radeon RX 6800 (30,095, -0.5% delta), and slightly ahead of the RTX 2080 Ti (29,783, +0.5%) and AMD Radeon RX 6700 (30,433, -1.6%).

*Q: Will the CPU bottleneck the GPU in other games, or is this specific to Inside?*

A: The CPU's 91st percentile ranking and benchmark scores suggest it will not bottleneck the RTX 3070 Ti in most titles. For Inside, the data confirms no CPU bottleneck exists. In more CPU-intensive games, the 9900X3D's 12 cores and 128 MB L3 cache provide substantial headroom, though specific results would require separate testing.

Q: Are the FPS numbers at 1080p realistic for actual gameplay?

A: The data shows 397 FPS at Low, 317 FPS at Medium, 198 FPS at High, and 189 FPS at Ultra at 1080p. These figures are plausible given the game's low graphical complexity and the GPU's capabilities. The minimum FPS at Medium is 270, which indicates consistent frame pacing without severe drops.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti ranks 799th out of 2,887 tested combos in Inside. This places it in the top 27.7% of all combinations tested, which is a strong showing given that the RTX 3070 Ti is a last-generation GPU that is now end-of-life.

The rank is somewhat surprising given the CPU's high percentile ranking (91st) and the GPU's solid performance (75th percentile). The 799th position out of 2,887 suggests that many other combos achieve higher frame rates in this game, likely because Inside is not demanding enough to benefit from the CPU's strengths. Combos with faster GPUs but slower CPUs would likely rank higher, as the game is GPU-bound.

The GPU's nearest rivals in overall benchmarks are all within a 1.6% delta of its average score. The RTX 5070 Mobile at +0.1% and RTX 2080 Ti at +0.5% are essentially performance equals, while the RX 6800 at -0.5% and RX 6700 at -1.6% are slightly behind. In Inside, the differences in frame rates between these GPUs would be minimal, meaning the combo's rank is more dependent on the CPU-GPU pairing's overall balance.

For context, the CPU's rivals are all within 2.1% of its average score, with the Core Ultra 5 245KF being the closest at -0.6%. This tight grouping means that swapping the CPU for a slightly different model would not meaningfully change the combo's rank in Inside. The GPU is the determining factor for this game's performance.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset depends heavily on the target resolution and refresh rate. At 1080p, any preset is viable since even Ultra delivers 189 FPS, which exceeds 144Hz monitors. For maximum smoothness on a 240Hz display, the High preset at 198 FPS is the best choice, as it provides a 9 FPS advantage over Ultra while still maintaining high visual quality. The Low preset at 397 FPS is excessive and unnecessary for this game.

At 1440p, the High preset at 143 FPS is the recommended choice for most users. It provides a 7 FPS advantage over Ultra (136 FPS) and is suitable for 120Hz or 144Hz displays. The Medium preset at 228 FPS is ideal for 240Hz monitors if you prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity, but the visual difference between Medium and High in a puzzle platformer is likely minimal. Ultra at 136 FPS is acceptable for 120Hz displays but offers no meaningful advantage over High.

At 4K, the Medium preset at 143 FPS is the standout recommendation. It provides excellent smoothness for 120Hz displays and has a recorded minimum of 122 FPS, ensuring no drops below 120 FPS. The High preset at 90 FPS is suitable for 60Hz or 90Hz displays, while Ultra at 85 FPS is playable but leaves little headroom. The Low preset at 179 FPS is unnecessary at 4K, as the visual degradation is not worth the frame rate increase.

For users with variable refresh rate monitors, the Medium preset at any resolution offers the best balance of visual quality and frame rate stability, as it is the only preset with recorded minimum FPS values (270 at 1080p, 194 at 1440p, 122 at 4K). These minimums indicate consistent frame pacing without major hitches.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest frame rates. Low settings produce 397 FPS average, Medium produces 317 FPS with a minimum of 270 and maximum of 365, High produces 198 FPS, and Ultra produces 189 FPS. The gap between High and Ultra is only 9 FPS, suggesting that the Ultra preset's additional effects have a minimal performance cost at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain exceptionally high. Low settings yield 285 FPS, Medium yields 228 FPS with a minimum of 194 and maximum of 263, High yields 143 FPS, and Ultra yields 136 FPS. The 7 FPS difference between High and Ultra is consistent with the 1080p results, indicating that Ultra's added visual features cost a small, fixed amount of performance regardless of resolution.

At 3840x2160, the GPU begins to show its limits. Low settings produce 179 FPS, Medium produces 143 FPS with a minimum of 122 and maximum of 165, High produces 90 FPS, and Ultra produces 85 FPS. The gap between High and Ultra narrows to just 5 FPS at 4K, suggesting that the GPU is becoming pixel-bound and the additional Ultra effects have diminishing performance impacts.

The Medium preset is the only one with complete data across all three resolutions, providing valuable insight into frame pacing. At 1080p, the minimum of 270 FPS is 85% of the average, indicating very stable performance. At 1440p, the minimum of 194 FPS is also 85% of the average. At 4K, the minimum of 122 FPS is also 85% of the average. This consistent ratio suggests the game's frame times are evenly distributed without sudden spikes or drops.

The overall pattern shows that the RTX 3070 Ti is the sole performance limiter, and the Ryzen 9 9900X3D provides more than enough CPU power to feed it. The result is a system that handles Inside with ease at any resolution, making it a recommended combination for this title.