Inside

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D paired with the Intel Arc B390 presents a stark contrast in hardware tiers: a flagship 16-core desktop processor driving an integrated-class GPU. The benchmark data for Inside reflects this imbalance clearly, showing a system where the CPU is overwhelmingly capable while the GPU becomes the definitive bottleneck. The measured frames per second across all resolutions and settings are modest, yet the game remains playable at lower settings, demonstrating that the title's low system requirements allow even this mismatched pairing to function.

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

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is a 16-core, 32-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge). It operates at a base clock of 4.30 GHz and a boost clock of 5.70 GHz, with a TDP of 170 W. The CPU features a substantial 128 MB of L3 cache and supports DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, providing 89.6 GB/s of bandwidth. In the broader context of all CPUs, this processor sits at the 95th percentile, with an average benchmark score of 75779. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755, scores nearly identically at 75738, a delta of just 0.1%, indicating that the 9950X3D is at the very top of the performance stack for synthetic workloads.

For a game like Inside, a puzzle platformer, the computational demands are not high. The data shows the CPU is vastly overqualified; its multi-threaded might (Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42018) and single-thread strength (Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2259) are far beyond what this title requires. The game's physics and logic are simple, meaning the CPU is likely idling most of the time. Benchmark results indicate that at 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves 156 FPS. This is the highest frame rate recorded. Even at this resolution, the frame rate is not constrained by the CPU; instead, the GPU is the limiting factor. The processor's role here is to feed frames quickly and without stutter, which it does effortlessly. The data suggests that the CPU's performance is so far ahead of the GPU that any frame rate differences between settings are almost entirely attributable to the graphics card's workload, not the CPU's processing capacity. The 16 cores and 32 threads are entirely unnecessary for this game, but they ensure that there is zero CPU-induced bottleneck, allowing the GPU to operate at its maximum potential, whatever that may be. The 3DMark single-thread score of 1292 and 2-thread score of 2549 further confirm that even lightly threaded tasks are handled with immense speed, eliminating any possibility of a CPU-side frame pacing issue. In essence, the CPU is a non-factor in the performance equation for this specific game and GPU combination.

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

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture (Panther Lake). It has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz, with a TDP of 80 W. Notably, it uses system shared memory, meaning its VRAM size, type, and bus width are all "System Shared" and its bandwidth is "System Dependent." This is a critical detail: the GPU's performance is directly tied to the system's main memory speed and configuration. The GPU has 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster output pipelines, along with 12 ray tracing cores. Its theoretical peak performance is 7.680 TFLOPS for FP32. In the overall GPU landscape, this chip is at the 9th percentile, with an average benchmark score of 1482. Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, which scores 1463, a delta of 1.3%. This places the Arc B390 in the entry-level or legacy performance class.

The GPU's role in Inside is the primary determinant of the system's measured performance. The data shows a clear scaling pattern with resolution and settings. At 3840x2160 (4K) with Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 34, which is below the generally accepted threshold for smooth gameplay. Even at 4K with High settings, it only manages 35 FPS. The fact that High and Ultra are nearly identical in performance suggests that the GPU is hitting a hard computational limit, not a memory bandwidth limit. However, when settings are lowered, performance improves significantly. Dropping to Medium at 4K yields 56 FPS, and Low yields 70 FPS. This indicates that the GPU's shading and texture units are the bottleneck, and reducing the workload on them directly translates to higher frame rates. The situation improves at lower resolutions. At 2560x1440, the GPU manages 112 FPS on Low and 90 FPS on Medium, but drops to 56 FPS on High and 53 FPS on Ultra. The pattern repeats at 1920x1080: 156 FPS on Low, 125 FPS on Medium, 78 FPS on High, and 74 FPS on Ultra. The data clearly shows that the Arc B390 is a low-power IGP that can handle Inside at acceptable frame rates only when the graphical demands are reduced. The massive jump between Medium and High settings (e.g., from 125 FPS to 78 FPS at 1080p) suggests a significant increase in shader complexity or texture resolution at the High preset, which overwhelms the GPU's limited compute and memory resources. The shared memory architecture is likely a contributing factor, as the GPU competes with the CPU for bandwidth, though the data does not explicitly isolate this effect.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution to play Inside with this hardware?*

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the system consistently achieves high frame rates. At this resolution, the average FPS ranges from 74 (Ultra) to 156 (Low), making it the most viable option for a smooth experience. At 2560x1440, frame rates drop significantly, and at 3840x2160, they become marginal.

*Q: Can this system handle Inside at 4K resolution?*

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 3840x2160 with Medium settings, the system achieves an average of 56 FPS with a minimum of 48 FPS. This is playable. However, at High and Ultra settings, the average FPS falls to 35 and 34, respectively, which may feel sluggish. Low settings provide 70 FPS, which is acceptable.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its closest rivals in the benchmark data?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score is 1482. Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX with a score of 1463, making the Arc B390 1.3% faster. It is also 1.5% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce 800M (1460) and 2.5% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM (1446). These deltas are small, indicating they are all in the same performance class.

Q: Is the Ryzen 9 9950X3D a bottleneck for the Arc B390 in this game?

A: No. The benchmark results indicate the CPU is far more powerful than necessary. Its average benchmark score is 75779, placing it in the 95th percentile among all CPUs. The CPU's performance is so high that it is not the limiting factor; the GPU is. The frame rates are dictated by the graphics settings and resolution, not by CPU processing power.

Q: What is the difference in performance between the High and Ultra settings?

A: The difference is minimal. At 1920x1080, High averages 78 FPS while Ultra averages 74 FPS, a 5% difference. At 2560x1440, High averages 56 FPS and Ultra averages 53 FPS. At 3840x2160, High averages 35 FPS and Ultra averages 34 FPS. The data suggests that the Ultra preset offers negligible visual gains for the performance cost.

Q: How many cores does the CPU have, and does it matter for this game?

A: The CPU has 16 cores and 32 threads. For Inside, this number is irrelevant to the measured performance. The game is not heavily threaded, and the GPU is the bottleneck. The CPU's high single-thread performance (Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2259) is more than sufficient to handle the game's logic without issue.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the system's performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. The data does not include minimum or maximum FPS values for most rows, except for the Medium preset, which provides a range.

At 1920x1080, the system performs best. With Low settings, the average FPS is 156. This is the highest frame rate recorded for this combination. With Medium settings, the average FPS is 125, with a minimum of 106 and a maximum of 144, showing a stable frame delivery. With High settings, the average drops to 78 FPS. With Ultra settings, the average is 74 FPS. The drop from Medium to High is substantial (125 to 78 FPS), indicating a significant increase in GPU workload.

At 2560x1440, performance decreases across the board. With Low settings, the average FPS is 112. With Medium settings, the average FPS is 90, with a minimum of 76 and a maximum of 103. With High settings, the average FPS is 56. With Ultra settings, the average FPS is 53. The pattern mirrors 1080p, with a large gap between Medium and High settings (90 to 56 FPS).

At 3840x2160, performance is the lowest. With Low settings, the average FPS is 70. With Medium settings, the average FPS is 56, with a minimum of 48 and a maximum of 65. With High settings, the average FPS is 35. With Ultra settings, the average FPS is 34. At this resolution, the High and Ultra presets produce nearly identical results, suggesting the GPU is completely saturated and the settings' visual differences are negligible on this hardware. The data shows a clear trend: the Arc B390 is only capable of delivering a smooth, high-refresh experience at 1080p with Low or Medium settings. The performance at 4K is only playable at Low or Medium settings.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested hardware combinations for Inside, this specific pairing of the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D and the Intel Arc B390 ranks 2547 out of 2887 tested combos. This places it in the lower 12th percentile of all systems tested for this game. This rank is logical given the GPU's hardware class. The CPU is a top-tier component, ranking in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, but the GPU is in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. The system's overall performance is heavily weighted by the weakest link, which is the graphics card. The combo rank reflects the fact that while the CPU can push frames, the GPU cannot render them quickly enough to compete with systems that have a more balanced configuration. The rank of 2547 indicates that the vast majority of other tested systems, which likely feature discrete graphics cards even at the entry level, outperform this IGP-based setup. The data suggests that the CPU's immense power is effectively wasted in this configuration for gaming purposes, as the GPU's low performance ceiling prevents the system from achieving frame rates that would be expected from such a high-end processor. The ranking is a direct consequence of the GPU's limitations, not the CPU's capabilities.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this hardware combination depend heavily on the user's target resolution and refresh rate.

For a 60 FPS target at 1920x1080, the High preset is the best choice. It delivers an average of 78 FPS, providing headroom above 60. The Ultra preset is not recommended, as it only yields 74 FPS, a marginal gain of 4 FPS that is unlikely to be visually noticeable. The Medium preset, at 125 FPS, is the best option for users with a high-refresh-rate monitor (120Hz or higher), as it provides a significantly smoother experience than High while still looking better than Low.

For a 60 FPS target at 2560x1440, the Medium preset is required. It achieves an average of 90 FPS, which is well above 60. The High preset falls to 56 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold and may result in noticeable stutter. The Low preset, at 112 FPS, is the choice for high-refresh 1440p monitors.

For a 60 FPS target at 3840x2160, the Low preset is the only viable option that consistently stays above 60, averaging 70 FPS. The Medium preset averages 56 FPS, which is close but below the target, and its minimum of 48 FPS indicates potential drops. The High and Ultra presets are not recommended at this resolution, as they both average in the mid-30s FPS, making the game feel unresponsive.

In summary, the Medium preset at 1080p offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, providing a high frame rate that exceeds 120 FPS. If visual fidelity is the priority and a 60 FPS cap is acceptable, High at 1080p is the best setting. For any resolution above 1080p, users must be prepared to use Medium or Low settings to maintain playability. The data unequivocally shows that the Ultra preset is a poor choice for this hardware, as it offers almost no performance advantage over High while presumably adding little visual improvement, given the GPU's constraints.