Inside

The Intel Core i7-14700F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT is a combination that delivers remarkably high frame rates in Inside, a game whose minimalist art style belies the hardware headroom this combo enjoys. The measured data shows this pairing is not a bottleneck pairing: at 1080p Low it hits a 337 FPS average and even at the demanding 4K Ultra preset it maintains 72 FPS. This analysis breaks down the CPU's role, the combo's standing among tested configurations, how performance scales across resolutions, and the exact frame rates you can expect from every measured setting.

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

The Intel Core i7-14700F is a 20-core, 28-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process node. Its base clock runs at 2.10 GHz and can boost up to 5.40 GHz, which provides substantial single-thread horsepower for a game like Inside that relies on a steady stream of physics and puzzle logic. The processor's large L2 cache (2 MB per core) and 33 MB shared L3 cache contribute to low-latency data access, which is crucial for a platformer that can have sudden updates in the game world. The CPU's percentile rank among all tested CPUs is 91, meaning it outperforms the vast majority of available processors in synthetic benchmarks. In Cinebench R23 multi-core it scores 35122, and a single-core score of 4958 indicates strong per-thread performance. This is relevant because Inside is a game that does not necessarily stress all 20 cores, but the high single-thread and multi-thread headroom ensures there is no CPU limit.

The Radeon RX 7 XT is built on the RDNA 2.0 architecture with a Navi 22 chip, produced by TSMC on a 7 nm process. It packs 2560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 64 ROPs. Its base clock is 2321 MHz, boost clock 2581 MHz, and game clock 2424 MHz. It has 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 384.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's percentile rank is 72, and its average benchmark score of 27425 places it near the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Mobile (0.0% delta), NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 (which is 0.5% faster in average score), and AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 (which is 1.5% faster in average score). This context shows the GPU is a capable mid-range-to-high-end part.

In Inside, the CPU is likely not the limiting factor at any resolution. At 1080p Low, the average frame rate is 337 fps, which is far beyond the refresh rate of most displays. At 4K Ultra, the frame rate drops to 72 fps, which is still playable but shows the GPU is doing the heavy lifting at high resolutions. The CPU's 65W TDP and its ability to boost to 5.4 GHz mean it can handle the game's logic without any issues, and its 20 cores provide ample capacity for any background tasks.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combos, this specific pairing (Intel Core i7-14700F + AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT) ranks 1806 out of 3716 combinations. This places it in the top half of all tested configurations, specifically around the 51st percentile. While not a top-tier combination, it is a solid mid-range entry. The rank is likely dragged down by the GPU's overall percentile (72) compared to the CPU's high percentile (91). In a game like Inside, which is not graphically demanding, the CPU's headroom might not be fully utilized, but the GPU's 12 GB VRAM and 384 GB/s bandwidth are more than enough for the game's textures and effects.

The combo rank in this game is 1806 out of 3716, meaning there are 1910 other combos that perform better, and 1910 that perform worse. This is a middle-of-the-pack ranking. The data indicates that the limiting factor in most games is the GPU, but in Inside, the frame rates are so high that neither component is heavily taxed. For comparison, the CPU's nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon 6505P (average score 53701, about 0.2% faster), Intel Xeon Phi 7290 (average score 53469, 0.3% slower), AMD Ryzen 9 7900X (average 53288, 0.6% slower), and AMD EPYC 7313P (average 53206, 0.8% slower). The CPU has an average benchmark score of 53620, which is within 1% of these rivals. The GPU's nearest rivals are the RTX 4070 Mobile (average 27435, 0.0% delta), RTX 3090 (27565, -0.5% delta), RTX PRO 4000 Blackwell (27135, 1.1% delta), and Radeon Pro Vega 20 (27839, -1.5% delta). The RX 6700 XT's average score of 27425 sits almost exactly in the middle of this pack.

In practice, the combo's rank in Inside is higher than its absolute hardware rank would suggest because the game is not demanding. The 337 fps at 1080p Low reflects the CPU's single-core and multi-core strength, while the 4K Ultra frame rate of 72 fps shows the GPU is still able to maintain a good experience. The rank indicates that for most users, this combo will provide a smooth, high-FPS experience in Inside.

Resolution Scaling

The most telling metric in this benchmark is how performance scales from 1080p to 4K. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 337. Dropping to 1440p Low reduces that to 242 fps, a 28% decrease. At 4K Low, the average is 152 fps, which is a 55% decrease from 1440p Low and a 55% decrease from 1080p Low. This shows that at lower settings, the GPU is the limiting factor, as the CPU has plenty of headroom.

For the High preset, the scaling is similar: 1080p High runs at 168 fps, 1440p High at 121 fps (a 28% drop), and 4K High at 76 fps (a 55% drop from 1080p). This consistent ~55% drop from 1080p to 4K across all settings suggests that the GPU is the bottleneck, but the high absolute numbers mean the CPU is never fully saturated.

Looking at the Medium settings, which have a defined range of min and max FPS, the data shows a similar trend. 1080p Medium has an average of 269 fps, with a minimum of 229 and maximum of 310. At 1440p Medium, the average is 194 fps with a minimum of 165 and a maximum of 223. At 4K Medium, the average is 122 fps with a minimum of 103 and a maximum of 140. The frame time variance increases with resolution, as the GPU has to render more pixels.

The Ultra setting shows the most significant scaling drop. 1080p Ultra is 160 fps, 1440p Ultra is 115 fps (a 30% drop), and 4K Ultra is 72 fps (a 55% drop from 1440p and a 55% drop from 1080p). This consistent 55% drop from 1080p to 4K across all settings indicates that the resolution is the primary factor in frame rate, and the GPU scaling is linear. The CPU's performance does not degrade with resolution, which means it is not the limiting component.

The data shows that the limiting component at all resolutions is the GPU. Even at 1080p Low, the CPU is not the bottleneck, as the frame rate is high. The CPU's 20 cores and 5.4 GHz boost clock provide more than enough throughput. The GPU's 384 GB/s bandwidth and 13.21 TFLOPS of FP32 power are the main drivers of the frame rate. As resolution increases, the GPU's memory bandwidth and pixel throughput become more important, and the frame rate drops accordingly.

Measured FPS Breakdown

This section provides the exact measured frame rates for each resolution and setting combination. All values are averages unless otherwise noted.

1080p (1920x1080)

• Low: Average 337 fps. No minimum or maximum reported.
• Medium: Average 269 fps, with a minimum of 229 and a maximum of 310.
• High: Average 168 fps. No min or max reported.
• Ultra: Average 160 fps. No min or max reported.

At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 52% (337 vs 160 fps). The Medium setting sits between them, with a 269 average. The min and max for Medium show a 1.35x variance (229-310), which is a reasonable range for a game like Inside.

1440p (2560x1440)

• Low: Average 242 fps.
• Medium: Average 194 fps, with a minimum of 165 and a maximum of 223.
• High: Average 121 fps.
• Ultra: Average 115 fps.

At 1440p, the spread from Low to Ultra is 110% (242 vs 115 fps). The Medium setting has a 1.35x variance between min and max. This resolution is a sweet spot for the combo, as it still delivers well above 100 fps at all settings.

4K (3840x2160)

• Low: Average 152 fps.
• Medium: Average 122 fps, with a minimum of 103 and a maximum of 140.
• High: Average 76 fps.
• Ultra: Average 72 fps.

At 4K, the frame rate drops significantly. The Low setting is stilla high 152 fps, but Ultra is 72 fps, which is close to the 60 fps refresh rate standard. The Medium setting's min 103 fps ensures no stutters.

The data shows that the Medium preset offers the best balance between quality and performance, with 269 fps at 1080p, 194 fps at 1440p, and 122 fps at 4K. The High and Ultra settings are also playable, but the frame rate at 4K is below 100 fps. The Low setting is the only way to hit above 200 fps at 1440p, and it's the setting that achieves 337 fps at 1080p.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 4K Ultra settings?

A: The average frame rate at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 72 fps.

Q: How does the CPU's single-core performance compare to its multi-core?

A: In Cinebench R23, the CPU scores 4958 in single-core and 35122 in multi-core. The single-core score is about 14% of the multi-core score, which is expected for a 20-core chip. The high single-core performance ensures the game's logic is processed quickly.

Q: Which setting provides the highest frame rate at 1080p?

A: The Low setting provides the highest average frame rate at 1920x1080, with an average of 337 fps. The Medium is 269 fps, High is 168 fps, and Ultra is 160 fps.

*Q: What is the GPU's memory bandwidth and how does it affect Inside?*

A: The GPU has a memory bandwidth of 384.0 GB/s. This is sufficient for the game, as the frame rates at 4K are still above 70 fps for all settings. The bandwidth helps with texture streaming and resolution scaling.

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

A: The combo ranks 1806 out of 3716 combos tested, which is roughly the 50th percentile. This is a middle-of-the-road position, but it is a strong performance in Inside given the game's low system requirements.

Q: What is the CPU's TDP and does it cause thermal issues?

A: The CPU has a TDP of 65W, which is low for a high-core-count processor. This allows for efficient cooling, and the data does not indicate any thermal throttling issues in the benchmarks.

Q: What is the GPU's core clock and boost clock?

A: The GPU has a base clock of 2321 MHz and a boost clock of 2581 MHz. The game clock is 2424 MHz. These clocks are high, allowing the GPU to achieve 13.21 TFLOPS of FP32 performance.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the best experience depends on the resolution and refresh rate of your display.

For 1080p displays with a refresh rate of 60 Hz, any setting is overkill. The Low setting at 337 fps is the highest, but the Medium setting at 269 fps is already a great experience. If you prefer visual quality, the Ultra setting at 160 fps is still above 144 Hz, so you can use it without any issues. The High setting is 168 fps, which is also above 144 Hz. The best choice is the Medium setting, as it provides a balance of quality and performance, and 269 fps is more than enough for any display.

For 1440p displays, the Medium setting is the best choice. It provides an average of 194 fps, which is above 144 Hz for gamers with high-refresh-rate monitors. The High and Ultra settings are 121 and 115 fps, respectively, which are still playable but below 144 fps. The Low setting gives 242 fps, but the visual quality is poor. The Medium is the sweet spot, with 194 fps and a minimum of 165 fps, ensuring smooth gameplay.

For 4K displays, the Medium setting is again the best choice. It provides an average of 122 fps, which is above 60 Hz and close to 120 Hz on some monitors. The High and Ultra settings are 76 and 72 fps, which are still above 60 fps. The Low setting is 152 fps, but it sacrifices visual fidelity. The Medium setting has a minimum of 103 fps, so it will not drop below 100 fps.

In summary, the Medium preset is the best overall experience for this combo. It delivers high frame rates at all resolutions, with a minimum of 103 fps at 4K. The Low preset is only useful for high-refresh-rate 1080p displays, and the High/Ultra presets are for users who prioritize visuals over frame rate. For a game like Inside, which has a unique art style, the Medium settings will present the game as intended without any performance compromises. The data shows that the CPU and GPU are well-balanced, but the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions. The Medium preset is the recommended choice for the best experience.