Inside

The Intel Core i9-14900K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT delivers an exceptionally fluid experience in Inside, a 2016 puzzle platformer. The data shows this combination is not merely playable but vastly exceeds the performance requirements of the title, with the limiting factor shifting almost entirely to the graphics card at higher resolutions. This analysis breaks down the measured frame rates, the role of each component, and what the numbers imply for a system targeting this specific game.

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

The Intel Core i9-14900K is a 24-core, 32-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, built on Intel’s 10 nm process. Its configuration includes a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 6.00 GHz, with a 125 W TDP. For a title like Inside, which is a 2D side-scrolling puzzle platformer, the computational demands are far below what this CPU offers. The game’s physics and logic are simple by modern standards, meaning the i9-14900K’s immense multi-threaded capability—evidenced by a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 49872—is largely underutilized.

Benchmark results indicate that the CPU is never the bottleneck in this configuration. Even at 1080p Low settings, where the GPU has the least work, the average frame rate reaches 413.9 FPS. This high number strongly suggests the CPU can feed frames far faster than the RX 7800 XT can render them, even at its maximum output. The processor’s single-thread performance is also formidable, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 7040 and a Geekbench single-core score of 3064. In a game that relies on a primary game logic thread, this strength ensures that frame pacing remains consistent, preventing any stutter that could detract from the precise platforming.

The CPU’s 36 MB of shared L3 cache and per-core L2 cache of 2 MB provide ample low-latency storage for the game’s assets, further reducing any potential CPU-side delays. Compared to its nearest rivals, the i9-14900K’s average benchmark score of 79824 is essentially on par, with a negligible deltaPct of -0.3 against the AMD EPYC 7413 and a 0.7 deltaPct against the Intel Core i9-14900KF. In the context of Inside, this parity is irrelevant; the CPU is so far ahead of the game’s requirements that even a significantly weaker processor would likely deliver identical frame rates. The data implies that the i9-14900K is overkill for this title, but its presence guarantees that no CPU-related frame drops will occur, allowing the GPU to operate as the sole determinant of performance.

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

*Q: What is the highest average frame rate recorded for this combo in Inside?*

A: The maximum average FPS observed is 413.9, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the i9-14900K’s multi-core score compare to its closest rival?

A: The i9-14900K’s average benchmark score is 79824, which is 0.3% lower than the AMD EPYC 7413’s score of 80041, making them statistically equivalent.

Q: Is the RX 7800 XT’s performance closer to the AMD FirePro S9300 X2 or the NVIDIA P104-100?

A: The RX 7800 XT’s average score of 32619 is 0.2% higher than the AMD FirePro S9300 X2 (32540) and 0.4% lower than the NVIDIA P104-100 (32747), placing it nearly equidistant between the two.

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

A: At 2560x1440, the average FPS drops from 298.1 on Low to 144 on Ultra, a reduction of 154.1 frames per second.

Q: Does the GPU have enough memory for this game?

A: The RX 7800 XT features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory, which is far more than Inside requires, as evidenced by the high frame rates even at 4K Ultra (91.6 FPS).

Q: What is the combo’s rank among all tested systems for this game?

A: This specific CPU-GPU combination ranks 437 out of 1671 tested combos for Inside, placing it in the top 26% of all configurations.

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

The measured FPS data shows a clear and expected trend: performance degrades as resolution increases, but the rate of degradation reveals the system’s bottleneck. At 1080p High, the combo produces 208 FPS. Moving to 1440p High reduces this to 147.5 FPS, a drop of 60.5 FPS (approximately 29%). Going from 1440p to 4K High results in 91.2 FPS, another 56.3 FPS drop (approximately 38%). This scaling pattern indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting component.

If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect the frame rates to remain nearly constant across resolutions, as the CPU’s workload does not change with resolution. Instead, the average FPS falls from 413.9 at 1080p Low to 186.3 at 4K Low—a 227.6 FPS reduction. This substantial decline directly correlates with the GPU’s rendering load, confirming that the RX 7800 XT’s pixel throughput is what determines the final frame rate. The i9-14900K is capable of producing frames well beyond what the GPU can handle, as shown by the 1080p Low result being over double the 4K High result.

The data implies that for this game, resolution scaling is a pure GPU exercise. The 624.1 GB/s memory bandwidth and 233.3 GPixel/s pixel rate of the RX 7800 XT are the key factors at 4K, while at 1080p, the same GPU is constrained by its shading units and texture units. The pattern of FPS drops—roughly halving when pixel count quadruples—suggests that the GPU’s fillrate is the limiting factor at higher resolutions, whereas at lower resolutions, the frame rate is still GPU-bound but less severely so.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i9-14900K and AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT achieves a rank of 437 out of 1671 tested combos in Inside. This percentile placement—roughly the top 26%—is notable because it is not a top-tier ranking despite the high-end nature of both components. The data implies that for this specific game, the CPU’s power is irrelevant to the ranking, and the GPU’s mid-to-high-end position determines the result.

The RX 7800 XT’s percentileVsAllGpus is 76, meaning it outperforms 76% of all GPUs in the database. This aligns with the combo’s rank: the GPU is good, but not the best. The i9-14900K’s percentileVsAllCpus is 97, indicating it is near the top of CPU performance. However, since Inside does not stress the CPU, the combo’s rank is dragged down by the GPU’s relative position. This is a clear case where a weaker CPU paired with a stronger GPU would likely rank higher for this game, as the CPU’s superior performance is not utilized.

The gap between the combo’s 437th rank and what one might expect from a 97th percentile CPU is a direct consequence of the game’s low CPU demand. The data suggests that for puzzle platformers like Inside, the GPU is the sole arbiter of performance. The 437th rank is not a negative indictment of the hardware; rather, it reflects that the RX 7800 XT is a mid-to-upper-tier GPU that sits below flagship models which would achieve higher ranks. This combo is more than sufficient for a smooth experience, but it does not top the charts due to the GPU’s limits.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with the Navi 32 chip, fabricated on TSMC’s 5 nm process. Its 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus provides 624.1 GB/s of bandwidth, which is ample for Inside’s relatively simple textures and effects. The GPU’s boost clock of 2430 MHz and game clock of 2124 MHz drive its 3840 shading units, 240 TMUs, and 96 ROPs. These specifications translate to a pixel rate of 233.3 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 583.2 GTexel/s.

In Inside, the GPU’s role is to render the game’s atmospheric, monochromatic visuals and lighting effects. The data shows that even at 4K Ultra, the combo achieves 91.6 FPS, indicating the RX 7800 XT can handle the game’s maximum visual fidelity at 4K. The 16 GB VRAM is never a concern, as the game’s memory footprint is minimal; there is no evidence of texture swapping or stuttering in the measured FPS. The GPU’s compute power, rated at 37.32 TFLOPS FP32, is more than adequate for the shader work required.

The GPU’s performance relative to its peers is also telling. Its average benchmark score of 32619 places it just 0.2% above the AMD FirePro S9300 X2 and 0.7% above the AMD FirePro S10000. This suggests that the RX 7800 XT is a solid performer, but not exceptional in raw compute terms. For Inside, however, the GPU’s fillrate and memory bandwidth are the primary drivers of the FPS differences between settings. The jump from 186.3 FPS at 4K Low to 91.2 FPS at 4K High—a 95.1 FPS drop—shows how dramatically the GPU’s workload increases with visual quality, confirming that the GPU is the performance limiter.

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

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of this combo’s performance across three resolutions and four settings levels.

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers exceptional performance:

• Low: 413.9 FPS
• Medium: 329 FPS
• High: 208 FPS
• Ultra: 194.3 FPS

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain high but show a clear decline:

• Low: 298.1 FPS
• Medium: 236.4 FPS
• High: 147.5 FPS
• Ultra: 144 FPS

At 3840x2160, the GPU is pushed harder, but the game remains very playable:

• Low: 186.3 FPS
• Medium: 151.7 FPS
• High: 91.2 FPS
• Ultra: 91.6 FPS

The data reveals several key patterns. First, at 1080p, the gap between Low and Medium is 84.9 FPS, while between High and Ultra it is only 13.7 FPS, suggesting diminishing returns from High to Ultra. At 1440p, the difference between High and Ultra is just 3.5 FPS, indicating that Ultra provides negligible visual benefit over High. At 4K, the Low to Medium gap is 34.6 FPS, but the High to Ultra gap is a mere 0.4 FPS, making High and Ultra virtually identical in performance. The most significant jump is from Medium to High at all resolutions, which costs roughly 120 FPS at 1080p, 90 FPS at 1440p, and 60 FPS at 4K.

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

Based on the measured FPS, the optimal settings depend on the target refresh rate and resolution. For a standard 60 Hz display at 4K, the High preset is the clear choice, delivering 91.2 FPS. The Ultra preset offers only 0.4 FPS more (91.6) at 4K, which is within the margin of error and not worth any potential visual cost difference. For 1440p, the High preset at 147.5 FPS is ideal for 144 Hz monitors, providing a smooth experience. The Ultra preset at 144 FPS is nearly identical, so either works, but High is slightly faster.

At 1080p, the High preset at 208 FPS is sufficient for 165 Hz or 240 Hz displays. The Ultra preset at 194.3 FPS is still above 144 Hz, but the 13.7 FPS difference is minimal. For players with a 360 Hz monitor, the Low preset at 413.9 FPS would be necessary to fully utilize the refresh rate, but this is an extreme use case. The Medium preset at 329 FPS is a good middle ground for 300 Hz panels.

The data suggests that High is the best overall preset for balancing visual quality and performance. It offers a substantial improvement over Medium (which loses 121 FPS at 1080p, 88.9 FPS at 1440p, and 60.5 FPS at 4K) while providing nearly identical performance to Ultra. The Ultra preset’s gains over High are negligible—at most 13.7 FPS at 1080p—indicating that the extra visual fidelity is not worth the performance cost. For most users, High at 1440p (147.5 FPS) or 4K (91.2 FPS) delivers the best experience, ensuring the game remains fluid without sacrificing the atmospheric visuals that define Inside.