Inside

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT delivers exceptionally high frame rates in Inside, a 2016 puzzle platformer. The data shows that this combination is heavily GPU-limited at higher resolutions, but the sheer performance headroom means that playable frame rates are achievable even at 4K Ultra. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, settings scaling, and how this specific pairing ranks against other tested configurations.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases, with the most significant performance drop occurring between 1440p and 4K. At 1080p with Medium settings, the combo produces an average of 205 FPS. Moving to 1440p, that average drops to 161 FPS, a reduction of 44 FPS, and then falls further to 101 FPS at 4K. This indicates that while the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU at lower resolutions, the RX 6600 XT's rendering workload becomes the primary bottleneck as pixel count increases.

The gap between 1080p and 1440p is 44 FPS, while the gap between 1440p and 4K is 60 FPS, showing that the scaling is not linear. The larger drop at higher resolutions is typical of a GPU-bound scenario, where the fill-rate and memory bandwidth demands of 4K significantly strain the graphics card. At 1080p, the i5-9400's six cores are sufficient to keep up, but the data suggests that the CPU is not the limiting factor even at the lowest resolution tested.

Examining the High preset tells a similar story, but with lower overall numbers. At 1080p High, the average is 140 FPS, which drops to 101 FPS at 1440p, and then plummets to 63 FPS at 4K. The 4K High result is notable because it is the only 4K preset tested that drops below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, though it is still perfectly playable. The pattern confirms that the RX 6600 XT is the dominant factor in determining frame rates, with the CPU's role diminishing as resolution increases.

The Ultra preset shows the most consistent scaling, with a 38 FPS drop from 1080p (134 FPS) to 1440p (96 FPS), and a further 36 FPS drop to 4K (60 FPS). This consistency suggests that at Ultra, the workload is balanced enough that the GPU's performance ceiling is being approached at all resolutions. The fact that 4K Ultra still manages an average of 60 FPS is a strong indicator of the GPU's capability in this specific title.

Settings Recommendations

For players targeting the highest possible frame rates on a high-refresh-rate 1080p or 1440p monitor, the Ultra preset is the clear choice. At 1080p Ultra, the combo averages 134 FPS, and at 1440p Ultra, it maintains 96 FPS. These numbers are well above the 60 FPS standard and provide a smooth experience, making the visual fidelity upgrade from Medium or High essentially free in terms of playability.

The Medium preset offers the best balance for 4K gaming. At 3840x2160, Medium yields an average of 101 FPS with a minimum of 86 FPS and a maximum of 117 FPS. This is a substantial improvement over the 63 FPS at High and the 60 FPS at Ultra. The minimum FPS of 86 ensures that even the most demanding scenes will not cause noticeable stuttering. For a 4K display, Medium is the recommended starting point, as it provides a significant visual upgrade over Low while maintaining a comfortable frame rate buffer.

The Low preset is only necessary for extreme performance targets. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 222 FPS, and at 1440p Low, it reaches 199 FPS. These numbers are only relevant for players with 240Hz or higher refresh rate monitors, as the difference between Low and Medium at 1080p (222 vs 205 FPS) is marginal for most users. At 4K Low, the 127 FPS average is impressive, but the visual sacrifices are likely too great for a game like Inside that relies on atmospheric lighting and shadow detail.

The High preset is the least compelling option in the data. At 1080p, it is 66 FPS slower than Medium, and at 4K, it is 38 FPS slower. The visual difference between High and Ultra is often negligible in this genre, but the performance cost is significant. Given that Ultra performs within a few FPS of High at every resolution, there is no practical reason to select High over Ultra unless a specific visual setting in the High preset is preferred.

FAQ

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

A: Yes, the measured data shows an average of 60 FPS at 3840x2160 with the Ultra preset. This is exactly at the standard 60 FPS target, providing a playable, though not high-refresh-rate, experience.

Q: What is the fastest settings preset for 1080p gaming?

A: The Low preset at 1920x1080 produces the highest average frame rate at 222 FPS. For a more visually appealing experience with minimal performance loss, the Medium preset averages 205 FPS.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-9400 a bottleneck for the RX 6600 XT in this game?

A: The data suggests the CPU is not a limiting factor. At 1080p Medium, the combo reaches 205 FPS, and at 4K Medium, it still hits 101 FPS, indicating the GPU is the primary driver of performance scaling across resolutions.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1440p to 4K on the Medium preset?

A: The average frame rate drops from 161 FPS at 2560x1440 to 101 FPS at 3840x2160, a reduction of 60 FPS. This is the largest single resolution jump in the measured data.

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

A: The lowest minimum FPS recorded is 86 FPS, which occurs at 3840x2160 with the Medium settings preset. All other presets and resolutions either have no recorded minimum or have a higher minimum value.

Q: Does the Ultra preset provide a smooth experience at 1440p?

A: Yes, the average FPS at 2560x1440 with Ultra settings is 96 FPS. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold and provides a responsive and smooth experience for the game's puzzle mechanics.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, the Intel Core i5-9400 and AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT pairing ranks 2828 out of 3716 combos for Inside. This places it in the bottom quarter of all tested systems, which is surprising given the high frame rates observed. The rank is likely influenced by the CPU's modest performance in other workloads and the fact that many higher-ranked combos feature newer, more powerful processors.

The CPU's average benchmark score is 2254, placing it in the 47th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, which scores 2259 (a 0.2% difference), and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500, which scores 2246 (a 0.4% difference). This indicates that the i5-9400's processing power is firmly in the mid-range tier, and while it is sufficient for Inside, it does not contribute to a high combo ranking.

The GPU, however, is a stronger component. The RX 6600 XT has an average benchmark score of 24442, placing it in the 70th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630, which scores 24277 (a 0.7% difference), and the Intel Arc A350M, which scores 24647 (a -0.8% difference). This shows that the GPU is a capable performer, but the combination's overall rank is dragged down by the CPU's mid-pack standing.

The discrepancy between the high in-game FPS and the low combo rank highlights that Inside is not a demanding title for modern hardware. The benchmark data shows that even a mid-range CPU from 2018 can easily push this game to high frame rates, meaning the combo rank is more indicative of the hardware's general capabilities rather than its performance in this specific title.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT is the primary driver of performance in this pairing. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus provides 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is sufficient for the textures and effects in Inside at all tested resolutions. The GPU's clock speeds are high, with a base clock of 1968 MHz and a boost clock of 2589 MHz, allowing it to process the game's simple geometry and lighting effects very quickly.

The GPU's architecture, RDNA 2.0, is built on a 7 nm process and features 2048 shading units. This raw compute power is more than enough for a puzzle platformer, as evidenced by the 222 FPS average at 1080p Low. The data shows that the GPU is not stressed until the resolution increases to 4K, where the pixel fill rate becomes a limiting factor. At 4K Ultra, the GPU manages 60 FPS, which reflects its efficiency.

The memory capacity of 8 GB is not a limiting factor in this game, as even at 4K Ultra, the frame rates remain consistent. The GPU's PCIe 4.0 x8 interface is also not a bottleneck, as the game's data requirements are modest. The measured performance suggests that the RX 6600 XT is heavily overqualified for this title, and its role is to provide massive headroom for future games or higher refresh rate displays.

The GPU's benchmark scores, such as the Passmark G3D score of 16461 and the Geekbench OpenCL score of 80503, reflect its strong compute capabilities. However, in Inside, the GPU's role is less about raw compute and more about consistent frame pacing, which the data shows it delivers admirably. The low minimum FPS of 86 at 4K Medium indicates that even in the most demanding scenarios, the GPU maintains a high performance floor.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest frame rates. The Low preset averages 222 FPS, which is the maximum measured in the entire dataset. The Medium preset averages 205 FPS, with a minimum of 174 FPS and a maximum of 235 FPS. The High preset averages 140 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 134 FPS. All 1080p presets are well above the 60 FPS threshold, making this resolution ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors.

At 2560x1440, performance remains excellent. The Low preset averages 199 FPS, while the Medium preset averages 161 FPS, with a minimum of 137 FPS and a maximum of 186 FPS. The High preset averages 101 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 96 FPS. The 1440p results show that the GPU is still capable of driving high frame rates, with even the Ultra preset staying above 90 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the GPU begins to show its limits, but the results are still playable. The Low preset averages 127 FPS, which is a strong result for 4K. The Medium preset averages 101 FPS, with a minimum of 86 FPS and a maximum of 117 FPS, making it the best 4K option for a balance of quality and speed. The High preset averages 63 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 60 FPS, both of which are right at the edge of the standard 60 FPS target.

The data shows a consistent pattern: the Medium preset offers the best combination of visual quality and performance at every resolution. The jump from Medium to High results in a significant FPS loss, while the jump from High to Ultra is comparatively small. This suggests that the High preset introduces a specific graphical effect that is disproportionately expensive to render, making it the least efficient choice in the settings menu.