Inside

Inside is a puzzle platformer that is far more forgiving on hardware than most modern releases, but the data still reveals a clear performance hierarchy between the CPU and GPU in this combo. The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT produces a spread of results that scales predictably with resolution and settings. The benchmark results indicate that this pairing is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions, while the CPU’s strong single-thread performance keeps frame rates exceptionally high at 1080p, even when the graphical load is light.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a substantial drop as resolution increases, which is the classic signature of a GPU-limited system. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 295 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low, that figure falls to 212 FPS, a reduction of 83 FPS, or roughly 28%. At 4K Low, the average further drops to 133 FPS, which is a 45% decrease from the 1440p result and a 55% decrease from the 1080p result. This steep decline indicates that the RX 7600 XT’s rendering throughput is the primary bottleneck once the pixel count rises, despite the CPU having ample headroom.

The pattern holds across all settings presets. For High settings, the averages are 147 FPS at 1080p, 106 FPS at 1440p, and 67 FPS at 4K. The gap between 1080p and 4K here is 80 FPS, a 54% drop. Medium settings tell a similar story: 236 FPS at 1080p, 170 FPS at 1440p, and 107 FPS at 4K. Ultra settings, the most demanding preset, show 140 FPS at 1080p, 101 FPS at 1440p, and 63 FPS at 4K. The scaling from 1440p to 4K on Ultra is particularly telling, as the average falls by 38 FPS, a 37% reduction, while the 1080p to 1440p step only costs 39 FPS, a 28% drop.

What does this say about the limiting component? The data strongly suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is doing more of the heavy lifting, especially on Low and Medium presets where the frame rates exceed 200 FPS. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the constraint, as even the fastest CPU in the world would not push a mid-range card like the RX 7600 XT past its pixel fill limits. The fact that 4K Low (133 FPS) is slower than 1080p Ultra (140 FPS) underscores that resolution scaling is a pure GPU workload; the settings preset has a secondary effect compared to the sheer number of pixels being processed. For a player targeting high refresh rates, 1080p is the sweet spot, while 4K is only viable for a smooth 60 FPS experience on High or Ultra settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a 16-core, 24-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. For a game like Inside, which is a side-scrolling puzzle platformer, the workload is not heavily threaded. The benchmark data for the CPU shows a single-thread score of 1136 on 3dmark and a Passmark single-thread score of 4333, which are strong indicators of per-core performance. This matters because the game’s logic and physics are likely tied to a few threads, and the i7-13700K’s high boost clock ensures that those threads are processed with minimal latency.

The CPU’s 30 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache are also relevant. These caches reduce the time the CPU spends waiting for data from memory, which is beneficial for maintaining consistent frame pacing, especially at high frame rates. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo reaches 295 FPS, which is a frame time of roughly 3.4 milliseconds. To sustain that, the CPU must feed the GPU with draw calls and game state updates faster than the GPU can render them. The i7-13700K’s 3dmark scores, such as 12412 for max threads and 8193 for 8 threads, confirm it has the multi-threaded muscle for background tasks, but the single-thread and 2-thread scores (2262) are what likely keep the frame rate from collapsing in CPU-bound scenarios.

Interestingly, the CPU’s performance relative to its rivals is marginal. The nearest rivals list shows the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 with an average score of 46971, a delta of -0.2% from the i7-13700K’s 46881 average. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 is 0.3% slower, while the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX and Intel Xeon w3-2535 are both 0.5% faster. This means the i7-13700K is essentially on par with its competitors, with deltas of less than 1% in either direction. For Inside, this parity suggests that any modern high-end CPU would yield similar results, and the bottleneck is almost entirely on the GPU side once resolution exceeds 1080p.

The CPU’s 89th percentile ranking among all CPUs, combined with an average benchmark score of 46881, places it in the upper tier of processors. However, the game’s modest demands mean that the CPU is rarely the limiting factor. The data shows that at 1440p Medium, the combo hits 170 FPS with a minimum of 144 FPS, which indicates that even when the GPU load increases, the CPU maintains a solid frame floor. It is only at 4K Ultra, where the GPU is saturated, that the CPU’s role becomes secondary to the graphics card’s raw throughput.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the Intel Core i7-13700K and the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT ranks 2301 out of 3716 tested combinations for Inside. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the database, which might seem surprising given the high frame rates measured. The ranking is relative to all possible CPU and GPU pairings, and because Inside is an older, less demanding title, many lower-end components can achieve playable frame rates. The combo’s rank of 2301 means that 61.9% of tested combos are faster, but this is a reflection of the game’s low system requirements rather than a deficiency in this hardware.

To put the rank in perspective, the GPU has a percentile rank of 60 among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 17083. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 (0.3% faster), the AMD Radeon HD 7970M (0.4% faster), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 (0.7% faster). The RTX 3070 is a notable comparison because it is a more powerful card in most modern titles, but in Inside, the RX 7600 XT is within 0.7% of its performance, according to the Passmark G3D scores. This suggests that the game’s rendering pipeline does not heavily favor either NVIDIA or AMD, and the RX 7600 XT’s 16 GB of GDDR6 memory is more than sufficient for the game’s textures.

The CPU’s rank of 89th percentile is much higher than the combo’s rank, which reinforces the idea that the GPU is the limiting factor. If the combo were paired with a weaker CPU, the frame rates at 1080p Low might drop, but the ranking would likely still be similar because the GPU would still be the bottleneck at higher resolutions. The data indicates that for Inside, the i7-13700K is overkill in the best possible way: it never holds the RX 7600 XT back, but it also does not boost the combo’s ranking because the game does not require 16 cores to run smoothly. The 2301 rank is a function of the game’s low ceiling, not a poor pairing.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest frame rates. Low settings produce an average of 295 FPS, with no minimum or maximum recorded, indicating a stable output. Medium settings yield 236 FPS on average, with a minimum of 201 FPS and a maximum of 271 FPS, showing a 70 FPS spread that suggests some scenes are more demanding than others. High settings drop to 147 FPS, and Ultra settings further reduce the average to 140 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra at 1080p is only 7 FPS, which is a 4.8% penalty for the highest preset.

Moving to 2560x1440, the averages drop across the board. Low settings average 212 FPS, Medium averages 170 FPS with a minimum of 144 FPS and a maximum of 195 FPS, High averages 106 FPS, and Ultra averages 101 FPS. The step from 1080p to 1440p is most pronounced on Low settings, where the frame rate falls by 83 FPS, or 28%. On Ultra, the drop is 39 FPS, or 28%, which is a similar percentage, indicating that the resolution scaling is consistent regardless of preset. The Medium preset’s minimum of 144 FPS at 1440p is still above the 120 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, which is a positive sign for players with 144 Hz monitors.

At 3840x2160, the 4K results show the GPU’s limits clearly. Low settings average 133 FPS, Medium averages 107 FPS with a minimum of 91 FPS and a maximum of 123 FPS, High averages 67 FPS, and Ultra averages 63 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 70 FPS, a 53% reduction. The Medium preset at 4K is the only one with a recorded minimum, 91 FPS, which is still comfortably above 60 FPS. High and Ultra presets both hover around 63-67 FPS, which is borderline for a 60 Hz display but not ideal for higher refresh rates. The data shows that 4K is playable on this combo, but only if the player is willing to accept lower settings or a standard 60 FPS target.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve 144 FPS consistently?

A: The data shows that at 1920x1080, the Medium preset averages 236 FPS with a minimum of 201 FPS, and Low averages 295 FPS. At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 212 FPS, but the Medium preset has a minimum of 144 FPS, which is the exact threshold for a 144 Hz monitor. For a guaranteed 144 FPS floor, 1440p Medium is the safest choice.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming on Inside?

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 133 FPS, and the Medium preset averages 107 FPS with a minimum of 91 FPS. High and Ultra presets average 67 FPS and 63 FPS, respectively. For a smooth 60 FPS experience, High settings work, but for higher refresh rates, Low or Medium is necessary.

Q: How does the RX 7600 XT compare to the RTX 3070 in this game?

A: According to the benchmark data, the RX 7600 XT has an average score of 17083, while the RTX 3070 has an average score of 17208. The RTX 3070 is 0.7% faster, which is a negligible difference in real-world gameplay. The measured FPS for the combo confirms that the RX 7600 XT is not a limiting factor at 1080p, where it exceeds 140 FPS on Ultra.

Q: Is the Core i7-13700K overkill for this game?

A: The CPU’s benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 30745 and a single-core score of 2116, are far above what Inside requires. The game’s low thread usage means that the CPU’s 16 cores are mostly idle, but the high boost clock of 5.40 GHz ensures that the few active threads are processed quickly. The data shows no CPU bottleneck, so it is not overkill in the sense of causing issues, but it is more powerful than necessary.

Q: What are the minimum FPS values for the Medium preset?

A: The Medium preset has recorded minimum values for all three resolutions. At 1920x1080, the minimum is 201 FPS. At 2560x1440, the minimum is 144 FPS. At 3840x2160, the minimum is 91 FPS. These minimums indicate the worst-case frame rates during demanding scenes.

Q: How does the combo rank compared to other tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 2301 out of 3716 tested combinations for Inside. This means it is in the 62nd percentile of all combos, which is below average. However, this ranking is due to the game’s low system requirements, allowing many weaker systems to achieve high frame rates, not because this combo performs poorly.

Settings Recommendations

For players using this combo with a 1080p display, the Ultra preset is the best choice. The average of 140 FPS is well above the 60 FPS standard, and the 7 FPS difference between Ultra and High is negligible. The data shows that Ultra at 1080p provides a high refresh rate experience without any meaningful performance penalty. For those with 144 Hz monitors, the Medium preset offers a 236 FPS average with a 201 FPS minimum, which provides a massive buffer against frame drops. Low settings are unnecessary at this resolution, as even Ultra exceeds the refresh rate of most monitors.

At 1440p, the recommendation depends on the refresh rate of the display. For a 144 Hz monitor, the Medium preset is the sweet spot, with a 170 FPS average and a 144 FPS minimum that matches the refresh rate exactly. This ensures that the display is always used to its full potential. For 60 Hz displays, the Ultra preset at 101 FPS is more than sufficient, and the High preset at 106 FPS offers a slightly higher average. Low settings at 1440p provide 212 FPS, but this is unnecessary unless the player is using a 240 Hz monitor, in which case the Medium preset’s 170 FPS average is a more balanced choice.

At 4K, the data reveals a trade-off between visual fidelity and frame rate. The Low preset at 133 FPS is ideal for high refresh rate 4K monitors, but the visual quality will be noticeably reduced. The Medium preset at 107 FPS with a 91 FPS minimum is the best compromise, offering a clear improvement over Low while maintaining a frame rate that is smooth on most displays. High and Ultra presets at 67 FPS and 63 FPS, respectively, are only suitable for 60 Hz screens, and the 4 FPS difference between them makes Ultra the better choice for those who prioritize image quality. Given that the game is a puzzle platformer with a slower pace, the Medium preset at 4K is the recommended starting point, as it provides a stable experience without sacrificing the game’s atmospheric visuals.