Control

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 delivers a consistently smooth Control experience at 1080p and 1440p, but stumbles at 4K Ultra settings. Benchmark results show this combo is fully capable of maintaining frame rates above the 60 FPS playable threshold across most settings at the two lower resolutions, with the data indicating that 4K gaming is only viable when settings are reduced to Low.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combination reveals a clear performance hierarchy across the three tested resolutions, with average frame rates scaling predictably with both resolution and graphical preset.

At 1920x1080, the combo demonstrates its strongest performance. The Low preset delivers an exceptional 158 FPS average, while Medium produces 112 FPS with a minimum of 96 FPS and a maximum of 129 FPS. High settings achieve 100 FPS average, and even the demanding Ultra preset maintains a solid 87 FPS average. These numbers show that at 1080p, the system has substantial headroom above the 60 FPS target, with every preset clearing the threshold by at least 27 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but the scaling is evident. The Low preset yields a 120 FPS average, which is still remarkably high. Medium settings produce 85 FPS with a minimum of 72 FPS and a maximum of 98 FPS. High settings deliver 76 FPS average, while Ultra drops to 66 FPS average. Notably, even the most demanding preset at 1440p stays above the 60 FPS playable threshold, though the margin narrows considerably compared to 1080p.

At 3840x2160, the performance picture changes dramatically. The Low preset is the only setting that clears the 60 FPS threshold, achieving an 81 FPS average. Medium settings fall to 57 FPS average with a minimum of 49 FPS and a maximum of 66 FPS. High settings produce 51 FPS average, and Ultra drops to 44 FPS average. The data indicates that 4K resolution pushes this hardware combination to its limits, with the gap between Low and Ultra presets representing a 37 FPS difference at this resolution.

The frame time consistency, where measured, shows that the Medium preset at each resolution offers the tightest data points. At 1920x1080 Medium, the spread between minimum and maximum is 33 FPS. At 2560x1440 Medium, the spread is 26 FPS. At 3840x2160 Medium, the spread is 17 FPS, indicating that while average frame rates drop at higher resolutions, the frame pacing remains relatively stable.

Benchmark results indicate that the RTX 3070's 8 GB GDDR6 memory configuration with a 256-bit bus and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth is sufficient for the game's demands at 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K Ultra workload likely exceeds what this memory configuration can efficiently handle, contributing to the significant frame rate drop at that resolution.

FAQ

Q: Can this system maintain 60 FPS at 4K resolution?

A: Only at Low settings. The measured data shows an 81 FPS average at 3840x2160 with Low settings, while Medium drops to 57 FPS average, High to 51 FPS, and Ultra to 44 FPS. The playable threshold of 60 FPS is only crossed at the Low preset.

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

A: Ultra settings are playable at 2560x1440, with an average of 66 FPS. This is the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS at this resolution, making it the optimal choice for visual quality without sacrificing smoothness.

Q: How does the combo perform at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: The Ultra preset at 1920x1080 produces an average of 87 FPS, which is 27 FPS above the 60 FPS threshold. The system has significant headroom at this resolution, with even the most demanding settings remaining comfortably playable.

Q: What frame rates can be expected with Medium settings?

A: Medium settings yield 112 FPS at 1080p, 85 FPS at 1440p, and 57 FPS at 4K. The minimum measured frame rates at Medium are 96 FPS at 1080p, 72 FPS at 1440p, and 49 FPS at 4K, with maximums of 129, 98, and 66 respectively.

Q: Is the RTX 3070 the limiting factor in this combo?

A: The data suggests the GPU is the primary constraint at higher resolutions. The CPU's benchmark scores are strong, with a 3DMark max threads score of 9771 and a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 20485. The GPU's 61st percentile ranking among all GPUs versus the CPU's 86th percentile ranking indicates the graphics card is the weaker component.

Q: How does this combo rank among tested systems?

A: The combination ranks 1607 out of 3720 tested combos for this game, placing it in the upper-middle range of all tested hardware pairings.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, which achieves an average of 87 FPS. This provides the highest visual quality available while maintaining a comfortable margin above the playable threshold.

At 2560x1440, Ultra settings also remain playable with an average of 66 FPS. This is the best choice for maximum visual fidelity at this resolution, though the margin above 60 FPS is slimmer than at 1080p.

For 3840x2160, the only preset that clears the 60 FPS threshold is Low, delivering an average of 81 FPS. Medium settings fall short at 57 FPS, so Low is the recommended setting for 4K playability.

The Verdict

This PC can run Control effectively at 1080p and 1440p across all settings, but 4K gaming requires significant compromises. The verdict data shows that at 1920x1080, all four presets are playable, with Ultra achieving 87 FPS average. At 2560x1440, all presets also clear the 60 FPS threshold, with Ultra at 66 FPS. At 3840x2160, only Low is playable, with an 81 FPS average.

The system is clearly well-suited for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p, where even Ultra settings produce nearly 90 FPS. At 1440p, the system remains fully capable, though Ultra settings leave only 6 FPS of headroom above the playable threshold. At 4K, the hardware combination is not sufficient for high or ultra settings, and even Medium falls below 60 FPS.

For gamers prioritizing visual fidelity, 1440p Ultra is the sweet spot for this configuration. For those who must game at 4K, the Low preset provides a smooth experience, but the visual downgrade is substantial compared to the higher presets.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU's nearest rivals, based on average benchmark scores, include the Intel Core i9-14901E with an average score of 37911 and a delta of 0.1 percent, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 with 37904 and a 0.1 percent delta, the Intel Core 5 211E with 37829 and a 0.3 percent delta, and the AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P132 with 37804 and a 0.4 percent delta. These processors would perform nearly identically to the Ryzen 7 9700X in this game, with performance differences well within one percent.

On the GPU side, the RTX 3070's nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT with an average score of 17083 and a 0.7 percent delta, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 with 17037 and a 1 percent delta, the AMD Radeon HD 7970M with 17019 and a 1.1 percent delta, and the NVIDIA Tesla K40c with 17468 and a -1.5 percent delta. The RX 7600 XT would deliver nearly identical frame rates, while the GTX 690 and HD 7970M would be slightly slower. The Tesla K40c, despite being a compute-focused card, shows a slightly higher average score.

Systems pairing the Ryzen 7 9700X with an RX 7600 XT would be expected to produce frame rates within one percent of this tested configuration. Similarly, swapping the CPU for any of its listed rivals while keeping the RTX 3070 would result in negligible performance changes.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 ranks 1607 out of 3720 tested combos for Control, placing it in the 43rd percentile of all tested systems. This ranking reflects the balanced nature of the pairing, where the CPU's high performance is somewhat constrained by the GPU's mid-range standing.

The CPU's 86th percentile ranking among all CPUs indicates it is a strong processor, while the GPU's 61st percentile ranking shows it is a solid but not top-tier graphics card. The combination's overall rank of 1607 suggests that many systems with more powerful GPUs outperform it, particularly at higher resolutions where GPU performance is the dominant factor.

At 1080p and 1440p, this rank might understate the system's practical performance, as the data shows it handles these resolutions with ease. The ranking is more indicative of its 4K capabilities, where it falls short of higher-end combinations. For gamers targeting 1440p or lower, this combo provides excellent performance that punches above its overall ranking.