Control

Control is a demanding action-adventure title that stresses both CPU and GPU, and the AMD Ryzen 5 5600G + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 combination delivers a very playable experience at most settings. Measured performance data shows this pairing handles the game well across 1080p and 1440p, though 4K requires compromises. The data indicates that the RTX 3070 carries most of the load, while the 5600G's six Zen 3 cores provide sufficient headroom for high frame rates. This analysis breaks down the optimal settings per resolution, the division of labor between CPU and GPU, and how this specific combo stacks up against other tested hardware.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, achieving an average of 84.8 FPS. This is a strong result, as it leaves considerable performance headroom above the 60 FPS threshold. The data shows the Low preset hits 158.2 FPS, Medium reaches 113.2 FPS, and High lands at 99.1 FPS, meaning even the highest quality settings are fully playable with room to spare.

Moving to 2560x1440, the best playable setting remains Ultra, with an average of 67.3 FPS. This is a tighter margin over the 60 FPS line, but it still clears the threshold comfortably. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a drop of 17.5 FPS at Ultra settings, which is a modest penalty for the resolution increase. High settings at this resolution produce 75 FPS, Medium yields 87.2 FPS, and Low reaches 120.3 FPS, so all presets remain above the playable mark.

At 3840x2160, the situation changes dramatically. The most demanding preset that maintains at least 60 FPS is Medium, which averages 60.2 FPS. This is a razor-thin margin, sitting just above the playable threshold. Ultra settings drop to 43.2 FPS, High falls to 49.6 FPS, and only Low, at 81.7 FPS, provides substantial headroom. The data shows that 4K requires dropping to Medium quality to avoid frame rate dips, and even then, the margin is minimal.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data reveals that the GPU is the dominant factor at every resolution, but the CPU's influence becomes more apparent at lower resolutions. At 1920x1080, the frame rates are high across all presets, ranging from 84.8 FPS at Ultra to 158.2 FPS at Low. The wide spread between presets indicates that the RTX 3070 is the limiting factor, as reducing graphical load yields massive gains. However, the CPU's 12 threads and Zen 3 architecture are sufficient to feed the GPU at these rates, preventing a CPU bottleneck.

At 2560x1440, the same pattern holds. The difference between Low (120.3 FPS) and Ultra (67.3 FPS) is 53 FPS, showing that GPU load dominates. The transition from 1080p to 1440p at Ultra settings costs 17.5 FPS, which is a moderate reduction. This suggests that the RTX 3070 is working harder, while the Ryzen 5 5600G remains capable of keeping up with the increased frame time demands.

The 3840x2160 results tell a clearer story about GPU dominance. At 4K, the frame rate drops significantly across all settings, with Ultra at 43.2 FPS and Medium at 60.2 FPS. The gap between Low (81.7 FPS) and Medium (60.2 FPS) is 21.5 FPS, while the gap between Medium and High (49.6 FPS) is 10.6 FPS. This non-linear scaling is typical of GPU-bound scenarios, where pixel throughput becomes the primary constraint. The CPU's role diminishes further at 4K, as the GPU is clearly the bottleneck. The Ryzen 5 5600G's performance, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 10551 and a PassMark multi-thread score of 19717, is more than adequate for this game, but the RTX 3070's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are the deciding factors at high resolutions.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Control at 4K with Ultra settings?

A: No. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 43.2 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The best playable setting at 4K is Medium, which averages 60.2 FPS.

Q: What is the highest preset that maintains 60 FPS at 1440p?

A: Ultra settings at 2560x1440 produce an average of 67.3 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold. All presets, from Low to Ultra, are playable at this resolution.

Q: How much performance does the CPU contribute compared to the GPU?

A: The data shows the GPU is the primary bottleneck at all resolutions. For example, at 1080p, dropping from Ultra (84.8 FPS) to Low (158.2 FPS) yields a 73.4 FPS gain, indicating GPU load is the main constraint. The CPU's 12 threads and Zen 3 architecture are sufficient to avoid bottlenecking, but they are not the limiting factor.

Q: Is the RTX 3070's 8 GB VRAM enough for Control?

A: The measured data shows playable performance at 1440p Ultra (67.3 FPS) and 1080p Ultra (84.8 FPS), which suggests the 8 GB VRAM is adequate for these settings. At 4K, the VRAM may be a constraint, as only Medium settings (60.2 FPS) stay above the playable threshold.

Q: How does the combo rank compared to all tested configurations?

A: This combo ranks 1598 out of 3720 tested combinations, placing it in the upper half of all systems benchmarked for Control. This indicates it performs better than roughly 57% of tested combos.

Q: What settings would you recommend for a smooth 4K experience?

A: Medium settings at 3840x2160, which average 60.2 FPS, are the most demanding option that clears the 60 FPS threshold. Low settings provide more headroom at 81.7 FPS, but Medium is the highest quality playable preset.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600G + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 combination ranks 1598 out of 3720 tested combos for Control. This places it in the 57th percentile of all configurations, meaning it outperforms the majority of tested systems. The ranking reflects a balanced pairing: the RTX 3070, which sits in the 61st percentile of all GPUs, and the Ryzen 5 5600G, which sits in the 74th percentile of all CPUs. The GPU's percentile is notably lower than the CPU's, which confirms that the graphics card is the limiting factor in this pairing.

The combo's position in the upper half of the database is consistent with its measured performance. At 1080p, it delivers 84.8 FPS at Ultra settings, which is a solid result for a game released in 2019. At 1440p, it maintains 67.3 FPS at Ultra, and at 4K, it drops to 60.2 FPS at Medium. These numbers show that the combo is well-suited for high-refresh-rate 1080p and 1440p gaming, but it is not a 4K powerhouse. The rank of 1598 out of 3720 suggests that while this is not a top-tier configuration, it is comfortably above average and capable of delivering a smooth experience for most players.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the Ryzen 5 5600G's nearest rivals are all within a narrow performance band. The Intel Core i3-1220P has an average score of 21066, which is 0.1% lower than the 5600G's average benchmark score of 21088. The Intel Core Ultra 7 256V scores 21112, a -0.1% delta, meaning it is essentially identical in performance. The AMD Ryzen 5 7530U scores 21133, a -0.2% delta, and the Intel Core Ultra 7 155U scores 21174, a -0.4% delta. All four rivals fall within a 0.5% performance range, so any of these processors would behave nearly identically to the 5600G in Control.

For the GPU, the RTX 3070's nearest rivals show a slightly wider spread. The AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT has an average score of 17083, which is 0.7% lower than the RTX 3070's average of 17208. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 scores 17037, a 1% delta, and the AMD Radeon HD 7970M scores 17019, a 1.1% delta. On the higher end, the NVIDIA Tesla K40c scores 17468, a -1.5% delta. These rivals are all within 2.6% of the RTX 3070's performance, meaning they would deliver very similar frame rates in Control. However, the RTX 3070's modern architecture and driver support make it a more practical choice for this game than the older GTX 690 or HD 7970M.

The Verdict

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600G + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 can run Control, and it does so well at most resolutions. At 1920x1080, the verdict is clear: Ultra settings deliver 84.8 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold. All four presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—are playable, with even the lowest preset hitting 158.2 FPS. This makes the combo excellent for 1080p gaming, with plenty of headroom for high refresh rates.

At 2560x1440, the verdict remains positive. Ultra settings average 67.3 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS threshold by a comfortable margin. All presets are playable, with Low reaching 120.3 FPS and High at 75 FPS. This resolution is the sweet spot for this combo, balancing visual quality with performance.

At 3840x2160, the verdict is more cautious. The best playable setting is Medium, which averages 60.2 FPS—just barely above the threshold. Ultra settings drop to 43.2 FPS and High to 49.6 FPS, both unplayable. Only Low (81.7 FPS) and Medium provide acceptable performance. In summary, this combo is a capable 1080p and 1440p machine for Control, but 4K players must accept Medium settings or lower. The data shows that the RTX 3070 is the limiting factor at 4K, while the Ryzen 5 5600G holds up well across all resolutions.