Inside

The Intel Core i5-14600K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 580 presents a notable generational mismatch in the puzzle platformer Inside. The processor, a 14-core, 20-thread Raptor Lake Refresh part with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, is a modern high-end desktop component. Its benchmark profile places it in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 49166. In contrast, the RX 580, built on the older GCN 4.0 architecture with a 14 nm process, sits in the 53rd percentile of all GPUs. This disparity suggests that the GPU is the primary determinant of the frame rates observed in this title, though the CPU’s raw speed ensures it will not bottleneck the graphics card at any tested setting.

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

The Core i5-14600K’s specifications are almost certainly overkill for Inside, a 2D puzzle platformer released in 2016 that does not demand high thread counts. The processor’s 14 cores and 20 threads, along with its 24 MB of shared L3 cache, provide an immense amount of compute headroom. Synthetic benchmarks reflect this capability: the chip scores 32881 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 4642 in single-core, with a Geekbench multi-core score of 15846 and a single-core score of 2803. These numbers indicate a processor that can handle far more complex workloads than a puzzle platformer’s physics and logic systems. The data shows that the CPU’s role in this combo is to provide a completely unconstrained environment for the GPU, ensuring that frame pacing is determined solely by the graphics card’s rendering speed.

The CPU’s performance relative to its nearest rivals reinforces its high-end positioning. The data shows it scores 0.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X and 0.2% lower than the Intel Core i5-14600KF. It also outperforms the AMD EPYC 4345P by 0.9% and the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H by 1%. These deltas are minuscule, placing the i5-14600K in a performance class with previous-generation flagship and current server parts. For Inside, this means the CPU is effectively a non-factor; its boost clock of 5.30 GHz ensures that even the most demanding single-threaded game logic executes with minimal latency. The measured average FPS across all resolutions and settings are entirely consistent with a scenario where the CPU is idle waiting for the GPU to finish rendering each frame.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 580 is the limiting factor in this pairing, and its characteristics directly explain the measured frame rates. The GPU features 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s. Its base clock is 1257 MHz with a boost clock of 1340 MHz, and its memory runs at 2000 MHz (8 Gbps effective). These specifications are modest by modern standards, but they are fully capable of handling the visual complexity of Inside, which is not a graphically intensive title. The GPU’s compute capabilities, rated at 6.175 TFLOPS FP32, are sufficient for the game’s lighting and shadow effects, but the data shows that performance degrades predictably as resolution and settings increase.

The RX 580’s benchmark scores place it in a specific performance tier. Its average benchmark score is 13559, and its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 (0% delta), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950 (0.1% delta), AMD Radeon Pro 455 (1.1% delta), and NVIDIA P106-090 (-1.1% delta). This places the RX 580 in the same class as older mid-range GPUs, which is consistent with its 53rd percentile ranking. In Inside, the GPU’s 8 GB VRAM is more than enough, as the game’s textures are not demanding; the bottleneck is the GPU’s raw shading and rasterization throughput. The measured frame rates show that the RX 580 can deliver high refresh rates at 1080p, but struggles to maintain 60 FPS at 4K on higher presets, which aligns with its modest pixel rate of 42.88 GPixel/s and texture rate of 193.0 GTexel/s.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how the settings presets affect performance across three resolutions. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 149.7 FPS, which is exceptionally smooth. The Medium preset yields 121.9 FPS, and the High preset drops to 77.2 FPS. The Ultra preset produces 73.2 FPS, which is still playable but represents a significant reduction from Low. The data suggests that for 1080p, the Medium or High presets offer the best balance, as they maintain frame rates well above 60 FPS while presumably improving visual quality over Low. The High preset’s 77.2 FPS is a solid target for a smooth experience without sacrificing much in terms of visual fidelity.

At 2560x1440, the performance scaling is similar but lower. The Low preset averages 106.4 FPS, while Medium drops to 86.8 FPS. High yields 56.7 FPS, and Ultra falls to 53 FPS. The data indicates that High and Ultra both dip below the 60 FPS threshold, which may be noticeable on a 60 Hz monitor. For 1440p, the Medium preset at 86.8 FPS is the recommended choice, as it provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS while offering better visuals than Low. The High preset’s 56.7 FPS is a borderline experience, and the Ultra preset’s 53 FPS is likely not worth the perceived quality gain. At 3840x2160, the situation becomes more constrained. The Low preset averages 66.3 FPS, which is the only preset that stays above 60 FPS. Medium drops to 56.1 FPS, High to 35.1 FPS, and Ultra to 32.7 FPS. For 4K, the Low preset is the only viable option for smooth gameplay, while Medium may be acceptable for players who prioritize visual quality over frame rate consistency. The data clearly shows that the RX 580 is not suited for high or ultra settings at 4K in this title.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combined performance of the Intel Core i5-14600K and AMD Radeon RX 580 in Inside ranks 1528 out of 1671 tested combos. This placement, in the 8th percentile of all combinations, seems counterintuitive given the CPU’s high-end status. The ranking reflects the fact that the GPU is the primary driver of frame rates in this game, and the RX 580 is a modest performer by current standards. The data shows that the combo’s rank is dragged down by the GPU’s 53rd percentile standing, despite the CPU’s 93rd percentile ranking. This disparity highlights that for a game like Inside, which is not CPU-intensive, the pairing of a top-tier processor with a mid-range graphics card results in a system that performs at the level of the GPU alone.

In the context of all tested combos, this pairing is near the bottom of the list, with only 143 other combinations scoring lower. This is a significant finding for potential users: the high-end CPU does not boost the combo’s ranking because the game’s frame rates are entirely GPU-bound. The measured FPS data confirms this, as the results are consistent with what a standalone RX 580 would achieve. The combo’s rank of 1528 suggests that while the CPU provides a stable platform, it offers no tangible benefit in this specific title over a much cheaper processor. The data indicates that for Inside, the GPU is the sole determinant of the experience, and the i5-14600K’s considerable compute resources are underutilized.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1920x1080 on the High preset?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 on the High preset is 77.2 FPS.

Q: Does the Intel Core i5-14600K bottleneck the RX 580 in this game?

A: No, the data shows that the CPU is significantly more powerful than the GPU, so the RX 580 is the limiting factor. The i5-14600K has a boost clock of 5.30 GHz and a 93rd percentile CPU ranking, ensuring it does not constrain the GPU’s output.

Q: Which resolution and preset combination yields the highest frame rate?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 149.7 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with the Low preset.

Q: How does the RX 580 compare to its nearest rival in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The RX 580 has an average benchmark score of 13559, which is essentially identical to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 (0% delta) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950 (0.1% delta).

Q: Is the Ultra preset playable at 2560x1440?

A: The Ultra preset at 2560x1440 averages 53 FPS, which is below the standard 60 FPS target. It is playable but may not be ideal for smooth motion.

Q: What is the combo’s overall rank among all tested combinations in this game?

A: The combo ranks 1528 out of 1671 total tested combos, placing it in the lower portion of the database.