Control

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER combination delivers a varied performance profile across Control, with results heavily dependent on resolution and quality settings. The recorded data shows that this pairing can achieve smooth gameplay, but the definition of "smooth" shifts dramatically from 1080p to 4K.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Low, which produces an average of 66 FPS. This is the only 4K setting that clears the playable threshold. The next step up, Medium, falls to an average of 47 FPS, which is a significant drop from the playable zone.

At 2560x1440, the most demanding playable preset is High, with an average of 62 FPS. This just barely clears the 60 FPS line, making it a viable option for most users. The Medium preset runs at 70 FPS, which offers more headroom, but High is the highest quality option that remains playable. Low runs at 98 FPS, and Ultra drops below the threshold at 54 FPS.

At 1920x1080, the most demanding playable preset is Ultra, which achieves an average of 71 FPS. This is a strong result, as the highest quality settings are fully accessible at this resolution. The High preset runs at 82 FPS, Medium at 92 FPS, and Low at 130 FPS. All four presets at 1080p clear the 60 FPS threshold, so users can choose their preferred balance of quality and performance.

The pattern is clear: the RTX 2070 SUPER has enough power for max settings at 1080p, but at higher resolutions, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, forcing a downgrade in visual fidelity to maintain playability.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data suggests that the GPU is the primary bottleneck in Control for this combination, especially as resolution increases. This is evident from the scaling between presets. At 1920x1080, the difference between Low and Ultra is 59 FPS (130 down to 71). At 2560x1440, the same preset comparison yields a 44 FPS difference (98 down to 54). At 3840x2160, the difference is 30 FPS (66 down to 36). The shrinking gap between Low and Ultra as resolution increases indicates that the GPU is becoming more saturated, and the CPU has less influence on the final frame rate.

The Ryzen 5 8400F, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, provides a solid foundation that does not appear to hold the GPU back at lower resolutions. The 1080p Low result of 130 FPS shows that the CPU can drive high frame rates when the GPU load is lighter. As resolution climbs, the GPU's workload increases, and the CPU's role diminishes. The 4K Medium result of 47 FPS, for example, suggests that the GPU is struggling with the pixel count, regardless of CPU capability.

The processor's benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 20851, indicate a capable mid-range part. But in Control, the frame rates are largely dictated by the GPU's pixel throughput. The RTX 2070 SUPER has a texture rate of 283.2 GTexel/s and a pixel rate of 113.3 GPixel/s, which are the raw capabilities that determine how fast it can fill the screen. The data shows that these rates are sufficient for 1080p Ultra but insufficient for 4K Medium.

Measured FPS Breakdown

3840x2160

• Low: Average 66 FPS, no min or max recorded.
• Medium: Average 47 FPS, minimum 40 FPS, maximum 54 FPS.
• High: Average 42 FPS, no min or max recorded.
• Ultra: Average 36 FPS, no min or max recorded.

2560x1440

• Low: Average 98 FPS, no min or max recorded.
• Medium: Average 70 FPS, minimum 59 FPS, maximum 80 FPS.
• High: Average 62 FPS, no min or max recorded.
• Ultra: Average 54 FPS, no min or max recorded.

1920x1080

• Low: Average 130 FPS, no min or max recorded.
• Medium: Average 92 FPS, minimum 78 FPS, maximum 106 FPS.
• High: Average 82 FPS, no min or max recorded.
• Ultra: Average 71 FPS, no min or max recorded.

The Medium preset is the only one with recorded minimum and maximum values across all resolutions. At 1440p Medium, the minimum of 59 FPS is just one frame short of the 60 FPS threshold, meaning there will be occasional dips below the playable line. At 1080p Medium, the minimum of 78 FPS provides a comfortable buffer. At 4K Medium, the minimum of 40 FPS shows that the game can stutter significantly, making this preset a poor choice for that resolution.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the nearest rivals in the database include the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F with an average score of 24964, which is only 0.2% different from the Ryzen 5 8400F's 25005. The Intel Core i7-11850H (24935) and Intel Core i7-13620H (24911) are also within 0.4% of the 8400F's score. These processors would deliver nearly identical performance in Control, as the CPU is not the primary limiting factor in most scenarios. The AMD EPYC 9474F (25103) is 0.4% higher, but its server-oriented design makes it an unusual comparison for a gaming build.

For the GPU, the RTX 2070 SUPER's average benchmark score is 20282. The nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M (20480, 1% lower), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (20534, 1.2% lower), the Intel Arc B570 (20556, 1.3% lower), and the Intel Arc A750 (20582, 1.5% lower). These GPUs are all within a narrow performance band, meaning users with any of these graphics cards would see very similar frame rates in Control. The RTX 3070 Mobile, despite being a laptop part, is effectively a peer of the desktop RTX 2070 SUPER in this database's measurements. This suggests that the 2070 SUPER, while older, still holds its own against newer mainstream options.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Ryzen 5 8400F and RTX 2070 SUPER ranks 2152 out of 3720 tested combos for Control, placing it in the 58th percentile of all systems in the database. This is a mid-pack result, reflecting that this is a competent but not top-tier setup for this specific game. The rank indicates that many other hardware pairings deliver higher frame rates, but a substantial portion of the database also performs worse.

The percentile rankings for the individual components tell a similar story. The CPU is in the 77th percentile among all CPUs, while the GPU is in the 65th percentile among all GPUs. The combo's overall rank in Control is lower than the CPU's percentile, which aligns with the observation that the GPU is the limiting factor. The RTX 2070 SUPER's 65th percentile is the weaker link, and this drags the combined performance down relative to the CPU's capabilities.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Control at 4K with high settings?

A: No. The High preset at 3840x2160 averages 42 FPS, which is well below the 60 FPS threshold. The only playable 4K setting is Low, which averages 66 FPS.

Q: What is the best quality setting at 1440p?

A: The High preset averages 62 FPS, making it the highest quality option that stays above 60 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 54 FPS, which is not playable.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU matter more for this game?

A: The GPU is the primary factor. The frame rate gap between Low and Ultra shrinks as resolution increases, from 59 FPS at 1080p to 30 FPS at 4K, indicating the GPU becomes the bottleneck at higher resolutions.

Q: How does the RTX 2070 SUPER compare to the Intel Arc A750?

A: The RTX 2070 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 20282, while the Arc A750 scores 20582, which is 1.5% higher. This is a negligible difference, so the two GPUs would perform almost identically in Control.

Q: Is 1080p Ultra playable with this setup?

A: Yes. The Ultra preset at 1920x1080 averages 71 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS threshold with a small margin. All other 1080p presets are also playable.

Q: What is the minimum FPS at 1440p Medium?

A: The recorded minimum is 59 FPS, which is just below the 60 FPS playable threshold. This means there may be brief stutters, but the average of 70 FPS makes it a viable setting.

The Verdict

This PC can run Control, but the experience depends heavily on resolution. At 1920x1080, the system is fully capable, with the Ultra preset averaging 71 FPS and all settings clearing the 60 FPS threshold. This is the ideal resolution for this combination, as it allows for maximum visual quality without sacrificing smoothness.

At 2560x1440, the system is partially capable. The High, Medium, and Low presets are all playable, with High averaging 62 FPS. However, the Ultra preset at 54 FPS is not playable, so users must compromise on settings. The Medium preset's minimum of 59 FPS also suggests occasional dips below the target.

At 3840x2160, the system is barely capable. Only the Low preset, averaging 66 FPS, is playable. The Medium preset's 47 FPS average and 40 FPS minimum make it a poor choice, and High and Ultra are far below the threshold. For 4K gaming, this combo requires significant graphical compromises.

The data shows that the RTX 2070 SUPER is the limiting factor. The Ryzen 5 8400F provides sufficient CPU performance, but the GPU cannot handle high resolutions with demanding settings. For a smooth experience at 1440p or 4K, users would need to lower settings significantly or consider a more powerful GPU. At 1080p, this setup is a strong performer, delivering high frame rates across all presets.