Control

Measured FPS Breakdown

Starting with 1920x1080, this combination delivers its strongest results. At Low settings, the average frame rate reaches 119.7 FPS, which is the highest recorded value across all resolutions and presets. Medium settings produce an average of 86.8 FPS, while High settings come in at 76.5 FPS. The most demanding preset, Ultra, still holds an average of 65 FPS. Every preset at 1080p clears the 60 FPS playability threshold by a comfortable margin.

Moving up to 2560x1440, the performance drop is noticeable but not severe. Low settings average 91.2 FPS, which remains well above the playable threshold. Medium settings average 62.1 FPS, and High settings average 60.2 FPS, both just barely clearing the 60 FPS line. Ultra settings, however, fall short with an average of 50.1 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at this resolution is roughly 41 FPS, showing that the preset selection heavily influences the experience.

At 3840x2160, 4K resolution proves demanding for this hardware. Low settings average 64.2 FPS, which is the only preset at this resolution that clears the 60 FPS threshold. Medium settings drop to 45.5 FPS, High settings fall to 38.3 FPS, and Ultra averages 33.7 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 4K at the same preset is significant: for example, High settings drop from 76.5 FPS at 1080p to 38.3 FPS at 4K, a reduction of roughly half. No min or max FPS values were recorded in the database for any preset or resolution, so the analysis relies entirely on average frame rates.

CPU and GPU Roles

The recorded data shows a clear pattern: resolution scaling affects this combination primarily through GPU load. At 1080p, even the Ultra preset averages 65 FPS, which suggests that the AMD Radeon RX 7600 is the limiting factor only at higher resolutions. The AMD Ryzen 5 2600, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, appears sufficient to feed the GPU at 1080p across all presets, since the frame rates scale smoothly with preset changes rather than collapsing due to CPU bottlenecks.

At 2560x1440, the GPU begins to show its limits. The average FPS at High settings is 60.2, barely above the playability threshold. The drop from 1080p High (76.5 FPS) to 1440p High (60.2 FPS) is a reduction of about 21%. This scaling is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario, where the RX 7600's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 288.0 GB/s bandwidth are being pushed harder as pixel count rises.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the dominant constraint. The difference between Low (64.2 FPS) and Medium (45.5 FPS) is nearly 19 FPS, and the difference between Medium and High is another 7.2 FPS. This steep drop-off across presets indicates that the RX 7600 cannot maintain playable frame rates at 4K once texture quality and shading complexity increase. The CPU's role at 4K is minimal, as the frame rates are dictated almost entirely by the GPU's rendering throughput.

Comparing presets at the same resolution reinforces this interpretation. At 1080p, the jump from Low (119.7 FPS) to Ultra (65 FPS) shows a 54.7 FPS difference, which is a GPU-side scaling effect. At 1440p, the same preset range spans from 91.2 FPS down to 50.1 FPS, a 41.1 FPS difference. At 4K, the range is from 64.2 FPS down to 33.7 FPS, a 30.5 FPS difference. The shrinking absolute gap at higher resolutions is typical of a GPU that is increasingly saturated, meaning the CPU has less influence on the final frame rate as resolution climbs.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, with an average of 65 FPS. This means users can run the game with maximum settings at 1080p while remaining above the playable threshold. The headroom above 60 FPS is only 5 FPS, so the margin is modest, but it is enough for a stable experience based on the recorded averages.

At 2560x1440, the best preset that maintains at least 60 FPS is High, with an average of 60.2 FPS. This is a razor-thin margin of just 0.2 FPS above the threshold. Medium settings also qualify with 62.1 FPS, but High is the more demanding preset that still clears the line. Ultra settings at 1440p average 50.1 FPS and therefore do not qualify.

At 3840x2160, the only preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Low, with an average of 64.2 FPS. Medium, High, and Ultra all fall below the threshold, with averages of 45.5, 38.3, and 33.7 FPS respectively. The margin at Low is 4.2 FPS, which is reasonable but not large. Users targeting 4K will need to accept Low settings to keep the game playable.

The Verdict

The data indicates that this PC can run Control at 1080p with all presets including Ultra, since the Ultra preset averages 65 FPS and the playable threshold is 60 FPS. At 1440p, the system can run High settings with an average of 60.2 FPS, but Ultra falls short at 50.1 FPS. At 4K, only Low settings are playable, with an average of 64.2 FPS.

The verdict by resolution is clear. At 3840x2160, the playable settings list contains only Low. At 2560x1440, the playable settings are High, Low, and Medium, with High being the best. At 1920x1080, all four presets are playable, and Ultra is the best. The overall ranking of this CPU and GPU combination in the game database is 2470 out of 3720 tested combinations, which places it in the lower-middle portion of the field.

For users who prioritize high visual fidelity, 1080p Ultra is the sweet spot. For those who want a balance between resolution and quality, 1440p High offers exactly 60.2 FPS, but the margin is thin enough that any additional background load could push it below the threshold. 4K gaming is only viable with Low settings, which may not provide the visual experience most users expect from that resolution.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the AMD Ryzen 5 2600, based on average benchmark scores, include the Intel Core Ultra 5 228V, which scores 21440 and is 0.2% faster than the Ryzen 5 2600's average of 21484. The Intel Core i9-11900H scores 21367, which is 0.5% slower. The Intel Xeon D-1746TER scores 21635, which is 0.7% faster. The AMD EPYC 9454 scores 21223, which is 1.2% slower. All four rivals are within a narrow 1.9 percentage point band of the Ryzen 5 2600, meaning any of them would deliver nearly identical CPU-bound behavior in Control at 1080p.

For the AMD Radeon RX 7600, the nearest rivals, based on average GPU benchmark scores, include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM, which scores 15199 and is 0.2% slower than the RX 7600's average of 15171. The AMD Radeon Pro 560X scores 15082, which is 0.6% faster. The AMD Radeon 680M scores 15270, which is 0.7% slower. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti scores 15063, which is 0.7% faster. The spread among these rivals is also narrow, ranging from 0.6% faster to 0.7% slower, so swapping the RX 7600 for any of them would result in a very similar frame rate profile across the measured presets.

Users considering alternative hardware should expect comparable performance from any of these CPUs or GPUs, since the delta percentages are all under 1.2%. The combination of a Ryzen 5 2600-class CPU with an RX 7600-class GPU is well balanced for this game at 1080p, and the same conclusions about preset viability would likely apply with these near-equivalent parts.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Control at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings?

A: Yes. The recorded average FPS at 1080p Ultra is 65, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the best preset at 2560x1440 that stays at or above 60 FPS?

A: High settings, with an average of 60.2 FPS. Medium also qualifies at 62.1 FPS, but High is the most demanding preset that clears the threshold.

Q: Is 4K gaming possible with this hardware?

A: Only at Low settings, which average 64.2 FPS. Medium, High, and Ultra all fall below 60 FPS, with averages of 45.5, 38.3, and 33.7 FPS respectively.

Q: Which component limits performance at 3840x2160?

A: The GPU is the dominant constraint at 4K. The frame rate drops steeply from Low to Medium and continues falling at higher presets, while the CPU has little influence at this resolution.

Q: How does the AMD Ryzen 5 2600 compare to its nearest rivals in benchmark scores?

A: The Ryzen 5 2600 has an average benchmark score of 21484. The Intel Core Ultra 5 228V is 0.2% faster, the Intel Core i9-11900H is 0.5% slower, the Intel Xeon D-1746TER is 0.7% faster, and the AMD EPYC 9454 is 1.2% slower.

Q: How does the AMD Radeon RX 7600 compare to its nearest rivals in benchmark scores?

A: The RX 7600 has an average benchmark score of 15171. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is 0.2% slower, the AMD Radeon Pro 560X is 0.6% faster, the AMD Radeon 680M is 0.7% slower, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti is 0.7% faster.