Control

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X paired with the Intel Arc B580 lands at rank 2816 out of 3720 tested combinations in Control. That places this build in the lower half of the database, around the 24th percentile of all CPU-GPU pairs measured. The ranking reflects the fact that this is a capable but not top-tier pairing for this specific title. The CPU itself sits at the 84th percentile against all tested processors, while the GPU is at the 68th percentile against all tested graphics cards. The gap between those two percentile positions suggests the graphics card is the more limiting factor in this setup, which becomes clear when examining the frame rates across resolutions.

The rank of 2816 is not a condemnation, but it signals that users should manage expectations. The combo is fully capable of running the game, but it will not dominate high-resolution, high-detail scenarios. The measured data confirms this: at 4K Ultra, the average frame rate drops to 32 FPS, which is far below the 60 FPS playability threshold. The sweet spot is clearly at 1080p, where the combo performs admirably. The overall rank reflects a system that is balanced for mainstream gaming, not for enthusiast-level 4K performance.

CPU and GPU Roles

The recorded data indicates that the GPU is the dominant constraint in this pairing for Control. The CPU, an 8-core, 16-thread Zen 2 processor with a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, provides more than enough headroom for the Arc B580. Evidence for this comes from the scaling pattern. At 1080p, dropping from Ultra to Low settings only increases the average frame rate from 62 to 114 FPS, a 52 FPS swing. That is a massive change driven entirely by graphics settings, not by CPU speed. A CPU-bound scenario would show much smaller differences when the resolution drops, because the GPU would have plenty of time to render frames.

At 1440p, the same pattern holds. The average FPS goes from 47 at Ultra to 86 at Low, a 39 FPS spread. The GPU is working progressively harder. At 4K, the spread narrows to 26 FPS (32 at Ultra, 58 at Low), which is still significant but indicates that the GPU is now fully saturated. The CPU does not meaningfully limit performance at any resolution tested. The 3700X's multi-threaded capabilities, as shown by a PassMark multi-thread score of 22458, are far beyond what Control requires. The game is clearly GPU-bound, and the Arc B580 is the component to watch when adjusting settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measurements provide a complete picture of what this combo can deliver. Starting at 1080p, which is the most favorable scenario for this hardware:

• At Low settings, the average is 114 FPS. This is the highest recorded average for this combo, and it shows the ceiling of its performance.
• At Medium settings, the average is 81 FPS, with a minimum of 69 and a maximum of 93 FPS. This is a very stable and playable range.
• At High settings, the average is 72 FPS. The data does not list minimum and maximum values for this preset.
• At Ultra settings, the average is 62 FPS. This crosses the 60 FPS playable threshold, making it the highest preset that remains playable.

Moving to 1440p, the results show the expected drop. The Low preset averages 86 FPS. Medium settings produce an average of 61 FPS (minimum 52, maximum 70), which is right at the playable threshold. High settings average 54 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS mark. Ultra settings average 47 FPS, which is not playable by the database's definition. At 4K, the results are less favorable. Low settings average 58 FPS, just below the threshold. Medium settings average 41 FPS (minimum 35, maximum 48). High settings average 37 FPS. Ultra settings average 32 FPS. The data clearly shows that 4K is beyond this combo's practical reach for smooth play.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU and GPU combo in Control?

A: The recorded data shows that 1920x1080 is the best resolution. At 1080p, all four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) remain at or above the 60 FPS playable threshold, with the Ultra preset averaging 62 FPS.

Q: Can this combo handle 1440p gaming?

A: Yes, but with limitations. At 1440p, the Low and Medium presets are playable, with Medium averaging 61 FPS. The High and Ultra presets fall below 60 FPS, averaging 54 FPS and 47 FPS respectively. The best playable setting at 1440p is Medium.

Q: Is the CPU or the GPU the limiting factor?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the bottleneck. The frame rate scales heavily with resolution and graphics settings. The CPU, with its high multi-threaded score, remains capable throughout. The GPU is the component that determines the playable settings.

Q: What is the playable threshold for this database?

A: The playable threshold is 60 FPS. The database defines a setting as playable if the average frame rate is at or above 60 FPS. For this combo, the verdict by resolution lists Low and Medium as playable at 2560x1440, and all four presets as playable at 1920x1080. No settings are playable at 3840x2160.

Q: How does this combo rank overall?

A: The combo ranks 2816 out of 3720 tested combinations in Control. The CPU is at the 84th percentile of all CPUs, and the GPU is at the 68th percentile of all GPUs. This makes the combo average in the database for this game.

Q: What are the frame times at 1080p Medium?

A: At 1920x1080 with Medium settings, the average FPS is 81, with a minimum of 69 and a maximum of 93. This shows a stable frame delivery with a 24 FPS spread between the lowest and highest recorded values.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for the CPU, the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X is closely matched by the AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 and the AMD EPYC 4244P, with a delta of only 0.1%. The Intel Core i5-13450HX is also nearly identical, at a 0.2% deficit. The Intel Core Ultra 7 165H is 0.5% behind. What this means is that if you swapped in any of these processors, the frame rates in Control would be nearly identical, since the game is not CPU-bound. The 3700X's position is solid, with the nearest rival only 0.5% faster or slower, which is a negligible difference in practical gaming.

For the GPU, the Intel Arc B580 has a more interesting competitor list. The AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP is 0.2% faster, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 is 0.6% faster, and the NVIDIA RTX 3080 is 0.7% slower. The NVIDIA P106-100 is 1.0% slower. These are all very close scores. The RTX 2080 and RTX 3080 are older but powerful cards, and their proximity to the Arc B580 in the average benchmark score suggests that in Control, the frame rates would be within a few frames of each other. The RX 580 2048SP is a surprise, showing that the Arc B580's performance is in a similar class to those older cards.

Best Settings per Resolution

The database provides clear verdicts for the best playable settings.

At 3840x2160, there are no playable settings. The highest average frame rate is 58 FPS at Low, which is below the 60 FPS threshold. The verdict lists an empty list for playable settings, and the best settings are null. This resolution is not viable for smooth play.

At 2560x1440, the playable settings are Low and Medium. The best settings, according to the database, are Medium, which gives an average frame rate of 61 FPS. This is the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS. High and Ultra are not recommended at this resolution.

At 1920x1080, all four presets are playable. The best settings are Ultra, which gives an average frame rate of 62 FPS. This is the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS. This is the recommended configuration for the best visual quality while maintaining smooth performance. The data shows that the combo is best used at 1080p, where it offers a full range of options from the smooth 114 FPS at Low to the demanding 62 FPS at Ultra.