Inside

Inside is a 2016 puzzle platformer that, on paper, should not stress a modern flagship desktop. Yet the measured data for the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D reveals a title that scales dramatically with resolution and settings, offering a clear look at where this combination’s immense headroom sits. The benchmark results show a system capable of triple-digit frame rates even at 4K Ultra, with the CPU and GPU both operating well within their respective envelopes. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS across resolutions and presets, contextualizes the combo’s standing among 2,887 tested configurations, and provides practical guidance for owners of this specific hardware pairing.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for Inside shows a predictable but steep decline as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo delivers an average of 434 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops that to 389 FPS, a reduction of 45 FPS or roughly 10.4%. At 4K Low, the average falls further to 321 FPS, which is 113 FPS below the 1080p Low figure. This scaling pattern indicates that even at the lowest preset, the GPU is still the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, though the CPU’s strength keeps frame rates exceptionally high throughout.

The High preset tells a similar story. At 1080p High, the average is 334 FPS. At 1440p High, it drops to 255 FPS, a 79 FPS decrease. At 4K High, the average is 160 FPS, which is 174 FPS below the 1080p High result. This represents a 52.1% drop from 1080p to 4K at High settings. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is particularly steep, with a 95 FPS loss, suggesting that the 4K resolution is where the RTX 5090 D’s raw compute is being taxed most heavily, despite the game’s relatively simple visual style.

Medium settings show the most consistent scaling with available min and max FPS data. At 1080p Medium, the average is 401 FPS, with a min of 341 and max of 461. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 359 FPS, with a min of 305 and max of 413. At 4K Medium, the average is 256 FPS, with a min of 218 and max of 295. The delta between 1080p and 4K at Medium is 145 FPS, or 36.2%. The min FPS values scale similarly, from 341 at 1080p down to 218 at 4K, indicating that frame time consistency holds up well even as resolution increases.

Ultra settings produce the lowest frame rates but still maintain playability. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 329 FPS. At 1440p Ultra, it is 243 FPS. At 4K Ultra, the average is 153 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 4K at Ultra is 176 FPS, or 53.5%. This is the largest percentage decline across all presets, which is expected since Ultra likely enables additional effects that scale with pixel count. The 4K Ultra result of 153 FPS is still far above the 60 FPS threshold, meaning the combo never comes close to struggling in this game.

The data clearly shows that resolution scaling is GPU-bound. The RTX 5090 D’s 32 GB of GDDR7 memory and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth are more than sufficient for Inside at any resolution, so the FPS drops are purely a function of pixel throughput and shading load. The CPU, with its 16 cores and 32 threads, never appears to be the limiting factor; even at 1080p Low where the CPU would typically be tasked with pushing maximum frames, the 434 FPS average suggests there is still headroom on both sides. The consistent scaling across all four presets indicates a well-optimized engine that responds predictably to resolution changes.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves in Inside?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 434 at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is the peak measured value across all resolution and settings combinations in the data.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K Ultra compared to 1080p Ultra?

A: At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 153, while at 1080p Ultra it is 329. This represents a 176 FPS difference, or a 53.5% reduction in frame rate when moving from 1080p to 4K at the Ultra preset.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to bottleneck this game?

A: Based on the resolution scaling data, the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. The FPS drops consistently from 1080p to 4K across all settings, which indicates the RTX 5090 D’s rendering workload is the limiting factor. The CPU’s strong multi-core and single-core scores, including a 3DMark max threads score of 17,184 and a single-thread score of 1,292, suggest it can easily keep up with the GPU’s output.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The only rows with min FPS data are the Medium settings. The lowest min FPS is 218 at 3840x2160 Medium. Other settings rows do not include min FPS values in the data, so no comparison can be made.

Q: How does this combo rank against other tested configurations in Inside?

A: The combo ranks 4th out of 2,887 tested combinations in this game. This places it in the top 0.1% of all tested systems, indicating near-top-tier performance for this title.

Q: Does the game show any signs of CPU limitation at 1080p?

A: The data does not indicate a CPU bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 434, and at 1080p High it is 334. If the CPU were the limiter, the difference between Low and High would be smaller. The 100 FPS gap between Low and High at 1080p suggests the GPU is still doing meaningful work even at the lowest preset.

Settings Recommendations

For this CPU and GPU combination, the optimal preset depends on the user’s display and preference for frame rate over visual fidelity. The data shows that Medium settings offer the best balance of high frame rates and consistent frame times, as it is the only preset with complete min and max FPS data across all three resolutions. At 1440p Medium, the average is 359 FPS with a min of 305 and max of 413. This provides a very smooth experience with plenty of headroom above typical high-refresh-rate monitors, which commonly cap at 144 Hz or 240 Hz.

For users with a 4K display, Medium settings at 3840x2160 yield an average of 256 FPS, with a min of 218 and max of 295. This is well above any current high-refresh-rate 4K monitor’s capability, making Medium the most sensible choice for 4K gaming. High settings at 4K drop the average to 160 FPS, which is still excellent but shows a significant 96 FPS reduction compared to Medium. The visual difference between Medium and High in a puzzle platformer like Inside is likely minimal, so the frame rate advantage of Medium makes it the recommended preset for 4K.

At 1080p, even Ultra settings deliver 329 FPS, so users with 1080p high-refresh displays can safely select Ultra without worrying about frame rate. The gap between Ultra and Low at 1080p is 105 FPS, but both are far above any practical refresh rate limit. For 1440p, Ultra provides 243 FPS, which is also sufficient for any monitor on the market. However, Medium at 1440p offers 359 FPS, which provides more headroom for future titles or more demanding scenes, though Inside itself appears to have no frame time spikes given the data.

The Low preset is only recommended if the user is chasing maximum frame rates for competitive play, but Inside is a single-player puzzle platformer, so such a need is unlikely. Low settings at 4K still produce 321 FPS, which is more than enough. The data suggests that Medium is the sweet spot for this combo across all resolutions, as it provides the best combination of high average FPS and documented frame time consistency. High and Ultra are viable for those prioritizing visual quality, but the FPS cost is substantial, particularly at 4K where Ultra averages 153 FPS compared to Medium’s 256 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D combination ranks 4th out of 2,887 tested combos in Inside. This places it in the 99.9th percentile of all configurations, meaning it outperforms 99.9% of tested systems in this specific game. The rank is based on measured FPS data, not synthetic benchmarks, so it reflects real-world performance for this title. Being 4th out of 2,887 is a strong showing, but it also indicates that a few other combos achieve higher frame rates, likely due to more favorable CPU-GPU pairings or different memory configurations.

The CPU’s nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks provide context for its performance. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755 has an average benchmark score of 75,738, which is 0.1% lower than the 9950X3D’s 75,779. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755X3D scores 75,716, also 0.1% lower. The AMD EPYC 8224P scores 75,582, 0.3% lower, and the Intel Core Ultra 9 285 scores 75,488, 0.4% lower. These deltas are small, indicating that the 9950X3D is not dramatically ahead of its closest competitors in general CPU benchmarks. However, in Inside, the game’s engine appears to favor the 9950X3D’s architecture, as the combo achieves a top-4 rank.

The GPU’s nearest rivals in synthetic tests are quite different. The AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT has an average score of 76,904, which is 1.1% lower than the RTX 5090 D’s 77,712. The AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT scores 78,940, which is 1.6% higher. The NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB scores 79,396, 2.1% higher, and the Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB scores 79,605, 2.4% higher. These rival GPUs are not directly comparable to the RTX 5090 D in terms of gaming performance, as the Tesla P100 is a data center card and the Radeon RX 6650M XT and 6850M XT are mobile GPUs. The RTX 5090 D’s 92nd percentile ranking among all GPUs is notable, but its actual gaming performance in Inside is better than that percentile suggests, given the combo’s 4th place finish.

The combination of a top-5 CPU and top-8% GPU results in a top-4 combo ranking. This suggests that game performance is not solely dependent on component tier, but also on how well the components work together. The Ryzen 9 9950X3D’s 128 MB of L3 cache and Zen 5 architecture likely contribute to the high frame rates, as does the RTX 5090 D’s massive 32 GB frame buffer and 104.8 TFLOPS FP32 compute. The rank indicates that only three other tested systems beat this combo in Inside, which is an exceptional result for a game released in 2016.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D plays a central role in Inside’s frame rate output, particularly as resolution increases. The GPU’s 32 GB of GDDR7 memory is far more than any game, including Inside, would require at these settings, ensuring no texture or buffer limits are hit. The 512-bit memory bus provides a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s, which easily handles the data throughput needed for 4K rendering. The boost clock of 2407 MHz and base clock of 2017 MHz indicate a high operating frequency, and the 104.8 TFLOPS FP32 performance gives the card substantial raw compute for pixel shading.

The measured FPS data shows the GPU’s scaling behavior. At 4K Low, the average is 321 FPS, while at 4K Ultra it is 153 FPS. This 168 FPS difference is driven by the increased shading load from Ultra settings, which likely includes higher-quality lighting, shadows, and post-processing effects. The GPU’s 176 ROPs and 680 TMUs handle these effects efficiently, but the workload still increases with preset level. The 4K Medium results, with a min of 218 and max of 295 FPS, show that the GPU maintains consistent frame times even under load, as the min FPS is only 14.8% below the average of 256 FPS.

The RTX 5090 D’s architecture, Blackwell 2.0, is built on a 5 nm process with 92,200 million transistors. The 170 RT cores and 680 tensor cores are present but not heavily utilized in a puzzle platformer like Inside, which does not rely on ray tracing or DLSS. The GPU’s DirectX 12 Ultimate support ensures compatibility with the game’s rendering API, and the Vulkan 1.4 support offers an alternative for users. The 575 W TDP and 950 W suggested PSU indicate a power-hungry card, but the measured FPS suggests this power is well spent for high-refresh-rate gaming.

Compared to its synthetic benchmark rivals, the RTX 5090 D scores 77,712 on average, placing it in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT, scores 76,904, which is 1.1% lower. The AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT scores 78,940, 1.6% higher, and the NVIDIA Tesla P100 cards score higher still, but those are not gaming-focused products. The 5090 D’s PassMark G3D score of 44,065 and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 14,326 reflect strong synthetic performance, but the real-world results in Inside show it can push frame rates beyond what most displays can handle.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest frame rates across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 434 FPS, the highest measured value in the entire dataset. Medium settings average 401 FPS, with a min of 341 and max of 461. High settings average 334 FPS, and Ultra settings average 329 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 105 FPS, which is significant, but even the lowest preset’s average is far above any standard refresh rate. The 1080p Medium min of 341 FPS is higher than the 4K Ultra average of 153 FPS, highlighting the resolution’s impact.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain exceptionally high. Low settings average 389 FPS, Medium averages 359 FPS with a min of 305 and max of 413, High averages 255 FPS, and Ultra averages 243 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 146 FPS, which is larger than the 1080p gap, indicating that Ultra settings at higher resolutions tax the GPU more. The 1440p Medium min of 305 FPS is still above the 4K High average of 160 FPS, showing that resolution plays a larger role in FPS reduction than settings changes.

At 3840x2160, the frame rates drop to their lowest measured values but remain playable. Low settings average 321 FPS, Medium averages 256 FPS with a min of 218 and max of 295, High averages 160 FPS, and Ultra averages 153 FPS. The 4K Medium min of 218 FPS is the lowest min FPS recorded across all data, but it is still well above the 60 FPS target. The difference between 4K Low and 4K Ultra is 168 FPS, the largest absolute gap between any two settings at the same resolution, suggesting that Ultra enables effects that heavily scale with pixel count.

Across all resolutions, Medium settings show the most complete data with min and max FPS values. At 1080p Medium, the spread between min and max is 120 FPS (341 to 461). At 1440p Medium, the spread is 108 FPS (305 to 413). At 4K Medium, the spread is 77 FPS (218 to 295). This narrowing spread at higher resolutions indicates that the GPU becomes more consistently loaded, reducing frame time variance. The average FPS at 4K Medium (256) is higher than the 1440p High average (255), demonstrating that settings adjustments can have a larger impact than resolution changes in certain ranges.