Inside

The Intel Core i7-14700KF paired with the Intel Arc B390 produces a highly specific performance profile in Inside, a game that is fundamentally light on system resources. The data reveals a configuration where the CPU is overwhelmingly dominant and the GPU is the clear limiting factor, even at lower resolutions. This analysis breaks down the measured results to explain how these components interact.

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

The Intel Core i7-14700KF is a 20-core, 28-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, with a TDP of 125 W. While Inside is a 2D puzzle platformer that does not typically scale with high core counts, this CPU’s sheer single-thread capability is what matters most for frame pacing and ensuring the GPU is never waiting on the processor.

Benchmark data shows the i7-14700KF is an elite performer. In Cinebench R23, it scores 44167 in multi-core and 6235 in single-core. The single-core score is particularly relevant for game logic and draw call submission, which are often single-threaded. The processor's 94th percentile ranking against all CPUs confirms its top-tier status. Compared to its nearest rivals, it holds a slight edge: it is 0.2% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and 0.4% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX in average benchmark score. It also outperforms the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X by 0.9%. The only competitor in its immediate class that bests it is the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K, which is 1% faster.

In the context of Inside, this CPU is effectively overkill. The game's physics and puzzle mechanics are not demanding enough to stress a 20-core processor. However, the high single-thread performance ensures that the CPU can deliver frames to the GPU without bottlenecking, even when the frame rate is high. The data indicates that the CPU is not the limiting component in any of the measured scenarios. The performance ceiling is defined entirely by the graphics solution, as the FPS numbers do not improve proportionally with CPU headroom at lower resolutions where CPU load typically increases.

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

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor based on the Xe3-LPG architecture and is part of the Arc Graphics-M (Panther Lake) generation. It has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. Crucially, it uses System Shared memory, meaning its VRAM size, type, and bus width are all dependent on the system memory, and bandwidth is system dependent. This is a fundamental architectural constraint.

The GPU's raw compute specifications are modest. It has 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. It offers a pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s. Its FP32 performance is 7.680 TFLOPS, and it supports DirectX 12 Ultimate. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark score is 1482, placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. This is a very low ranking, and the nearest rivals are all legacy NVIDIA parts: the GeForce GT 520MX (1.3% slower), GeForce 800M (1.5% slower), GeForce GT 625 OEM (2.5% slower), and GeForce GT 710 (2.7% slower). This positions the Arc B390 as a very low-end graphics solution.

Given this, the GPU is the definitive bottleneck in this combo for Inside. The game is not graphically intense, but the Arc B390’s limited fill rate and reliance on shared system memory constrain its ability to push high frame rates. The performance delta between this GPU and even its closest rivals is small, but the absolute performance level is low. The data shows that the GPU is responsible for the frame rate ceilings observed across all resolutions and settings.

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

The measured FPS data shows a predictable scaling pattern that reinforces the GPU-bound nature of this system. At 1080p, the frame rates are relatively high, but they drop significantly as resolution increases to 4K. This is the classic signature of a GPU bottleneck.

At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 156 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops this to 112 FPS, a decrease of 44 FPS. At 4K Low, the frame rate falls to 70 FPS, which is a further drop of 42 FPS. The pattern is similar for Medium settings: 125 FPS at 1080p, 90 FPS at 1440p, and 56 FPS at 4K. High settings see 78 FPS at 1080p, 56 FPS at 1440p, and 35 FPS at 4K.

The percentage drops are telling. From 1080p to 1440p on Low settings, performance decreases by roughly 28%. From 1440p to 4K, it drops another 37.5%. This scaling is consistent with a GPU that is running out of fill rate and memory bandwidth as pixel count increases. The CPU is not the limiting factor, because if it were, the frame rates would be more consistent across resolutions, with the CPU becoming the bottleneck only at very high FPS. Since the FPS drops steeply with resolution, it confirms that the Arc B390 is the component determining the final frame count. The jump from 1080p to 4K on High settings results in a performance loss of over 55%, which is a severe penalty that only a weak GPU would exhibit.

FAQ

*Q: Is the Intel Core i7-14700KF holding back the Intel Arc B390 in Inside?*

A: No. The CPU is far more powerful than necessary for this game. Benchmark results place it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, and its performance is never the limiting factor. The FPS drops with resolution indicate the GPU is the bottleneck.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The Arc B390 scores 1482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad. This is 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5% higher than the GeForce 800M, 2.5% higher than the GeForce GT 625 OEM, and 2.7% higher than the GeForce GT 710.

Q: What frame rate can be expected at 4K with Medium settings?

A: The measured average FPS is 56, with a minimum of 48 FPS and a maximum of 65 FPS. This is a playable but not smooth experience for a game that benefits from consistent high frame rates.

Q: Is the 1080p Low setting the best way to get a high refresh rate experience?

A: Yes. At 1080p Low, the system achieves an average of 156 FPS. This is the only measured configuration that exceeds 150 FPS, making it the best option for high-refresh-rate displays.

Q: Does the Intel Arc B390 have dedicated VRAM?

A: No. The memory size, type, and bus width are listed as "System Shared," and bandwidth is "System Dependent." This means it relies on system RAM, which is a significant factor in its performance limitations.

Q: How does the i7-14700KF compare to the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K?

A: The Core Ultra 7 265K has an average benchmark score that is 1% higher than the i7-14700KF, making it the only rival in the provided list that outperforms the i7-14700KF.

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

The following data is taken directly from the measured FPS results for this specific component combination.

1920x1080

• Low: Average FPS is 156.
• Medium: Average FPS is 125. The minimum FPS recorded is 106, and the maximum is 144.
• High: Average FPS is 78.
• Ultra: Average FPS is 74.

2560x1440

• Low: Average FPS is 112.
• Medium: Average FPS is 90. The minimum FPS recorded is 76, and the maximum is 103.
• High: Average FPS is 56.
• Ultra: Average FPS is 53.

3840x2160

• Low: Average FPS is 70.
• Medium: Average FPS is 56. The minimum FPS recorded is 48, and the maximum is 65.
• High: Average FPS is 35.
• Ultra: Average FPS is 34.

The data shows a clear pattern. The 1080p Low preset is the only one that surpasses 150 FPS. The 1080p Medium preset is the only other configuration to exceed 120 FPS. At 1440p, the Low preset is the only one to break 100 FPS, while the Ultra preset dips to 53 FPS. At 4K, all settings are below 70 FPS, with the High and Ultra presets falling to 35 FPS and 34 FPS, respectively. The difference between High and Ultra settings is minimal across all resolutions, suggesting that the Ultra preset offers little visual benefit for a significant performance cost, particularly at higher resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the best experience depends on the target resolution and refresh rate. For users with a 1080p 144Hz display, the Medium preset is the optimal choice. It delivers an average of 125 FPS, which is comfortably above the 120 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, while providing better visual quality than the Low preset. The Low preset at 156 FPS is the only way to hit higher refresh rates, but the visual downgrade is substantial.

For 1440p, the Low preset is the most sensible choice, offering an average of 112 FPS. This is the only way to achieve a high frame rate at this resolution. The Medium preset at 90 FPS is still playable, but the 22 FPS drop from Low to Medium is steep. The High and Ultra presets at 56 and 53 FPS respectively are too low for a game that benefits from fluid motion.

At 4K, no preset provides a truly smooth experience. The Low preset at 70 FPS is the best option if 4K is a hard requirement, but the Medium preset at 56 FPS may be preferable if visual fidelity is more important than frame rate. The High and Ultra presets, at 35 and 34 FPS, are not recommended for gameplay. The data indicates that the Ultra preset is never worth the performance loss compared to High, as the average FPS difference is only 1 frame at 4K and 4 frames at 1080p.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested component combinations for Inside, this pairing of the Intel Core i7-14700KF and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2547 out of 2887 total combos. This places it in the bottom 12% of all tested configurations.

This low ranking is almost entirely attributable to the GPU. While the CPU is a top-tier performer in the 94th percentile, the GPU is in the 9th percentile. The combination of a high-end CPU with a low-end GPU results in a system that is severely unbalanced for gaming. The ranking reflects the actual measured performance, which is heavily constrained by the graphics solution. The combo's performance is closer to systems with much older, weaker GPUs than to those with even mid-range graphics cards. The rank of 2547 out of 2887 indicates that the vast majority of tested systems deliver better frame rates in Inside, primarily because they include a more capable discrete or integrated GPU.