Control

The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is an exceptionally high-end combination, and the measured data for Control confirms that this system is overkill for nearly every scenario the game presents. With a combo rank of 47 out of 3720 tested configurations, this build sits in the top 1.3% of all hardware pairings for this title. The benchmark results show a machine that not only clears the 60 FPS playability threshold at every resolution and preset combination but does so with massive headroom, making it a top-tier choice for high-refresh-rate monitors and maxed-out visual fidelity.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The performance data for this CPU/GPU pairing in Control reveals a linear and predictable scaling pattern across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system delivers frame rates that are primarily limited by the game engine's CPU overhead rather than the GPU's raw power. The lowest measured setting, Low, produces an average of 232 FPS. Stepping up to Medium yields 205 FPS, with a minimum of 174 FPS and a maximum of 235 FPS. High settings drop the average to 188 FPS, while the most demanding Ultra preset still maintains a robust 163 FPS average. The delta between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 69 FPS, indicating that the game scales well with settings but that the GPU remains largely unconstrained at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains extraordinarily high, with the GPU beginning to take on more responsibility. Low settings produce an average of 212 FPS, which is only a 20 FPS drop from the 1080p result. Medium averages 160 FPS, with a minimum of 136 FPS and a maximum of 184 FPS. High settings deliver 142 FPS on average, and Ultra still holds an impressive 124 FPS average. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 88 FPS, showing that the higher resolution amplifies the impact of graphical presets. The minimum frame rate at Medium, 136 FPS, is still more than double the 60 FPS threshold, ensuring a completely smooth experience even in demanding scenes.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 5090 D finally starts to work harder, though the results remain far above playability requirements. Low settings average 152 FPS, a 60 FPS reduction from the 1080p Low result. Medium settings drop to 108 FPS, with a minimum of 92 FPS and a maximum of 124 FPS. High settings average 96 FPS, while Ultra still manages 83 FPS on average. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 4K is 69 FPS, mirroring the 1080p delta but at much lower absolute values. Even the worst-case minimum frame rate recorded across all tests—92 FPS at 4K Medium—is comfortably above the 60 FPS playability threshold, indicating that this system never dips into problematic territory.

Best Settings per Resolution

For each resolution, the optimal choice is the most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS. Given the immense power of this configuration, the answer is the same across all three resolutions: Ultra settings. At 1920x1080, Ultra settings run at 163 FPS average, which is not only playable but ideal for a high-refresh-rate 1080p monitor. At 2560x1440, Ultra settings deliver 124 FPS average, providing a perfect balance of visual quality and speed for 144Hz displays. At 3840x2160, Ultra settings still achieve 83 FPS average, which is suitable for 60Hz 4K displays and even allows for some headroom with VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) monitors.

The data indicates that there is no resolution in this test where the user must compromise on settings to achieve playability. The verdict by resolution confirms that all four presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—are playable at every resolution. The best settings designation is therefore Ultra at all three resolutions, with the specific averages being 163 FPS at 1080p, 124 FPS at 1440p, and 83 FPS at 4K. This means the limiting factor for this system is not the hardware but the display's refresh rate and the user's preference for frame rate versus visual fidelity.

CPU and GPU Roles

The division of labor between the Ryzen 9 5950X and the RTX 5090 D shifts predictably as resolution increases. At 1920x1080, the CPU plays a more significant role because the GPU can render frames so quickly that the processor must keep up with feeding it data. This is evident in the relatively small performance drop from Low to Ultra at 1080p—just 69 FPS—compared to the larger drop at 1440p. The 5950X, with its 16 cores and 32 threads, is clearly not a bottleneck here, as evidenced by the high minimum frame rates, but the game's single-threaded nature means that the high FPS figures are evidence of the CPU's strong single-core performance, which is reflected in its 3dmark_single_thread score of 944.

As resolution increases to 2560x1440 and then to 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the dominant factor. The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K at Ultra settings is 80 FPS (from 163 to 83), which is a 49% reduction. This scaling shows that the RTX 5090 D is still the primary driver of performance at higher resolutions, but it is so powerful that even at 4K, the CPU is not left wanting. The 5950X's multi-threaded prowess, demonstrated by its cinebench_r23_multicore score of 26017, ensures that background tasks and DirectX 12 draw calls do not interfere with frame pacing.

Interestingly, the gap between Low and Ultra settings widens as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference is 69 FPS; at 1440p, it is 88 FPS; and at 4K, it is 69 FPS again. This non-linear behavior suggests that at 1440p, the GPU is in a sweet spot where it can fully utilize both the CPU's capabilities and its own rendering power, while at 4K, the GPU's raw throughput becomes the limiting factor regardless of preset. The practical takeaway is that for this system, the CPU is never a bottleneck in Control, and the GPU is only mildly stressed at 4K Ultra, making the 5950X a future-proof choice for this game.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For users considering this specific pairing, the nearest rival data provides context on what other CPUs and GPUs would deliver comparable performance. On the CPU side, the Ryzen 9 5950X has an average benchmark score of 51947, placing it in the 91st percentile of all CPUs. Its closest competitors are the Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX with an average score of 52073 (a delta of -0.2%), the AMD EPYC 8124P with a score of 52121 (delta -0.3%), the Intel Core i9-13900F with a score of 51730 (delta 0.4%), and the Intel Core i7-14700 with a score of 52301 (delta -0.7%). These deltas are all within 1% of the 5950X, meaning that in Control, these processors would produce nearly identical frame rates, as the game is not heavily multithreaded.

On the GPU side, the RTX 5090 D has an average benchmark score of 77712, placing it in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT with a score of 76904 (delta 1.1%), the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT with a score of 78940 (delta -1.6%), the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB with a score of 79396 (delta -2.1%), and the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB with a score of 79605 (delta -2.4%). It is important to note that these rivals have lower scores than the RTX 5090 D, meaning they would be slightly slower in Control, but the deltas are small enough (under 2.5%) that the practical difference in FPS would be minimal, especially at the high frame rates this system achieves.

When building a similar system, choosing the Intel Core i7-14700 or the Core i9-13900F would yield essentially the same experience as the 5950X in this game, as would the Ryzen 9's closest rivals. For the GPU, the RX 6850M XT or the Tesla P100 variants would be the closest alternatives, though they are less common in consumer gaming builds. The data suggests that this specific CPU/GPU combination is not unique in its ability to run Control flawlessly; rather, it is part of a cluster of high-end components that all exceed the game's requirements by a wide margin.

The Verdict

Can this PC run Control? The answer is a definitive yes, and then some. The verdict by resolution is unambiguous: this system achieves playable frame rates (above 60 FPS) at every resolution and every preset tested. At 1920x1080, the best settings are Ultra with an average of 163 FPS. At 2560x1440, Ultra settings deliver 124 FPS. At 3840x2160, Ultra settings still maintain 83 FPS. In every case, the minimum frame rates recorded are well above the 60 FPS threshold, ensuring no stutters or drops into unplayable territory.

The only scenario where this system might not be fully utilized is at 1080p on a 60Hz monitor, where the frame rates are wasted. For 144Hz or 240Hz displays at 1440p or 1080p, this system is ideal. For 4K gaming, it provides a high-quality experience with headroom for future patches or more demanding scenes. The RTX 5090 D's 32 GB of GDDR7 memory and the 5950X's 16 cores ensure that this system will not only run Control flawlessly today but will also handle future titles with ease. This is a top-tier combination that leaves no performance on the table for this game.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest preset I can run at 4K with this system?

A: Ultra settings are fully playable at 3840x2160, with an average frame rate of 83 FPS. All other presets—High, Medium, and Low—also exceed the 60 FPS threshold at this resolution.

*Q: Will the frame rate ever drop below 60 FPS in Control?*

A: No. The lowest measured minimum frame rate across all tests was 92 FPS, which occurred at 4K Medium settings. Every other configuration had minimums that were either not recorded or higher than this value.

Q: How does this system compare to other hardware in terms of overall ranking?

A: This CPU/GPU combination ranks 47th out of 3720 tested configurations for Control, placing it in the top 1.3% of all possible pairings. Both the CPU and GPU are in the 91st and 92nd percentiles of their respective categories.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for this game at high resolutions?

A: At 4K, the GPU is the primary factor, as evidenced by the frame rate dropping from 163 FPS at 1080p Ultra to 83 FPS at 4K Ultra. The CPU's role is more pronounced at 1080p, but the Ryzen 9 5950X is powerful enough to avoid becoming a bottleneck at any resolution.

Q: What are the closest alternatives to this specific CPU and GPU?

A: For the CPU, the Intel Core i7-14700 and Intel Core i9-13900F offer nearly identical average benchmark scores, with deltas of -0.7% and 0.4% respectively. For the GPU, the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT is the closest rival with a delta of -1.6%.

Q: Can this system handle higher refresh rates at 1440p?

A: Yes. At 2560x1440 with Ultra settings, the average frame rate is 124 FPS, which is suitable for 120Hz or 144Hz monitors. If you prefer maximum frame rates, Low settings at 1440p produce an average of 212 FPS, which is ideal for 240Hz displays.