Inside

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER combination delivers exceptional performance in Inside, achieving frame rates that far exceed display refresh rate requirements across all tested settings and resolutions. The data indicates a top-tier pairing where the CPU’s high-core-count architecture and the GPU’s substantial memory bandwidth create a system capable of pushing this puzzle platformer to over 400 FPS at 1080p Low settings, making it one of the most capable configurations in the benchmark database for this title.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

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. It operates with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz, with a TDP of 125 W. The processor features a substantial cache hierarchy: 192 KB of L1 cache per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache. This configuration places it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs in the benchmark database, with an average benchmark score of 84,003.

For a game like Inside, which is a puzzle platformer rather than a multi-threaded simulation or strategy title, the CPU’s role is less about raw multi-core throughput and more about consistent single-core performance and maintaining high frame pacing. The Core Ultra 9 290K Plus excels here, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 7,303 and a Passmark single-thread score of 4,823. These numbers indicate that the processor can handle the game’s logic, physics, and input processing without becoming a bottleneck, even when the GPU is producing hundreds of frames per second.

The multi-core performance is equally impressive, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 51,731 and a Passmark multithread score of 60,860. While Inside may not fully utilize all 24 threads, the headroom ensures that background processes or future game updates that leverage additional cores will not degrade performance. The data shows that this CPU is 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K in average benchmark score, and 1.1% ahead of the AMD EPYC 4584PX, solidifying its position as a leading desktop processor.

In the context of the measured FPS results, the CPU’s capabilities are most evident at lower resolutions and settings. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 442 FPS average, which is a scenario where the CPU’s single-core boost clock of 5.80 GHz becomes critical. The processor’s ability to maintain high clock speeds under load, combined with its 36 MB of L3 cache, minimizes latency and allows the GPU to work at its full potential. The data suggests that the CPU is not a limiting factor in any of the tested configurations, as the FPS scales consistently with GPU load across resolution and settings changes.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER ranks 72nd out of 2,887 tested combos in Inside, placing it in the top 2.5% of all configurations in the database. This rank is a strong indicator of the system’s overall capability, but it also reveals that there are 71 other combos that achieve even higher average FPS in this specific game. Given the hardware’s specifications, this is likely due to the fact that Inside is not a demanding title, and some combos may leverage higher GPU clock speeds or more optimized driver configurations.

The rank of 72 out of 2,887 is notable because it places this combo ahead of the vast majority of systems, including those with newer or more expensive components. The data shows that the combo’s performance is consistent across resolutions, with the highest average FPS of 442 at 1080p Low and the lowest of 126 at 4K Ultra. This range of performance indicates that the system scales well with increasing graphical load, maintaining playable frame rates even at the most demanding settings.

When comparing to the nearest rivals of the CPU and GPU individually, the combo’s rank makes sense. The CPU is 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, and the GPU is 0.1% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 in average score, meaning the combo is effectively at parity with the previous generation flagship. The fact that it ranks 72nd suggests that many of the combos above it likely pair the RTX 4080 SUPER with a CPU that has a higher single-core performance or a GPU with a higher factory overclock. However, for practical purposes, the difference between rank 72 and rank 1 in a game like Inside is negligible, as all of these systems are producing frame rates well above 120 FPS at any resolution.

FAQ

*Q: What is the maximum average FPS achievable with this combo in Inside?*

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 442 at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This represents the peak performance of the combo, with the CPU’s 5.80 GHz boost clock and the GPU’s 2,550 MHz boost clock working in tandem to minimize any bottlenecks.

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

A: At 3840x2160, the combo delivers an average FPS of 132 at High settings, 211 at Medium, and 126 at Ultra. The lowest average at 4K is 126 FPS at Ultra settings, which is still well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU in this game?

A: Benchmark results indicate no significant bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the FPS reaches 442, which is a scenario that stresses the CPU heavily. The CPU’s single-thread score of 4,823 in Passmark supports its ability to keep up with the GPU’s frame output, as the FPS scales consistently with resolution changes.

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

A: At 2560x1440, Medium settings yield an average FPS of 336, while Ultra settings yield 200 FPS. This represents a 68% increase in frame rate when dropping from Ultra to Medium, with the min FPS also improving from 286 to 387 in the Medium preset.

Q: How does this combo compare to the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K with the same GPU?

A: The Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has an average benchmark score that is 0.2% higher than the Core Ultra 9 285K. In practical terms for Inside, this difference is negligible, as both CPUs are capable of sustaining frame rates that exceed the GPU’s output in most scenarios.

Q: Is the RTX 4080 SUPER’s 16 GB VRAM sufficient for this game?

A: The 16 GB of GDDR6X memory is far more than required for Inside, which is a 2016 puzzle platformer with modest texture requirements. The GPU’s 736.3 GB/s memory bandwidth ensures that even at 4K Ultra, the memory subsystem is not a limiting factor, as evidenced by the 126 FPS average at those settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the combo’s performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the combo achieves its highest frame rates: 442 FPS at Low, 408 FPS at Medium, 292 FPS at High, and 278 FPS at Ultra. The Medium preset shows a min FPS of 347 and a max FPS of 469, indicating a 35% variance between the lowest and highest frames, which is typical for a game with dynamic scene complexity. The difference between High and Ultra at 1080p is only 14 FPS (292 vs 278), suggesting that the Ultra preset’s additional effects have a minimal performance impact at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain exceptionally high: 396 FPS at Low, 336 FPS at Medium, 210 FPS at High, and 200 FPS at Ultra. The Medium preset again shows a min FPS of 286 and a max of 387, with a variance of 101 FPS. The drop from Low to Medium is 60 FPS, which is a 15% reduction, while the drop from High to Ultra is only 10 FPS, a 5% reduction. This pattern suggests that the game’s Ultra preset at 1440p is not significantly more demanding than High, allowing for a high-quality visual experience without sacrificing much performance.

At 3840x2160, the combo still delivers playable frame rates: 264 FPS at Low, 211 FPS at Medium, 132 FPS at High, and 126 FPS at Ultra. The Medium preset has a min FPS of 180 and a max of 243, which is a 63 FPS variance. The most significant performance drop occurs between Low and Medium, which is a 53 FPS reduction (20%), while the drop from High to Ultra is only 6 FPS (4.5%). This indicates that the Ultra preset at 4K is well-optimized, as the additional graphical features do not proportionally impact performance.

The data reveals a consistent scaling pattern: as resolution increases, the frame rate decreases proportionally, but the relative differences between settings remain stable. For example, the ratio of Low to Ultra FPS is approximately 1.59 at 1080p (442/278), 1.98 at 1440p (396/200), and 2.10 at 4K (264/126). This suggests that the GPU’s 16 GB VRAM and 736.3 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient to handle the increased pixel count without introducing memory-related stutters, as the min FPS values remain high even at 4K Medium.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, featuring the AD103 chip manufactured on a 5 nm process by TSMC. It has 10,240 shading units, 320 texture mapping units, and 112 raster output units, along with 80 RT cores and 320 Tensor cores. The GPU operates at a base clock of 2,295 MHz and a boost clock of 2,550 MHz, with a memory clock of 1,438 MHz (23 Gbps effective) across a 256-bit bus. This configuration provides 16 GB of GDDR6X memory with a bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s, and the GPU’s FP32 performance is rated at 52.22 TFLOPS.

For Inside, the GPU’s role is primarily to render the game’s side-scrolling environments and lighting effects. The game is not graphically intensive, but the RTX 4080 SUPER’s high pixel rate of 285.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 816.0 GTexel/s ensure that even at 4K Ultra, the GPU can maintain frame rates above 120 FPS. The 16 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for the game’s texture assets, and the 736.3 GB/s bandwidth prevents any memory bandwidth bottlenecks, as evidenced by the consistent scaling of FPS with resolution.

The GPU’s benchmark scores reflect its position in the market. It has an average benchmark score of 54,209, placing it in the 86th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, has an average score of 54,247, which is only 0.1% higher, indicating that the SUPER variant offers nearly identical performance to the base model. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X is 1.1% higher, and the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB is 2.7% higher, but these are not direct competitors in the same performance tier.

In the context of the measured FPS, the GPU’s boost clock of 2,550 MHz is crucial for achieving the high frame rates at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the GPU is likely not fully utilized, as the CPU’s 5.80 GHz boost clock can feed frames faster than the GPU can render them, resulting in 442 FPS. As resolution increases to 4K, the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck, but its 52.22 TFLOPS of compute power still allows for 126 FPS at Ultra settings. The data suggests that the RTX 4080 SUPER is overkill for Inside, as even the most demanding settings at 4K do not push the GPU to its limits.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset depends on the user’s display refresh rate and resolution preference. For users with a 60 Hz display, any preset at any resolution will provide a smooth experience, as the lowest average FPS recorded is 126 at 4K Ultra. However, for users with high-refresh-rate displays (144 Hz or higher), the choice of settings becomes more critical.

At 1920x1080, the High preset offers an average FPS of 292, which is sufficient for a 240 Hz display but not for a 360 Hz one. The Ultra preset drops to 278 FPS, which is still above 240 Hz but may not fully utilize a 360 Hz panel. For maximum frame rates, the Low preset at 442 FPS is the best choice, but it sacrifices visual quality. The Medium preset at 408 FPS provides a good balance, with a min FPS of 347, ensuring no noticeable stutters even during complex scenes.

At 2560x1440, the High preset delivers 210 FPS, which is ideal for a 240 Hz display, while the Ultra preset at 200 FPS is also suitable. The Medium preset at 336 FPS is the best option for users with a 360 Hz display, as it maintains a min FPS of 286, which is above the 240 Hz threshold. The Low preset at 396 FPS offers the highest frame rate but may not be necessary given the visual fidelity loss.

At 3840x2160, the High preset at 132 FPS is the recommended choice for a 120 Hz display, as it provides a smooth experience with good visual quality. The Ultra preset at 126 FPS is also viable for 120 Hz displays, but the 6 FPS difference between High and Ultra is minimal, making High the more efficient choice. The Medium preset at 211 FPS is suitable for 144 Hz displays, but the visual quality at Medium may not be worth the 79 FPS gain over High. The Low preset at 264 FPS is the best for 240 Hz displays, but it significantly reduces graphical fidelity.

The data indicates that the Medium preset offers the best balance of performance and visual quality across all resolutions. At 4K, Medium provides 211 FPS with a min of 180 FPS, ensuring a consistent experience even in the most demanding scenes. At 1440p, Medium’s 336 FPS with a min of 286 FPS is ideal for high-refresh-rate gaming. At 1080p, Medium’s 408 FPS with a min of 347 FPS is more than sufficient for any display. Therefore, the Medium preset is the recommended default for this combo, as it delivers frame rates that exceed the refresh rates of most monitors while maintaining acceptable visual quality.