Control

The data recorded for Control with the Intel Core i5-9400 and AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT shows a clear performance story across three resolutions and four quality presets. The measurements are consistent, with the most demanding preset at 4K falling below the 60 FPS threshold, while lower resolutions offer substantial headroom.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combination delivers its strongest results. With Low settings, the average frame rate reaches 124 FPS. Moving to Medium settings, the average drops to 88 FPS, with a recorded minimum of 75 FPS and a maximum of 101 FPS. High settings produce an average of 78 FPS. At Ultra, the average is 68 FPS. All four presets at this resolution stay comfortably above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

At 2560x1440, performance scales down noticeably. Low settings produce an average of 94 FPS. Medium settings yield 67 FPS on average, with a minimum of 57 FPS and a maximum of 76 FPS. High settings drop to 59 FPS average, which sits just below the 60 FPS mark. Ultra settings average 51 FPS, making them unsuitable for a smooth experience.

At 3840x2160, the load on the GPU becomes significant. Low settings average 63 FPS, which is the only preset at this resolution that maintains playability. Medium settings average 45 FPS, with a minimum of 38 FPS and a maximum of 52 FPS. High settings average 40 FPS, and Ultra drops to 35 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium at 4K is 18 FPS, indicating a steep cost for the next quality tier.

The recorded min and max values appear only for Medium presets at each resolution. At 1080p Medium, the 75 to 101 FPS range shows a 26 FPS spread. At 1440p Medium, the range narrows to 57 to 76 FPS, a 19 FPS spread. At 4K Medium, the spread is 38 to 52 FPS, a 14 FPS range. These numbers suggest that lower resolutions and higher frame rates come with more variance, though all remain within playable limits for Medium at 1080p and 1440p.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-9400 and AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT ranks 2363rd out of 3720 combos for Control. That places it in the 63rd percentile of all tested systems, meaning a majority of other CPU and GPU pairings deliver higher average performance in this game.

The CPU itself has a 47th percentile ranking across all processors, based on its average benchmark score of 2254. This is a modest position, indicating the i5-9400 is not a top-tier performer in general compute tasks. The GPU, however, sits at the 60th percentile across all graphics cards, with an average benchmark score of 17083. The GPU is clearly the stronger component in this pair.

The rank of 2363 out of 3720 reflects the combined influence of both parts. The GPU’s mid-range standing helps lift the combo above the bottom quartile, but the CPU’s lower position prevents the pairing from reaching higher ranks. For a game like Control, which has demanding visual effects, the GPU carries more weight, but the CPU still limits the overall ceiling.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for the CPU, the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 has an average score of 2259, which is only 0.2 percent higher than the i5-9400. The Intel Core i3-10305 scores 2264, also 0.4 percent higher. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 2246, 0.4 percent lower. The Intel Core i7-10710U scores 2248, 0.3 percent lower. These four processors would deliver nearly identical frame rates in Control when paired with the same GPU, as the performance difference is within a fraction of a percent.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals show a similar pattern. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 scores 17208, which is 0.7 percent higher than the RX 7600 XT. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 scores 17037, 0.3 percent lower. The AMD Radeon HD 7970M scores 17019, 0.4 percent lower. The NVIDIA Tesla M4 scores 16932, 0.9 percent lower. Any of these graphics cards would produce frame rates within one percent of the RX 7600 XT in Control, so users with those cards should expect very similar performance at the same settings and resolutions.

If you are building a system with a processor in this performance band, the choice between the i5-9400 and its rivals will not change the game experience. The GPU is the deciding factor for Control.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest quality preset that stays at or above 60 FPS at 1920x1080?

A: Ultra settings achieve an average of 92 FPS at 1920x1080, which is above the 60 FPS threshold. High, Medium, and Low also stay above 60 FPS.

Q: Is this combination playable at 4K resolution?

A: At 3840x2160, only Low settings are playable, with an average of 63 FPS. Medium, High, and Ultra all fall below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its direct competitors?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2254. Its nearest rivals are the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 (2259, 0.2 percent higher), Intel Core i3-10305 (2264, 0.4 percent higher), AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 (2246, 0.4 percent lower), and Intel Core i7-10710U (2248, 0.3 percent lower). The differences are negligible.

Q: What is the best preset for 2560x1440?

A: Medium settings, which average 67 FPS. Low settings average 94 FPS, but Medium provides better visual quality while still staying above 60 FPS.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU limit performance at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average is 124 FPS, which is high. At Ultra, the average is 68 FPS. The CPU’s 47th percentile ranking suggests it can hold frame rates at lower resolutions, but the GPU’s 60th percentile and the 22.57 TFLOPS computing power indicate the GPU does most of the heavy lifting.

Q: How much performance drops when moving from 1080p to 1440p?

A: At Medium settings, the average drops from 98 FPS at 1080p to 67 FPS at 1440p, a 31 FPS reduction. At High settings, the drop is from 88 FPS to 59 FPS, a 29 FPS reduction. At Low settings, the drop is from 124 FPS to 94 FPS, a 30 FPS reduction.

CPU and GPU Roles

The scaling between resolutions shows how each component contributes. At 1920x1080, the CPU has more influence because the GPU can render frames quickly. The CPU’s single-core score of 935 in the Cinebench R23 test limits the maximum frame rate. At Low settings with 124 FPS average, the CPU is likely reaching its limit. At Ultra settings with 98 FPS average, the GPU’s workload increases, but the CPU still holds the system from reaching higher frame rates.

At 2560x1440, the GPU load rises. The average frame rate drops to 94 FPS at Low and 59 FPS at High. The gap between Low and High at 1440p is 35 FPS, which is larger than the 26 FPS gap at 1080p. This indicates the GPU is becoming the primary bottleneck.

At 3840x2160, the GPU dominates the performance. The difference between Low and High is 23 FPS, showing that the GPU’s 288.0 GB/s memory bandwidth and 2048 shading units are stressed. The CPU has less impact because the frame rate is lower, giving the CPU more time to process each frame.

The scaling from 1080p to 4K at Low settings is 124 FPS to 63 FPS, a reduction of 61 FPS. At Medium settings, the scaling is 98 FPS to 45 FPS, a reduction of 53 FPS. This shows that the GPU handles more of the load as resolution increases, and the CPU becomes less relevant.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, with an average of 98 FPS. This is the highest quality preset available for this game, so the recommendation is to use Ultra for the best visual experience.

At 2560x1440, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Medium, with an average of 67 FPS. High settings fall to 59 FPS, so Medium is the optimal choice for maintaining smooth gameplay with minimal compromises.

At 3840x2160, the only preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Low, with an average of 63 FPS. Medium, High, and Ultra all fall below the threshold, so Low is the only option for playable frame rates at 4K.

For users who prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity, 1080p with Ultra settings provides the best balance. For those with a 1440p monitor, Medium settings offer a good experience. At 4K, the Low preset is the only choice, and even then, frame times may not be perfectly smooth due to the minimum being 38 FPS at Medium, though the average is 63 FPS.

The data shows that this combination is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming. The 4K experience is limited, but the GPU has enough power to handle the game at lower presets.