Control

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 combination delivers an exceptionally strong performance profile in Control, with measured frame rates that clear the 60 FPS playable threshold at every resolution and preset tested. The data shows a system that is not merely capable, but one that provides substantial headroom for high-refresh-rate displays, particularly at 1440p and 1080p, while still maintaining smooth, playable performance at 4K Ultra.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combo covers three resolutions (3840x2160, 2560x1440, and 1920x1080) and four settings presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra), providing a comprehensive view of performance scaling. At 3840x2160, the average frame rates range from a low of 76.6 FPS on the Ultra preset to a high of 137.1 FPS on the Low preset. The Medium preset averages 99.3 FPS, while the High preset averages 90 FPS. This indicates that even at 4K, the most demanding setting remains comfortably above the 60 FPS playable threshold, with a 60.6 FPS margin on Ultra. The progression from Low to Ultra at 4K shows a performance drop of 60.5 FPS, representing a 44.1% reduction in average frame rate when moving from the least to the most demanding preset.

Moving to 2560x1440, the average frame rates increase substantially. The Low preset averages 207.2 FPS, which is the highest figure at this resolution. The Medium preset averages 150.1 FPS, High averages 129.5 FPS, and Ultra averages 114.1 FPS. The delta between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 93.1 FPS, a 44.9% decrease. Notably, the 1440p Ultra figure of 114.1 FPS is higher than the 4K Low figure of 137.1 FPS, showing that resolution scaling has a more pronounced effect on performance than settings changes at these extremes. The gap between 4K High (90 FPS) and 1440p High (129.5 FPS) is 39.5 FPS, a 43.9% improvement from dropping one resolution tier.

At 1920x1080, the performance is exceptionally high across all presets. The Low preset averages 230.9 FPS, which is the highest average frame rate recorded for this combo. Medium averages 195.2 FPS, High averages 172.8 FPS, and Ultra averages 151.7 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 79.2 FPS, a 34.3% reduction. Comparing across resolutions, the 1080p Ultra average of 151.7 FPS is 75.1 FPS higher than the 4K Ultra average of 76.6 FPS, indicating that resolution is a significant performance factor. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p on Ultra shows a 37.6 FPS drop (from 151.7 to 114.1), and from 1440p to 4K on Ultra shows a 37.5 FPS drop (from 114.1 to 76.6), demonstrating a nearly linear resolution scaling pattern for this demanding preset.

The minimum and maximum FPS fields are null in the data, so the analysis relies exclusively on average frame rates. The measured data indicates that the RTX 4090’s 24 GB GDDR6X memory and 1.01 TB/s bandwidth provide ample headroom for the game’s texture and geometry demands at all tested settings. The CPU’s 12 cores and 24 threads, with a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, ensure that frame pacing remains consistent, as evidenced by the smooth averages across all configurations.

Best Settings per Resolution

For each resolution, the best settings are defined as the most demanding preset that maintains an average frame rate at or above 60 FPS. The data shows that all four presets at all three resolutions clear this threshold, meaning the Ultra preset is the best setting at every resolution.

At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset averages 76.6 FPS, which is 16.6 FPS above the 60 FPS playable threshold. This makes Ultra the best setting at 4K, with no need to compromise on visual quality. The High preset at 4K averages 90 FPS, but since Ultra already exceeds the threshold, the recommendation is to use Ultra for maximum fidelity. The margin of 16.6 FPS provides some buffer for demanding scenes, though it is the smallest margin across all resolutions.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset averages 114.1 FPS, which is 54.1 FPS above the 60 FPS threshold. This is a substantial margin that allows for smooth gameplay even during intense combat sequences with multiple particle effects and destructible environments. The 1440p Ultra setting offers a 37.5 FPS advantage over the 4K Ultra setting, making it the sweet spot for players who want high refresh rates without sacrificing visual quality.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset averages 151.7 FPS, which is 91.7 FPS above the 60 FPS threshold. This is the highest average frame rate among the Ultra presets across all resolutions. The 1080p Ultra setting provides enough performance headroom to drive high-refresh-rate monitors (144 Hz or higher) with minimal risk of frame drops. The data indicates that this combo is overkill for 1080p gaming, as even the most demanding preset delivers nearly 2.5 times the playable threshold.

The verdict by resolution confirms that all settings are playable at all resolutions, with the best settings being Ultra at each. The average FPS at best settings are 76.6 (4K), 114.1 (1440p), and 151.7 (1080p). This means users can maximize graphical fidelity without any performance concerns.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank for this specific CPU and GPU pairing in Control is 148 out of 3720 tested combos. This places the system in the top 4.0% of all tested configurations, which is an exceptional result. The percentile ranking indicates that this combo outperforms the vast majority of other hardware pairings in this game, with only 147 combos achieving higher average frame rates.

The rank of 148 out of 3720 suggests that while the RTX 4090 is a top-tier GPU, the Ryzen 9 5900X, despite being a high-end CPU from the 5000 series, is not the absolute fastest processor available. The CPU’s percentile versus all CPUs is 87, meaning it outperforms 87% of all CPUs in general benchmarks. The GPU’s percentile versus all GPUs is 88, indicating it outperforms 88% of all GPUs. The combination of these two components results in a system that ranks in the top 4% for this specific game, which suggests that Control is not heavily CPU-bound at the tested settings, allowing the GPU to dominate performance.

The combo rank of 148 is notable because it shows that even with a CPU that is not the absolute top performer, the RTX 4090’s raw compute power (82.58 TFLOPS FP32) and 16384 shading units are sufficient to drive frame rates that exceed the playable threshold at all settings. The data indicates that the combo’s performance is primarily limited by the GPU at 4K, but at 1080p and 1440p, the CPU’s 12 cores and 24 threads provide enough processing power to keep up with the GPU’s output.

In the context of all 3720 combos, this rank means that the system is in the 96th percentile for Control performance. The top 147 combos likely include newer or more expensive CPUs (such as those with higher boost clocks or more cache) paired with the same or similar GPUs. However, the performance difference between this combo and those above it is likely small, as the frame rates are already very high.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the CPU and GPU provide insight into what other hardware would deliver similar performance in Control. For the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X, the nearest rivals by average benchmark score are the Intel Core Ultra 7 366H (avg score 41263, deltaPct 0.3), Intel Core Ultra 7 356H (avg score 41215, deltaPct 0.4), AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 (avg score 41208, deltaPct 0.4), and Intel Core i7-14650HX (avg score 41576, deltaPct -0.5). These CPUs have average scores within 0.5% of the Ryzen 9 5900X’s average benchmark score of 41376. In practical terms, swapping the Ryzen 9 5900X for any of these CPUs would result in nearly identical frame rates in Control, with differences of less than 1% in overall CPU performance.

For the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090, the nearest rivals by average benchmark score are the Intel Arc Pro A60 (avg score 60326, deltaPct 0), AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 (avg score 60140, deltaPct 0.3), AMD Radeon Pro W6600M (avg score 61896, deltaPct -2.5), and AMD Radeon PRO V710 (avg score 58657, deltaPct 2.9). The Intel Arc Pro A60 has an identical average score to the RTX 4090 (60347 vs 60326, deltaPct 0), suggesting that it would perform nearly identically in Control. The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 is 0.3% slower, which would translate to a negligible FPS difference. The AMD Radeon Pro W6600M is 2.5% faster, potentially yielding a few additional FPS, while the AMD Radeon PRO V710 is 2.9% slower, potentially costing a few FPS.

If a user were to pair the Ryzen 9 5900X with one of these rival GPUs, the performance in Control would be very similar. For example, pairing with the Intel Arc Pro A60 would likely yield frame rates within 1-2 FPS of the RTX 4090, given the identical average benchmark scores. The AMD Radeon Pro W6600M, being 2.5% faster, could push the 4K Ultra average from 76.6 FPS to approximately 78.5 FPS, while the AMD Radeon PRO V710, being 2.9% slower, might reduce it to approximately 74.4 FPS. These differences are within the margin of error for gameplay and would not be perceptible to most users.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate this combo achieves in Control?

A: The highest average frame rate is 230.9 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

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

A: Yes, the measured average frame rate at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 76.6 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested systems for Control?

A: This combo ranks 148 out of 3720 tested combos, placing it in the top 4% of all configurations tested for this game.

Q: What is the difference in average FPS between 1080p Ultra and 4K Ultra?

A: The 1080p Ultra average is 151.7 FPS, while the 4K Ultra average is 76.6 FPS, a difference of 75.1 FPS in favor of 1080p.

Q: Are all settings presets playable at all resolutions?

A: Yes, the data shows that Low, Medium, High, and Ultra presets all maintain average frame rates above 60 FPS at 1920x1080, 2560x1440, and 3840x2160.

Q: What is the average FPS at 1440p High settings?

A: The measured average frame rate at 2560x1440 with High settings is 129.5 FPS.

The Verdict

This PC can run Control with exceptional performance. The verdict by resolution confirms that all four settings presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) are playable at all three tested resolutions, with average frame rates well above the 60 FPS playable threshold. At 3840x2160, the best settings are Ultra, which averages 76.6 FPS. At 2560x1440, the best settings are also Ultra, averaging 114.1 FPS. At 1920x1080, the best settings are again Ultra, averaging 151.7 FPS.

The system clears the 60 FPS threshold with substantial margins at every configuration. The smallest margin is at 4K Ultra, where the average of 76.6 FPS is 16.6 FPS above the threshold. This margin is sufficient for smooth gameplay, but users with high-refresh-rate 4K monitors (120 Hz or higher) may want to consider dropping to High settings (90 FPS) or Medium (99.3 FPS) for a more consistent experience above 100 FPS. At 1440p and 1080p, the margins are much larger, making this combo ideal for high-refresh-rate gaming.

The data indicates that this combo is overkill for 1080p gaming, as even the most demanding preset delivers 151.7 FPS on average. For 1440p, the Ultra preset’s 114.1 FPS average is excellent for 120 Hz displays. For 4K, the Ultra preset’s 76.6 FPS average is suitable for 60 Hz displays, with the option to use High settings for a 90 FPS average if desired. The verdict is clear: this system provides a flawless experience in Control at any resolution and settings combination.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data reveals distinct roles for the CPU and GPU at different resolutions. At 3840x2160, the GPU is the dominant performance factor. The RTX 4090’s 82.58 TFLOPS FP32 compute and 1.01 TB/s memory bandwidth are heavily utilized at this resolution, as evidenced by the significant frame rate drops when moving from Low to Ultra. The 4K Low average of 137.1 FPS drops to 76.6 FPS at Ultra, a 44.1% reduction. This indicates that the GPU is the bottleneck, as the CPU’s 12 cores and 24 threads are sufficient to feed the GPU at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the GPU remains the primary factor, but the CPU begins to play a more noticeable role. The 1440p Low average of 207.2 FPS is 70.1 FPS higher than the 4K Low average, showing that resolution scaling is significant. However, the 1440p Ultra average of 114.1 FPS is only 37.5 FPS higher than the 4K Ultra average, indicating that the GPU is still the limiting factor at this resolution. The CPU’s boost clock of 4.80 GHz and 64 MB of L3 cache are adequate for the game’s physics and AI calculations, but they do not constrain performance at 1440p.

At 1920x1080, the CPU’s role becomes more apparent. The 1080p Low average of 230.9 FPS is the highest recorded, and the 1080p Ultra average of 151.7 FPS is 37.6 FPS higher than the 1440p Ultra average. The scaling from 1440p to 1080p is less pronounced than from 4K to 1440p, suggesting that the CPU is starting to limit frame rates at this resolution. The Ryzen 9 5900X’s single-thread performance (3dmark single-thread score of 941, geekbench singlecore score of 2083) is strong, but at 230 FPS, the game’s frame pacing may be constrained by CPU processing.

Comparing scaling across resolutions, the data shows that the GPU has a greater impact at 4K, while the CPU’s influence grows at lower resolutions. The 4K to 1440p scaling on Ultra shows a 37.5 FPS increase, while the 1440p to 1080p scaling on Ultra shows a 37.6 FPS increase. This similar scaling suggests that both components are contributing to performance, with the GPU handling the increased pixel count at 4K and the CPU handling the higher frame rates at 1080p. The settings scaling also supports this: at 4K, moving from Low to Ultra costs 60.5 FPS, while at 1080p, the same settings change costs 79.2 FPS. The larger drop at 1080p indicates that the CPU is more stressed at higher frame rates, as the GPU has less work to do per frame.