Control

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 combination delivers exceptionally high frame rates in Control, with all tested settings at every resolution staying far above the 60 FPS playability threshold. The data shows a system that is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions but capable of exploiting the CPU’s strengths at 1080p, where frame rates approach the limits of typical high-refresh displays.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the average frame rates scale predictably with graphical fidelity. The Low preset produces an average of 140.2 FPS, which drops to 99.4 FPS at Medium, 87.9 FPS at High, and 79 FPS at Ultra. The gap between Low and Ultra is 61.2 FPS, representing a 43.7% reduction in performance when moving to the most demanding settings. This indicates that even at 4K, the RTX 4090 maintains a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS target, with the Ultra preset still delivering 19 FPS of headroom.

Moving down to 2560x1440, the performance envelope expands considerably. The Low preset reaches 208.7 FPS, while Medium sits at 148.2 FPS, High at 130.8 FPS, and Ultra at 112.5 FPS. The delta between Low and Ultra here is 96.2 FPS, which is a 46.1% reduction. Notably, the Ultra preset at 1440p produces a higher average frame rate than the Low preset does at 4K, highlighting how resolution scaling affects this combination more than settings changes alone.

At 1920x1080, the system shows its peak capabilities. Low settings yield 229.2 FPS, Medium produces 196.5 FPS, High reaches 173 FPS, and Ultra still manages 147.7 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 81.5 FPS, a 35.6% drop. Interestingly, the percent reduction from Low to Ultra is smallest at 1080p compared to the other resolutions, suggesting that at this resolution the CPU begins to limit the absolute maximum frame rates, compressing the range between presets.

Comparing across resolutions at the same preset, the scaling is steep. For Ultra settings, moving from 1080p to 1440p reduces the average from 147.7 FPS to 112.5 FPS, a 23.8% decrease. Moving from 1440p to 4K further drops it to 79 FPS, another 29.8% reduction. The cumulative effect from 1080p Ultra to 4K Ultra is a 46.5% loss in frame rate, which is consistent with the pixel-count increase of roughly 4.5 times for 4K versus 1080p, though the frame rate does not drop proportionally, indicating the GPU has ample resources to spare.

FAQ

Q: Can this system maintain 60 FPS at 4K with maximum settings?

A: Yes. The Ultra preset at 3840x2160 produces an average of 79 FPS, which is 19 FPS above the 60 FPS playable threshold. All four tested presets at 4K clear this threshold, with Low being the fastest at 140.2 FPS.

Q: How much performance is lost when switching from High to Ultra at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the High preset averages 130.8 FPS, while Ultra averages 112.5 FPS. This represents an 18.3 FPS drop, or a 14% reduction in frame rate, for the visual fidelity gains of the Ultra preset.

Q: What is the largest frame rate difference between any two settings at the same resolution?

A: The largest gap occurs at 2560x1440, where Low produces 208.7 FPS and Ultra produces 112.5 FPS, a difference of 96.2 FPS. This is the widest spread across all resolutions, with 4K showing a 61.2 FPS gap and 1080p showing an 81.5 FPS gap.

Q: Is the RTX 4090 the bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The data suggests not entirely. At 1920x1080, the frame rates range from 147.7 FPS at Ultra to 229.2 FPS at Low. The relatively compressed scaling between presets compared to higher resolutions indicates the CPU starts to play a more significant role in limiting maximum performance at this resolution.

Q: How does the 5700X perform in synthetic benchmarks relevant to gaming?

A: The CPU achieves a single-thread score of 921 in 3DMark and 3385 in PassMark, with a multi-thread PassMark score of 26612. Its 3DMark 8-thread score is 5768, which is relevant for games that utilize multiple cores.

Q: Does the system meet the requirements for high-refresh-rate monitors?

A: Yes, at 1440p and below. The 2560x1440 Ultra preset produces 112.5 FPS, which exceeds 100 FPS for 100Hz monitors. At 1080p, even the Ultra preset at 147.7 FPS is sufficient for 144Hz displays, while Low settings approach 230 FPS for 240Hz panels.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance data reveals a clear division of labor between the Ryzen 7 5700X and the RTX 4090 across resolutions. At 3840x2160, the GPU is the dominant factor. The frame rates scale almost linearly with pixel count relative to 1440p, with the Ultra preset dropping from 112.5 FPS to 79 FPS when moving from 1440p to 4K. This 33.5 FPS reduction is entirely attributable to the increased rendering load on the GPU, as the CPU's workload remains largely unchanged between these resolutions.

At 2560x1440, the balance shifts slightly. The frame rates are high enough that the CPU's per-thread performance begins to matter. The 5700X's single-thread score of 921 in 3DMark suggests it can sustain high instruction throughput, but the GPU still has headroom. The evidence is in the scaling: going from 1080p to 1440p at High settings drops the average from 173 FPS to 130.8 FPS, a 24.4% reduction, which is close to the pixel-count increase of 77.8%, indicating the GPU is still the primary limiter.

At 1920x1080, the CPU's role becomes more pronounced. The frame rates at Low settings reach 229.2 FPS, which is likely near the practical ceiling for this CPU in Control. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 81.5 FPS, but the percentage difference is smaller than at other resolutions. This compression suggests that the CPU is starting to limit the absolute maximum frame rate, preventing the GPU from fully expressing its capabilities at lower resolution. The 5700X's 16 threads and 32 MB of L3 cache provide ample resources for the game's physics and AI, but the single-thread performance becomes the gatekeeper at these extreme frame rates.

The Verdict

This system can run Control at all tested resolutions and settings with frame rates far exceeding the 60 FPS threshold. At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset runs at 79 FPS average, which is 19 FPS above the playable threshold. The High preset at 4K runs at 87.9 FPS, Medium at 99.4 FPS, and Low at 140.2 FPS. All four settings are playable at 4K, with no configuration falling below 60 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the system is even more capable. The Ultra preset maintains 112.5 FPS, which is 52.5 FPS above the threshold. This resolution is ideal for high-refresh-rate gaming, as even the most demanding settings deliver more than 100 FPS. The High preset at 130.8 FPS and Medium at 148.2 FPS provide additional headroom for competitive play.

At 1920x1080, the system is effectively overkill for this game. The Ultra preset runs at 147.7 FPS, which is 87.7 FPS above the threshold. The Low preset at 229.2 FPS approaches the refresh rate limits of most monitors. The verdict is unambiguous: this combination handles Control with exceptional ease, and the playable settings list includes every preset at every resolution.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The Ryzen 7 5700X's nearest rivals in synthetic CPU benchmarks include the Intel Core i5-12600K, which matches its average score of 27578 with a 0% delta. The AMD Ryzen 5 7600X posts a score of 27636, which is 0.2% higher, while the AMD Ryzen 7 5800 scores 27535, 0.2% lower. The Intel Core Ultra 5 125H scores 27507, 0.3% lower. These processors would all behave similarly in Control, with frame rates likely within a few percent of the 5700X, assuming the GPU is not the limiting factor.

For the GPU, the RTX 4090's nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks are surprising. The Intel Arc Pro A60 matches its average score of 60347 with a 0% delta, though this is likely a benchmark anomaly given the vast difference in memory bandwidth and compute resources. The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 scores 60140, 0.3% lower, and the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M scores 61896, which is 2.5% higher. The AMD Radeon PRO V710 scores 58657, 2.9% lower. These workstation-class GPUs are the closest by average benchmark score, but in actual gaming workloads, the RTX 4090's 24 GB of GDDR6X memory and 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 performance would likely produce significantly different results than these alternatives.

How This Combo Ranks

Among all 3720 tested CPU and GPU combinations for Control, this pairing ranks 150th. This places it in the top 4% of all configurations tested. The high ranking is primarily driven by the GPU's raw performance, as the RTX 4090 sits in the 88th percentile among all GPUs. The CPU, at the 79th percentile among all CPUs, is solid but not exceptional. The combination of a top-tier GPU with an upper-midrange CPU produces excellent results, but the rank indicates that some higher-end CPU pairings with the same GPU would likely achieve better frame rates, particularly at 1080p where the CPU matters more.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, which runs at an average of 79 FPS. This is the best choice for visual quality at 4K, with 19 FPS of headroom above the threshold. The High preset at 87.9 FPS is a viable alternative for users who prefer extra performance margin, but Ultra remains within playable territory.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset is again the best selection, running at 112.5 FPS. This provides 52.5 FPS of headroom, making it suitable for 100Hz displays. The High preset at 130.8 FPS is unnecessary for playability but could be used for 120Hz monitors if the user prefers lower latency.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset runs at 147.7 FPS, which is 87.7 FPS above the threshold. This is the best settings choice, as it provides the highest visual fidelity while still maintaining frame rates suitable for 144Hz displays. The Low preset at 229.2 FPS is only recommended for users with 240Hz monitors who prioritize maximum frame rates over visual quality.