Inside

Inside is a puzzle platformer with modest graphical demands, and the pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER produces a highly playable experience across most settings, though the data reveals a clear shift in system behavior as resolution increases. The measured frame rates show that this combination is capable of triple-digit performance at 1080p and 1440p, while 4K remains playable but demands careful settings management. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS, the roles of the CPU and GPU, and how this specific combo ranks against the broader database of tested configurations.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for Inside shows a classic scaling pattern where frame rates are heavily influenced by resolution, indicating that the GPU becomes the primary limiting factor at higher pixel counts. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo delivers an average of 141 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same High settings drops the average to 101 FPS, a reduction of roughly 28%. This trend continues to 3840x2160, where the average falls to 63 FPS, representing a 55% drop from the 1080p figure. This scaling suggests that while the CPU is more than capable of feeding frames at lower resolutions, the RTX 2060 SUPER's rasterization throughput is the bottleneck once pixel count climbs.

The gap between Low and Ultra settings widens significantly at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the spread from Low (281 FPS) to Ultra (134 FPS) is 147 FPS, showing that the GPU has headroom to handle increased visual fidelity. At 1440p, the same spread is 106 FPS (202 Low vs. 96 Ultra), and at 4K, it narrows to 67 FPS (127 Low vs. 60 Ultra). This compression at 4K indicates that the GPU is nearing its limits even at Low settings, as the absolute frame rate ceiling is constrained by the sheer number of pixels being rendered. The data shows that the RTX 2060 SUPER is the dominant factor in determining performance at 4K, while the Core Ultra 9 290K ensures that the CPU never becomes a hindrance at any tested resolution.

Interestingly, the Medium settings at each resolution provide the only data points with min and max FPS values, offering insight into frame time consistency. At 1080p Medium, the average is 225 FPS with a minimum of 191 FPS and a maximum of 259 FPS, a tight band that indicates stable performance. At 1440p Medium, the average is 162 FPS with a min of 137 FPS and max of 186 FPS. At 4K Medium, the average is 102 FPS with a min of 86 FPS and max of 117 FPS. The relative consistency across these settings suggests that the combo does not suffer from severe frame pacing issues, even as the resolution increases.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture, built on a 3 nm process by TSMC. Its base clock is 3.70 GHz with a boost clock of 5.80 GHz, and it features a substantial cache hierarchy: 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache. For a game like Inside, which is a puzzle platformer with relatively simple physics and AI, the CPU's massive core count is largely underutilized, but the high boost clock and strong single-core performance are what matter for maintaining high frame rates.

Benchmark data shows that the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus scores 7,303 in Cinebench R23 single-core and 51,731 in multi-core, placing it in the 96th percentile among all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K with an average score of 83,807 (0.2% delta), the AMD EPYC 4584PX at 83,090 (1.1% delta), and the AMD EPYC 9135 at 82,980 (1.2% delta). In the context of Inside, the CPU's role is to ensure that frame times are not bottlenecked by game logic or draw call submission. The measured FPS at 1080p Low (281 FPS) and 1440p Low (202 FPS) are high enough that the CPU is clearly keeping pace with the GPU, even at these elevated frame rates.

The processor's memory support includes dual-channel DDR5 with a bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s, which is more than sufficient for this game's data streaming requirements. The integrated Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU is present but irrelevant for this discrete GPU configuration. The fact that the CPU has a 125W TDP and supports PCIe Gen 5 with 20 lanes indicates it is a high-end desktop part, but for Inside, its primary contribution is the single-threaded performance that allows the GPU to operate without stutter. The data shows no signs of CPU limitation, as frame rates scale predictably with resolution and settings rather than exhibiting flat or erratic behavior.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is a Turing-architecture GPU built on a 12 nm process, with a chip designation of TU106. It operates at a base clock of 1470 MHz and a boost clock of 1650 MHz, with memory running at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective). The GPU features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. Its compute resources include 2,176 shading units, 136 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, along with 34 RT cores and 272 tensor cores for ray tracing and AI workloads.

The GPU's benchmark scores show it performs at the 62nd percentile among all GPUs, with an average score of 18,093. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile (18,159, -0.4% delta), the AMD Radeon Pro 5700 (18,189, -0.5% delta), and the AMD Radeon RX 460 (18,373, -1.5% delta). This places the RTX 2060 SUPER in the mid-range tier, which aligns with its measured performance in Inside. The GPU's FP32 throughput of 7.181 TFLOPS and pixel rate of 105.6 GPixel/s are adequate for a game of this visual complexity, but the data shows that 4K Ultra settings push it to its limits.

In Inside, the GPU's VRAM capacity of 8 GB is not a limiting factor, as the game's textures and effects are modest. The measured FPS at 4K High (63 FPS) and 4K Ultra (60 FPS) are nearly identical, suggesting that the GPU is hitting a hard performance ceiling rather than being constrained by memory bandwidth or capacity. The difference between High and Ultra at 4K is only 3 FPS, while at 1080p the same settings gap is 7 FPS (141 vs. 134). This indicates that at 4K, the GPU's compute resources are saturated, and additional graphical features have diminishing returns on frame rate. The RTX 2060 SUPER's boost clock of 1650 MHz provides consistent performance, but the 448.0 GB/s bandwidth is the likely bottleneck at 4K, where the number of pixels being processed requires more memory throughput than the GPU can deliver.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of how the combo performs across all three resolutions and four settings levels. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers an average of 281 FPS on Low settings, 225 FPS on Medium (with a min of 191 FPS and max of 259 FPS), 141 FPS on High, and 134 FPS on Ultra. This shows that even at the highest settings, the frame rate remains well above the 60 FPS threshold, making 1080p a smooth experience regardless of settings. The 147 FPS gap between Low and Ultra demonstrates that the GPU has significant headroom at this resolution, and the CPU is not a limiting factor.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops but remains playable. Low settings yield an average of 202 FPS, Medium delivers 162 FPS (min 137, max 186), High produces 101 FPS, and Ultra drops to 96 FPS. The transition from High to Ultra at 1440p results in only a 5 FPS difference, indicating that the GPU is starting to feel the load of higher resolution. The minimum FPS at Medium (137 FPS) is still comfortably above 60, ensuring no perceptible stutter. For users preferring high refresh rate monitors, 1440p High or Medium settings would be the sweet spot.

At 3840x2160, the combo struggles to maintain high frame rates at higher settings. Low settings deliver an average of 127 FPS, which is still playable but a significant drop from the 202 FPS at 1440p Low. Medium settings yield 102 FPS (min 86, max 117), High drops to 63 FPS, and Ultra falls to 60 FPS. The 4K High and Ultra results are both right at the edge of the 60 FPS mark, meaning that the game is playable but not with much headroom for demanding scenes. The data shows that for 4K gaming, users should stick to Medium settings or lower to maintain a stable frame rate above 100 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER ranks 1,973 out of 2,887 tested combos in Inside. This places it in the lower half of the database, which is surprising given the CPU's high performance, but it reflects the fact that the GPU is the limiting factor in this pairing. The rank of 1,973 out of 2,887 puts this combo in approximately the 32nd percentile, meaning that about 68% of tested configs perform better in this game. This is consistent with the GPU's own 62nd percentile ranking, but the combo rank is lower than expected because Inside is a lightweight game where even mid-range GPUs can achieve high frame rates.

The combo rank suggests that while the CPU is among the top 4% of all processors, the GPU's mid-range positioning drags the overall performance down. In a game like Inside, which does not heavily utilize multi-threaded CPU performance, the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus's 24 cores are not an advantage. Instead, the game is more dependent on GPU rasterization, where the RTX 2060 SUPER is outclassed by many newer or higher-tier cards. The data shows that for this specific game, the GPU choice matters more than the CPU, and this combo reflects that by ranking lower than the sum of its parts might suggest. Users seeking higher rankings would need to pair a stronger GPU with this CPU, but for the current configuration, the performance is adequate for 1080p and 1440p gaming.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: The combo delivers an average of 134 FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K resolution?

A: At 3840x2160, the average FPS ranges from 127 on Low settings to 60 on Ultra settings. For the best balance, Medium settings provide an average of 102 FPS with a minimum of 86 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU scores in the 96th percentile, but the GPU ranks in the 62nd percentile. Frame rates drop significantly with resolution, which is a GPU-bound behavior.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested configurations?

A: This combo ranks 1,973 out of 2,887 tested combos in Inside, placing it in the lower half of the database.

Q: Does the RTX 2060 SUPER's 8 GB VRAM cause any issues in Inside?

A: No, the data shows no VRAM-related issues. The game's modest texture requirements mean that 8 GB is sufficient, and frame rates are consistent across settings, suggesting no memory bottlenecks.

Q: What settings are recommended for a stable 60 FPS experience at 4K?

A: For a stable 60 FPS at 3840x2160, users should use High settings (63 FPS average) or Ultra settings (60 FPS average), though Medium settings offer a safer margin with 102 FPS average and a minimum of 86 FPS.