Inside

Inside is a puzzle platformer that is anything but demanding on modern hardware, and the data for the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT reflects that. This combination is so powerful that it turns the game into a showcase for high-refresh-rate monitors, with performance at 1080p and 1440p reaching figures that are several multiples of the 60 FPS target. The benchmark results indicate a system that is severely overqualified for the title, delivering playable frame rates even at 4K with maximum settings, while also revealing that the CPU's immense processing power is largely irrelevant to the final framerate.

FAQ

Q: What kind of average frame rate can I expect at 2560x1440 with High settings?

A: The measured data shows an average of 154 FPS at this resolution and settings level. This is a very high frame rate that will easily take advantage of a 144Hz monitor, providing an exceptionally smooth experience for the game's platforming and puzzle-solving mechanics.

Q: Is the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT a bottleneck for this CPU in this game?

A: The data suggests that at lower resolutions and settings, the GPU is the limiting factor. For example, at 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average FPS is 427, while at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, it drops to 92 FPS. This variance based on resolution and settings is the classic behavior of a GPU-bound scenario, indicating the graphics card is the primary constraint on performance.

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

A: The Ultra preset consistently delivers lower frame rates than High across all tested resolutions. At 1920x1080, the average FPS drops from 214 on High to 203 on Ultra. At 2560x1440, it goes from 154 to 146, and at 3840x2160, it falls from 97 to 92. The performance cost is relatively small, but it is present.

Q: Is this CPU-GPU combo overkill for running this game?

A: Yes, the data strongly suggests it is. The game achieves an average of 427 FPS at 1080p on Low settings. Even at the most demanding tested configuration, 4K Ultra, it still maintains an average of 92 FPS. These results indicate that the hardware is far more capable than what the game requires for a smooth experience.

Q: What is the highest average frame rate recorded for this combination?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded in the measured data is 427 FPS, which was achieved at a resolution of 1920x1080 with the Low settings preset. This is a massive frame rate that far exceeds the refresh rate of most high-end gaming monitors.

Q: Does the game's performance scale linearly with resolution?

A: No, the scaling is not linear. For instance, with the Medium preset, the average FPS is 342 at 1080p, 246 at 1440p, and 154 at 4K. The performance drop from 1080p to 1440p is about 28%, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is about 37%, showing that the cost of increasing resolution grows at higher pixel counts.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience with the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT, the Ultra preset is the clear choice. The measured data shows that the performance cost of moving from High to Ultra is minimal, while the visual fidelity is at its peak. At 3840x2160, the average frame rate only drops from 97 to 92 FPS, and at 2560x1440, it drops from 154 to 146 FPS. This still keeps the experience well above the 60 FPS threshold and even comfortably within high-refresh-rate territory at 1440p.

The Medium preset offers a significant boost in performance, but it is unnecessary given the headroom available. At 4K, it delivers an average of 154 FPS, which is 62 FPS higher than Ultra. While this is a massive frame rate, the visual compromise from not using the highest settings is not worth it when the Ultra preset already provides a smooth and responsive experience. The Low preset, while achieving frame rates in the hundreds, is best left for competitive scenarios or when trying to maximize FPS on a 360Hz or higher display, as the visual downgrade is substantial.

Ultimately, the analysis points to using the Ultra preset at all tested resolutions. The system has ample performance to run the game at its highest fidelity. For users with 144Hz monitors, 2560x1440 Ultra is the sweet spot. For those with 60Hz displays, 3840x2160 Ultra is the definitive way to play, as the combination easily holds a locked 60 FPS with a significant margin (92 FPS average).

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is a desktop processor with 24 cores and 24 threads based on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture. Its processing power is substantial, as evidenced by its 96th percentile ranking among all CPUs and a multi-core score of 44,253 in Cinebench R23. In a game like Inside, however, this immense computational capability is not a limiting factor. The data shows that the average frame rates scale heavily with resolution and GPU settings, which is the primary indicator of a GPU-bound workload.

The CPU's high boost clock of 5.50 GHz and strong single-core performance, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2,439, are more than sufficient for the game's physics and logic. The game is a 2.5D side-scroller with relatively simple interactions, so the CPU is never taxed. This is confirmed by the fact that at 1920x1080 with Low settings, where the GPU load is lightest, the system produces 427 FPS. This high frame rate is more likely a limit of the rendering pipeline than a CPU bottleneck, but it demonstrates the processor is capable of feeding the GPU at very high speeds.

The 36 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s also contribute to a responsive system. However, in this specific title, these features are not essential for achieving high frame rates. The benchmark results indicate that the CPU's role is to ensure the GPU is never starved of data, and it performs this role without issue. The performance is determined by the GPU, not the CPU, making the choice of processor less critical for this particular game, as long as it is a modern, capable part like the Ultra 7 270K Plus.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT ranks 594th out of 2,887 tested combos for performance in Inside. This places it in the top 20% of all configurations, which is a strong result. The rank reflects the fact that the GPU, while powerful, is not at the absolute top tier of current hardware. The RX 6800 XT sits in the 85th percentile for all GPUs and is outclassed by parts like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, which is 3% ahead in average benchmark score.

Despite the GPU not being the absolute best, its performance is more than adequate for this game. The 594th rank confirms the fact that for a game like Inside, most modern mid-range and high-end hardware will deliver a flawless experience. The difference between a ranking in the top 100 versus 594 is negligible in practice, as both will easily hit frame rate caps and provide a smooth experience. The data shows that the limiting factor for this combo is purely the GPU's raw rendering power, which, while not top-tier, is still very high.

The CPU's ranking is much higher, sitting at the 96th percentile. This creates an imbalance where the CPU is capable of far more than the GPU can deliver. However, this is a common and sensible pairing for a gaming system, as it ensures the GPU is the bottleneck. The overall in-game rank of 594 indicates that this is a well-balanced system for most games, and it is certainly overkill for the specific demands of Inside.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT, based on the RDNA 2.0 architecture, is the primary driver of performance in Inside. The measured data shows a clear relationship between GPU load and frame rate. As resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160, the average FPS on the Ultra preset drops from 203 to 92. This is a direct consequence of the increased pixel count, which puts more strain on the GPU's 4,608 shading units and 128 ROPs.

The GPU's 16 GB of GDDR6 memory is far more than needed for this game. The memory bandwidth of 512.0 GB/s is also excessive, as the game's textures and geometry are not particularly complex. The boost clock of 2250 MHz allows the GPU to process frames at a very high rate, but the results show that the performance is heavily influenced by the settings preset. For instance, at 4K, the difference between Low and Ultra settings is 101 FPS (193 vs. 92), demonstrating the significant impact of the graphics workload on the GPU.

The GPU's performance in this title is consistent with its overall benchmark scores. It achieves a Passmark G3D score of 24,980 and a Geekbench OpenCL score of 171,304. These scores place it as a high-performing card, but not the fastest available. The data indicates that while the RX 6800 XT is capable of handling Inside at 4K Ultra with an average of 92 FPS, it is the component that determines the final frame rate, with the CPU providing more than enough headroom to avoid any bottleneck.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system demonstrates extreme performance. With the Low preset, the average frame rate is 427 FPS. Moving to Medium, the average is 342 FPS, with minimum and maximum figures of 291 and 393 FPS, respectively. The High preset yields an average of 214 FPS. The Ultra preset delivers an average of 203 FPS. The scaling shows a significant drop from Low to Medium (85 FPS), but a much smaller drop from High to Ultra (11 FPS), suggesting diminishing returns in performance cost at the higher settings.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains exceptionally high. The Low preset produces an average of 307 FPS. The Medium preset delivers an average of 246 FPS, with a range from 209 to 283 FPS. High settings result in an average of 154 FPS, while Ultra settings produce an average of 146 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra is only 8 FPS, making the Ultra preset a compelling choice for a better visual experience without a major performance hit.

At 3840x2160, the system still provides a highly playable experience. The Low preset achieves an average of 193 FPS. The Medium preset delivers an average of 154 FPS, with a range from 131 to 178 FPS. High settings bring the average down to 97 FPS. The Ultra preset, the most demanding configuration tested, still maintains an average of 92 FPS. The performance drop from 1440p to 4K is substantial across all settings, but the system never falls below the 60 FPS threshold, even at maximum fidelity.