Inside

Inside is a puzzle platformer, and the measured performance of the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7900M reflects a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, yet transitions to a more balanced state at 1080p. The data indicates a configuration capable of delivering exceptionally high frame rates across all tested settings, with the primary differentiator being the resolution scaling. The benchmark results show a clear hierarchy where the GPU's raw throughput is the limiting factor at 4K, while the CPU's capabilities become more relevant as the resolution drops, though the overall experience remains fluid throughout the tested range.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1080p to 4K demonstrates a classic GPU-bound scaling pattern, with the most significant drops occurring as pixel count increases. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 189 FPS at 1920x1080 to 136 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 28%, and then further to 85 FPS at 3840x2160, representing a 55% drop from the 1080p baseline. This steep decline suggests that the RX 7900M's rendering pipeline is being saturated by the pixel throughput demands of 4K, where the 16 GB frame buffer and 576.0 GB/s memory bandwidth are pushed to their limits. The 1440p result at 136 FPS is notably identical to the 4K Medium result, indicating that the graphical workload at those settings and resolutions is comparable, a data point that highlights how settings can be adjusted to maintain performance targets across different resolutions.

The scaling from Medium to Low settings at each resolution provides further insight into the system's headroom. At 4K, the jump from Medium (136 FPS) to Low (170 FPS) yields a 25% performance increase, while at 1440p, the corresponding increase from Medium (217 FPS) to Low (271 FPS) is also 25%. However, at 1080p, the scaling from Medium (294 FPS) to Low (319 FPS) is only 8.5%, suggesting that the CPU begins to impose a ceiling on frame rates at this resolution, preventing the GPU from fully flexing its muscles. The Ultra preset at 4K (81 FPS) is only 4 FPS lower than High (85 FPS), a marginal difference that suggests diminishing returns from the highest settings at this resolution, whereas at 1080p, the difference between High (189 FPS) and Ultra (180 FPS) is a more noticeable 9 FPS, though still modest in percentage terms.

The data reveals that the limiting component shifts with resolution. At 3840x2160, the GPU is the clear bottleneck, as evidenced by the 85 FPS High result being less than half of the 180 FPS Ultra result at 1080p. Conversely, at 1920x1080, the scaling pattern across settings—from 180 FPS on Ultra to 319 FPS on Low—shows that the CPU's thread scheduling and core count are sufficient to feed the GPU up to a point, but the frame rate ceiling near 319 FPS indicates a CPU-imposed limit. The 1440p results sit in a balanced middle ground where neither component is fully saturated, offering a sweet spot for high refresh rate displays, with the Low preset hitting 271 FPS and the High preset still maintaining a very playable 136 FPS.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7900M is the dominant component in this configuration, and its specifications directly explain the observed performance. With 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, the GPU provides 576.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is ample for the textures and effects in Inside at any of the tested resolutions. The base clock of 1825 MHz and boost clock of 2090 MHz, combined with 4608 shading units and 288 texture mapping units, deliver a pixel rate of 401.3 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 601.9 GTexel/s. These figures correlate strongly with the 4K results, where the High preset (85 FPS) and Ultra preset (81 FPS) are both limited by the GPU's ability to process fragments and texels at that pixel density, rather than by memory capacity or bandwidth constraints.

The GPU's percentile ranking of 94, indicating it outperforms 94% of all GPUs in the database, is consistent with the measured frame rates. In comparison to its nearest rivals, the RX 7900M's average benchmark score of 97,487 is 0.4% higher than the AMD Radeon Pro VII's score of 97,131, and 6.3% higher than the NVIDIA RTX A4500's score of 91,671. This places it in a performance tier that can handle the most demanding presets at 1440p, as shown by the 129 FPS average on Ultra settings, which is a highly playable result for a puzzle platformer. The GPU's RDNA 3.0 architecture, built on a 5 nm process with 57,700 million transistors, also supports DirectX 12 Ultimate and Vulkan 1.4, though Inside's engine is not particularly reliant on ray tracing or advanced geometry, so the 72 ray accelerators are not a significant factor in these results.

The memory configuration is particularly relevant at 4K. The 16 GB VRAM capacity is not a limiting factor, as the highest VRAM usage scenario—the Ultra preset at 3840x2160—still achieves an 81 FPS average, indicating that the frame buffer is sufficient. Instead, the memory clock of 2250 MHz (18 Gbps effective) and the resulting bandwidth are what matter, and the 576.0 GB/s figure is sufficient to sustain the observed frame rates without causing stuttering or frame drops. The data shows that the GPU's performance at 4K High (85 FPS) is nearly identical to its performance at 1440p Ultra (129 FPS) when adjusting for resolution, which suggests that the GPU's raw compute throughput, not memory or texture units, is the primary constraint at higher settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 165H, with its 16 cores and 22 threads, provides substantial processing power that is underutilized at higher resolutions but becomes more relevant at 1080p. The CPU's base clock of 3.80 GHz and boost clock of 5.00 GHz, along with a 24 MB shared L3 cache, contribute to its strong single-thread performance, as evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1759. In Inside, which is a game that does not typically scale well beyond a few threads, this single-thread performance is critical for maintaining high frame rates at lower resolutions where the GPU is not the bottleneck. The CPU's percentile ranking of 84, outperforming 84% of all CPUs, places it in a capable tier for gaming, though it is not a top-tier desktop processor.

The CPU's benchmark results show a mixed profile. Its multi-threaded scores, such as 14,551 in Cinebench R23 and 9,233 in Cinebench R20, are respectable for a mobile chip, but its single-thread scores, particularly the PassMark single-thread score of 3509, are what drive gaming performance. In comparison to its nearest rivals, the Core Ultra 7 165H's average benchmark score of 34,083 is nearly identical to the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H (33,989, a 0.3% difference) and the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X (34,260, a -0.5% difference). This indicates that the CPU's gaming performance should be on par with those processors, which is consistent with the observed frame rates at 1080p where the CPU's thread scheduling and cache hierarchy are exercised more heavily.

At 1080p, the difference between the Low preset (319 FPS) and Medium preset (294 FPS) is only 25 FPS, and the difference between High (189 FPS) and Ultra (180 FPS) is just 9 FPS. This compression of frame rates at the top end suggests that the CPU's processing of game logic and draw calls is becoming a limiting factor, preventing the RX 7900M from reaching its full potential. The CPU's boost clock of 5.00 GHz is well-suited for this task, but the 28 W TDP of the mobile chip may impose thermal and power limits that prevent sustained maximum boost under heavy gaming loads. However, the fact that the 1080p Low preset achieves 319 FPS, which is near the typical refresh rate ceiling for most displays, indicates that the CPU is performing adequately for this game's requirements.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and refresh rate. At 3840x2160, the High preset provides an 85 FPS average, which is the recommended choice for a smooth experience on a 60 Hz display, as it offers a 4 FPS advantage over Ultra (81 FPS) with presumably similar visual fidelity. The Medium preset at 4K (136 FPS) is the best option for higher refresh rate 4K monitors, as it provides a substantial 60% performance increase over High while likely sacrificing only minor visual details. The Low preset at 4K (170 FPS) is unnecessary for most users, as the visual compromises are significant relative to the frame rate gains, though it does demonstrate the system's headroom.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset (217 FPS) strikes the best balance for high refresh rate gaming, offering a 60% improvement over High (136 FPS) while maintaining a frame rate that exceeds the capabilities of most 1440p displays. The High preset at 1440p (136 FPS) is the recommended choice for users who prioritize visual quality, as it matches the 4K Medium frame rate, indicating that the graphical workload is similar. The Ultra preset at 1440p (129 FPS) is a viable option for those who want maximum fidelity, as it remains well above the 60 FPS threshold, but the marginal 7 FPS difference over High suggests that High is the more efficient choice. For 1920x1080, the Medium preset (294 FPS) is the recommended setting, as it provides nearly the same frame rate as Low (319 FPS) with better visual quality, and it is a 56% improvement over High (189 FPS). The High preset at 1080p (189 FPS) is the best option for users with 240 Hz displays who want a balance of quality and performance, while the Ultra preset (180 FPS) offers only a 9 FPS penalty for maximum settings, which may be worth it for purists.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H and AMD Radeon RX 7900M ranks 1080th out of 2,887 tested combos in Inside, placing it in the top 37.4% of all configurations. This ranking is somewhat modest given the GPU's high percentile (94) and the CPU's respectable percentile (84), but it reflects the fact that Inside is not a demanding game by modern standards, so even mid-range hardware can achieve high frame rates, compressing the performance curve. The combo's rank suggests that while this specific pairing is capable, there are many other configurations with similar or better performance, likely due to the CPU's mobile nature limiting its sustained performance compared to desktop counterparts.

The ranking also indicates that the bottleneck characteristics of this combo are well-balanced for this game. The GPU's strength is the primary driver of the 4K results, where it ranks among the top performers, but the CPU's limitations at 1080p prevent the combo from achieving the absolute highest frame rates seen in the database. In comparison to other combos with the same GPU but a more powerful desktop CPU, this configuration would likely rank lower at 1080p due to the CPU ceiling, but it would rank higher at 4K where the GPU is the sole determinant. The data suggests that this combo is best suited for high-resolution gaming, as it delivers excellent 4K performance while sacrificing some potential 1080p headroom.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average FPS recorded for this combo in Inside?

A: The highest average FPS is 319, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: How does the GPU perform relative to its nearest rival?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7900M has an average benchmark score of 97,487, which is 0.4% higher than the AMD Radeon Pro VII's score of 97,131.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 3840x2160?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor at 4K, as evidenced by the frame rate scaling from 170 FPS on Low to 81 FPS on Ultra, which shows a strong dependence on GPU workload.

Q: What is the CPU's single-thread performance score in Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 165H scores 1759 in Cinebench R23 single-core.

Q: Does the combo achieve playable frame rates at 4K Ultra settings?

A: Yes, the 4K Ultra preset achieves an average of 81 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between 1080p High and 1080p Ultra?

A: The 1080p High preset averages 189 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 180 FPS, a difference of 9 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured average frame rates are as follows: Low settings yield 319 FPS, Medium settings yield 294 FPS with a minimum of 250 FPS and a maximum of 338 FPS, High settings yield 189 FPS, and Ultra settings yield 180 FPS. This resolution shows the highest overall performance, with the Low preset exceeding 300 FPS and the Medium preset providing a strong balance of quality and speed.

At 2560x1440, the average frame rates are: Low settings yield 271 FPS, Medium settings yield 217 FPS with a minimum of 184 FPS and a maximum of 250 FPS, High settings yield 136 FPS, and Ultra settings yield 129 FPS. The 1440p results demonstrate a significant drop from 1080p, particularly at High and Ultra settings, but the Medium preset still offers a very high frame rate suitable for 144 Hz displays.

At 3840x2160, the average frame rates are: Low settings yield 170 FPS, Medium settings yield 136 FPS with a minimum of 116 FPS and a maximum of 157 FPS, High settings yield 85 FPS, and Ultra settings yield 81 FPS. The 4K results show a clear GPU bottleneck, with the High and Ultra presets falling to near 60 FPS territory, while the Medium preset remains well above 120 FPS.