Inside

Inside is a puzzle platformer from 2016, and with this Intel Core i9-14900K and AMD Radeon RX 9060 pairing, the measured frame rates suggest the game is surprisingly demanding at higher settings. The data indicates a system that can easily handle the game at 1080p and 1440p, but requires careful settings management to maintain high refresh rates at 4K. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS across resolutions and presets, focusing on where the performance bottlenecks lie.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows how heavily resolution impacts performance in this title. At 1080p with Low settings, the system delivers an average of 309 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low, the average drops to 222 FPS, which is a reduction of roughly 28%. The jump to 4K Low yields an average of 140 FPS, another significant drop of about 37% from the 1440p figure. This scaling pattern is typical for a GPU-bound scenario; the higher the resolution, the more work the rasterizer must do to fill pixels, regardless of the low graphical complexity.

For the Medium preset, the scaling is similar in percentage but with different absolute numbers. At 1080p, the average is 247 FPS. At 1440p, it falls to 178 FPS. At 4K, the average is 112 FPS, with a minimum of 95 FPS and a maximum of 128 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is about 28%, and from 1440p to 4K it's about 37%. This consistency across presets suggests that the resolution scaling is a function of the GPU's pixel throughput limits, not the complexity of the shading.

With the High preset, the impact of resolution becomes more pronounced. The 1080p average is 155 FPS. At 1440p, the average is 111 FPS, a 28% reduction. At 4K, the average is 70 FPS, which is a 37% reduction from 1440p. The trend continues, but the absolute frame rates are lower, meaning that the GPU is already working harder at each step due to the increased shading load of the High preset.

The Ultra preset shows the most dramatic scaling. 1080p Ultra averages 147 FPS, which is only slightly lower than High at 1080p. However, at 1440p, the average drops to 106 FPS, and at 4K, it plummets to 66 FPS. The 4K Ultra result is less than half of the 1080p Ultra result. This indicates that the Ultra preset introduces a significant amount of GPU work, likely in the form of advanced post-processing or shadow effects, that scales poorly with resolution. The data clearly shows that the limiting component at higher resolutions and presets is the GPU, as the CPU's role becomes less relevant when the pixel fill rate is saturated.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i9-14900K is a 24-core, 32-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture. With a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 6.00 GHz, it has substantial single-thread performance, as evidenced by its Geekbench single-core score of 2655. Inside is a puzzle platformer that typically relies on a single primary game thread for logic and physics. The data suggests that the CPU is not a bottleneck in this configuration.

At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 309. This is a very high frame rate, but it is not limited by the CPU's single-core speed. If it were, we would see lower frame rates regardless of the GPU settings. The fact that the FPS scales down consistently as resolution increases, even at Low settings, points to the GPU being the primary limiter. The CPU has enough headroom to feed the GPU at all times.

The benchmark scores for the CPU are strong, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 39399.5 and a single-core score of 2262.5. While these scores indicate the processor's general capabilities, they do not directly translate to a specific FPS in this game. The data shows that the CPU's role is to ensure a stable frame delivery. The minimum FPS recorded at 4K Medium is 95 FPS, which suggests that there are no major frame pacing issues or CPU-related stutters.

The processor's high boost clock of 6.00 GHz is relevant for gaming, as it allows for rapid execution of game logic. However, given that the game is from 2016, its threading model is likely simple. The 24 cores and 32 threads are overkill for this title, but they do not hurt performance. The data indicates that the CPU is far from being a limiting factor; the GPU is the component that dictates the achievable frame rates across all tested resolutions.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9060 is based on the RDNA 4.0 architecture and features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s. Its boost clock is 2990 MHz, with a game clock of 2400 MHz. The GPU has 1792 shading units, 112 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. These specifications align with the measured performance, which shows the GPU as the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions.

The 8 GB VRAM capacity is a critical factor. While the game is not known for being VRAM-hungry at lower presets, the Ultra preset at 4K might be pushing against the 8 GB limit. The measured FPS at 4K Ultra is 66 FPS, which is considerably lower than the 4K High score of 70 FPS. This marginal difference between High and Ultra at 4K, compared to the larger gaps at 1080p and 1440p, could be an indication that the Ultra preset is using more memory and causing a slight performance penalty due to memory pressure.

The GPU's compute performance is moderate, with an FP32 throughput of 21.43 TFLOPS. In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, it scores 3322, and in Passmark G3D, it scores 17631. These scores place it in the 59th percentile of all GPUs, which is mid-range. The nearest rival data shows it is very close to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, with a deltaPct of -0.7%, meaning the RX 9060 is slightly slower on average. This context is useful; the RX 9060 is a solid 1080p and 1440p card, but it is not a high-end 4K solution.

The scaling from 1080p to 4K is consistent with the GPU's pixel rate of 191.4 GPixel/s. At 1080p, the pixel count is manageable, allowing for high FPS. At 4K, the pixel count quadruples, which directly impacts the fill rate. The data shows that the GPU's ROPs and memory bandwidth are the limiting factors at 4K, especially with the High and Ultra presets that require more texture reads and pixel shading.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of which settings to use for the best experience. The goal is to maintain a frame rate that is smooth and responsive, without sacrificing too much visual quality. For a 60 Hz display, any preset at 1080p and 1440p will work, as even Ultra presets achieve over 100 FPS at those resolutions.

For 1080p gaming, the Ultra preset is the best choice. It offers the highest visual quality, and the average FPS of 147 is well above standard refresh rates. If you have a high refresh rate monitor (144Hz or higher), the Medium preset, with an average of 247 FPS, will better utilize the display's capabilities. The Low preset at 309 FPS is only useful for competitive play, but the visual hit is significant for a game like this.

At 1440p, the Medium preset is the sweet spot. It averages 178 FPS, which is excellent for high refresh rate monitors, and it has a minimum of 151 FPS, ensuring smooth frame delivery. The High preset is also viable, averaging 111 FPS, which is fine for 100 Hz+ displays. Ultra at 1440p averages 106 FPS, which is playable but offers diminishing returns over High. Low at 222 FPS is excessive and not recommended for visual quality.

For 4K gaming, the situation is different. The Low preset averages 140 FPS, which is great for high refresh rate 4K monitors, but the visual quality is poor. The Medium preset is the best balance, with an average of 112 FPS and a minimum of 95 FPS, ensuring a stable experience above 60 FPS. The High preset averages 70 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold, but the minimum FPS data is not provided, so there is a risk of drops. The Ultra preset averages 66 FPS, which is borderline for 60 FPS gaming and not recommended if you want a consistent frame rate. For 4K, the Medium preset is the definitive recommendation, offering a strong mix of visual fidelity and performance.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Inside at with this hardware?

A: The data shows that 1440p with the Medium preset provides an excellent balance, with an average of 178 FPS. It offers high visual quality while maintaining frame rates that are more than sufficient for smooth gameplay.

Q: Can this system handle 4K resolution in Inside?

A: Yes, it can. The 4K Medium preset averages 112 FPS, which is very playable. The 4K Low preset is even faster at 140 FPS, but the Medium preset is the recommended starting point for a better visual experience.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck in this game?

A: The benchmark results indicate the GPU is the limiting component. The CPU, an Intel Core i9-14900K, provides ample performance, as shown by the high frame rates at 1080p. Frame rates scale down predictably with resolution, which is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck.

Q: How does the RX 9060 compare to its direct rival for this game?

A: The nearest rival data shows the RX 9060 is 0.7% slower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti on average. This means performance in Inside should be nearly identical, with any differences being within the margin of error.

Q: Is 8 GB of VRAM enough for this game?

A: The data suggests it is sufficient. The 4K Ultra preset averages 66 FPS, which is lower than High, but this could be due to the increased shading load rather than VRAM capacity. The 8 GB buffer handles the Medium and High presets without issue.

Q: What should I do if I want to use a 144Hz monitor at 1080p?

A: The Medium preset is the best option, as it averages 247 FPS. This will allow you to fully utilize the 144Hz refresh rate while still maintaining a high level of visual detail.

Measured FPS Breakdown

This section provides the exact measured average frame rates for all tested combinations.

1080p (1920x1080)

• Low: Average 309 FPS
• Medium: Average 247 FPS (Min 210, Max 284)
• High: Average 155 FPS
• Ultra: Average 147 FPS

1440p (2560x1440)

• Low: Average 222 FPS
• Medium: Average 178 FPS (Min 151, Max 204)
• High: Average 111 FPS
• Ultra: Average 106 FPS

4K (3840x2160)

• Low: Average 140 FPS
• Medium: Average 112 FPS (Min 95, Max 128)
• High: Average 70 FPS
• Ultra: Average 66 FPS

The data confirms that the system is capable of high performance in Inside. The 1080p results are exceptional, the 1440p results are very strong, and the 4K results are playable with the right settings. The minimum FPS values for the Medium preset are solid, indicating stable performance without major dips. The overall rank of this combination is 1615 out of 2887 tested combos, which places it in the upper half of systems tested for this game.