Inside

Inside is a 2016 puzzle platformer with deliberately restrained visuals, yet the benchmark data for the Intel Core i9-14900K paired with the Intel Arc B570 reveals a fascinating performance curve that is anything but simple. The measured FPS figures across resolutions and settings indicate a system that is simultaneously overqualified and oddly constrained, depending on where you look. This analysis breaks down the specific roles of the CPU and GPU, how resolution scaling exposes the bottleneck, and what settings offer the most sensible experience based purely on the measured rows.

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

The Intel Core i9-14900K is a flagship desktop processor with 24 cores and 32 threads, operating at a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 6.00 GHz. With a 125W TDP and a Raptor Lake architecture on a 10 nm process, it is built for extreme multi-threaded workloads. Its benchmark scores are impressive, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 39399.5 and a single-core score of 2262.5. It also posts a Geekbench multi-core score of 21697 and a single-core score of 2655, placing it in the 95th percentile of all CPUs.

However, in the context of Inside, this raw processing power is largely irrelevant. The game is not a CPU-intensive title; it is a side-scrolling puzzle platformer with limited physics and AI. The data confirms this: at 1080p Low, the system reaches an average of 240 FPS, which is likely a cap or a point where the CPU is not the limiting factor. Even at 4K Ultra, where the GPU is heavily stressed, the average FPS is 52, indicating that the CPU is not holding back performance. The i9-14900K’s single-thread performance, which is exceptional, ensures that even in less optimized scenes, the game logic and frame pacing are unlikely to cause stutters. Its 36 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache further reduce latency, but for a game like this, the CPU is essentially idling. The data implies that a far less powerful processor would yield identical results, making the i9-14900K a massive overinvestment for this specific title, though it certainly doesn't hurt performance.

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

The Intel Arc B570 is the more interesting component here. It features 10 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s. Its architecture is Xe2-HPG on a 5 nm process, with a base and boost clock of 2500 MHz. The GPU has 2304 shading units, 144 TMUs, and 80 ROPs, delivering a pixel rate of 200.0 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 360.0 GTexel/s. Its FP32 performance is 11.52 TFLOPS, and it sits in the 65th percentile of all GPUs. The memory clock is 2375 MHz, effective at 19 Gbps.

The game’s performance is heavily dictated by the GPU. At 1080p Low, the Arc B570 pushes 240 FPS, but as settings increase to Medium, it drops to 192 FPS, and at High it is 120 FPS. This scaling shows that the GPU is the primary driver of performance. The 10 GB VRAM is ample for Inside, which is not a texture-heavy title, so memory capacity is not a bottleneck. The GPU's 80 ROPs are likely the limiting factor at higher resolutions and settings, as the pixel fill rate becomes critical. The data shows a clear pattern: the Arc B570 is capable of high frame rates at lower settings, but its performance degrades predictably as the workload increases. It is a mid-range card, as indicated by its 65th percentile ranking, and its behavior in Inside is consistent with a GPU that is strong for esports but not for maxed-out 4K gaming.

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

The resolution scaling in the measured data is a textbook example of GPU-bound behavior. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 240 at 1080p to 172 at 1440p, and then to 108 at 4K. That is a 55% drop from 1080p to 4K, which is significant but not linear due to the pixel count increase (4K has 4 times the pixels of 1080p). Similarly, at Medium settings, FPS goes from 192 at 1080p to 138 at 1440p, and then to 87 at 4K. At High settings, the progression is 120 at 1080p, 86 at 1440p, and 54 at 4K. Finally, at Ultra settings, we see 114 at 1080p, 82 at 1440p, and 52 at 4K.

These numbers reveal that the frame rate is scaling with the number of pixels, which strongly indicates the GPU is the limiting component. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the FPS would be similar across resolutions, as the CPU workload doesn't change much with resolution. The fact that 4K Ultra (52 FPS) is less than half of 1080p Low (240 FPS) shows that the Arc B570’s shading and rasterization capabilities are being saturated. The gap between High and Ultra at 4K is narrow (54 vs 52 FPS), suggesting that Ultra settings are pushing the GPU to its absolute limit, with diminishing returns. This data implies that the i9-14900K has no problem feeding the GPU at any resolution, and the Arc B570 is the sole arbiter of frame rates. For a 4K experience, the GPU is clearly the bottleneck, while at 1080p, it has enough headroom to hit very high frame rates.

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

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend entirely on the target resolution and desired smoothness. At 1080p, the Medium preset is the sweet spot. It delivers an average of 192 FPS with a minimum of 163 FPS and a maximum of 221 FPS. This is a substantial jump from the High preset's 120 FPS, and the visual difference between Medium and High is likely negligible for a game with simple textures and lighting. The Low preset at 240 FPS is excellent for high refresh rate monitors, but the jump to Medium only costs 48 FPS while providing a better visual experience.

At 1440p, the Medium preset again offers the best balance. It averages 138 FPS with a minimum of 117 FPS and a maximum of 159 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The High preset at 86 FPS is playable but not as fluid, and the Ultra preset at 82 FPS is not worth the performance hit.

At 4K, the situation is more challenging. The High preset averages 54 FPS, which is just below the ideal 60 FPS target. The Medium preset averages 87 FPS, which is a much better experience. The Ultra preset at 52 FPS is not recommended, as it offers no tangible benefit over High but costs 2 FPS. The Low preset at 108 FPS is surprisingly playable, but it sacrifices too much visual quality. For 4K, the Medium preset is the clear winner, providing a 87 FPS average that is both smooth and visually acceptable. In summary, the data suggests that Medium settings at any resolution offer the best compromise between performance and visual fidelity, with High being a fallback for 4K if you want a slight quality bump and can tolerate 54 FPS.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Inside at 4K with a stable 60 FPS?

A: No, based on the measured data, the highest average FPS at 4K is 108 on Low settings. The Medium preset averages 87 FPS, and High drops to 54 FPS. None of the presets achieve a stable 60 FPS at 4K, with the Ultra preset averaging only 52 FPS.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a 1440p monitor?

A: The Medium preset is the best choice at 1440p, delivering an average of 138 FPS with a minimum of 117 FPS. This provides a smooth experience well above the 60 FPS threshold, while the High preset at 86 FPS and Ultra at 82 FPS are less fluid.

Q: Is the Intel Core i9-14900K a bottleneck for the Intel Arc B570 in this game?

A: No, the data indicates the CPU is not a bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 240 FPS, which is likely a cap or a point where the GPU is still the limit. The FPS scales with resolution and settings, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario, meaning the CPU has ample headroom.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to High in terms of FPS?

A: The Ultra preset offers very little over High. At 1080p, Ultra averages 114 FPS vs High's 120 FPS. At 1440p, Ultra averages 82 FPS vs High's 86 FPS. At 4K, Ultra averages 52 FPS vs High's 54 FPS. The performance cost is small, but the visual gain is likely minimal for this game.

Q: Is 10 GB of VRAM on the Arc B570 sufficient for Inside?

A: Yes, the 10 GB of GDDR6 memory is more than enough for Inside, which is a visually simple puzzle platformer with limited texture and geometry complexity. The data shows no memory-related performance issues, as the FPS is consistent with the GPU's compute capabilities.

Q: What is the difference between the Low and Medium presets at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the Low preset averages 240 FPS, while the Medium preset averages 192 FPS. This is a 48 FPS difference, but the Medium preset provides a better visual experience with more detailed shadows and effects, making it the recommended choice for most users.

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

The measured data provides a complete picture of performance across all combinations. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average of 240 FPS. The Medium preset averages 192 FPS, with a minimum of 163 FPS and a maximum of 221 FPS. The High preset averages 120 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 114 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 172 FPS. The Medium preset averages 138 FPS, with a minimum of 117 FPS and a maximum of 159 FPS. The High preset averages 86 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 82 FPS. At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 108 FPS. The Medium preset averages 87 FPS, with a minimum of 74 FPS and a maximum of 100 FPS. The High preset averages 54 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 52 FPS. This data shows a consistent pattern of diminishing returns as settings increase, with the most significant FPS drops occurring between Low and Medium, and then again between Medium and High, while the gap between High and Ultra is minimal across all resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of the Intel Core i9-14900K and Intel Arc B570 ranks 2301 out of 2887 tested combos in Inside. This places it in the bottom 20% of all systems tested for this game. This ranking is surprising given the high-end CPU, but it makes sense when considering the GPU's performance. The Arc B570 is a mid-range card, and its 65th percentile ranking among all GPUs means it is outclassed by many other cards in the database. The data suggests that the i9-14900K's powerful CPU does not boost the combo's standing because the game is GPU-bound. The ranking indicates that for Inside, the GPU choice is far more critical than the CPU, and this combo is not an optimal pairing for high-end performance. The i9-14900K's 95th percentile CPU ranking is effectively wasted, as the Arc B570 holds the system back. In this game, a more balanced pairing of a mid-range CPU and a higher-tier GPU would likely rank significantly better, as the CPU's raw power is not utilized. The combo rank of 2301 reflects the GPU's limitations, not the CPU's capabilities.