Control

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 delivers a definitive, top-tier experience in Control, clearing the 60 FPS threshold at every resolution and preset combination measured. The data confirms this is a system built to overwhelm the game's demands, with the RTX 5090 providing such immense headroom that even at 4K Ultra, the average frame rate sits comfortably above the playability threshold.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The benchmark results for this configuration show a linear and predictable scaling of performance across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the system operates at exceptionally high frame rates, making it ideal for high-refresh-rate displays. With Low settings, the average FPS reaches 279. Moving to Medium yields an average of 198 FPS, with a minimum of 168 FPS and a maximum of 228 FPS. High settings produce an average of 176 FPS, and even at Ultra, the system maintains a commanding average of 153 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains exceptionally strong, showing only a moderate dip compared to 1080p. The Low preset averages 211 FPS. The Medium preset delivers an average of 150 FPS, with a minimum of 127 FPS and a maximum of 172 FPS. High settings achieve 133 FPS on average, while the Ultra preset still comfortably exceeds the 60 FPS threshold with an average of 116 FPS. This resolution represents a sweet spot, offering high visual fidelity without sacrificing the high frame rates that make the game's action sequences feel fluid.

At the demanding 3840x2160 (4K) resolution, the RTX 5090's power becomes the primary driver of performance. The Low preset averages 142 FPS, which is a remarkable figure for 4K. Medium settings average 101 FPS, with a minimum of 86 FPS and a maximum of 116 FPS. The High preset maintains an average of 90 FPS. Finally, the Ultra preset, which is the most demanding configuration, still achieves a highly playable average of 78 FPS. The data shows no instance where the minimum FPS drops below the 60 FPS playability threshold, indicating consistent performance even in demanding scenes.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions reveals a clear division of labor between the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090. At 1920x1080, the frame rates are extraordinarily high, with the Low preset hitting 279 FPS. This suggests that at lower resolutions and settings, the CPU is more likely to be a contributing factor, though the Ryzen 9 9900X's strong single-thread performance ensures it does not become a bottleneck. The 3DMark single-thread score of 1286 and the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2253 indicate a processor well-suited to high-FPS gaming scenarios.

As the resolution increases to 2560x1440 and then 3840x2160, the frame rates decrease, which points to the GPU becoming the limiting factor. The RTX 5090's massive compute resources, evidenced by its FP32 performance of 104.8 TFLOPS, are tasked with rendering more pixels. The drop from 279 FPS at 1080p Low to 142 FPS at 4K Low is a direct consequence of the increased pixel count. The GPU's memory bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s and 32 GB of GDDR7 memory ensure that it can handle the data throughput required at 4K, but the sheer rendering workload is what ultimately dictates the frame rate at higher resolutions.

The data indicates that this combination is balanced, but the GPU is the dominant factor for performance at 1440p and 4K. The CPU's role is to feed the GPU with enough data, and with 12 cores and 24 threads, it provides ample processing power. The Ryzen 9 9900X's Cinebench R23 multicore score of 32172 shows it can handle the game's physics and AI calculations without issue, ensuring that the GPU is not starved for work.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For users considering this combination, the benchmark database provides context on how the core components compare to their nearest rivals. The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X sits at the 92nd percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 57498. Its nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 9015, scores 57555, which is a -0.1% difference, indicating near-identical performance. The AMD EPYC 7313 scores 57399, a 0.2% difference. The Intel Core i9-14900 scores 58115, placing it -1.1% ahead, while the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M scores 58323, a -1.4% difference. These results show that the Ryzen 9 9900X's gaming performance is in the same class as these other high-end processors, with differences that are unlikely to be perceptible in real-world gaming.

On the graphics side, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 also sits at the 92nd percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 79842. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB, scores 79605, a 0.3% difference. The NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB scores 79396, a 0.6% difference. The AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT scores 78940, which is 1.1% behind. The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64X scores 80959, placing it -1.4% ahead. While these rivals are not direct consumer gaming equivalents, the data shows the RTX 5090's benchmark scores are in a similar range, indicating that users can expect a comparable level of raw compute performance from these alternatives, though gaming-specific features may differ.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Control at 4K resolution?

A: Yes. The data shows that at 3840x2160 resolution, the system achieves playable frame rates across all settings. The Ultra preset averages 78 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playability threshold.

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

A: According to the `verdictByResolution` data, the Ultra preset is the best setting at 2560x1440, delivering an average frame rate of 116 FPS. This provides the highest visual quality while maintaining a significant margin above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the RTX 5090's performance compare to its nearest rival, the Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB?

A: The RTX 5090 has an average benchmark score of 79842, while the Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB scores 79605. This represents a 0.3% difference, indicating nearly identical raw benchmark performance between the two.

Q: Is the Ryzen 9 9900X a bottleneck for the RTX 5090 in this game?

A: The performance data suggests no significant bottleneck. At 1080p with Low settings, the system reaches 279 FPS, indicating the CPU can handle high frame rates. At higher resolutions, the frame rate scaling is consistent with GPU-bound workloads.

Q: What frame rates can be expected at 1080p with High settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with High settings, the system averages 176 FPS. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold and indicates a very smooth experience.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded at 4K Medium settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Medium settings, the minimum FPS recorded is 86. This is still well above the 60 FPS playability threshold, indicating consistent performance.

The Verdict

This PC configuration is unequivocally capable of running Control at maximum performance. The `verdictByResolution` data confirms that every resolution tested—1920x1080, 2560x1440, and 3840x2160—is marked as playable with all four settings presets (Low, Medium, High, and Ultra) achieving average frame rates above the 60 FPS threshold. At 1080p, the system is exceptionally fast, with the Ultra preset averaging 153 FPS. At 1440p, the Ultra preset averages 116 FPS, providing a perfect balance of visual fidelity and speed. Even at the most demanding 4K resolution, the Ultra preset maintains an average of 78 FPS, proving that this hardware can handle the game's maximum visual settings without compromise. The minimum FPS values recorded, such as 86 FPS at 4K Medium, confirm that the system holds its performance without significant dips.

Best Settings per Resolution

For users who want the best visual experience without dropping below the 60 FPS playability threshold, the data points to the Ultra preset as the optimal choice at all resolutions. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset provides an average of 153 FPS. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset delivers an average of 116 FPS. At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset still achieves an average of 78 FPS. These settings offer the highest level of graphical detail available in the benchmark data while ensuring the frame rate remains far above the minimum required for smooth gameplay.