Control

This PC combination, pairing the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, delivers a playable experience in Control at 1080p and 1440p, but struggles to maintain smooth framerates at 4K with higher presets. The measured performance data shows a system that scales predictably with resolution, offering a clear path to 60+ FPS at the lower two resolutions while falling short at the highest.

How This Combo Ranks

The data places this specific CPU-GPU pairing at rank 2008 out of 3720 tested combinations for Control. This puts it in the 54th percentile of all tested combos, meaning it outperforms slightly more than half of the systems in the database. The ranking suggests a mid-pack position, which is consistent with the component choices: a strong modern CPU paired with a mainstream GPU.

The percentile position tells an interesting story about balance. The Ryzen 5 9600X sits at the 81st percentile among all CPUs, while the RTX 4060 lands at the 61st percentile among GPUs. This creates a system where the processor has more headroom than the graphics card, meaning the GPU is likely the primary constraint in demanding scenarios. This imbalance is typical for a pairing designed around 1080p gaming, where the CPU can comfortably feed the GPU without becoming a bottleneck.

In the context of all tested combos, rank 2008 indicates that while this system is far from the top, it is also not a weak performer. The average benchmark scores support this: the CPU averages 29713 points, while the GPU averages 17639 points. These figures place both components in the upper-middle tier of their respective categories, suggesting a system that can handle most modern titles at reasonable settings.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data reveals a clear division of labor between the Ryzen 5 9600X and the RTX 4060 across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system shows strong CPU headroom. The jump from Low to Ultra settings at this resolution produces a 58.2 FPS difference (from 137.8 down to 79.6), indicating that the GPU is the limiting factor even at 1080p Ultra. The CPU's single-thread performance, reflected in its 2183.5 Cinebench R23 single-core score, is more than sufficient for this title.

Moving to 2560x1440, the GPU's role becomes more pronounced. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p at High settings shows a 22.2 FPS drop (from 87.9 to 65.7), which is a 25.3% reduction. This suggests that the RTX 4060's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 272.0 GB/s bandwidth are being taxed more heavily at the higher resolution. The GPU's 15.11 TFLOPS of FP32 performance becomes the determining factor for framerate.

At 3840x2160, the GPU dominance is absolute. The RTX 4060's 128-bit memory bus and 8 GB VRAM capacity create a significant bottleneck. The framerate at Ultra settings drops to 39.8 FPS, which is 50.7% lower than the 1080p Ultra result. This steep decline indicates that the GPU architecture, specifically the AD107 chip with its 3072 shading units, cannot sustain the pixel throughput required at 4K.

The CPU's role at 4K diminishes further. The Ryzen 5 9600X's 6 cores and 12 threads are more than adequate for the game's demands at this resolution, as the framerate is clearly constrained by the GPU's rendering capabilities rather than any processor limitation.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers consistently high framerates across all presets. Low settings produce an average of 137.8 FPS, which drops to 101.5 FPS at Medium. High settings yield 87.9 FPS, and Ultra remains smooth at 79.6 FPS. These results indicate that the RTX 4060 has ample headroom at 1080p, with even the most demanding preset staying well above the 60 FPS threshold.

The 2560x1440 results show a more varied picture. Low settings achieve 107.6 FPS, while Medium drops to 73.2 FPS. High settings manage 65.7 FPS, but Ultra falls below the playable threshold at 56.4 FPS. This represents a 47.6% reduction from Low to Ultra, highlighting the GPU's limitations at this resolution with higher visual fidelity.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain playable framerates. Low settings yield 68.5 FPS, which is the only preset that stays above 60 FPS. Medium drops to 51.6 FPS, High to 46.4 FPS, and Ultra falls to 39.8 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 28.7 FPS, showing that the RTX 4060's memory bandwidth and compute resources are severely strained at this resolution.

The progression across resolutions shows a consistent pattern: each step up in resolution costs approximately 20-30% performance, with the 4K Ultra preset representing the most demanding configuration at just 39.8 FPS.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the Ryzen 5 9600X provide context for CPU performance in this system. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755GE scores 29656 on average, a mere 0.2% difference from the 9600X's 29713. This indicates that users would see nearly identical CPU-bound performance with that processor. The AMD Ryzen 7 7840H scores 29868, which is 0.5% higher, while the AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT at 29879 is 0.6% faster. The AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS rounds out the group at 29955, 0.8% ahead.

For the RTX 4060, the rival list includes some unexpected entries. The AMD Radeon HD 7790 scores 17666, just 0.2% higher than the RTX 4060's 17639. The AMD Radeon 780M integrated graphics score 17588, a 0.3% difference, while the AMD Radeon Pro 560 at 17551 is 0.5% lower. The AMD Radeon Pro 460 finishes at 17509, 0.7% behind.

These rival comparisons suggest that in Control specifically, the RTX 4060's performance is closely matched by several older or lower-tier GPUs. This is surprising given the architectural differences, but the benchmark data indicates that for this particular title, the GPU's raw throughput is comparable to these alternatives. The CPU rivals, meanwhile, show that the 9600X is well-positioned in its performance class, with all four alternatives falling within 1% of its average score.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the system can handle Ultra settings while maintaining 79.6 FPS average. This is the most demanding preset that stays above 60 FPS, and the 19.6 FPS margin over the threshold provides a comfortable cushion for demanding scenes.

The 2560x1440 resolution supports High settings at 65.7 FPS. This is the highest preset that remains playable, though the margin is slimmer at just 5.7 FPS over the 60 FPS threshold. Medium settings offer more headroom at 73.2 FPS, but High provides the best visual quality while still meeting the playability criterion.

At 3840x2160, only Low settings achieve playable framerates, averaging 68.5 FPS. This provides an 8.5 FPS margin over the threshold, but the visual quality is substantially reduced compared to the higher presets available at lower resolutions.

The Verdict

This PC can run Control at playable framerates, but the experience varies significantly by resolution. At 1920x1080, all four presets clear the 60 FPS threshold, with the best settings being Ultra at 79.6 FPS. This represents the ideal configuration for this system, offering maximum visual fidelity with smooth performance.

At 2560x1440, the system remains playable at High settings with 65.7 FPS, though Ultra drops below the threshold at 56.4 FPS. The playable settings at this resolution are High, Medium, and Low, with High providing the best quality-to-performance balance.

The 3840x2160 resolution presents the greatest challenge. Only Low settings achieve playable framerates at 68.5 FPS. Medium, High, and Ultra all fall below 60 FPS, with Ultra bottoming out at 39.8 FPS. Users seeking 4K playability would need to accept significant visual compromises or consider a more powerful GPU.

Overall, the system delivers a solid 1080p experience and a workable 1440p experience, but 4K gaming is limited to the lowest preset for consistent 60+ FPS performance.

FAQ

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

A: No. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average framerate is 39.8 FPS, well below the 60 FPS playable threshold.

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

A: High settings at 2560x1440 provide an average of 65.7 FPS, which is the highest preset that stays above the 60 FPS threshold at that resolution.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 9600X compare to its nearest CPU rival?

A: The Ryzen 5 9600X scores 29713 on average, which is 0.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755GE's 29656 and 0.5% lower than the AMD Ryzen 7 7840H's 29868.

Q: Is the RTX 4060's performance in Control consistent with its overall GPU ranking?

A: The RTX 4060 ranks at the 61st percentile among all GPUs, and its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon HD 7790, scores just 0.2% higher on average, indicating consistent mid-tier performance.

Q: What framerate can I expect at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with Medium settings, the average framerate is 101.5 FPS, providing a 41.5 FPS margin over the playable threshold.

Q: Which resolution offers the best balance of quality and performance?

A: The 2560x1440 resolution with High settings at 65.7 FPS offers a strong balance, though the 1920x1080 Ultra preset at 79.6 FPS provides the highest visual quality while maintaining a comfortable framerate margin.