Control

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 delivers a strong performance profile in Control, with measured frame rates that comfortably exceed the 60 FPS playable threshold across most settings and resolutions. The data indicates that this combination is well-suited for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1440p and 1080p, while 4K gaming remains viable at slightly reduced quality settings. Benchmark results show a clear progression of performance scaling as resolution decreases, with the most demanding preset at 4K falling just short of the target frame rate.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that maintains an average frame rate at or above 60 FPS is High, achieving an average of 60.3 FPS. The Medium preset also clears the threshold with 68.6 FPS, and Low reaches 97.5 FPS, but High represents the optimal balance of visual fidelity and performance. The Ultra preset at this resolution drops to 52.3 FPS, which falls below the playable threshold.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset is the most demanding option that still holds above 60 FPS, delivering an average of 82.8 FPS. The High preset produces 92.2 FPS, Medium reaches 101.9 FPS, and Low achieves 147 FPS. Every preset at this resolution clears the 60 FPS mark, allowing users to select Ultra for maximum quality without compromising smooth gameplay.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset maintains an average of 108.7 FPS, making it the recommended choice for the most demanding settings. High reaches 120.2 FPS, Medium produces 138.1 FPS, and Low peaks at 193.9 FPS. The performance headroom at this resolution is substantial, with even the heaviest settings providing nearly double the playable threshold.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions reveals how the workload shifts between the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070. At 1920x1080, the GPU has less rendering burden, allowing frame rates to reach as high as 193.9 FPS on Low settings. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 85.2 FPS, indicating that the GPU is the primary driver of performance changes when settings are adjusted.

As resolution increases to 2560x1440, the frame rate gap between Low and Ultra narrows to 64.2 FPS, with Low at 147 FPS and Ultra at 82.8 FPS. This suggests the GPU begins to hit its limits more noticeably, though the CPU still provides ample headroom to feed frames. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p at Ultra shows a reduction from 108.7 FPS to 82.8 FPS, a 25.9 FPS drop that is attributable to the increased pixel count.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the dominant constraint. The difference between Low and Ultra expands to 45.2 FPS, with Low at 97.5 FPS and Ultra at 52.3 FPS. The transition from 1440p Ultra to 4K Ultra results in a 30.5 FPS decline, demonstrating that the RTX 4070's rendering capacity is the limiting factor at higher resolutions. The CPU's role diminishes as resolution rises, with the Ryzen 5 8400F's 12 threads proving sufficient to avoid bottlenecking even at 1080p with high frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured average frame rates show a consistent hierarchy across settings. Low produces 193.9 FPS, Medium delivers 138.1 FPS, High achieves 120.2 FPS, and Ultra reaches 108.7 FPS. The data shows a 55.8 FPS difference between Low and Medium, followed by a 17.9 FPS drop from Medium to High, and a further 11.5 FPS reduction from High to Ultra.

At 2560x1440, the averages are 147 FPS on Low, 101.9 FPS on Medium, 92.2 FPS on High, and 82.8 FPS on Ultra. The scaling from Low to Medium represents a 45.1 FPS decrease, while the transition from Medium to High costs 9.7 FPS, and High to Ultra costs another 9.4 FPS. These diminishing returns indicate that each step up in quality at this resolution has a relatively smaller impact on frame rate.

At 3840x2160, the frame rates drop significantly. Low averages 97.5 FPS, Medium reaches 68.6 FPS, High produces 60.3 FPS, and Ultra falls to 52.3 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium is 28.9 FPS, while Medium to High costs 8.3 FPS, and High to Ultra costs 8.0 FPS. The 4K resolution places considerable stress on the GPU, with only the three lower presets maintaining the 60 FPS threshold.

The Verdict

The data confirms that this PC configuration can run Control effectively at all three tested resolutions, though the optimal settings vary. At 3840x2160, the playable settings include High, Low, and Medium, with High being the best choice at 60.3 FPS. The Ultra preset at this resolution is not playable, as it falls to 52.3 FPS.

At 2560x1440, all four settings are playable, and Ultra is the recommended option, delivering 82.8 FPS. This provides a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold, ensuring smooth gameplay even in demanding scenes. At 1920x1080, Ultra is also the best setting, achieving 108.7 FPS, which offers a significant buffer for maintaining frame rate stability.

The playable threshold of 60 FPS is cleared by every preset at 1080p and 1440p, while 4K requires dropping from Ultra to High for a playable experience. For users prioritizing visual quality, 1440p Ultra offers the best balance, while 1080p Ultra provides higher frame rates for competitive play.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F sits close to several comparable processors in benchmark scores. The AMD Ryzen 5 7500F has an average score of 24964, which is 0.2% higher than the 8400F's score of 25005. The Intel Core i7-11850H scores 24935, a 0.3% difference, while the Intel Core i7-13620H scores 24911, a 0.4% difference. The AMD EPYC 9474F scores 25103, which is 0.4% higher. These CPUs would likely produce similar frame rates in Control, given their close benchmark alignment.

For the GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 has an average benchmark score of 37648. The NVIDIA Tesla P4 scores 37628, a 0.1% difference, while the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 scores 37507, a 0.4% difference. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile scores 38135, which is 1.3% higher, and the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 scores 37157, a 1.3% difference. These GPUs would deliver near-identical performance in this game, with the RTX 4080 Mobile offering a slight edge and the PRO W6400 lagging marginally.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 ranks 932 out of 3720 tested combinations in Control. This places the configuration in the top quartile of all tested systems, indicating that it provides above-average performance for this title. The rank reflects the strong showing at 1080p and 1440p, where the combo excels, while the 4K Ultra shortfall prevents a higher placement.

The ranking suggests that this setup is well-matched for Control, with the CPU and GPU complementing each other effectively. The 8400F's single-thread performance, evidenced by a 3dmark single-thread score of 951, pairs well with the RTX 4070's rasterization capabilities, as shown by a passmark g3d score of 26927. The result is a system that handles the game's demands without significant bottlenecks.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest preset that maintains 60 FPS at 3840x2160?

A: The High preset at 3840x2160 achieves an average of 60.3 FPS, making it the most demanding setting that clears the 60 FPS threshold at this resolution. The Ultra preset falls short at 52.3 FPS.

Q: Can this PC run Control at 2560x1440 with Ultra settings?

A: Yes, the Ultra preset at 2560x1440 delivers an average of 82.8 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS playable threshold. All four settings at this resolution are playable.

Q: How does the CPU affect performance at 1920x1080?

A: At 1920x1080, the GPU is the primary performance driver, with frame rates ranging from 108.7 FPS on Ultra to 193.9 FPS on Low. The Ryzen 5 8400F's 12 threads provide sufficient processing power to avoid bottlenecking, as shown by the high frame rates even at Low settings.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra at 3840x2160?

A: The difference between Low and Ultra at 3840x2160 is 45.2 FPS, with Low averaging 97.5 FPS and Ultra averaging 52.3 FPS. This demonstrates the significant GPU load increase at higher quality settings.

Q: Which component is the limiting factor at 4K resolution?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is the limiting factor at 3840x2160. The frame rate drops from 60.3 FPS on High to 52.3 FPS on Ultra, indicating that the GPU's rendering capacity is insufficient for the most demanding settings at this resolution.

Q: How does this combo compare to similar hardware configurations?

A: The combo ranks 932 out of 3720 tested combinations in Control. The CPU's nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F, scores 0.2% higher in benchmarks, while the GPU's nearest rival, the NVIDIA Tesla P4, scores 0.1% higher, indicating that comparable hardware would perform within a small margin.