Inside

Inside is a side-scrolling puzzle platformer that is exceptionally well-optimized, and the benchmark results for the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER reflect this. The data shows a combination that delivers highly playable frame rates across all tested resolutions and settings, with performance scaling that clearly identifies the GPU as the primary constraint in this configuration. The measured FPS figures indicate that the 16-core processor is largely idle in this workload, while the 6 GB graphics card determines the final output.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 provides a textbook illustration of GPU-bound scaling. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 216 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops this to 156 FPS, a reduction of 27.8%. At 4K Low, the average falls to 98 FPS, which is 37.2% lower than the 1440p result and 54.6% lower than the 1080p figure. This steep decline as pixel count increases is a clear indicator that the GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is the limiting component; a CPU-bound scenario would show far less variation across resolutions.

The pattern holds across all settings presets. For High settings, the averages are 108 FPS at 1080p, 78 FPS at 1440p, and 49 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 27.8%, and from 1440p to 4K it is 37.2%. Medium settings show 173 FPS, 125 FPS, and 78 FPS respectively, with a 27.7% drop to 1440p and a 37.6% drop to 4K. Ultra settings follow the same trend: 103 FPS at 1080p, 74 FPS at 1440p, and 47 FPS at 4K. The consistency of these percentage drops—roughly 28% for the first step and 37% for the second—suggests a predictable, pixel-throughput-limited performance curve rather than any memory or bandwidth anomaly.

The 4K results are particularly telling. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 47, which is only 4 FPS lower than the 4K High result of 49 FPS. This narrow gap between High and Ultra at 4K, contrasted with the larger gap between Low (98 FPS) and Medium (78 FPS), indicates that the GPU is running out of shading and texture throughput at the higher preset levels. The game's visual complexity at 4K overwhelms the 1408 shading units and 88 texture mapping units of the GTX 1660 SUPER, making the difference between High and Ultra relatively minor in absolute terms. At 1080p, the same preset comparison shows a 5 FPS difference between High (108 FPS) and Ultra (103 FPS), confirming that the GPU has more headroom at lower resolutions.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is a 16-core, 32-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture, with a base clock of 4.30 GHz and a boost clock of 5.70 GHz. Its benchmark scores are exceptional: a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42018 and a single-core score of 2259. The 3DMark single-thread score is 1292, and the PassMark single-thread score is 4737. These numbers place the CPU in the 95th percentile against all processors, with an average benchmark score of 75779.

For a game like Inside, which is a 2D side-scroller with limited physics and AI, the CPU demands are minimal. The data supports this: the frame rates at 1080p Low (216 FPS) and even 1080p Medium (173 FPS) are far beyond what the GPU can sustain at higher resolutions, but they are also far below the theoretical limits of a processor with a PassMark multi-thread score of 70255. The game simply does not create enough thread contention to utilize the 16 cores or 32 threads meaningfully.

The single-thread performance is more relevant here. The boost clock of 5.70 GHz and a Cinebench R15 single-core score of 350 suggest that even the most demanding game logic would be handled with ease. The data shows no evidence of CPU frame pacing issues, as the minimum FPS figures for Medium settings (147 FPS at 1080p, 106 FPS at 1440p, 66 FPS at 4K) are all well above the average FPS of less powerful CPU/GPU pairings. In short, the CPU is not a bottleneck at any tested resolution or setting; it provides ample headroom for the GPU to be the sole performance limiter.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER ranks 3166 out of 3716 tested combos in Inside. This places it in the bottom 15% of all configurations tested, which is a direct consequence of the GPU's age and tier. The CPU is a top-tier part—its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755 with an average score of 75738 (0.1% delta), the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755X3D at 75716 (0.1% delta), and the Intel Core Ultra 9 285 at 75488 (0.4% delta). In contrast, the GTX 1660 SUPER's nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 580 (0.4% delta) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile (0.4% delta), all of which are mid-range or lower-tier parts.

This rank is not a reflection of instability or poor optimization; rather, it is a measure of raw hardware capability. The GTX 1660 SUPER has a PassMark G3D score of 12699 and sits in the 53rd percentile of all GPUs. When paired with a CPU in the 95th percentile, the combination's rank is dragged down by the GPU's modest performance. The data shows that this combo is capable of smooth gameplay, but it will not compete with high-end pairings in terms of absolute frame rates, particularly at 4K where the GPU is severely stressed.

It is important to note that the combo rank is specific to Inside. The game's low system requirements mean that even a mid-range GPU can achieve high frame rates, but the absolute ceiling is still set by the graphics card. The 3166 rank indicates that most other tested combos feature more powerful GPUs, which is expected given the GTX 1660 SUPER's end-of-life production status and its launch in 2019.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best performance. Low settings produce an average of 216 FPS, which is exceptionally smooth for any display. Medium settings reduce the average to 173 FPS, with a minimum of 147 FPS and a maximum of 199 FPS. High settings average 108 FPS, and Ultra settings average 103 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium is 43 FPS, while the gap between High and Ultra is only 5 FPS. This suggests that the Medium preset is the sweet spot for 1080p, offering nearly double the frame rate of High with only a modest visual compromise.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong but begins to show the GPU's limits. Low settings average 156 FPS, which is still excellent for a 1440p panel. Medium settings average 125 FPS, with a minimum of 106 FPS and a maximum of 143 FPS. High settings drop to 78 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 74 FPS. The 4 FPS difference between High and Ultra at this resolution is minimal, indicating that the GPU is becoming saturated. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is consistent across all presets, averaging about 28%, which confirms a steady pixel-throughput limitation.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the bottleneck. Low settings average 98 FPS, which is playable but a significant drop from 1440p. Medium settings average 78 FPS, with a minimum of 66 FPS and a maximum of 90 FPS. High settings average 49 FPS, and Ultra settings average 47 FPS. The 2 FPS difference between High and Ultra at 4K is negligible, and the minimum FPS of 66 FPS for Medium is the only recorded minimum below 100 FPS. For a 60 Hz display, 4K Medium is the only preset that guarantees a stable frame rate without dips below the refresh rate.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Inside at 4K with a consistent 60 FPS?

A: No. The data shows that at 3840x2160, the highest average FPS is 98 on Low settings, but this drops to 78 FPS on Medium and 49 FPS on High. The minimum FPS on Medium is 66 FPS, which is above 60, but the average of 78 FPS suggests occasional dips that could be noticeable. For a locked 60 FPS, Low settings are the only safe choice.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Inside?

A: Based on the measured FPS, 1920x1080 is the best resolution. At 1080p, even Ultra settings average 103 FPS, which is above 60 FPS and provides a smooth experience. Medium settings at 1080p average 173 FPS, which is ideal for high refresh rate monitors.

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

A: The GPU is the limiting factor. The frame rates scale significantly with resolution changes, dropping by roughly 28% from 1080p to 1440p and 37% from 1440p to 4K. The CPU's high benchmark scores and the game's low thread demand confirm that the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is the bottleneck.

Q: How does this combo compare to other tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 3166 out of 3716 tested combos in Inside. This places it in the lower percentile of all configurations, which is expected given the GPU's mid-range PassMark G3D score of 12699 and its 53rd percentile ranking among all GPUs.

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

A: The difference is small in terms of performance. At 1080p, High averages 108 FPS and Ultra averages 103 FPS, a 5 FPS difference. At 1440p, the difference is 4 FPS (78 vs 74). At 4K, the difference is only 2 FPS (49 vs 47). The visual upgrade may be minor relative to the frame rate cost.

Q: Does the 6 GB VRAM of the GTX 1660 SUPER cause any issues?

A: The data does not show any VRAM-related stuttering or frame drops. The minimum FPS figures for Medium settings (147 FPS at 1080p, 106 FPS at 1440p, 66 FPS at 4K) are consistent and do not indicate memory paging issues. The game's asset sizes are well within the 6 GB capacity.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS rows provide a clear hierarchy for optimal settings. At 1080p, the Medium preset is the best choice for most users. It delivers an average of 173 FPS with a minimum of 147 FPS, which is far above the 60 FPS threshold and suitable for 144 Hz displays. The jump to High reduces the average to 108 FPS, which is still smooth but a 37.6% reduction. Ultra offers only a 5 FPS improvement over High, making High the better choice if you prefer visual fidelity, but Medium is the recommended balance of performance and quality.

At 1440p, the Medium preset is also recommended, with an average of 125 FPS and a minimum of 106 FPS. This is the only preset that maintains an average above 120 FPS at this resolution. High at 78 FPS is acceptable for 60 Hz monitors, but Medium provides a more comfortable margin. Low at 156 FPS is overkill for most displays and sacrifices too much visual quality.

At 4K, the choice is more restricted. Medium is the highest preset that maintains an average above 60 FPS, with a minimum of 66 FPS. High and Ultra both average below 50 FPS, which is not ideal for a smooth experience. Low at 98 FPS is the best option for high refresh rate 4K monitors, but for standard 60 Hz displays, Medium offers the best visual quality while staying above the refresh rate threshold. The data suggests that Medium at 4K is the most balanced preset for this combo.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is the definitive performance limiter in this configuration. Its specifications—1408 shading units, 88 texture mapping units, and 48 ROPs—are modest by modern standards, and its 5.027 TFLOPS FP32 performance is the primary constraint on frame rates. The GPU's boost clock of 1785 MHz and memory bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s (from 6 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus) are adequate for a game like Inside, but the data shows that higher resolutions and settings quickly saturate its capabilities.

The GPU's benchmark scores corroborate its mid-range positioning. Its PassMark G3D score is 12699, placing it in the 53rd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are all similarly positioned: the AMD Radeon RX 580 with a score of 12928 (0.4% delta), the NVIDIA Tesla M2090 with a score of 13075 (-0.7% delta), and the AMD Radeon 740M with a score of 12870 (0.9% delta). None of these parts are designed for high-end 4K gaming, and the measured FPS reflects that.

The VRAM capacity of 6 GB does not appear to be a limiting factor in this game. The minimum FPS values are consistent with the average FPS across all settings, and there is no evidence of texture streaming issues or memory-related stutters. The GPU's real limitation is raw compute throughput. The 4K High and Ultra results (49 and 47 FPS) are nearly identical, suggesting that the shading units are fully utilized and that additional visual features do not meaningfully change the outcome. For this combo, the GPU is the component that dictates the experience, and the data shows that it handles Inside well at 1080p and 1440p, but struggles to maintain high frame rates at 4K with higher presets.