Inside

Inside is a 2016 puzzle platformer that, on paper, should be trivial for modern hardware, yet the measured data for the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX paired with the AMD Radeon 760M tells a more complex story. The benchmark results reveal a system that is profoundly constrained by its graphics solution, transforming a simple side-scroller into a demanding test of integrated GPU capabilities. This analysis examines the measured FPS across three resolutions and four settings, interpreting what the numbers mean for the limiting component and the overall user experience.

Resolution Scaling

The data shows a dramatic and predictable collapse in performance as resolution scales upward, which strongly indicates that the AMD Radeon 760M integrated GPU is the definitive bottleneck. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 96 FPS, which is a playable figure. However, this is the ceiling. Moving to 1440p Low drops the average to 69 FPS, a reduction of 27 FPS, or roughly 28% lower. Scaling further to 4K Low yields an average of 43 FPS, which is a 53 FPS drop from the 1080p baseline—a 55% decrease. This pattern is not linear; it is a steep curve that highlights the GPU struggling with the increasing pixel count.

The trend is consistent across all settings. For High settings, the averages are 48 FPS at 1080p, 34 FPS at 1440p, and 22 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 14 FPS, and from 1440p to 4K is another 12 FPS. This halving of performance from 1080p to 4K is a classic sign of a fill-rate or memory-bandwidth limitation, which is typical for an IGP with shared system memory. The Radeon 760M has a pixel rate of 41.58 GPixel/s and relies on system-dependent memory bandwidth; the data implies that at 4K, the sheer number of pixels to shade overwhelms the GPU's processing capacity.

The fact that the Core Ultra 9 275HX has a high single-thread score of 2204 in Cinebench R23 suggests that the CPU is not the limiting factor. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see a more consistent FPS across resolutions, as the workload per frame would not increase as much. Instead, the FPS drops proportionally with the increase in resolution, which is the signature of a GPU-limited scenario. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the GPU can keep up with the CPU's demands, but as resolution increases, the GPU's rendering time per frame skyrockets, pulling the average FPS down. The 4K Ultra result of 21 FPS, nearly identical to the 4K High result of 22 FPS, suggests a hard floor where even reducing settings cannot save the system from the pixel count.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal experience for this combo is a delicate balance between visual fidelity and playable frame rates. The data indicates that 1080p is the only resolution where the system can consistently deliver a smooth experience. At 1080p, the Medium preset provides a strong average of 77 FPS, with a minimum of 65 FPS, ensuring a consistent and responsive experience. This is the best "experience per the measured rows" because it offers a significant step up from Low settings while maintaining an average well above the 60 FPS threshold. The 1080p High preset, at 48 FPS, is playable but falls short of high-refresh expectations.

At 1440p, the situation becomes more complicated. The Medium preset averages 55 FPS, which is borderline. The minimum of 47 FPS suggests potential stutters in more demanding scenes. While it is technically playable, the 1080p Medium preset is a safer choice for a consistent experience. The 1440p Low preset, at 69 FPS, is the only 1440p setting that provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS, but it sacrifices visual detail. For users prioritizing frame rate over visuals, 1440p Low is the recommended starting point. However, the data suggests that 1080p Medium is the sweet spot, offering the best combination of visual quality and performance, with a 77 FPS average and a 65 FPS minimum.

The 4K resolution is not viable for this game with this hardware. Even the Low preset, at 43 FPS, fails to reach a stable 60 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K averages 35 FPS, with a minimum of 29 FPS, which is a poor experience for a puzzle platformer that benefits from smooth motion. The Ultra preset at any resolution is a poor choice, with the 1080p Ultra average of 46 FPS being lower than the High preset's 48 FPS, suggesting that the extra effects are not worth the performance cost. The data clearly shows that users should stick to 1080p for a playable experience, with the Medium preset being the most balanced option.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX and AMD Radeon 760M ranks 2876 out of 2887 tested combos in Inside. This places it in the bottom 0.4% of all systems tested for this specific game, which is a surprising result given the CPU's capabilities. This rank is not a reflection of the CPU but rather a stark illustration of the GPU's limitations. The data implies that this processor, which is in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, is completely hamstrung by an integrated GPU that is in the 35th percentile of all GPUs.

This ranking confirms the GPU's poor performance in this title. The Radeon 760M's nearest rivals in the general benchmark pool include the AMD Radeon RX 6400 and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M, with a deltaPct of 0.3% and 0.3% respectively. These are entry-level discrete GPUs from several generations ago, and even they are considered equals to the 760M. In the context of Inside, this means that the system is performing at the level of a very old or very low-end graphics solution. The core count of the CPU is irrelevant here; the 24 cores and 24 threads of the Ultra 9 275HX cannot compensate for the GPU's inability to render frames quickly. The benchmark results indicate a massive mismatch, where a top-tier CPU is paired with a bottom-tier GPU, resulting in a combo rank that is nearly the worst possible.

The deltaPct to its closest CPU rivals, such as the Intel Xeon w5-3525 (-0.3%) and the AMD EPYC 4484PX (-0.5%), is negligible, showing that the CPU is performing as expected. However, this performance is irrelevant to the in-game rank. The data suggests that for this game, the CPU choice matters very little; the GPU is the sole determinant of the final frame rate. The 2876 rank is a clear warning that this combination is not suited for gaming, even for a low-demanding title like Inside.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the system's performance across twelve different configurations. At 1920x1080, the results are as follows: Low settings yield an average of 96 FPS, Medium yields 77 FPS (min 65, max 88), High yields 48 FPS, and Ultra yields 46 FPS. The jump from Low to Medium is a 19 FPS drop, while the jump from High to Ultra is only 2 FPS, indicating diminishing returns and a possible CPU limit at the high end, or a GPU limit that is not affected by those specific settings.

At 2560x1440, the averages are: Low at 69 FPS, Medium at 55 FPS (min 47, max 63), High at 34 FPS, and Ultra at 33 FPS. The performance gap between Low and Medium is 14 FPS, and the gap between High and Ultra is just 1 FPS. This compression of the higher settings suggests that the GPU is reaching its limits and that the difference in graphical load between High and Ultra is not significant enough to cause a large FPS change. The minimum FPS of 47 at Medium is a concern, as it dips close to 30 FPS territory.

At 3840x2160, the results are: Low at 43 FPS, Medium at 35 FPS (min 29, max 40), High at 22 FPS, and Ultra at 21 FPS. The data shows that the gap between Low and Medium is 8 FPS, and the gap between High and Ultra is 1 FPS. At 4K, the system is clearly struggling. The Low preset is the only one that approaches playability, but even it falls below 60 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum of 29 FPS indicates that the experience would be very stuttery. The data shows a clear pattern: the system loses roughly half its performance when moving from 1080p to 4K at any given setting, confirming that the GPU's shading units and memory bandwidth are the primary constraints.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Inside with this hardware?

A: The measured data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution that provides consistently playable frame rates. At 1080p Low, the average is 96 FPS, and at Medium, it is 77 FPS. Higher resolutions result in average FPS drops that make the game feel sluggish.

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX the reason for the low frame rates?

A: No. The benchmark results indicate the CPU is in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, with a strong Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35589. The FPS drops are proportional to the resolution increase, which is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck, not a CPU one.

Q: How does the AMD Radeon 760M compare to its direct rivals in terms of raw power?

A: In the general GPU benchmark pool, the Radeon 760M is flanked by the AMD Radeon RX 6400 (deltaPct 0.3%) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M (deltaPct 0.3%). This means its overall performance is nearly identical to those older, entry-level cards.

Q: Is the Ultra preset worth using in this game?

A: The data suggests no. At 1080p, the Ultra preset averages 46 FPS, which is actually 2 FPS lower than the High preset's 48 FPS. At 1440p and 4K, the difference between High and Ultra is only 1 FPS, indicating that the extra visual effects are not worth the negligible performance cost.

Q: Can this system achieve a stable 60 FPS at 1440p?

A: Only with the Low preset, which averages 69 FPS. However, the Medium preset averages 55 FPS with a minimum of 47 FPS, meaning it will frequently drop below 60 FPS. For a stable 60 FPS experience, 1080p is required.

Q: What does the combo rank of 2876 out of 2887 signify?

A: It signifies that this specific CPU and GPU combination is one of the worst performers for Inside out of all tested combos. This is almost entirely due to the integrated GPU's low performance, as the CPU itself ranks very high.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX is a 24-core, 24-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake-HX architecture, with a base clock of 2.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. Its benchmark scores are exceptional, placing it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs. In Cinebench R23, it scores 35589 multi-core and 2204 single-core. For a game like Inside, which is a puzzle platformer, the CPU's role is primarily to handle game logic, physics, and draw calls. The data shows that this CPU is more than capable of this task.

However, the measured FPS data reveals that the CPU is not the limiting factor. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would see similar FPS numbers at all resolutions because the CPU's workload would be the same. Instead, we see a massive drop in FPS from 1080p to 4K, indicating that the CPU is waiting for the GPU to finish rendering. The high single-core performance of 2204 in Cinebench R23 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2458 ensures that the game's main thread can be processed quickly, but it is not enough to overcome the GPU's rendering speed. The CPU's 24 cores and 36 MB of L3 cache are largely irrelevant for this title, as the game likely does not utilize all of them. The data implies that the CPU is sitting idle while the GPU struggles, a clear sign of a system imbalance.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon 760M is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the RDNA 3.0 architecture, with 512 shading units and a boost clock of 2599 MHz. It relies on system memory, with the bandwidth being "System Dependent." This is a major limitation, as the GPU must share the memory bus with the CPU. The GPU's benchmark performance places it in the 35th percentile of all GPUs, with a Passmark G3D score of 5310. This is a low score, and its nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon RX 6400 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M.

In the context of Inside, the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The data shows that at 1080p Low, it can manage 96 FPS, but this drops to 43 FPS at 4K Low. This is a direct result of the GPU's limited pixel rate of 41.58 GPixel/s and texture rate of 83.17 GTexel/s. The increase in resolution requires more pixel shading and texture fetches, which the GPU cannot handle at high rates. The VRAM size is "System Shared," which means it is competing with the CPU for memory bandwidth, further limiting performance. The GPU's FP32 performance of 5.323 TFLOPS is too low to handle the demands of 4K rendering in this game. The data clearly shows that the Radeon 760M is a significant bottleneck, and its performance dictates the overall experience, regardless of the powerful CPU it is paired with.