Inside

Inside, a 2D puzzle platformer from 2016, is not a typical GPU stress test, but the measured data for the Intel Core i7-14700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 combo reveals a system with immense headroom. The benchmark results show that this configuration is capable of delivering exceptionally high frame rates at every resolution and settings preset, often exceeding the refresh rates of standard displays. The data indicates that the primary challenge is not performance, but rather selecting a settings preset that balances image quality against the sheer speed the hardware provides, making the choice of preset a matter of preference rather than necessity.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data shows that the "Ultra" preset is the most demanding, yet it still delivers highly playable frame rates across all tested resolutions. At 4K, the Ultra preset achieves an average of 143 FPS, which is a significant drop from the 150 FPS average of the High preset. This 7 FPS difference is minimal, but it represents the only major performance gap between these two top-tier presets at 4K. The "Medium" preset offers a substantial increase in performance at 4K, hitting a 240 FPS average with a minimum of 204 FPS, making it the best choice for players targeting very high refresh rate 4K displays. The "Low" preset at 4K doubles the frame rate to 300 FPS, but this comes at the cost of visual fidelity, which is less justifiable given the high performance of the Ultra and High presets.

For 1440p and 1080p, the performance differences between presets become more pronounced, but the overall headroom remains enormous. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset delivers a 228 FPS average, while High achieves 239 FPS. The Medium preset at this resolution jumps to 338 FPS, and Low reaches 366 FPS. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset still manages a 309 FPS average, with High at 314 FPS. The Medium preset at 1080p is notably faster at 377 FPS, and Low tops out at 408 FPS. The data suggests that for most users, the Ultra preset is the recommended choice, as it provides the highest image quality while still maintaining frame rates well above 140 FPS at 4K and above 300 FPS at 1080p. However, for those with 240Hz or higher refresh rate monitors, the Medium preset at 1440p or 4K offers a better balance, ensuring frame rates stay consistently above 200 FPS.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is the dominant component in this pairing, and its specifications directly influence the observed results. The GPU features 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing a massive 1.79 TB/s of memory bandwidth. This is particularly relevant for a game like Inside, which, while not graphically demanding, can still benefit from high memory bandwidth at extreme resolutions. The data shows that the RTX 5090 is not a bottleneck at any tested setting, as the frame rates scale predictably with resolution and preset changes. The GPU's boost clock of 2407 MHz and base clock of 2017 MHz contribute to its raw compute power, but the benchmark scores indicate its overall capability is in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 79842.

The GPU's performance in this game is so high that it appears to be limited by other factors, such as the game's engine or CPU draw call overhead, particularly at lower resolutions. For example, at 1080p Low, the average FPS is 408, but at 1080p High, it drops to 314, showing a clear dependency on the settings preset rather than resolution. This suggests that the RTX 5090 has significant untapped potential in Inside, as even the most demanding preset at 4K does not push the GPU to its limits. The 32 GB of VRAM is far more than what Inside requires, but it ensures that there is no memory capacity limitation, even with future titles in mind. The GPU's nearest rivals, such as the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB, show a deltaPct of 0.3%, but these are not consumer gaming cards, highlighting the RTX 5090's position as a top-tier gaming solution.

FAQ

Q: Is the Ultra preset playable at 4K resolution with this combo?

A: Yes, the measured data shows an average of 143 FPS at 3840x2160 with the Ultra preset. This is well above the 60 FPS standard for smooth gameplay, and even exceeds the 120 FPS mark, making it suitable for high refresh rate 4K monitors.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded in the benchmarks?

A: The highest average FPS is 408, achieved at 1920x1080 with the Low settings preset. This is the maximum frame rate recorded in the measured data, indicating the extreme performance ceiling of this system at lower resolutions.

Q: How does the Medium preset compare to High in terms of performance?

A: The Medium preset consistently outperforms High across all resolutions. At 3840x2160, Medium achieves 240 FPS compared to High's 150 FPS, a 90 FPS difference. At 2560x1440, Medium is 338 FPS versus High's 239 FPS, and at 1920x1080, Medium is 377 FPS versus High's 314 FPS.

Q: Does the RTX 5090 bottleneck the CPU in this game?

A: The data suggests the opposite; the GPU is not the limiting factor. At 1080p, the frame rate varies significantly with the settings preset (from 408 FPS on Low to 309 FPS on Ultra), indicating that the game's rendering load, rather than the GPU's raw capability, is the primary determinant of performance.

Q: Are there any frame rate minimums recorded for the Medium preset?

A: Yes, the data includes minimum FPS values for the Medium preset at all three resolutions. The minimums are 204 FPS at 3840x2160, 287 FPS at 2560x1440, and 320 FPS at 1920x1080. These minimums indicate that even the lowest frame times are exceptionally high.

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

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset achieves an average of 366 FPS, while the Ultra preset achieves 228 FPS. This represents a 138 FPS difference, or roughly a 60% performance increase for the Low preset, which is a significant trade-off for reduced visual effects.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i7-14700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 holds a rank of 51 out of 3716 combos for Inside. This puts the system in the top 1.4% of all tested configurations, indicating that it is among the most powerful setups for this game. The high rank is primarily attributable to the RTX 5090's immense power, as the CPU's role is secondary in a game with such low graphical demands. The data shows that this combo is not just fast, but exceptionally fast relative to the broader pool of tested hardware.

The combo's performance is further contextualized by the individual component rankings. The CPU, Intel Core i7-14700K, sits in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 69355. Its nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, which has a deltaPct of -0.2%, meaning the i7-14700K is essentially on par with it. The GPU, RTX 5090, is in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs, with an average score of 79842. Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB, which shows a 0.3% deltaPct. The combination of these two high-performing components results in a system that is ranked 51st overall, proof of its overall capability in this specific game. The rank of 51 out of 3716 combos is a strong indicator that users of this system will experience near-top-tier performance.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700K plays a supporting role in Inside, as the game's 2D side-scrolling nature does not heavily tax multi-threaded processing. The CPU features 20 cores and 28 threads, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. This high boost clock is more relevant than the core count for a game like Inside, which likely relies on single-thread performance for game logic and physics. The CPU's single-core performance is demonstrated by its Cinebench R23 score of 2160, which is a strong result. However, the data shows that the frame rates are more dependent on the GPU and settings preset than on the CPU, as evidenced by the significant FPS changes when altering the preset at a fixed resolution.

The CPU's 33 MB of shared L3 cache and 20 cores are overkill for Inside, but they ensure that there are no CPU-related hitches or stutters. The benchmark results show that the i7-14700K is not a bottleneck, as the frame rates at 1080p with a lower preset (408 FPS) are much higher than at 4K with a higher preset (143 FPS), indicating that the GPU's load is the primary variable. The CPU's performance in synthetic benchmarks, such as a PassMark multithread score of 52392 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2569, shows it is a top-tier processor. In the context of this game, its role is to provide stable frame pacing and ensure that the RTX 5090 is not held back, which it accomplishes easily. The CPU's nearest rivals, like the AMD EPYC 9115 with a 0.1% deltaPct, are all within a narrow performance band, indicating that the i7-14700K is at the top of the heap for gaming workloads.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset yields an average of 143 FPS, while the High preset increases to 150 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K jumps significantly to 240 FPS, with a minimum of 204 FPS and a maximum of 276 FPS. The Low preset at 4K is the fastest, achieving 300 FPS. This shows a clear scaling pattern where lower settings presets yield exponentially higher frame rates at 4K, but even the most demanding preset remains highly playable.

Moving to 2560x1440, the Ultra preset achieves 228 FPS, and the High preset improves to 239 FPS. The Medium preset at this resolution is 338 FPS, with a minimum of 287 FPS and a maximum of 388 FPS. The Low preset reaches 366 FPS. The performance gap between High and Medium is substantial (99 FPS), while the gap between Medium and Low is smaller (28 FPS), suggesting diminishing returns as settings are lowered further. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset delivers 309 FPS, and the High preset is nearly identical at 314 FPS. The Medium preset at 1080p achieves 377 FPS, with a minimum of 320 FPS and a maximum of 433 FPS. The Low preset is the fastest overall, at 408 FPS. The data shows that at 1080p, the difference between High and Ultra is negligible (5 FPS), making the Ultra preset the obvious choice for maximum image quality without sacrificing performance. The minimum FPS values for the Medium preset across all resolutions (204, 287, and 320 FPS) indicate that even the worst-case frame times are well above the threshold for smooth gameplay, making this combo exceptionally consistent in its delivery of high frame rates.