Control

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 combination delivers a solid, if not spectacular, experience in Control. The data shows this pairing is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K requiring significant settings compromises. The RTX 4060 is the primary driver of performance, but the Ryzen 5 5500 provides a capable foundation.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 sits in a crowded performance tier. Its average benchmark score of 19593 places it within a hair's breadth of several close competitors. The most similar alternative is the AMD Ryzen AI 5 430, which scores 19617, a mere 0.1% difference. This suggests that swapping between these two would yield nearly identical frame rates in Control.

The Intel Core i5-12500 is another near-identical performer, with an average score of 19668, putting it 0.4% ahead of the Ryzen 5 5500. This negligible delta means that in practical gaming terms, the two CPUs are interchangeable. On the other side of the coin, the Intel Core i7-10700F scores 19499, which is 0.5% behind the Ryzen 5 5500. Finally, the Intel Core i5-11600KF, with a score of 19723, is 0.7% faster. In all four cases, the performance difference is under 1%, so the choice between these CPUs would not be a deciding factor for Control's frame rate.

On the GPU side, the RTX 4060's position in the market is more unusual. Its average benchmark score of 17639 places it alongside some unexpected company. The closest rival is the AMD Radeon HD 7790, which scores 17666, a 0.2% difference. This is a legacy card, so the comparison is based on aggregate synthetic benchmarks rather than modern feature sets.

The AMD Radeon 780M integrated graphics is a more modern point of comparison, scoring 17588, just 0.3% behind the RTX 4060. The AMD Radeon Pro 560 and Pro 460, professional workstation cards, score 17551 and 17509, respectively, putting them 0.5% and 0.7% behind. While these deltas are small, the RTX 4060's dedicated ray tracing cores and DLSS support would provide a tangible advantage in Control, which utilizes these features.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data clearly indicates that the GPU is the performance bottleneck for this configuration in Control. The most compelling evidence is the scaling across resolutions. When moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 at High settings, the average frame rate drops from 91.9 FPS to 69.5 FPS, a 24% reduction. This is a classic sign of GPU-bound performance, as the workload on the graphics card increases with pixel count. The CPU's workload remains relatively constant, so if the CPU were the limiting factor, the frame rate would stay more stable.

This pattern continues at 3840x2160, where the High preset yields an average of 45.8 FPS. The consistent decline from 91.9 to 69.5 to 45.8 FPS as resolution increases points directly at the RTX 4060 being the component that determines the final frame rate. The CPU is keeping up with the GPU's demands, but it is not the primary driver of performance.

The Ryzen 5 5500's role is to ensure the GPU is fed with enough data. Its 6-core, 12-thread configuration provides sufficient processing power to avoid creating a CPU bottleneck at these settings. The fact that the frame rates scale so predictably with resolution, and the CPU's own benchmark scores are competitive, suggests that the processor is not holding back the RTX 4060. For a game like Control, which is graphically demanding, this means the GPU is the component to watch when tweaking settings.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Control at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, but only with significant compromises. The data shows that at 3840x2160, only the Low preset maintains an average frame rate above 60 FPS, hitting 70.3 FPS. Medium, High, and Ultra presets all fall below this threshold, with averages of 53.7, 45.8, and 38.0 FPS, respectively.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1440p gaming?

A: The Ultra preset is playable at 2560x1440, with an average frame rate of 60.6 FPS. This is just above the 60 FPS playable threshold, so it is the most demanding preset that stays clear of the line.

Q: How does the performance scale between 1080p and 1440p?

A: The scaling is dramatic, indicating GPU-bound performance. For example, at High settings, the average frame rate drops from 91.9 FPS at 1920x1080 to 69.5 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of roughly 24%.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 CPU a bottleneck for the RTX 4060?

A: The data does not suggest a significant CPU bottleneck. The CPU's nearest rivals all perform within 1% of each other, and the frame rates scale predictably with resolution. This indicates that the GPU is the primary performance limiter in this configuration.

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achievable with this hardware?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 137.8 FPS, which occurs at 1920x1080 with the Low preset. This shows the system's peak performance headroom when the graphical load is minimized.

Q: How does this system rank for playing Control?

A: This CPU and GPU combination ranks 1992 out of 3720 total possible combinations for this game. This places it in the upper-middle tier of all tested hardware pairings, indicating a competent but not top-tier setup.

The Verdict

This PC can run Control with playable performance at all three tested resolutions, but the experience varies significantly. At 1920x1080, the system is fully capable, running every preset from Low to Ultra above 60 FPS. The Ultra preset achieves an average of 75.5 FPS, providing a smooth and visually detailed experience.

At 2560x1440, the system remains strong. All four presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—clear the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset just barely makes it, with an average of 60.6 FPS, which is playable but leaves little headroom for demanding scenes. For a more comfortable margin, the High preset at 69.5 FPS is a safer choice.

The 4K experience at 3840x2160 is where the RTX 4060 starts to struggle. Only the Low preset is playable, achieving an average of 70.3 FPS. The High preset falls to 45.8 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to a stutter-prone 38.0 FPS. To play at 4K, you would need to accept a significant reduction in visual fidelity.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data presents the exact average frame rates for each resolution and settings preset.

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its best performance. The Low preset averages 137.8 FPS. Moving up to Medium, the average drops to 99.3 FPS. The High preset yields 91.9 FPS, and the Ultra preset brings the average down to 75.5 FPS.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong. The Low preset averages 107.3 FPS. Medium and High presets are close, with averages of 74.4 FPS and 69.5 FPS, respectively. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, averaging 60.6 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the demands of 4K become apparent. The Low preset averages 70.3 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 53.7 FPS, and the High preset further falls to 45.8 FPS. The Ultra preset is the least playable, with an average of 38.0 FPS.

Best Settings per Resolution

For each resolution, the most demanding preset that maintains an average frame rate at or above 60 FPS is the recommended starting point.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the best choice, as it delivers an average of 75.5 FPS. This allows for maximum visual quality without sacrificing smooth gameplay.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset also qualifies, with an average of 60.6 FPS. This is a playable experience, though the frame rate is close to the 60 FPS threshold. If you prefer more headroom, the High preset at 69.5 FPS is an excellent alternative.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset is the only playable option, averaging 70.3 FPS. This requires a substantial reduction in graphical detail to achieve a smooth frame rate, but it is the only way to play at 4K with this hardware.