Control

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 combination delivers exceptionally high performance in Control, a 2019 Action Adventure title. Measured data shows this build clears the 60 FPS playable threshold at every tested resolution and preset, with the most demanding settings—Ultra at 4K—still averaging 76 FPS. The pairing of a 6-core, 12-thread Zen 4 processor with a 24 GB Ada Lovelace flagship GPU creates a system that is effectively overqualified for this game, offering headroom far beyond standard high-refresh-rate gaming needs. The following analysis breaks down the component roles, ranking, and optimal settings using the benchmark data.

FAQ

*Q: Can this combo run Control at 4K Ultra settings?*

A: Yes. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 76 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold. This is the most demanding preset tested, and it still maintains a comfortable margin.

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combo for maximum performance?

A: At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves its highest measured average FPS of 234. However, for the best balance of visual quality and speed, the Ultra preset at 2560x1440 delivers 113 FPS, which is likely the sweet spot for high-refresh-rate monitors.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in raw benchmark scores?

A: The Ryzen 5 7500X3D has an average benchmark score of 44573. It is 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H (44466), 0.5% ahead of the Intel Core i9-13950HX (44342), and 0.6% ahead of the AMD Ryzen AI Max 385 (44309). The Intel Core i5-14600 scores 44889, which is 0.7% higher than the 7500X3D.

Q: Is the RTX 4090 significantly faster than its closest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 4090's average benchmark score is 60347. It performs nearly identically to the Intel Arc Pro A60, which has a deltaPct of 0% (score 60326). It is 0.3% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 (60140) and 2.9% ahead of the AMD Radeon PRO V710 (58657). The AMD Radeon Pro W6600M is 2.5% faster with a score of 61896.

Q: What is the measured FPS difference between Low and Ultra presets at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the average FPS drops from 234 on Low settings to 149 on Ultra settings. This represents a 36% reduction in frame rate from the lowest to the highest visual quality preset.

Q: Does the system maintain 60 FPS even in the worst-case scenario?

A: Yes. The only preset with a reported minimum FPS is Medium at all resolutions. At 3840x2160 Medium, the minimum is 84 FPS; at 2560x1440 Medium, the minimum is 124 FPS; and at 1920x1080 Medium, the minimum is 165 FPS. All minimums are well above the 60 FPS threshold.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data indicates that the GPU is the primary performance driver in Control, but the CPU provides enough headroom to avoid bottlenecking at any resolution. Examining the scaling between resolutions reveals this dynamic clearly. At 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 149. Moving to 2560x1440 Ultra reduces the average to 113 FPS, a 24% decrease. At 3840x2160 Ultra, the average drops further to 76 FPS, another 33% decrease from the 1440p figure. This steep decline in performance as resolution increases is a classic sign of GPU-bound rendering; the RTX 4090 is doing the heavy lifting.

However, the CPU's role is not negligible. The Ryzen 5 7500X3D, with its 96 MB shared L3 cache and 4.50 GHz boost clock, ensures that frame times remain consistent. The difference between Low and Ultra presets at the same resolution is instructive. At 1080p, performance drops from 234 FPS (Low) to 149 FPS (Ultra), a 36% reduction. At 1440p, the drop is from 206 FPS (Low) to 113 FPS (Ultra), a 45% reduction. At 4K, Low yields 139 FPS, while Ultra yields 76 FPS, a 45% reduction. The near-identical percentage drop at 1440p and 4K suggests that the CPU is not becoming a limiting factor as resolution increases; the GPU's workload is scaling consistently.

The data also shows that the CPU is more than capable of feeding the GPU at lower resolutions where frame rates are extremely high. At 1080p Low, the system produces 234 FPS, which requires substantial single-thread performance. The 7500X3D's PassMark single-thread score of 3494 and its 89th percentile ranking among all CPUs indicate it has the necessary processing power. In this title, the GPU is clearly the dominant component for visual fidelity, but the CPU's 25047 multi-thread score ensures that physics, AI, and game logic are processed without introducing stutters, even at the highest frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 ranks 157th out of 3720 tested combos for Control. This places the system in the top 4.2% of all configurations in the database for this game. The high rank is primarily attributable to the RTX 4090, which sits in the 88th percentile of all GPUs. While the CPU is also strong, ranking in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, the GPU's raw fill rate and compute power are what push this combo to such an elite position.

The rank of 157 out of 3720 means that 3563 other combinations of CPUs and GPUs produce lower average FPS in Control. This is a significant achievement, especially considering the game's release date of 2019. The combination is not just playable but delivers excessive performance, making it suitable for future titles or for running the game with high frame rates on very high refresh rate displays. It is important to note that this rank is specific to Control; the combo's relative standing may vary in other games based on their individual engine requirements and optimizations.

The Verdict

The data confirms that this PC can run Control flawlessly across all tested settings. The verdict by resolution is unambiguous: every resolution and preset combination clears the 60 FPS playable threshold. At 3840x2160, all four presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—are playable. The best settings at 4K are Ultra, which achieves an average of 76 FPS. This is a strong result, as many systems struggle to maintain 60 FPS at 4K Ultra in demanding titles, but the RTX 4090 handles it with ease.

At 2560x1440, the system is even more comfortable. All presets are playable, with Ultra settings delivering 113 FPS. This level of performance is ideal for 1440p monitors with refresh rates of 120Hz or higher. At 1920x1080, the performance is staggering. Ultra settings produce 149 FPS, while Low settings reach 234 FPS. For competitive or fast-paced play, the 1080p Low preset offers the absolute highest frame rate, but the Ultra preset is more than sufficient for a smooth experience on any monitor. The verdict is simple: this combo is overkill for Control at any resolution, providing a consistently smooth experience with maximum visual quality.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the CPU and GPU provide insight into what other hardware would behave similarly in this system. For the Ryzen 5 7500X3D, the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H is the closest match, with an average benchmark score just 0.2% lower. The Intel Core i9-13950HX and AMD Ryzen AI Max 385 are also within 0.6% of the 7500X3D's score. These CPUs would offer nearly identical performance in Control, meaning a system with any of these processors paired with an RTX 4090 would likely see the same high frame rates. The Intel Core i5-14600 is slightly faster, with a score 0.7% higher, which could translate to a marginal FPS improvement in CPU-bound scenarios, though the data suggests the GPU is the limiting factor.

On the GPU side, the RTX 4090's nearest rival is the Intel Arc Pro A60, which has an identical average score (deltaPct of 0%). However, this is a workstation-class GPU, and its gaming performance in Control would be expected to be similar to the RTX 4090 based on the benchmark data. The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 is 0.3% slower, and the AMD Radeon PRO V710 is 2.9% slower. The AMD Radeon Pro W6600M is 2.5% faster. Swapping the RTX 4090 for any of these GPUs would result in very similar frame rates, with the W6600M potentially offering a slight edge. It is crucial to remember that these comparisons are based solely on average benchmark scores and deltaPct values, not on specific gaming performance metrics, but the data suggests they would be functionally equivalent for this game.

Best Settings per Resolution

The optimal settings are defined as the most demanding preset that maintains an average FPS at or above the 60 FPS playable threshold. Based on the measured data, the best settings for each resolution are as follows:

• 3840x2160 (4K): Ultra settings are the most demanding playable option, with an average FPS of 76. This provides the highest visual fidelity available in the game while still delivering a smooth experience. The 60 FPS threshold is cleared by a significant margin, leaving room for potential frame drops without falling below playable levels.

• 2560x1440 (1440p): Ultra settings are again the best choice, achieving 113 FPS on average. This is more than enough for a high-refresh-rate 1440p monitor. The performance here is so strong that even the most demanding preset leaves substantial headroom, making this resolution the sweet spot for balancing visual quality and raw speed.

• 1920x1080 (1080p): Ultra settings deliver 149 FPS, which is the best option for maximum visual quality. While lower presets like Low (234 FPS) and Medium (194 FPS) offer higher frame rates, the Ultra preset still provides a frame rate that is far above the 60 FPS threshold. For users with monitors that support refresh rates above 149Hz, choosing a lower preset may be beneficial, but for standard 60Hz or 144Hz displays, Ultra is the recommended setting.