Control

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 combination delivers a strong performance profile in Control, with results that scale predictably across resolutions and presets. The measured data shows this pairing is more than capable of handling the game’s demands, though the margin of comfort narrows considerably at 4K with maximum settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo produces frame rates that far exceed the 60 FPS playability threshold. The Low preset averages 208.4 FPS, which is the highest recorded figure for this pairing. Moving up the quality ladder, Medium yields 147.1 FPS, High drops to 132.6 FPS, and Ultra still maintains a strong 115 FPS average. The scaling between Low and Ultra at this resolution represents a drop of approximately 45%, but every preset clears the 60 FPS mark with substantial headroom.

Stepping up to 2560x1440, the performance remains robust but the gap between presets widens. The Low preset averages 154.8 FPS, while Medium delivers 110 FPS. High settings produce 103 FPS, and Ultra drops to 89 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra here is roughly 43%, similar to the 1080p scaling. All four presets at 1440p stay well above the 60 FPS threshold, with even the most demanding Ultra preset maintaining a 48% buffer over the playability line.

At 3840x2160, the performance picture changes more dramatically. The Low preset averages 107.2 FPS, which is still a very playable figure. Medium settings yield 77.8 FPS, and High comes in at 69.3 FPS. The Ultra preset, however, drops to 58.2 FPS, falling just short of the 60 FPS target. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 4K shows a reduction of roughly 46%, which is consistent with the other resolutions, but the absolute numbers are lower, pushing Ultra below the playable threshold.

The data shows no min or max FPS values are available for any resolution or preset, so the analysis relies solely on average frame rates. The measured results indicate that the most demanding configuration tested — 4K Ultra — is the only combination that fails to clear 60 FPS, and it does so by a narrow margin of 1.8 FPS.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions reveals how the balance between CPU and GPU shifts as pixel count increases. At 1920x1080, the frame rates are high enough that the CPU becomes a more significant factor, but the Ryzen 7 9800X3D’s strong single-thread and multi-thread capabilities keep the system from becoming CPU-bound in a way that limits playability. The 3DMark single-thread score of 1212 and the 3DMark 16-thread score of 10081 indicate a processor with ample headroom for this title.

As resolution increases to 2560x1440, the GPU begins to take on a larger role, evidenced by the tighter spread between presets. The RTX 5070’s 12 GB of GDDR7 memory and 672.0 GB/s bandwidth provide sufficient throughput for this resolution, and the frame rates remain high across all presets. The transition from Low to Ultra at 1440p costs 65.8 FPS, which is a larger absolute drop than at 1080p where the same transition costs 93.4 FPS, but the percentage scaling is similar.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the dominant constraint. The pixel count at 4K is more than double that of 1440p, and the RTX 5070’s 30.87 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 201.0 GPixel/s pixel rate are pushed harder. The Ultra preset at 4K falls below 60 FPS, indicating that the GPU’s limits are reached here. The CPU’s role diminishes at this resolution, as the bottleneck shifts almost entirely to the graphics card.

The data shows that the CPU’s 96 MB of shared L3 cache and 8 cores with 16 threads are more than adequate for Control across all tested configurations. The GPU’s performance ceiling is the determining factor at 4K Ultra, while at lower resolutions, both components have enough headroom to deliver high frame rates without either becoming a significant limiting factor.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 ranks 697 out of 3720 tested combos for Control. This places it in the top 18.7% of all combinations in the database, which is a strong showing for a mid-to-high-end pairing. The percentile ranking reflects the overall capability of the system, considering both CPU and GPU contributions.

The CPU itself sits at the 87th percentile among all processors, with an average benchmark score of 39768. The GPU ranks at the 82nd percentile among all graphics cards, with an average benchmark score of 40377. These individual rankings are broadly consistent with the combo’s overall position, suggesting that neither component is dragging the other down significantly in this title.

The rank of 697 out of 3720 means there are 696 combinations that perform better in Control, but also 3023 that perform worse. This places the system firmly in the upper tier of tested hardware. The measured FPS data supports this ranking, as the combo clears 60 FPS in 11 out of 12 tested configurations, with only 4K Ultra falling short.

The Verdict

This PC can run Control effectively at most settings and resolutions. At 1920x1080, all four presets — Low, Medium, High, and Ultra — clear the 60 FPS threshold, with the Ultra preset averaging 115 FPS. The best settings at 1080p are Ultra, providing the highest visual quality while maintaining playable frame rates.

At 2560x1440, the same pattern holds. All four presets are playable, with Ultra averaging 89 FPS. This makes 1440p Ultra a viable option for users who want maximum quality without sacrificing smoothness. The 89 FPS average provides a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS target.

At 3840x2160, the situation is more nuanced. The Low, Medium, and High presets all clear 60 FPS, with averages of 107.2, 77.8, and 69.3 FPS respectively. The Ultra preset, however, averages 58.2 FPS, which falls just below the playable threshold. The best settings at 4K are High, which delivers 69.3 FPS on average. Users who want to play at 4K Ultra would need to accept frame rates slightly below 60 FPS, or they could adjust settings to High for a more consistent experience.

Overall, the system is well-suited for this game. At 1080p and 1440p, it offers maximum settings with high frame rates. At 4K, it requires a modest reduction from Ultra to High to maintain 60 FPS, but the visual difference between those two presets is often minor in practice.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU’s nearest rivals, based on average benchmark scores, include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840HS, which scores 39603 on average, just 0.4% lower than the Ryzen 7 9800X3D’s 39768. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 scores 40048, which is 0.7% higher. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 scores 39485, 0.7% lower, and the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 scores 40081, 0.8% higher. These alternatives would behave nearly identically in Control, with performance differences of less than 1% in synthetic benchmarks.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon Pro 580, which scores 40318 on average, just 0.1% lower than the RTX 5070’s 40377. The AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 scores 40063, 0.8% lower. The AMD Radeon Pro 5300 scores 40870, 1.2% higher, and the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile scores 39568, 2% lower. These GPUs would produce very similar frame rates in Control, with the RTX A500 Mobile being the most divergent at 2% lower performance.

Users who already own one of these alternative CPUs or GPUs can expect comparable results in Control. The deltaPct values indicate that the performance differences are minimal, and none of these alternatives would change the verdict at any resolution. The 4K Ultra preset would still fall just short of 60 FPS, while all other configurations would remain playable.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Control at 4K Ultra settings?

A: No. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 58.2, which falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The best playable settings at 4K are High, which averages 69.3 FPS.

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves?

A: The highest recorded average is 208.4 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings. At 2560x1440, the highest is 154.8 FPS on Low, and at 3840x2160, the highest is 107.2 FPS on Low.

Q: How does the Ryzen 7 9800X3D compare to its nearest CPU rivals?

A: The Ryzen 7 9800X3D has an average benchmark score of 39768. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840HS scores 39603 (0.4% lower), the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 scores 40048 (0.7% higher), the AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 scores 39485 (0.7% lower), and the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 scores 40081 (0.8% higher). These differences are negligible in real-world gaming.

Q: Which resolution provides the best balance of quality and performance?

A: At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset averages 89 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold. This provides high visual quality with comfortable frame rates. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 115 FPS, but 1440p offers more detail without sacrificing playability.

Q: Is the RTX 5070 the limiting factor at 4K?

A: The data suggests yes. At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset drops to 58.2 FPS, while the CPU’s performance at lower resolutions indicates it has ample headroom. The GPU’s pixel rate of 201.0 GPixel/s and FP32 compute of 30.87 TFLOPS are the likely constraints at this resolution.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to all tested combinations?

A: It ranks 697 out of 3720 tested combos for Control, placing it in the top 18.7% of all systems in the database. This is a strong overall position, consistent with the measured frame rates.