Inside

The Intel Core i7-14700KF paired with the AMD Radeon RX 570 delivers a highly variable experience in Inside, a Puzzle Platformer released on 2016-07-06. Benchmark data shows this combination ranks 3523 out of 3716 tested combos, placing it in the lower quartile of systems. The measured frame rates reveal a setup that can handle the game at lower resolutions and settings but struggles significantly at 4K, with performance scaling that clearly identifies the GPU as the primary bottleneck.

FAQ

*Q: What is the overall performance ranking of this CPU and GPU combo in Inside?*

A: The combo ranks 3523 out of 3716 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom portion of all tested systems. This indicates that while playable at certain settings, it is far from the top-performing configurations for this game.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700KF has an average benchmark score of 70163, which is 0.2% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F (69996), 0.4% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX (69875), and 0.9% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (69515). It sits 1% behind the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K, which scores 70879.

Q: What is the GPU's synthetic benchmark standing relative to its nearest rivals?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 570 averages 28766 in benchmark scores. It is 0.4% faster than the AMD Radeon RX 6800M (28874) and 0.8% faster than the AMD Radeon RX 470 (28996), while being 0.7% slower than the AMD Radeon R9 M295X (28580) and 1.2% slower than the NVIDIA Quadro RTX 8000 (28421).

Q: What is the best frame rate achieved at 1080p?

A: The highest average FPS is 135, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. The Medium preset at the same resolution yields 108 FPS, High yields 68 FPS, and Ultra yields 64 FPS.

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

A: At 3840x2160, only the Low settings preset achieves a playable average of 61 FPS. The Medium preset averages 49 FPS, while High averages 31 FPS and Ultra averages 29 FPS, both of which are below standard playability thresholds.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU in this game?

A: No. The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. The Intel Core i7-14700KF has 20 cores and 28 threads with a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, which is more than sufficient for a 2016 puzzle platformer. The RX 570’s 4 GB VRAM and 224.0 GB/s bandwidth are the constraints, especially at higher resolutions.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700KF is a 20-core, 28-thread processor from the Core 14th Gen series, built on the Raptor Lake-R architecture using a 10 nm process. Its base clock is 3.40 GHz, boosting up to 5.60 GHz. This is a high-end desktop CPU, as evidenced by its 94th percentile ranking among all CPUs, and its launch MSRP is $384. In synthetic tests, it scores 44167 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 6235 in single-core, while Geekbench scores are 21462 multi and 2578 single.

For Inside, a puzzle platformer with relatively simple physics and logic, the CPU’s role is largely background. The game does not demand the multi-threaded muscle this processor offers; even a fraction of its 28 threads would handle the game’s simulation. The i7-14700KF’s massive compute headroom means it is never the limiting factor in the measured FPS. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F, scores nearly identical, with a delta of only 0.2%, confirming that any modern mid-range or high-end CPU would perform similarly in this title.

The processor’s 33 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache are generous, but Inside’s data footprint is small. The game’s performance constraints are entirely on the graphics side. The CPU’s single-thread performance, scoring 4480 in Passmark single-thread tests, ensures that any low-level game logic or draw call submission is processed instantly. In short, the i7-14700KF is overkill for this game, but its power ensures zero CPU-induced stutter or frame drops.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 570 is the definitive bottleneck in this configuration. Built on the Polaris 20 chip with GCN 4.0 architecture, it is an end-of-life product (released 2017-04-17) with a 14 nm process. Its base clock is 1168 MHz and boost clock is 1244 MHz, with 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus providing 224.0 GB/s bandwidth. The GPU offers 2048 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, with a pixel rate of 39.81 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 159.2 GTexel/s.

The 4 GB VRAM is the key constraint. At 1080p, the card manages playable frame rates, but as resolution increases to 1440p and 4K, the memory bandwidth and capacity become overwhelmed. The GPU’s FP32 performance is 5.095 TFLOPS, which is modest by modern standards but should be adequate for a game from 2016. However, the data shows a steep drop-off at higher resolutions. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 29, which is unplayable. At 4K Medium, it rises to 49 FPS, but this is still borderline.

The RX 570’s benchmark percentile vs all GPUs is 74, indicating it is better than most GPUs in the database, but its nearest rivals show how close it is to older or mobile parts. The AMD Radeon R9 M295X is only 0.7% slower, and the RX 470 is 0.8% faster. This suggests the RX 570 is a solid mid-range card from its era, but it simply lacks the raw throughput for high-resolution gaming in this title. The GPU’s 150 W TDP and reliance on PCIe 3.0 x16 further classify it as a mainstream part.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i7-14700KF and AMD Radeon RX 570 ranks 3523 out of 3716 tested combos in Inside. This places it in the bottom 5% of all configurations tested, which is a surprisingly low ranking given the CPU’s strength. The rank is almost entirely attributable to the GPU’s limitations. The i7-14700KF is in the 94th percentile of CPUs, while the RX 570 is in the 74th percentile of GPUs, but the game’s rendering demands make the GPU the sole determinant of performance.

Compared to other combos, this pairing is severely imbalanced. A system with a weaker CPU but a stronger GPU would easily outperform it. The data shows the combo is not competitive for 4K gaming, as only the Low preset exceeds 60 FPS at that resolution. At 1080p, the combo is more respectable, with the Low preset hitting 135 FPS, which is above the 100 FPS threshold. However, the Ultra preset at 64 FPS is still below the 70 FPS that many gamers consider smooth.

The ranking also reflects the GPU’s age and VRAM limitation. Many combos with newer mid-range GPUs, even with slower CPUs, would rank higher because they can handle higher settings at playable frame rates. The i7-14700KF’s high benchmark scores do not translate into better game performance here, as the game is not CPU-bound. This combo’s rank is a cautionary tale about pairing a top-tier CPU with a mid-range, older GPU for demanding titles, even if Inside is not demanding by modern standards.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drops from 1080p to 4K are steep and clearly illustrate the GPU bottleneck. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 135 at 1080p to 97 at 1440p (a 28% decrease), and then to 61 at 4K (a 37% decrease from 1440p). This scaling is typical of a GPU-limited scenario, where the rendering resolution directly impacts the fill rate and memory bandwidth. The RX 570’s 224.0 GB/s bandwidth is simply insufficient for 4K workloads.

At Medium settings, the drop is similar: 108 FPS at 1080p, 78 at 1440p (down 28%), and 49 at 4K (down 37%). At High settings, the numbers are 68 at 1080p, 49 at 1440p (down 28%), and 31 at 4K (down 37%). The consistent percentage drops across all settings confirm that the limiting component is the GPU, as the CPU’s performance would not vary with resolution. The i7-14700KF’s frame times are likely identical across resolutions, but the GPU’s rendering time increases proportionally with pixel count.

The 4K Ultra preset yields only 29 FPS, which is a 55% drop from the 64 FPS at 1080p Ultra. This indicates that the GPU’s ROPs and memory bandwidth are saturated at 4K, and the 4 GB VRAM is likely causing texture swapping. The resolution scaling suggests that for a smooth 60 FPS experience, the user must either play at 1080p with Medium or higher settings, or drop to 1440p with Low settings. Any attempt at 4K requires the Low preset to stay above 60 FPS, which is a compromise on visual fidelity.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across nine distinct configurations. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers the best average at 135 FPS, followed by Medium at 108 FPS, High at 68 FPS, and Ultra at 64 FPS. The Medium preset has a recorded min FPS of 92 and max of 124, showing good consistency. At 1080p, all presets are playable, with even Ultra exceeding 60 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops significantly. The Low preset averages 97 FPS, which is still smooth. The Medium preset averages 78 FPS, with a range of 66 to 89 FPS. The High preset drops to 49 FPS, and Ultra falls to 46 FPS. These latter two are below the 60 FPS threshold, making them less desirable for smooth gameplay. The data suggests 1440p is only viable with Low or Medium settings.

At 3840x2160, the results are mixed. The Low preset averages 61 FPS, which is just above playable. The Medium preset averages 49 FPS, with a range of 42 to 56 FPS, which is not ideal. The High and Ultra presets average 31 FPS and 29 FPS, respectively, rendering them effectively unplayable. The 4K results show a clear boundary: only Low settings can maintain a playable frame rate, and even then, it is marginal.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and desired smoothness. For 1080p gaming, the Medium preset offers the best balance, with an average of 108 FPS and a minimum of 92 FPS, ensuring no drops below 90 FPS. This provides a smooth experience without the visual quality compromises of Low. The High preset at 68 FPS is also acceptable, but the jump to Ultra only yields 64 FPS, which is not worth the marginal visual gain.

For 1440p, the Medium preset is the highest playable option, averaging 78 FPS with a minimum of 66 FPS. This is the recommended setting for a balance between visual fidelity and performance. The Low preset at 97 FPS is smoother, but the visual difference may not justify the frame rate increase. High and Ultra presets at 49 and 46 FPS respectively should be avoided, as they fall below the 60 FPS threshold.

For 4K, the only viable option is the Low preset, which averages 61 FPS. Any higher preset results in average frame rates below 50 FPS, which is not recommended for a game that requires precise platforming. The Medium preset at 49 FPS is borderline, but the minimum of 42 FPS suggests potential stutter. Therefore, for the best experience at 4K, users should accept the Low preset. Overall, the data indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor, and users should prioritize lower settings at higher resolutions to maintain playable frame rates.