Inside

The Intel Core i7-14700K and AMD Radeon RX 7700 combination delivers a remarkably consistent performance profile in Inside, a Puzzle Platformer from 2016. The data shows this pairing is heavily overqualified for the game's demands, with frame rates that remain fluid even at 4K Ultra settings. This analysis examines the measured FPS data to understand how the CPU's 20 cores and the GPU's 16 GB of VRAM contribute to the results, and where the bottleneck shifts across resolutions and presets.

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

The Intel Core i7-14700K is a 20-core processor with 28 threads, built on the Raptor Lake architecture. Its base clock is 3.40 GHz with a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. For a game like Inside, which is a 2D side-scrolling puzzle platformer, the computational load is generally light. The data confirms this: at 1080p Low settings, the combination produces an average of 353 FPS, which is far beyond the refresh rate of any standard display. This score indicates that the CPU is not a limiting factor at lower resolutions and settings.

The CPU's benchmark scores provide context for its capability. In Cinebench R23, it scores 33440.5 points in multi-core and 2160 points in single-core tests. The single-core score is particularly relevant for gaming, as many game engines rely heavily on a few threads. In PassMark's single-thread test, it scores 4472. The CPU's percentile ranking is 94, meaning it outperforms 94% of all tested CPUs in the database. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, which has an average benchmark score 0.2% higher, and the AMD EPYC 9115, which is 0.1% faster on average.

In Inside, the CPU's role is primarily about maintaining high frame rates when the GPU is not the bottleneck. The measured data shows that at 1080p Low, the FPS is 353, while at 1080p Ultra, it drops to 168 FPS. This drop of 185 FPS is primarily due to increased GPU workload, not CPU limitations. The CPU's high single-core performance, evidenced by its 313.5 score in Cinebench R15 single-core, ensures that even at high frame rates, the game logic and physics calculations are processed without stutter. The 33 MB of shared L3 cache also helps by keeping frequently accessed game data close to the cores.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1440p with High settings?

A: The measured data shows an average of 127 FPS at 2560x1440 with High settings. This is a substantial frame rate that provides a smooth experience on high-refresh-rate monitors.

Q: How does the frame rate scale from 1080p to 4K at Ultra settings?

A: At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 168. At 4K Ultra, the average drops to 76 FPS. This represents a 54.8% reduction in frame rate as the resolution increases, indicating a growing GPU bottleneck.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded at 4K Medium settings?

A: The data lists a minimum FPS of 108 at 3840x2160 with Medium settings. This is the only resolution and preset combination with a reported minimum FPS, along with a maximum of 147 FPS.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU the limiting factor at 1080p Low settings?

A: At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 353. Given the CPU's high single-core benchmark scores (2160 in Cinebench R23), it is likely the CPU is still not the primary limit, but the sheer frame rate suggests the game engine itself may have a cap or the CPU is nearing its limit in this specific workload.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: The average FPS at 1440p Low is 254, while at 1440p Ultra it is 121 FPS. This is a difference of 133 FPS, or a 52.4% reduction in performance when moving from the lowest to the highest quality preset.

Q: How many tested combinations does this setup rank above?

A: The combo rank for this CPU and GPU pair in Inside is 1161 out of 2887 tested combinations. This means it performs better than 1726 other combinations in the database.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

Examining the average FPS across resolutions reveals the scaling behavior of this hardware combination. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 353 at 1080p to 254 at 1440p, and then to 160 at 4K. This is a steady decline, but the percentage drops are telling. From 1080p to 1440p, the FPS drops by 28%. From 1440p to 4K, the FPS drops by 37%. This increasing rate of decline indicates that the GPU is becoming more of a limiting factor as the pixel count increases.

The pattern is similar at High settings. The average FPS is 177 at 1080p, 127 at 1440p, and 80 at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 28.2%, and from 1440p to 4K is 37%. This consistent scaling pattern across settings suggests that the performance is primarily GPU-bound at higher resolutions. The CPU, with its high core count and clock speeds, is not showing signs of bottlenecking, as the frame rate reductions are proportional to the increase in pixel workload.

The data for Medium settings includes minimum and maximum FPS values, which provides additional insight. At 1080p, the average is 282 FPS with a minimum of 240 and a maximum of 325. At 1440p, the average drops to 203 FPS with a minimum of 173 and a maximum of 234. At 4K, the average is 128 FPS with a minimum of 108 and a maximum of 147. The minimum FPS values remain relatively high, suggesting that the frame pacing is stable even when the GPU is under heavier load. The scaling from 1080p to 4K at Medium settings shows a 54.6% drop in average FPS, which aligns with the trend seen at other presets.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

At 1920x1080, the full range of settings shows the hardware's headroom. Low settings produce an average of 353 FPS. Medium settings yield 282 FPS, with a minimum of 240 and a maximum of 325. High settings deliver 177 FPS. Ultra settings drop to 168 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 185 FPS, highlighting how much the graphical presets affect the frame rate at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the average FPS values are lower but still exceptionally high. Low settings average 254 FPS. Medium settings average 203 FPS, with a minimum of 173 and a maximum of 234. High settings average 127 FPS. Ultra settings average 121 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra narrows to 133 FPS, as the GPU workload increases.

At 3840x2160, the 4K resolution, the frame rates remain playable. Low settings average 160 FPS. Medium settings average 128 FPS, with a minimum of 108 and a maximum of 147. High settings average 80 FPS. Ultra settings average 76 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is now 84 FPS. This is the smallest absolute difference, but the percentage drop is similar to other resolutions, indicating that the GPU is consistently the primary performance limiter at 4K.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is based on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with the Navi 32 chip. It features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s. The GPU's base clock is 1900 MHz, with a boost clock of 2459 MHz and a game clock of 2041 MHz. For Inside, a game with a relatively simple art style, the 16 GB of VRAM is far more than necessary. The game's textures and geometry are unlikely to exceed even 4 GB, so the VRAM capacity is not a performance factor in the measured results.

The GPU's benchmark scores place it in the 58th percentile of all GPUs. Its PassMark G3D score is 20974, and its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 2865. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, has an average benchmark score 1.7% higher. The AMD Radeon RX 9060 is 1% faster on average, while the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 is 1.1% slower.

In the context of Inside, the GPU's role becomes more significant at higher resolutions and settings. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 76, which is still a smooth experience for a puzzle platformer. The GPU's compute capabilities, measured at 25.18 TFLOPS FP32, are more than sufficient for the game's shaders and effects. The 96 ROPs and 160 TMUs handle the pixel and texture processing efficiently at 4K, as evidenced by the playable frame rates. The GPU is clearly the limiting factor at 4K Ultra, but it does not prevent the game from being fully playable.

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

Based on the measured FPS data, the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance across all resolutions. At 1080p, Medium produces an average of 282 FPS, which is 105 FPS lower than Low but 114 FPS higher than Ultra. The minimum FPS of 240 at this setting ensures that even in demanding scenes, the frame rate does not drop below 240 FPS. At 1440p, Medium averages 203 FPS with a minimum of 173 FPS, which is still exceptionally smooth. At 4K, Medium averages 128 FPS with a minimum of 108 FPS, providing a solid experience.

The High preset is a viable alternative for users who prioritize visual fidelity over raw frame rate. At 1080p, High averages 177 FPS, which is still above the refresh rate of most monitors. At 1440p, High averages 127 FPS. At 4K, High averages 80 FPS. The Ultra preset provides marginal visual improvements over High but results in a significant FPS drop. At 4K Ultra, the average of 76 FPS is only 4 FPS lower than High, making the Ultra preset a reasonable choice for 4K users who want maximum quality.

For users with high-refresh-rate monitors (144Hz or higher), the Low preset at 1080p (353 FPS) or 1440p (254 FPS) is the only way to fully utilize the display's capabilities. However, for most users, the Medium preset is recommended as it provides a large performance headroom while maintaining the game's visual charm. The data shows no reason to use Low settings unless chasing maximum frame rates, as the performance gains from Medium to Low are not as substantial as the visual quality loss.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i7-14700K and AMD Radeon RX 7700 ranks 1161 out of 2887 tested combinations in Inside. This places it in the 40.2nd percentile of all tested combos. While this might seem low given the high frame rates, it is important to consider the context. Inside is a game that can run on a wide range of hardware, and many lower-end CPUs and GPUs can achieve playable frame rates. The ranking reflects that many other combinations, likely including those with more powerful GPUs, achieve higher frame rates at the same settings.

The combo's performance is limited by the GPU's position in the market. The RX 7700 ranks in the 58th percentile of all GPUs, which is a mid-range position. In a game like Inside, where the frame rate is not heavily taxing, a more powerful GPU would push the average FPS higher, especially at 1080p and 1440p. The CPU, on the other hand, is a high-end part that ranks in the 94th percentile. The data suggests that the CPU is not the bottleneck, as the frame rates scale consistently with GPU load.

Compared to other combos in the database, this setup is in the top 40% for performance in Inside. The ranking does not reflect the actual gaming experience, which is excellent, but rather the absolute frame rates achieved. For a puzzle platformer, the measured frame rates of 76 FPS at 4K Ultra and 168 FPS at 1080p Ultra are more than sufficient for a smooth and enjoyable experience. The combo rank of 1161 indicates that there is headroom for improvement, but the user will not perceive any issues with this hardware in Inside.