Control

Control, the 2019 action-adventure from Remedy, is a demanding title that stresses both CPU and GPU, particularly with its physics-driven environments and real-time ray tracing options. This analysis examines the measured performance of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080, a combination that sits in the 86th percentile for CPUs and 87th percentile for GPUs. The benchmark data, which is directly measured rather than estimated, reveals a system that decisively handles this game, but the scaling patterns between resolutions and presets offer a nuanced look at where the bottleneck lies.

How This Combo Ranks

The Ryzen 7 9700X and RTX 5080 combination achieves a rank of 183 out of 3720 tested combos in Control, placing it in the top 5% of all tested systems. This is a strong showing, indicating that this pairing is well-suited for the game's demands. The CPU's average benchmark score of 37943 places it at the 86th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU's average score of 56083 puts it at the 87th percentile of all GPUs. The data suggests that neither component is a weak link, as the overall combo rank is consistent with the individual component percentiles.

The rank of 183 becomes more impressive when considering the sheer number of combinations tested. Being in the top 183 out of 3720 means this specific CPU-GPU pairing outperforms the vast majority of potential configurations. The measured FPS data reinforces this, showing that even at the most demanding preset and resolution, the system maintains an average frame rate well above the 60 FPS playability threshold. This is not a marginal setup; it is one that provides significant headroom for smooth gameplay. The question is not if this combo can run Control, but rather how much visual fidelity can be pushed while maintaining high frame rates. The percentile rankings suggest a balanced system where the CPU and GPU are well-matched for this title, avoiding a scenario where one component severely limits the other's potential.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions and presets reveals the shifting balance between CPU and GPU load. At 1920x1080, the system is likely more CPU-bound, as the GPU has less work to do. This is evident in the Low preset, where the average FPS reaches 260.6. This high frame rate indicates the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough data to achieve this level of performance, but it also suggests that the GPU is not the limiting factor at this resolution. The jump from Low to Ultra at 1080p is a 44% reduction in FPS (from 260.6 to 144.8), which shows the GPU's workload is increasing significantly with preset quality.

As resolution increases to 2560x1440, the GPU's role becomes more dominant. The average FPS at Low drops to 198, and at Ultra it drops to 107. The scaling from 1080p Low to 1440p Low is a 24% decrease in FPS (from 260.6 to 198), while the scaling from 1080p Ultra to 1440p Ultra is a 26% decrease (from 144.8 to 107). This relatively consistent drop suggests that both CPU and GPU are being taxed proportionally. However, at 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the primary bottleneck. The Low preset average FPS drops to 132.4, which is a 33% decrease from the 1440p Low score. The Ultra preset at 4K falls to 70.9 FPS, a 34% decrease from 1440p Ultra. This larger percentage drop at 4K indicates that the GPU is working much harder to fill the additional pixels, while the CPU has more headroom.

The data implies that for this combination, the CPU is sufficient to avoid bottlenecking the GPU at lower resolutions, but at 4K, the RTX 5080's raw compute power is the defining factor. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 61.5 FPS (from 132.4 to 70.9), which is a substantial gap. This shows that the GPU's performance scales significantly with the graphical load, whereas the CPU's contribution is more constant. For players seeking maximum frame rates, lowering the preset at 4K yields a significant return, while at 1080p, the CPU's capabilities allow for very high frame rates even at Ultra settings.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Control at 60 FPS on Ultra settings at 1920x1080?

A: Yes. The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings is 144.8, which is well above the 60 FPS playability threshold. The system provides a significant margin of performance for high-refresh-rate monitors.

Q: What is the most demanding preset that maintains 60 FPS at 3840x2160?

A: All four tested presets (Low, Medium, High, and Ultra) maintain an average FPS above 60 at 4K. The Ultra preset averages 70.9 FPS, meaning even the highest quality settings are fully playable.

Q: How much of a performance difference is there between the Low and Ultra presets at 2560x1440?

A: The difference is substantial. The Low preset averages 198 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 107 FPS. This represents a 91 FPS drop, or a 46% reduction in performance when moving from the lowest to the highest quality settings.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for this game at 3840x2160?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K. The significant frame rate drops when increasing resolution (e.g., from 2560x1440 to 3840x2160 at the same preset) point to the GPU's rendering workload being the limiting factor, while the CPU has sufficient headroom.

Q: Does the performance difference between 1920x1080 and 2560x1440 suggest a CPU limit?

A: The scaling is relatively modest, with a 24% drop in FPS at Low settings (from 260.6 to 198) when moving from 1080p to 1440p. This suggests that at lower resolutions, the CPU is more of a factor, but the GPU still handles the increased pixel count effectively.

Q: What is the average FPS at 1920x1080 with Medium settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with Medium settings is 187.1. This is a very high frame rate that would be well-suited for competitive or fast-paced gameplay.

The Verdict

The benchmark data leaves no doubt: this system can run Control with exceptional performance across all tested resolutions. The verdict by resolution shows that every single preset at every resolution clears the 60 FPS playability threshold. At 3840x2160, the best playable setting is Ultra, with an average FPS of 70.9. This means players can experience the game at its highest visual fidelity with a smooth frame rate. At 2560x1440, the best setting is also Ultra, delivering a robust 107 FPS average, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate 1440p monitors. Finally, at 1920x1080, the system achieves a staggering 144.8 FPS average on Ultra, making it perfect for 144Hz or 165Hz displays.

The data strongly suggests that this combination is overqualified for 1080p and 1440p gaming, as it provides frame rates that far exceed the 60 FPS target. Even at 4K, the system maintains a comfortable margin above the threshold, meaning there is no need to compromise on settings for a playable experience. The only potential concern is for users with very high refresh rate 4K displays (e.g., 144Hz or higher), as the 70.9 FPS average at Ultra would not fully saturate such a monitor. In that case, lowering the preset to High (84.9 FPS) or Medium (97.2 FPS) would provide a higher frame rate, but the game remains fully playable at the highest quality setting.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for the CPU and GPU provides context for what other hardware would perform similarly. The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X's closest competitor, based on average benchmark score, is the Intel Core i9-14901E, which is only 0.1% slower. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 is also extremely close, with a 0.1% delta. The Intel Core 5 211E and AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P132 are slightly further behind, at 0.3% and 0.4% deltas respectively. This means that any of these CPUs paired with the RTX 5080 would yield nearly identical performance in Control, as the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions.

On the GPU side, the nearest rival to the RTX 5080 is the AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE, which is actually 2.2% faster in average benchmark score. This is an intriguing data point, suggesting that a system with this AMD GPU might see slightly higher frame rates in Control. The AMD Radeon 8060S and AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB are very close, with 0.6% and 0.7% deltas respectively, meaning they would perform within a few percentage points of the RTX 5080. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X is 2.3% slower, which would still result in a playable experience but with a slight performance deficit. For a user looking for similar performance, swapping the RTX 5080 for an RX 9070 GRE would likely yield a negligible difference in gameplay, while the RX 6750 GRE 12 GB would be a more cost-effective alternative with only a small performance penalty.

Best Settings per Resolution

The data identifies the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS for each resolution. At 3840x2160, the best setting is Ultra, which achieves an average FPS of 70.9. This is the highest quality preset available, and it still provides a frame rate that is over 10 FPS above the playability threshold. At 2560x1440, the best setting is also Ultra, with an average FPS of 107. This provides a significant performance buffer, allowing for a smooth experience even during intense action sequences. At 1920x1080, the best setting is Ultra, delivering an average FPS of 144.8. This is a stellar result, showcasing the system's ability to handle the game at its highest quality with frame rates that are ideal for high-refresh-rate gaming.

These results indicate that the system is not just playable but offers a premium experience at every resolution. There is no scenario where a player must sacrifice visual quality to achieve a playable frame rate. The recommendation is to use the Ultra preset at all resolutions for the best visual experience, as it consistently remains above 60 FPS. For those with very high refresh rate monitors (e.g., 240Hz), lowering the preset at 1080p could push the FPS from 144.8 to as high as 260.6, but this would come at the cost of visual fidelity. The default recommendation, however, is clear: Ultra settings are the best choice for a balance of visual quality and performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is the complete measured FPS data for the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 combination in Control. All values are average FPS, with no min or max frames provided in the data.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 132.4 FPS
• Medium: 97.2 FPS
• High: 84.9 FPS
• Ultra: 70.9 FPS

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 198 FPS
• Medium: 140.1 FPS
• High: 125.8 FPS
• Ultra: 107 FPS

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 260.6 FPS
• Medium: 187.1 FPS
• High: 162.4 FPS
• Ultra: 144.8 FPS

The data reveals a consistent pattern: as resolution and preset quality increase, frame rates decrease proportionally. The performance gap between Low and Ultra is most pronounced at 1080p, where the difference is 115.8 FPS (from 260.6 to 144.8). At 4K, the gap narrows to 61.5 FPS (from 132.4 to 70.9), further confirming that the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions. The system's performance is consistently high, with even the lowest result (70.9 FPS at 4K Ultra) being comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold. This data provides a clear picture of the system's capabilities, showing a well-balanced configuration that excels at all standard gaming resolutions.