Control

The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combination delivers a strong performance profile for Control, with measured frame rates showing that the game is highly playable across most resolution and settings combinations. The data indicates a system capable of high refresh-rate gaming at 1080p and 1440p, while 4K requires some settings adjustments to maintain a smooth experience. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, compares the hardware to its nearest rivals, and provides practical settings guidance based solely on the benchmark data.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The benchmark scores for the CPU and GPU place this pairing in a specific performance tier. The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X has an average benchmark score of 51947, which places it in the 91st percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals, according to the data, are the Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX (avg score 52073, deltaPct -0.2), the AMD EPYC 8124P (avg score 52121, deltaPct -0.3), the Intel Core i9-13900F (avg score 51730, deltaPct 0.4), and the Intel Core i7-14700 (avg score 52301, deltaPct -0.7). These deltas are all within a fraction of a percent, meaning that for CPU-bound scenarios in Control, a system with any of these processors would deliver nearly identical performance. The Ryzen 9 5950X sits essentially at parity with the Intel Core i9-13900F, which is 0.4% behind, and nearly matches the Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX, which is 0.2% behind.

On the GPU side, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 has an average benchmark score of 37648 and sits in the 81st percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA Tesla P4 (avg score 37628, deltaPct 0.1), the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 (avg score 37507, deltaPct 0.4), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile (avg score 38135, deltaPct -1.3), and the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 (avg score 37157, deltaPct 1.3). The RTX 4070 is essentially tied with the Tesla P4, being only 0.1% behind, and is 0.4% ahead of the RX Vega 56. The RTX 4080 Mobile is a slightly faster alternative, sitting 1.3% ahead, while the Radeon PRO W6400 is 1.3% behind. For Control, this means that swapping the RTX 4070 for any of these rivals would result in frame rate differences of roughly one to two percent, which is likely imperceptible in actual gameplay. The practical takeaway is that this CPU and GPU pairing is well-balanced, with both components performing at a level where neither becomes a bottleneck in this title.

Best Settings per Resolution

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS at each resolution. At 1920x1080, the system achieves an average of 106.5 FPS on Ultra settings, making Ultra the best playable preset. The frame rate drops to 119.6 FPS on High, 138.6 FPS on Medium, and 195.3 FPS on Low, but Ultra remains well above the 60 FPS threshold. At 2560x1440, the best settings are also Ultra, with an average of 80.1 FPS. This is a comfortable margin above the playability threshold, allowing for maximum visual quality without sacrificing smoothness. The High preset at 1440p yields 90.4 FPS, Medium produces 103.6 FPS, and Low reaches 144.8 FPS, but none of these are necessary to maintain playability.

At 3840x2160, the situation changes. The Ultra preset drops to an average of 54.4 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS playability threshold. The High preset is also slightly below at 59.4 FPS. The Medium preset, however, averages 68.1 FPS, making it the most demanding setting that maintains a playable frame rate. The Low preset at 4K averages 97.1 FPS, but the data shows that Medium is the best choice for balancing visual quality and performance. For gamers prioritizing visual fidelity at 4K, the difference between High and Medium is the key trade-off, as High barely misses the 60 FPS target while Medium provides a comfortable cushion.

CPU and GPU Roles

The measured frame rates across resolutions and presets reveal how the CPU and GPU each contribute to performance in Control. The data shows a clear pattern of GPU scaling as resolution increases, with frame rates dropping significantly from 1080p to 1440p to 4K at every preset. For example, at Ultra settings, the average FPS goes from 106.5 at 1080p, to 80.1 at 1440p, to 54.4 at 4K. This represents a 24.8% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a further 32.1% drop from 1440p to 4K. This scaling is typical of a GPU-bound scenario, where the rendering workload at higher resolutions places increasing demand on the graphics card.

The CPU’s role becomes more apparent at lower resolutions and higher frame rates. At 1080p Low settings, the system achieves 195.3 FPS, which is substantially higher than the 1440p Low result of 144.8 FPS and the 4K Low result of 97.1 FPS. The large jump in frame rates at 1080p Low suggests that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough data to reach very high frame rates, but the GPU becomes the limiting factor as resolution increases. The Ryzen 9 5950X, with its 16 cores and 32 threads, provides ample processing power for this game, and the benchmark data indicates that it is not a bottleneck even at the highest frame rates measured.

At 4K, the GPU is clearly the dominant component. The difference between Low (97.1 FPS) and Ultra (54.4 FPS) at 4K is 42.7 FPS, which is a 44% reduction in performance. This contrasts with the 1080p results, where the difference between Low (195.3 FPS) and Ultra (106.5 FPS) is 88.8 FPS, a 45.5% reduction. The similar percentage drops across resolutions suggest that the GPU’s performance scaling is consistent, and the CPU’s influence is minimal in this title. For players using this system, the data shows that at 1080p and 1440p, the CPU has enough headroom to allow the GPU to perform at its full potential, while at 4K, the GPU is the primary factor determining playability.

The Verdict

This PC configuration can run Control, and it does so with substantial headroom at most settings. According to the verdict data, at 1920x1080, all four presets (High, Low, Medium, Ultra) are playable, with the best settings being Ultra at an average of 106.5 FPS. At 2560x1440, all presets are again playable, with Ultra at 80.1 FPS being the best choice. At 3840x2160, only Low and Medium presets clear the 60 FPS threshold, with Medium at 68.1 FPS being the best playable setting. The High preset at 4K averages 59.4 FPS, which is just below the playable threshold, and Ultra averages 54.4 FPS, which is also below.

The verdict is clear: this system provides a fully smooth experience at 1080p and 1440p with maximum settings, and it can handle 4K gaming if the settings are adjusted to Medium. The 4K High preset is a borderline case, missing the 60 FPS target by only 0.6 FPS, which could be acceptable for some players, but the data recommends Medium for a consistent experience. Overall, this pairing is well-suited for Control, offering high frame rates at mainstream resolutions and viable 4K performance with moderate settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across all resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the average frame rates are as follows: Low settings deliver 195.3 FPS, Medium delivers 138.6 FPS, High delivers 119.6 FPS, and Ultra delivers 106.5 FPS. The progression shows a steady decline as settings increase, with Ultra being 45.5% slower than Low. At 2560x1440, the results are: Low at 144.8 FPS, Medium at 103.6 FPS, High at 90.4 FPS, and Ultra at 80.1 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra at 1440p is 64.7 FPS, which is a 44.7% reduction. At 3840x2160, the frame rates are: Low at 97.1 FPS, Medium at 68.1 FPS, High at 59.4 FPS, and Ultra at 54.4 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 42.7 FPS, a 44% reduction.

The data also shows how resolution scaling affects performance. At Low settings, moving from 1080p to 1440p reduces the frame rate by 50.5 FPS (25.9%), and moving from 1440p to 4K reduces it by 47.7 FPS (32.9%). At Ultra settings, moving from 1080p to 1440p reduces the frame rate by 26.4 FPS (24.8%), and moving from 1440p to 4K reduces it by 25.7 FPS (32.1%). The consistency of these percentage drops indicates that the GPU’s performance scales predictably with resolution, and the system’s CPU does not introduce any unexpected bottlenecks.

FAQ

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1080p gaming with this system?

A: At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset averages 106.5 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS playable threshold. This makes Ultra the recommended settings for maximum visual quality at this resolution.

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

A: The High preset at 3840x2160 averages 59.4 FPS, which is just below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The Medium preset is the most demanding setting that stays at or above 60 FPS, averaging 68.1 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 4070 has an average benchmark score of 37648, which is 0.1% behind the NVIDIA Tesla P4 and 0.4% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile is 1.3% faster, and the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 is 1.3% slower.

Q: Is the Ryzen 9 5950X a bottleneck for the RTX 4070 in this game?

A: The data shows that the CPU is not a bottleneck. At 1080p Low settings, the system achieves 195.3 FPS, indicating the CPU can feed the GPU effectively. The frame rate drops at higher resolutions are consistent with GPU-bound scaling, not CPU limitations.

Q: What is the highest playable setting at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset averages 80.1 FPS, making it the highest playable setting. All presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) at 1440p exceed the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 4K at Ultra settings?

A: At Ultra settings, the average frame rate drops from 106.5 FPS at 1080p to 54.4 FPS at 4K, which is a reduction of 52.1 FPS or approximately 49% of the 1080p performance.