Inside

The data for Inside with the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H and AMD Radeon RX 7900M reveals a puzzle platformer that is surprisingly demanding at its upper limits, yet remarkably scalable at lower presets. The measured frame rates indicate a configuration where the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K, but the CPU’s strong single-thread performance ensures that even the lowest settings produce an exceptionally fluid experience. The benchmark results paint a picture of a game that can be tailored to nearly any display, from high-refresh 1080p monitors to cinematic 4K televisions, with the only trade-off being the visual fidelity preset.

Resolution Scaling

The most telling metric in this dataset is the performance delta between 1080p and 4K. At the High preset, the average frame rate drops from 189 FPS at 1920x1080 to 136 FPS at 2560x1440, and finally to 85 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a steep 55% reduction in average FPS when moving from 1080p to 4K at High settings. Such a significant drop strongly suggests that the AMD Radeon RX 7900M is the limiting component at higher resolutions, as the pixel throughput requirement quadruples, placing an immense load on the GPU's shading units and memory bandwidth.

The scaling pattern becomes even more pronounced at the Ultra preset. Here, the average FPS falls from 180 at 1080p to 129 at 1440p, and then plummets to 81 at 4K. The gap between High and Ultra at 4K is only 4 FPS (85 vs 81), which indicates that the GPU is already saturated at that resolution, and the additional visual effects from the Ultra preset have minimal impact on the frame rate because the hardware cannot render them faster. Conversely, at 1080p, the difference between High (189 FPS) and Ultra (180 FPS) is just 9 FPS, showing that the GPU still has headroom, but the constraint is shifting toward the CPU’s ability to feed the graphics pipeline.

Interestingly, the Low preset shows the most dramatic scaling. At 1080p, the system achieves a staggering 337 FPS, which drops to 271 FPS at 1440p and then to 170 FPS at 4K. The 4K Low result is still higher than the 1080p Ultra result (170 vs 180), which demonstrates that resolution scaling is not linear with settings. The data implies that for this particular title, the Radeon RX 7900M has enough raw compute power to handle 4K, but only when the visual load is reduced to its most basic form. The benchmark results indicate that the sweet spot for 4K gaming is the Low preset, as the step to Medium yields only 136 FPS, a 34 FPS penalty for moderate visual improvements.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 185H features 16 cores and 22 threads, with a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. For a game like Inside, which is a side-scrolling puzzle platformer with limited on-screen physics, the multi-core performance is less critical than the single-thread speed. The CPU’s Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1810.5 points and Geekbench single-core score of 1794 indicate a capable processor for gaming workloads. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the system reaches 337 FPS, which is likely near the engine’s frame rate cap or the CPU’s limit for draw call processing.

The CPU’s role becomes evident when comparing the 1080p High (189 FPS) and 1080p Ultra (180 FPS) results. The difference is minimal, suggesting that the CPU can handle the increased draw calls and game logic without becoming a bottleneck. However, at 4K Low (170 FPS) versus 4K High (85 FPS), the frame rate halves, which is a GPU-bound scenario. The CPU’s Passmark single-thread score of 3697 and its 85th percentile ranking among all CPUs further support that it is a high-end mobile processor that will not hinder performance in this title at any resolution.

The benchmark data also includes the CPU's nearest rivals, which show it performs within 0.7% of the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X and 0.2% of the Intel Core 7 250H in average benchmark scores. This proximity suggests that the Core Ultra 9 185H is well-matched to other high-end CPUs, and in Inside, the variance in frame rates would be negligible when paired with the same GPU. The CPU’s L3 cache of 24 MB shared and 2 MB per core L2 cache provide sufficient data locality for the game’s assets, though the game’s simple geometry means this is not a major factor. The processor’s 45 W TDP is modest, but the boost clock of 5.10 GHz ensures that single-threaded tasks, like game logic, are executed with minimal latency.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average frame rate achievable with this combo?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 337 at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is significantly higher than the 302 FPS at Medium and the 189 FPS at High, indicating that the Low preset removes most GPU load, allowing the CPU to push frame rates to their peak.

Q: How does the 4K Ultra performance compare to the 4K Low performance?

A: The 4K Ultra preset yields an average of 81 FPS, while the 4K Low preset achieves 170 FPS. This 89 FPS difference highlights the massive impact of the Ultra settings on the Radeon RX 7900M, which must process additional lighting and shadow effects that heavily tax the GPU at 4K resolution.

Q: Is the frame rate stable at lower resolutions?

A: At 1920x1080 with Medium settings, the frame rate ranges from a minimum of 257 FPS to a maximum of 347 FPS, with an average of 302 FPS. This 90 FPS variance suggests some scenes are more demanding, but the overall experience remains consistently high. At 2560x1440 Medium, the range is 184 to 250 FPS, showing a tighter variance of 66 FPS.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU at any resolution?

A: The data suggests the CPU is not a bottleneck at 4K, as the frame rates drop significantly with higher settings, which is a GPU limitation. At 1080p Low, the 337 FPS result may approach the CPU’s limit, but the high single-core scores indicate it can sustain very high frame rates without becoming the primary constraint.

Q: What is the performance difference between High and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the High preset averages 136 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 129 FPS. This 7 FPS difference is minor, indicating that the added effects in Ultra are not particularly demanding at this resolution, and users can enable them for better visuals with a small performance cost.

Q: How does the combo’s performance rank among all tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 1053 out of 2887 tested combinations in this game, placing it in the top 36.5% of all systems. This is a strong result, especially considering the mobile nature of the CPU and the high-end discrete GPU, positioning it well for 1440p and 4K gaming.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the benchmark results show a clear progression across presets. The Low preset delivers an average of 337 FPS, which is the highest recorded for this configuration. Moving to Medium, the average drops to 302 FPS, with a minimum of 257 and a maximum of 347. The High preset reduces the average to 189 FPS, and the Ultra preset brings it down to 180 FPS. The data indicates that the gap between Low and Medium is 35 FPS, while the gap between High and Ultra is only 9 FPS, suggesting diminishing returns on performance as settings increase.

At 2560x1440, the same pattern holds but with lower absolute numbers. The Low preset averages 271 FPS, which is still exceptionally high for a 1440p display. The Medium preset averages 217 FPS, with a minimum of 184 and a maximum of 250. The High preset averages 136 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 129 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra at this resolution is just 7 FPS, making the Ultra preset a viable option for users with high-refresh 1440p monitors. The Low to Medium drop is 54 FPS, which is a more significant penalty than at 1080p, showing the GPU is starting to feel the resolution increase.

At 3840x2160, the performance becomes more stratified. The Low preset averages 170 FPS, which is the only preset that remains above 150 FPS at this resolution. The Medium preset averages 136 FPS, with a minimum of 116 and a maximum of 157. The High preset drops to 85 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to 81 FPS. The data reveals that the step from Medium to High at 4K is a massive 51 FPS reduction, while the step from High to Ultra is only 4 FPS. This indicates that the High preset introduces a specific rendering feature that is disproportionately expensive at 4K, such as high-resolution shadows or ambient occlusion, which the GPU cannot handle efficiently.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7900M is a powerful mobile GPU based on the RDNA 3.0 architecture, featuring 4608 shading units and 192 ROPs. Its 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 576.0 GB/s, which is crucial for high-resolution textures and effects. The GPU’s boost clock of 2090 MHz and its FP32 performance of 38.52 TFLOPS indicate a chip that is designed for high-end gaming. The data from Inside shows that the GPU is the primary determinant of frame rates at 1440p and 4K, as the performance scales almost linearly with resolution for a given preset.

The GPU’s 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 4201 and its 94th percentile ranking among all GPUs confirm its high-end status. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Quadro RTX 6000, which is 4.3% slower in average benchmark scores, and the AMD Radeon Instinct MI60, which is 5.4% faster. This places the RX 7900M in a competitive position, though its performance in Inside is more dependent on the specific settings than on raw compute power. The 4K High result of 85 FPS is below the 1440p Ultra result of 129 FPS, which shows that the GPU’s memory bandwidth is sufficient for 1440p but becomes a limiting factor at 4K when rendering complex scenes.

The GPU’s transistor count of 57,700 million on a 529 mm² die is substantial, and its 5 nm process node allows for high clock speeds. The pixel rate of 401.3 GPixel/s and texture rate of 601.9 GTexel/s are more than adequate for this game’s 2D side-scrolling perspective, but the game’s lighting engine still poses a challenge. The data implies that the RX 7900M is overkill for 1080p, as it can easily exceed 300 FPS at Low settings, but it is well-suited for 4K gaming at Medium settings, where it maintains a smooth 136 FPS average.

Settings Recommendations

For users with a 1080p display, the data suggests that the High preset is the best balance of visual quality and performance. The 189 FPS average is more than sufficient for any high-refresh monitor, and the jump to Ultra only offers a 9 FPS penalty for marginal visual gains. The Low preset is unnecessary at this resolution, as the High preset already provides a smooth experience, but those seeking the absolute maximum frame rate can use it to reach 337 FPS, which is beneficial for competitive play or extremely high refresh rates above 300 Hz.

At 1440p, the Medium preset provides the best experience, with an average of 217 FPS and a minimum of 184 FPS that ensures no stuttering. The High preset at 136 FPS is also playable, but the Medium preset offers a 81 FPS advantage while still looking good on a 1440p panel. The Ultra preset at 129 FPS is acceptable for gamers who prioritize visuals, but the 7 FPS difference from High does not justify the potential stability concerns, as the Medium preset’s minimum of 184 FPS is far more robust.

For 4K displays, the Low preset is the only option that delivers a truly high frame rate, at 170 FPS. However, the Medium preset’s 136 FPS average and 116 FPS minimum are still perfectly playable for a puzzle platformer, and the visual upgrade is substantial. The High and Ultra presets at 85 and 81 FPS respectively are borderline for a smooth experience, but they may be acceptable for users who prioritize image quality over frame rate. The data strongly recommends the Medium preset for 4K, as it offers the best compromise between the game’s visual fidelity and the GPU’s capabilities.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H and AMD Radeon RX 7900M ranks 1053 out of 2887 tested combinations in Inside, which places it in the top 36.5% of all systems tested. This ranking is impressive considering the mobile CPU, but the high-end GPU is the main driver of this position. The rank suggests that while this combo is not at the absolute top tier, it outperforms the majority of systems, likely due to the GPU’s strong 4K capabilities and the CPU’s high single-thread performance.

The CPU’s average benchmark score of 35670 places it just 0.1% behind the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 350 and 0.7% behind the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X, meaning that the CPU is not a weak link in this pairing. The GPU’s average benchmark score of 97487 is 0.4% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro VII, showing that the GPU is also competitive with other high-end options. In the context of Inside, the combo’s rank indicates that it is well-balanced, but the data shows that the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions, as the CPU can easily keep up with the frame rates produced by the GPU.

The rank also implies that there are 1834 other combos that perform better, likely featuring desktop-class CPUs or even more powerful GPUs. However, for a mobile platform, this result is strong, and the measured FPS data confirms that the combo can handle 4K gaming at playable frame rates. The 4K Medium result of 136 FPS is particularly notable, as it exceeds the refresh rate of most 4K monitors, making this combo a viable option for high-refresh 4K gaming in this title. The data indicates that the combo’s ranking is a reflection of its GPU’s ability to scale with resolution, rather than any CPU limitation.