Control

The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 delivers a clear performance picture in Control, with results that scale predictably across resolutions and presets. The measured data shows this combination is capable of strong frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, while 4K requires a significant settings reduction to stay fluid. Below is a detailed breakdown of the benchmark results.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The benchmark data for this CPU and GPU combination in Control provides average frame rates across three resolutions and four quality presets. Minimum and maximum frame rate data was not captured in this test run, so the analysis relies on average FPS values.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the measured average frame rates are as follows:

• Low settings: 80.6 FPS average
• Medium settings: 55.5 FPS average
• High settings: 50.1 FPS average
• Ultra settings: 45.4 FPS average

This represents a steep performance cliff as settings increase. Moving from Low to Medium costs 25.1 FPS, a 31% drop. The gap from Medium to High is a further 5.4 FPS, and High to Ultra another 4.7 FPS. At this resolution, the RTX 3070’s 8 GB GDDR6 memory and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are clearly strained by the higher preset demands.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the results are substantially better:

• Low settings: 119.5 FPS average
• Medium settings: 84.8 FPS average
• High settings: 77.3 FPS average
• Ultra settings: 68.8 FPS average

The step from Low to Medium is the largest single drop at 34.7 FPS, representing a 29% reduction. Subsequent steps are smaller: Medium to High loses 7.5 FPS, and High to Ultra loses 8.5 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 50.7 FPS, showing that the preset choice has a major impact at this resolution.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the combination performs best, with all presets well above the playable threshold:

• Low settings: 162.1 FPS average
• Medium settings: 112.5 FPS average
• High settings: 100.5 FPS average
• Ultra settings: 89.3 FPS average

The relative scaling is similar to 1440p. Low to Medium drops 49.6 FPS (31%), Medium to High loses 12.0 FPS, and High to Ultra loses 11.2 FPS. At 1080p, the CPU’s capabilities are more fully utilized, as the 12-core Ryzen 9 7900X with a 4.70 GHz base clock and 5.60 GHz boost clock can feed frames quickly.

Across all resolutions, the pattern is consistent: Low presets give the highest frame rates, and each successive preset tier reduces performance by a meaningful margin. The RTX 3070’s 20.31 TFLOPS FP32 compute and 165.6 GPixel/s pixel rate are the limiting factors at higher settings, particularly at 4K.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data indicates that the GPU is the dominant bottleneck in Control, especially as resolution increases. This is evident from the scaling between resolutions at identical settings. For example, at High settings, the average FPS drops from 100.5 at 1080p to 77.3 at 1440p (a 23% reduction), and then to 50.1 at 4K (a further 35% reduction). This steep decline as pixel count rises is characteristic of a GPU-bound workload.

The Ryzen 9 7900X’s role becomes more important at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 162.1 FPS, which is 35% higher than the 1440p Low result of 119.5 FPS. The smaller resolution difference between 1080p and 1440p (roughly 1.78x more pixels) still yields a large FPS gain, but the CPU is better able to keep up with the RTX 3070’s output. The CPU’s high single-thread performance, evidenced by a Geekbench single-core score of 2617 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2016.5, helps sustain these high frame rates.

At 4K, the CPU is largely irrelevant to the outcome. The 45.4 FPS at Ultra and 50.1 FPS at High are far below what the CPU could theoretically support, confirming that the RTX 3070 is the sole limiting factor. The GPU’s memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s and 8 GB capacity are likely the primary constraints at this resolution with higher presets.

The preset scaling also reveals the division of labor. At any given resolution, the FPS difference between Low and Ultra is substantial. At 4K, the jump from Low (80.6 FPS) to Ultra (45.4 FPS) is a 35.2 FPS loss. At 1440p, the same preset range costs 50.7 FPS, and at 1080p it costs 72.8 FPS. The larger absolute drops at lower resolutions suggest that the CPU can still deliver high frame rates, but the GPU’s rendering load increases disproportionately with preset quality.

In summary, for this game, the RTX 3070 is the primary performance driver at all resolutions, but the Ryzen 9 7900X ensures that frame rates are not artificially capped at 1080p and 1440p. At 4K, upgrading the GPU would be the only way to improve performance, as the CPU has ample headroom.

How This Combo Ranks

The benchmark database places this specific combination at rank 1579 out of 3720 tested combos for Control. This puts it in the top 42% of all tested systems, indicating a solidly above-average performance tier.

The CPU, when assessed independently, ranks in the 91st percentile among all CPUs tested, with an average benchmark score of 53288. Its nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 7313P (0.2% higher score), the Intel Xeon Phi 7290 (0.3% lower score), the Intel Xeon 634 (0.6% higher score), and the Intel Core i7-14700F (0.6% lower score). This shows the Ryzen 9 7900X is very competitive with high-end server and desktop parts.

The GPU, in isolation, ranks in the 61st percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 17208. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT (0.7% higher score), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 (1% higher score), the AMD Radeon HD 7970M (1.1% higher score), and the NVIDIA Tesla K40c (1.5% lower score). The RTX 3070 is thus positioned as a mid-to-upper tier GPU, but not a top-tier part.

The combined rank of 1579 out of 3720 reflects the GPU’s relatively lower standing compared to the CPU. The CPU is a top-tier performer, but the GPU is only slightly above average, which drags the overall combo rank down. In practical terms, this means the system is well-balanced for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but it will not compete with systems using higher-end GPUs at 4K.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Control at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 Low is 80.6 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold. At Medium, High, and Ultra, the averages fall to 55.5, 50.1, and 45.4 FPS respectively, all below the threshold.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1440p?

A: Ultra settings at 2560x1440 produce an average of 68.8 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold. This is the highest preset that maintains playable performance, making it the recommended choice for this resolution.

Q: How does the RTX 3070 compare to its nearest GPU rivals in raw benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 3070’s average benchmark score is 17208. The AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT scores 0.7% higher, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 scores 1% higher, the AMD Radeon HD 7970M scores 1.1% higher, and the NVIDIA Tesla K40c scores 1.5% lower. The differences are minimal, indicating very similar raw performance.

Q: Is the Ryzen 9 7900X a bottleneck for the RTX 3070 in this game?

A: The data does not suggest a CPU bottleneck at any resolution. At 1080p, the system achieves 162.1 FPS on Low settings, and at 4K the frame rates are clearly limited by the GPU. The CPU’s 91st percentile ranking and high single-thread scores indicate it has sufficient headroom.

Q: What is the playable settings recommendation for 1080p?

A: All four presets at 1920x1080 are playable, with average FPS ranging from 162.1 (Low) to 89.3 (Ultra). The best playable setting is Ultra, which delivers 89.3 FPS average, comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from Low to Ultra at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the average FPS drops from 119.5 on Low to 68.8 on Ultra, a total loss of 50.7 FPS. The largest single step is from Low to Medium, which costs 34.7 FPS.

Best Settings per Resolution

The most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS average at each resolution is as follows:

• 3840x2160 (4K): Low settings, with an average of 80.6 FPS. This is the only preset at this resolution that clears the 60 FPS threshold. Medium (55.5 FPS), High (50.1 FPS), and Ultra (45.4 FPS) all fall short.

• 2560x1440 (1440p): Ultra settings, with an average of 68.8 FPS. All presets at this resolution are playable, but Ultra is the highest quality option that remains above 60 FPS. The next step down, High, delivers 77.3 FPS.

• 1920x1080 (1080p): Ultra settings, with an average of 89.3 FPS. This resolution offers the most headroom, with even the highest preset staying well above the playable threshold. Low settings reach 162.1 FPS, but Ultra is the recommended choice for visual quality.

These recommendations prioritize visual fidelity while ensuring a smooth experience. At 4K, the user must compromise significantly on quality to achieve playable frame rates, while at 1080p and 1440p, full Ultra settings are viable.

The Verdict

The verdict for this system is clear: it can run Control, but the experience varies dramatically by resolution. At 1080p, the PC is fully capable, achieving 89.3 FPS on Ultra and 100.5 FPS on High, both comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold. All presets at this resolution are playable, with even the lowest preset hitting 162.1 FPS.

At 1440p, the system also passes the playability test. Ultra settings produce 68.8 FPS, and High settings produce 77.3 FPS. All four presets at this resolution are above 60 FPS, making 1440p a strong choice for this hardware combination.

At 4K, the PC can run the game, but only with significant settings reductions. Low settings deliver 80.6 FPS, which is above the threshold, but Medium (55.5 FPS), High (50.1 FPS), and Ultra (45.4 FPS) all fail to maintain 60 FPS. For a 4K experience, the user must accept Low quality presets, which will noticeably reduce visual fidelity.

In practical terms, this combination is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can handle the game at maximum settings with headroom to spare. At 4K, it is only borderline playable on the lowest preset. The Ryzen 9 7900X provides ample CPU performance for this game, but the RTX 3070’s memory capacity and bandwidth limit its high-resolution, high-settings capability. If 4K gaming at higher presets is a priority, a more powerful GPU would be necessary; for 1080p and 1440p, this PC delivers a smooth and visually rich experience.