Control

Control, the 2019 action-adventure from Remedy, is a demanding title that stresses both the CPU and GPU, especially with its physics-heavy combat and destructible environments. Based on measured data for the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER combination, this system delivers a strong experience across all common resolutions. The data indicates that the RTX 4070 SUPER is the primary driver of performance, with the Ryzen 5 9600X providing ample headroom to keep frame rates high. This analysis breaks down the measured frame rates, optimal settings, and component roles to give a clear picture of what to expect from this hardware pairing.

Best Settings per Resolution

The goal is to find the most demanding preset that maintains an average frame rate at or above the 60 FPS playable threshold. The measured data shows that this system has different ceilings depending on the resolution.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the most demanding playable setting is High, which achieves an average of 70.6 FPS. Pushing to Ultra drops the average below the 60 FPS line to 58.9 FPS, making it not a viable option for a consistently smooth experience. While the Ultra preset is technically close, the data suggests High is the optimal balance for 4K.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the system has enough performance to run the most demanding preset. The Ultra setting is playable, delivering an average of 87.6 FPS. This is a significant margin above the 60 FPS threshold, indicating that the hardware is well-suited for high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming with all settings maxed out.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the system is clearly not the bottleneck. The Ultra preset runs with an average of 117.5 FPS, providing a very fluid experience. This high frame rate suggests the CPU and GPU combination is well-balanced for 1080p, with the potential to support high refresh rate monitors without compromise.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Control at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, but not at the maximum settings. The measured data shows that at 3840x2160, the High preset achieves an average of 70.6 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold. The Ultra preset falls short of this target, averaging 58.9 FPS.

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

A: The benchmark results indicate that the Ultra preset is fully playable at 2560x1440, with an average frame rate of 87.6 FPS. This allows for the highest visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness.

Q: How does the system perform at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the system excels. Even with the Ultra preset, it achieves a high average of 117.5 FPS. Lower presets yield even higher frame rates, with Low reaching 213.5 FPS on average.

Q: Is there a significant performance difference between 4K and 1440p?

A: Yes, the data shows a substantial drop when moving to 4K. At 1440p with Ultra settings, the average is 87.6 FPS, but at 4K with the same settings, it falls to 58.9 FPS. This indicates the GPU is heavily taxed at the higher resolution.

Q: What is the least demanding preset tested?

A: The Low preset provides the highest average frame rates at all resolutions. At 1920x1080, it averages 213.5 FPS; at 2560x1440, it averages 160.7 FPS; and at 3840x2160, it averages 107.7 FPS.

Q: Does the system ever drop below 60 FPS on Ultra settings?

A: Yes, but only at 4K. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average frame rate is 58.9 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold. At 1440p and 1080p, the Ultra preset maintains averages well above 60 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data represents the measured average frame rates for the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER combination. All figures are average FPS; minimum and maximum frame rate data was not recorded in the benchmark.

At 1920x1080, the system shows exceptional performance across all presets. The Low preset yields an average of 213.5 FPS, which is the highest recorded for this resolution. Moving up to Medium drops the average to 153.2 FPS. The High preset achieves an average of 139.2 FPS, while the most demanding Ultra preset still maintains a high average of 117.5 FPS. The scaling between Low and Ultra shows a performance cost of approximately 96 FPS for the highest visual quality.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain very high. The Low preset averages 160.7 FPS, which is still a very playable and fluid experience. The Medium preset averages 115.9 FPS. The High preset delivers an average of 104.8 FPS, and the Ultra preset, while being the most demanding, still achieves a strong average of 87.6 FPS. The performance scaling from Low to Ultra is consistent, with a total drop of about 73 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the load on the GPU becomes much more apparent. The Low preset is the only one to significantly exceed the 60 FPS threshold, with an average of 107.7 FPS. The Medium preset averages 75.6 FPS, and the High preset averages 70.6 FPS, both remaining playable. However, the Ultra preset drops to an average of 58.9 FPS, which is below the playable threshold of 60 FPS. This resolution shows the steepest performance penalty, with a drop of nearly 49 FPS from Low to Ultra.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Based on aggregate benchmark scores, the components in this system have close rivals that would likely deliver a similar gameplay experience in Control.

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X has an average benchmark score of 29713 and sits in the 81st percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals, based on average score, include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755GE, which is 0.2% faster, and the AMD Ryzen 7 7840H, which is 0.5% slower. Other close performers are the AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT (0.6% slower) and the AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS (0.8% slower). In a game like Control, which is not heavily CPU-bound at high resolutions, these processors would likely produce nearly identical frame rates.

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 43223 and sits in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are all within a narrow performance band. The NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB is 0.1% faster, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile and the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 are 0.1% and 0.2% slower, respectively. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile is also close, at 1% slower. When paired with the Ryzen 5 9600X, any of these GPUs would likely result in very similar performance metrics for this game.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data reveals a clear division of labor between the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER in Control. The game is demonstrably GPU-bound, with the graphics card being the primary determinant of performance.

This is most evident when examining the scaling of frame rates across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset achieves an average of 117.5 FPS. When the resolution is increased to 2560x1440, the frame rate drops to 87.6 FPS, a decrease of roughly 25%. Moving further to 3840x2160, the frame rate falls to 58.9 FPS. This consistent and significant drop with each resolution increase indicates that the GPU is working progressively harder to render more pixels, and is the limiting factor. The CPU, with its high single-thread performance (scoring 2183.5 in Cinebench R23 single-core), is able to feed the GPU adequately at all settings, as evidenced by the high frame rates even at 1080p.

The impact of settings presets further confirms the GPU's dominant role. At 1440p, switching from Low to Ultra reduces the average frame rate from 160.7 FPS to 87.6 FPS. This significant performance cost is a direct result of the increased graphical workload on the GPU, including more advanced shading, effects, and geometry. The CPU's role remains static; it is not taxed differently by these visual changes. Therefore, for users of this system, lowering graphical settings is an effective way to gain FPS, as it directly reduces the load on the RTX 4070 SUPER.

The Verdict

The data confirms that the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER combination is a capable platform for Control, easily clearing the 60 FPS playable threshold at most settings.

At 1920x1080, the system is a top performer. All presets, including the most demanding Ultra, are highly playable, with an average of 117.5 FPS. This makes it an excellent setup for high-refresh-rate 1080p displays.

At 2560x1440, the system remains very strong. The Ultra preset is fully playable, with an average of 87.6 FPS. This provides a great balance of visual fidelity and performance for 1440p monitors.

At 3840x2160, the system is still viable, but with compromises. The High preset is the best choice, delivering an average of 70.6 FPS and maintaining smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset, with an average of 58.9 FPS, falls just short of the 60 FPS threshold and should be avoided for a consistently fluid experience. In summary, this PC can run Control exceptionally well up to 1440p, and remains playable at 4K with a slight reduction in settings.