Inside

The Intel Core i9-14900K paired with the Intel Arc B390 presents a stark contrast in hardware capabilities when tested in Inside. The data shows a top-tier desktop processor from 2023, featuring 24 cores and 32 threads, operating with a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 6.00 GHz. This Raptor Lake architecture CPU, built on a 10 nm process, is paired with an integrated-class GPU from 2026. The Intel Arc B390 is based on the Xe3-LPG architecture and is classified as an IGP with a 80 W TDP. This pairing is unusual; the CPU is designed for high-end desktop workloads, while the GPU is positioned for portable devices, making their combined performance in this puzzle platformer a curious case study in system bottlenecks.

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

The Intel Core i9-14900K is an absolute powerhouse in synthetic benchmarks, sitting in the 95th percentile of all CPUs. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 39399.5 and Geekbench multi-core score of 21697 demonstrate immense parallel processing capability. However, Inside is a puzzle platformer, a genre that rarely utilizes more than a few threads. The data suggests that the CPU's 24 cores and 32 threads are largely irrelevant for this specific title, as the game's performance is far more dependent on the graphics solution.

The benchmark results indicate that even at 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 156 FPS, which is the highest recorded figure in the measured data. This high frame rate at a low resolution suggests that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck in this scenario; the processor is capable of feeding frames to the GPU faster than the GPU can render them. The CPU's high single-core performance, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2262.5 and a Passmark single-thread score of 4697, ensures that the game's logic and physics calculations are handled with ease, leaving the rendering workload to the GPU.

When comparing the i9-14900K to its nearest rivals, its average benchmark score of 79097 is nearly identical to the Intel Core i9-14900KF, which scores 79371, a negligible delta of -0.3%. This indicates that the integrated UHD Graphics 770 on the i9-14900K does not detract from its raw processing power. The CPU's performance is so far beyond what Inside requires that its role is reduced to ensuring the GPU is never starved of data. The measured FPS drops that occur when moving from Low to Ultra settings are not caused by CPU limitations but by the increasing graphical workload placed on the Intel Arc B390.

FAQ, 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from the benchmark database data

*Q: What is the highest average frame rate achieved by this combo in Inside, and at what settings?*

A: The highest recorded average frame rate is 156 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is the peak performance point in the measured data for this system.

Q: How does the Intel Core i9-14900K compare to the Intel Core i9-14900KF in overall processing power?

A: The i9-14900K has an average benchmark score of 79097, while the i9-14900KF scores 79371. This represents a delta of -0.3%, indicating that the two processors are virtually identical in performance, with the i9-14900K being fractionally slower.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Low and Ultra settings at 2560x1440 resolution?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low setting yields an average of 112 FPS, while the Ultra setting drops to 53 FPS. This represents a significant 59 FPS reduction, showing the substantial impact of graphical fidelity on the Intel Arc B390.

Q: Is the Intel Arc B390 a discrete graphics card?

A: No, the data lists the Intel Arc B390 as an IGP (Integrated Graphics Processor) with a slot width of "IGP" and a bus interface of "IGP". Its memory is also listed as "System Shared", confirming it is not a discrete GPU with dedicated VRAM.

*Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested system configurations for Inside?*

A: The combo is ranked 2547 out of 2887 tested configurations, placing it in the bottom percentile of systems tested for this game. This low rank is primarily attributable to the GPU's limited performance.

*Q: Does the CPU's 24-core configuration provide a tangible benefit in Inside?*

A: The benchmark data does not indicate a benefit from the high core count. The game's performance scales directly with resolution and settings, which are GPU-bound tasks. The CPU's role is to maintain high frame delivery, but the GPU becomes the limiting factor as graphical load increases.

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

The scaling of average FPS across resolutions reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo achieves 78 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rate drops to 56 FPS, a reduction of 22 FPS. At 3840x2160, the average further drops to 35 FPS. This consistent decline as resolution increases is a clear indicator that the Intel Arc B390 is the limiting component. The CPU is not the bottleneck, as its performance is constant regardless of resolution, but the GPU's rendering workload increases with pixel count.

The Low settings data provides a similar pattern. At 1080p, the system runs at 156 FPS, which drops to 112 FPS at 1440p and then plummets to 70 FPS at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K at Low settings is roughly 55%, while at High settings, the drop is even steeper. This steep decline at higher resolutions is characteristic of a GPU that lacks the raw fill rate and memory bandwidth to handle 4K rendering efficiently, despite the CPU's capability. The data implies that for a smoother 4K experience, the graphical settings must be significantly reduced, as the system's overall performance is constrained by the integrated graphics solution.

How This Combo Ranks, use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i9-14900K and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2547 out of 2887 tested combos in Inside. This places the system in the lower 12% of all configurations, which is a poor result for a CPU that is in the 95th percentile of all processors. The discrepancy highlights a severe imbalance: the CPU is overqualified for the task, while the GPU is underqualified. The ranking is a direct consequence of the GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482, which places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs.

The GPU's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, which scores 1463, and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710, which scores 1443. The Intel Arc B390 is only 1.3% faster than the GT 520MX, a mobile GPU from a much older generation. This comparison underscores the fact that the Arc B390 is not a gaming-focused part; its performance is aligned with entry-level integrated graphics. Consequently, the combo's rank is dragged down by the GPU, even though the CPU could theoretically support much higher frame rates. The data shows that this pairing is not synergistic for gaming performance in Inside.

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

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at the system's performance envelope. At 1920x1080, the Low setting averages 156 FPS. The Medium setting drops to an average of 125 FPS, with a minimum of 106 FPS and a maximum of 144 FPS. High averages 78 FPS, and Ultra averages 74 FPS. This shows that at 1080p, the system can handle the game smoothly at Low and Medium, but the frame rate is cut in half when moving to High and Ultra.

At 2560x1440, the performance degrades further. Low averages 112 FPS, Medium averages 90 FPS with a min of 76 and a max of 103. High averages 56 FPS, and Ultra drops to 53 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a consistent reduction across all settings, with the Low setting losing 44 FPS and the High setting losing 22 FPS. At 3840x2160, the system struggles. Low averages 70 FPS, Medium averages 56 FPS with a min of 48 and a max of 65. High averages 35 FPS, and Ultra averages 34 FPS. The 4K results show that only the Low setting achieves a playable frame rate above 60 FPS, while the higher settings dip below 60 FPS, indicating a significant GPU bottleneck. The minimum FPS data points for Medium settings at all resolutions show that frame pacing is relatively stable, but the overall averages are low.

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

Based on the measured data, the optimal experience for Inside with this hardware depends heavily on the target resolution. For a 60 FPS experience, the Low preset is the only reliable choice at 4K, averaging 70 FPS. At 1440p, the Low preset achieves 112 FPS, and the Medium preset averages 90 FPS, both providing a smooth experience. The High preset at 1440p, averaging 56 FPS, falls just below the 60 FPS threshold, which might be noticeable to some users. For the best balance of visual quality and performance at 1440p, the Medium preset is the recommended choice, as it offers a significant visual upgrade over Low while still maintaining an average of 90 FPS.

At 1080p, the system has more headroom. The Ultra preset averages 74 FPS, which is playable and offers the highest visual fidelity. However, the High preset at 78 FPS is nearly identical in performance to Ultra, suggesting that the difference between High and Ultra is negligible for this GPU. The Medium preset at 125 FPS is an excellent choice for users with high refresh rate monitors, as it provides a large performance boost over High and Ultra while maintaining good visual quality. The data suggests that for a locked 60 FPS experience at 1080p, even the Ultra preset is viable, but for competitive or high-refresh-rate play, the Medium preset is the best option. The Low preset is generally unnecessary at 1080p, as the other settings provide better visuals without significant performance penalties.

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

The Intel Arc B390 is the definitive bottleneck in this system. With a boost clock of 2500 MHz and a base clock of 300 MHz, the GPU's compute power is rated at 7.680 TFLOPS FP32. While this is not a negligible figure, its memory configuration is a severe limitation. The GPU uses "System Shared" memory, meaning it relies on the system's main RAM for graphics data, and its bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent". This shared memory architecture is inherently slower than dedicated VRAM, which is a primary reason for the significant FPS drops at higher resolutions. The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482 places it in the 9th percentile, confirming its low performance ceiling.

The GPU's specifications, such as 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs, are modest for a modern graphics processor. Its pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s are low compared to dedicated gaming GPUs. In Inside, the game's visual complexity, which includes lighting and shadow effects, appears to tax the GPU heavily. The data shows that increasing settings from Low to Ultra at any resolution results in a substantial FPS penalty, which is a direct result of the GPU's limited processing power and memory bandwidth. The GPU's performance is so constrained that it fails to leverage the CPU's power, resulting in a system that is balanced for productivity but not for gaming. The lack of a launch MSRP for the GPU further emphasizes its role as an integrated component rather than a standalone gaming solution.