Control

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 delivers a predictable scaling pattern across the three tested resolutions in Control, but the data reveals a steep performance cliff as pixel count rises. At 1080p, the combo has ample headroom, while 4K demands significant compromises to maintain playability.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Low, which produces an average of 63 FPS. The jump from Low to Medium is punishing, with the average dropping to 45 FPS—an 18 FPS loss that puts the game firmly below the 60 FPS threshold. High settings at 4K yield only 40 FPS, and Ultra falls further to 35 FPS, making these presets unsuitable for smooth gameplay at this resolution.

For 2560x1440, the best playable setting is Medium, averaging 67 FPS. This is a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS target, though the data shows a minimum of 57 FPS in this configuration, meaning brief dips below the threshold can occur. High settings at 1440p average 59 FPS, which is tantalizingly close to playable but technically misses the 60 FPS mark. Low settings at this resolution run at 94 FPS, while Ultra drops to 52 FPS.

At 1920x1080, every preset clears the 60 FPS bar. The most demanding option, Ultra, averages 68 FPS, which is the recommended choice for maximum visual quality. High settings produce 78 FPS, Medium reaches 88 FPS, and Low hits 124 FPS. The 1080p results show that the RTX 5050 has sufficient raw throughput for this game when not constrained by extreme pixel counts.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU benchmarks place the Ryzen 5 9600X near several other AMD processors. Its average benchmark score of 29713 is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755GE, which scores 29656 (a 0.2% difference). The Ryzen 7 7840H scores 29868 (-0.5% relative to the 9600X), while the Ryzen 7 5800XT scores 29879 (-0.6%). The closest rival is the AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS at 29955 (-0.8%). These deltas are all under one percent, meaning any of these CPUs would deliver effectively identical frame pacing in Control, assuming the GPU remains the bottleneck.

For the GPU, the RTX 5050’s average benchmark score of 21035 places it alongside some unexpected company. The AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL scores 21153 (-0.6%), and the AMD Radeon HD 8970M scores 21237 (-1%). More surprisingly, the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT scores 20713 (1.6%), meaning the RTX 5050 is only slightly faster than a last-generation mid-range card in synthetic tests. The NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile scores 21379 (-1.6%), showing that mobile workstation GPUs are in the same performance ballpark. In practice, these GPUs would produce very similar FPS in Control, though the RTX 5050’s newer architecture may handle certain effects differently.

FAQ

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

A: No. At 3840x2160 with High settings, the average FPS is 40, which is well below the 60 FPS playable threshold. Only Low settings at 4K achieve playable performance, averaging 63 FPS.

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

A: Medium settings at 2560x1440 provide the best balance, averaging 67 FPS. This is the highest preset that maintains an average above 60 FPS, though the minimum FPS of 57 indicates occasional dips below the target.

Q: How does the RTX 5050 compare to the RX 5600 XT in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 5050 has an average benchmark score of 21035, while the RX 5600 XT scores 20713. This represents a 1.6% advantage for the RTX 5050, which is a negligible difference in real-world gaming.

Q: Is the Ryzen 5 9600X significantly faster than the Ryzen 7 5800XT?

A: The average benchmark scores are nearly identical: the 9600X scores 29713 and the 5800XT scores 29879, a difference of -0.6%. In Control, this CPU difference would have no measurable impact on FPS.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings is 68 FPS. This exceeds the 60 FPS playable threshold, making Ultra the recommended preset for 1080p.

Q: Does the combo rank highly among all tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 2296 out of 3720 tested combinations. This places it in the lower half of all systems, reflecting the GPU’s mid-range positioning rather than the CPU’s strength.

The Verdict

The data clearly defines what this system can and cannot do. At 1920x1080, the Ryzen 5 9600X and RTX 5050 combination runs Control at 68 FPS on Ultra, 78 FPS on High, 88 FPS on Medium, and 124 FPS on Low—every preset clears the 60 FPS threshold, so this is a fully playable experience at maximum settings. At 2560x1440, the story changes: Medium settings average 67 FPS and are playable, but High drops to 59 FPS, just under the target. Ultra at 1440p is not playable at 52 FPS. At 3840x2160, only Low settings are playable, averaging 63 FPS; Medium (45 FPS), High (40 FPS), and Ultra (35 FPS) all fall short.

The verdict is conditional on resolution. For 1080p users, this is a high-performance setup that allows maximum visual fidelity. For 1440p, it is a capable mid-range configuration that requires settling for Medium. For 4K, it is only suitable for players willing to accept Low settings. The GPU’s 8 GB of memory and 320.0 GB/s bandwidth appear to be the limiting factors at higher resolutions, given the steep FPS drops observed.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling between resolutions reveals which component dominates. The RTX 5050’s average benchmark score of 21035 (66th percentile among all GPUs) is modest, while the Ryzen 5 9600X’s score of 29713 (81st percentile among all CPUs) is comparatively strong. This asymmetry suggests the GPU is the primary constraint.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is almost certainly the bottleneck. The FPS drops from 63 at Low to 45 at Medium—a 28.6% reduction—and further to 35 at Ultra. This dramatic scaling with settings indicates that the GPU’s shading units (2560) and texture units (80) are being saturated. The CPU’s 6 cores and 12 threads have ample headroom at this resolution, as the workload shifts heavily toward pixel processing.

At 2560x1440, the gap between Low (94 FPS) and Ultra (52 FPS) is still large, but the CPU begins to matter more. The Medium preset’s minimum FPS of 57 suggests occasional CPU-driven hitches, though the overall trend remains GPU-bound. The CPU’s single-thread performance (PassMark single-thread score of 4570) is sufficient for this title’s physics and AI workloads.

At 1920x1080, the CPU’s role becomes more pronounced. The Ultra preset averages 68 FPS, which is only 54.8% of the Low preset’s 124 FPS. This narrowing gap indicates that at 1080p, the CPU can keep up with the GPU’s frame output, but the GPU still limits maximum performance. The Ryzen 5 9600X’s strong single-core performance (Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2183.5) ensures that it does not become the bottleneck even at lower resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

Among all tested CPU-GPU combinations in Control, this system ranks 2296 out of 3720, placing it in the 61.7th percentile of tested configurations. This is a below-average ranking, which aligns with the GPU’s modest 66th percentile standing among all GPUs. The CPU’s higher 81st percentile ranking does little to boost the overall combo position because the game’s performance is largely GPU-limited.

The ranking implies that a significant portion of tested systems outperform this combo—likely those with faster GPUs paired with similar or weaker CPUs. Conversely, the 3720 total combinations mean this setup is ahead of roughly 1424 other configurations. For a mid-range GPU like the RTX 5050, this position is expected; it is not a top-tier performer, but it is far from the bottom of the pack.

Measured FPS Breakdown

3840x2160:

• Low: 63 FPS average
• Medium: 45 FPS average, 38 FPS minimum, 52 FPS maximum
• High: 40 FPS average
• Ultra: 35 FPS average

2560x1440:

• Low: 94 FPS average
• Medium: 67 FPS average, 57 FPS minimum, 77 FPS maximum
• High: 59 FPS average
• Ultra: 52 FPS average

1920x1080:

• Low: 124 FPS average
• Medium: 88 FPS average, 75 FPS minimum, 101 FPS maximum
• High: 78 FPS average
• Ultra: 68 FPS average

The minimum and maximum FPS data for Medium settings at each resolution reveals the frame pacing characteristics. At 1080p, the 75-101 FPS range shows relatively stable performance. At 1440p, the 57-77 FPS range indicates occasional dips below the playable threshold, even though the average is above 60 FPS. At 4K, the 38-52 FPS range shows severe inconsistency, reinforcing that this resolution is unsuitable for Medium settings. The absence of min/max data for other presets limits further analysis, but the averages alone tell a clear story: the RTX 5050 is a 1080p-class card that can handle 1440p with reduced settings, but it is not a 4K gaming solution for demanding titles like Control.