Inside

Inside is a 2016 puzzle platformer that remains a demanding showcase for integrated graphics, and the combination of the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H with the AMD Radeon 890M produces a specific, measurable performance profile. The data indicates this pairing is positioned near the bottom of the tested combo spectrum, ranking 2714 out of 2887 combinations, yet it still delivers playable frame rates at multiple settings and resolutions. This analysis breaks down the CPU and GPU contributions, scaling behavior, and exact measured performance figures from the benchmark database.

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

The Intel Core Ultra X9 388H is a 16-core, 16-thread mobile processor built on Intel's Panther Lake architecture and 3 nm process node. It operates with a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, drawing a 25 W TDP. The chip features a three-tier cache hierarchy: 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 18 MB of L3 cache. Memory support is limited to LPDDR5X over a dual-channel bus, providing a maximum bandwidth of 153.6 GB/s. The CPU's integrated graphics are listed as the Arc B390, though the benchmark data uses the discrete AMD Radeon 890M for gaming outcomes.

In synthetic CPU benchmarks, the Core Ultra X9 388H posts strong numbers that suggest ample headroom for a game like Inside. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score is 18911, with a single-core score of 2200.5. The PassMark multithread score reaches 36811, and the single-thread score is 4280. These results place the processor at the 88th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 44466. The nearest rivals are tightly clustered: the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D scores 44573 (a delta of -0.2%), the Intel Core i9-13950HX scores 44342 (+0.3%), the AMD Ryzen AI Max 385 scores 44309 (+0.4%), and the Intel Core i5-13600 scores 44240 (+0.5%). This indicates the Ultra X9 388H is essentially performance-equivalent to those desktop and mobile heavyweights.

For Inside, a puzzle platformer that relies on physics interactions and lighting, the CPU's single-thread performance is likely the more critical factor. The PassMark single-thread score of 4280 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2200.5 are both high enough to avoid bottlenecking the GPU in most scenes. The 16 threads also provide plenty of parallelism for background tasks, but the game's relatively simple AI and collision logic do not appear to stress the multicore capabilities heavily, given the CPU's strong showing in multicore tests like Cinebench R15 (2955) and PassMark integer math (90882). The data suggests that the CPU is not the limiting component in this combo; instead, it provides a stable foundation for the GPU to work from.

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

The AMD Radeon 890M is an integrated graphics processor based on the RDNA 3.5 architecture, fabricated on a 4 nm TSMC process. It is part of the Strix Point mobile generation, with a chip that contains 34,000 million transistors on a 233 mm² die. The GPU operates with a base clock of 400 MHz and a boost clock of 2900 MHz, but its memory configuration is entirely system-shared, meaning there is no dedicated VRAM. Memory type, bus width, and bandwidth are all listed as "System Shared" or "System Dependent," which ties the GPU's performance directly to the speed and capacity of the system's LPDDR5X RAM.

The GPU's compute resources are modest: 1024 shading units, 64 texture mapping units, and 32 raster operation units, along with 16 ray tracing cores. Its peak theoretical performance is 5.939 TFLOPS for both FP32 and FP16 operations. The pixel rate is 92.80 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 185.6 GTexel/s. The GPU supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, which covers the API requirements of Inside. Its TDP is listed at 15 W, highlighting its efficiency-focused design.

Benchmark results show the 890M sits at the 45th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 9210. Its nearest rivals are all older or lower-tier parts: the AMD Radeon Vega 8 scores 9221 (-0.1%), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 scores 9273 (-0.7%), the GTX 465 scores 9294 (-0.9%), and the GTX 850M scores 9302 (-1%). This places the integrated GPU firmly in the range of a mid-range discrete card from several generations ago. For Inside, the GPU's performance is the primary constraint. The game's visual style, which features dark environments and dynamic lighting, relies heavily on the GPU's shading and texture units. The 890M's 1024 shading units are sufficient for low to medium settings at 1080p, but the lack of dedicated VRAM means higher resolutions and settings will quickly exhaust available memory bandwidth, as seen in the measured FPS scaling.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases, which strongly indicates that the GPU is the limiting component in this combo. At 1080p with Low settings, the average frame rate is 139 FPS. This drops to 100 FPS at 1440p and then to 63 FPS at 4K. The scaling is almost linear with pixel count: moving from 1080p to 1440p (a 77% increase in pixels) reduces performance by 28%, while moving from 1440p to 4K (a 125% increase) reduces performance by 37%. This suggests the system is hitting a compute or bandwidth wall that scales directly with the GPU's workload.

At Medium settings, the pattern holds. The average FPS at 1080p is 111, dropping to 80 at 1440p and 50 at 4K. The minimum FPS values also scale proportionally: 94 at 1080p, 68 at 1440p, and 43 at 4K. High settings show a similar trend, with 69 FPS at 1080p, 50 at 1440p, and 31 at 4K. Ultra settings are the most punishing, with 66 FPS at 1080p, 47 at 1440p, and 30 at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 4K at Ultra settings is a 55% reduction, which is less severe than the Low settings drop, indicating that the GPU is already saturated at lower resolutions when the settings are cranked up.

The data shows that the CPU is not the bottleneck because the FPS drops are consistent with GPU-bound behavior. If the CPU were limiting, we would expect to see similar FPS across resolutions, but the numbers clearly decline with each resolution increase. The 153.6 GB/s memory bandwidth of the LPDDR5X is likely a contributing factor, as the shared memory system must serve both the CPU and GPU. At 4K, the GPU requires more data per frame, and the bandwidth constraint becomes evident. This analysis suggests that users should target 1080p for a smooth experience, with 1440p being playable at Medium settings, while 4K is only viable at Low settings for a 60 FPS target.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H and AMD Radeon 890M ranks 2714 out of 2887 tested combos in Inside. This places it in the bottom 6% of all configurations, which is a low position but not entirely unexpected given the GPU's integrated nature. The rank reflects that most other tested combos, which likely include discrete graphics cards, outperform this pairing. However, the absolute performance is still sufficient for playable frame rates in many scenarios.

To contextualize this rank, it is helpful to consider the GPU's position relative to its peers. The 890M scores 9210 on average, which is only 0.1% behind the AMD Radeon Vega 8 and 0.7% behind the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960. These are all older or lower-tier parts, and their presence in the same performance band suggests that the 890M is competitive with entry-level discrete GPUs from a few years ago. The CPU, on the other hand, is a high-end mobile part, ranking in the 88th percentile. The mismatch between the CPU's strength and the GPU's relative weakness results in a combo that is heavily GPU-limited.

The rank of 2714 out of 2887 is a data-driven verdict: this combo is not designed for high-end gaming. It is more suited to casual or older titles like Inside, where the GPU can still deliver acceptable frame rates at lower settings. The measured FPS shows that even at 4K Low, the combo achieves 63 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. At 1080p, it can hit 139 FPS at Low and 69 FPS at High, making it a capable performer for this specific game. The low rank is a reflection of the GPU's limitations in more demanding titles, not a condemnation of its performance in Inside.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS for this combo at 1080p with High settings?

A: The average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings is 69 FPS. This is a playable frame rate for a puzzle platformer, ensuring smooth movement and response.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K resolution in Inside?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, where it averages 63 FPS. At Medium settings, the average drops to 50 FPS, and at High or Ultra settings, it falls to 31 and 30 FPS respectively, which may feel less smooth.

Q: How does the AMD Radeon 890M compare to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960?

A: The 890M has an average benchmark score of 9210, which is 0.7% lower than the GTX 960's score of 9273. This means the two GPUs are nearly identical in overall performance, with the GTX 960 holding a slight edge.

Q: What is the CPU's single-thread performance, and why does it matter for Inside?

A: The CPU's Cinebench R23 single-core score is 2200.5, and its PassMark single-thread score is 4280. This matters because Inside's gameplay relies on physics and logic, which are often single-threaded, so high single-thread performance helps maintain consistent frame pacing.

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

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. As resolution increases from 1080p to 4K, FPS drops significantly, which is a classic sign of GPU-bound performance. The CPU has a high percentile rank (88th) and strong scores, suggesting it has ample headroom.

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

A: The combo ranks 2714 out of 2887 combinations in Inside. This places it near the bottom of the database, but the absolute performance is still sufficient for playable frame rates at lower settings.

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

The following table lists all measured FPS data for the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H and AMD Radeon 890M combination in Inside. All values are averages unless noted otherwise.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: 63 FPS average
• Medium: 50 FPS average, 43 FPS minimum, 58 FPS maximum
• High: 31 FPS average
• Ultra: 30 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: 100 FPS average
• Medium: 80 FPS average, 68 FPS minimum, 92 FPS maximum
• High: 50 FPS average
• Ultra: 47 FPS average

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: 139 FPS average
• Medium: 111 FPS average, 94 FPS minimum, 127 FPS maximum
• High: 69 FPS average
• Ultra: 66 FPS average

The data shows a consistent pattern: Low settings provide the highest frame rates at every resolution, while Ultra settings are the most demanding. The minimum FPS values for Medium settings are notably lower than the averages, indicating some frame time spikes, but they remain above playable thresholds at 1080p and 1440p. At 4K, the minimum FPS of 43 at Medium settings is still playable, but the average of 50 FPS is on the edge of smoothness. For a game like Inside, which benefits from a steady frame rate for its atmospheric puzzles, the recommended settings based on this data would be 1080p High for a balance of visual quality and performance, or 1440p Medium for a higher resolution with a still-acceptable 80 FPS average.