Control

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is an unusual combination, and the benchmark data for Control shows that this pairing is heavily GPU-bound at nearly every setting and resolution. The RTX 5090 D operates at a performance tier far above the Core i5-9400, which means the CPU is rarely the limiting factor. To understand what nearby hardware would behave similarly, the database uses average benchmark scores to find direct rivals.

For the CPU, the Intel Core i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2254, placing it in the 47th percentile of all tested CPUs. The nearest rivals are extremely close in performance, all within a fraction of a percent. The Intel Core i7-1068NG7 scores 2259, which is 0.2% higher than the i5-9400. The Intel Core i7-10710U scores 2248, sitting 0.3% lower. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 also scores 2246, another 0.4% deficit. Finally, the Intel Core i3-10305 scores 2264, which is 0.4% higher. In practical terms, any of these processors would deliver nearly identical frame pacing in Control when paired with the same RTX 5090 D, because the GPU is doing the heavy lifting.

For the GPU, the RTX 5090 D has an average benchmark score of 77712, placing it in the 92nd percentile of all tested GPUs. Its nearest rivals are also tightly clustered. The AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT scores 76904, which is 1.1% lower than the RTX 5090 D. The AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT scores 78940, which is 1.6% higher. The NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB scores 79396, 2.1% higher, and the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB scores 79605, 2.4% higher. These deltas are all within a small margin, so a system swapping the RTX 5090 D for any of these GPUs would show nearly identical frame rates in Control, assuming the CPU remains the same. The data suggests that the recorded frame rates for this combo are representative of a broad class of high-end GPUs, not just a single SKU.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results for Control reveal a clear division of labor between the Intel Core i5-9400 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D. At every resolution, the GPU is the dominant factor, and the CPU rarely constrains performance. The evidence lies in how frame rates scale with resolution and settings.

At 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the CPU has the most influence relative to the GPU. The average frame rates are 162 FPS on Low settings, 142 FPS on Medium, 137 FPS on High, and 130 FPS on Ultra. The spread from Low to Ultra is 32 FPS, indicating that the GPU is still the primary bottleneck, but the CPU is capable of feeding it enough data to reach these high numbers. The minimum recorded frame rate at 1080p Medium is 121 FPS, with a maximum of 164 FPS, which shows the system is consistently delivering well above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Moving to 2560x1440, the GPU workload increases, and the frame rates shift accordingly. Low settings produce 147 FPS, Medium delivers 130 FPS, High yields 125 FPS, and Ultra drops to 119 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 28 FPS, slightly less than at 1080p. The minimum at 1440p Medium is 110 FPS, with a maximum of 149 FPS. This tighter spread suggests the GPU is becoming more of a limiting factor, but the CPU still keeps up without causing frame drops.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is almost entirely responsible for performance. Low settings achieve 129 FPS, Medium averages 108 FPS with a minimum of 92 FPS and a maximum of 124 FPS, High reaches 96 FPS, and Ultra drops to 83 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 46 FPS, the largest spread of any resolution, confirming that the GPU is now the sole bottleneck. The Core i5-9400 has enough headroom at 4K to keep feeding the RTX 5090 D, as evidenced by the fact that even the minimum frame rate at 4K Medium (92 FPS) far exceeds the playable threshold.

The data indicates that the CPU matters most at 1080p, where the frame rates are highest and the GPU has less work to do. At 1440p and especially 4K, the scaling between settings shows the GPU workload dominating. Users upgrading from a weaker GPU to the RTX 5090 D while keeping the Core i5-9400 would see the largest gains at 4K, where the CPU is least likely to hold the system back.

FAQ

Q: Can the Intel Core i5-9400 bottleneck the RTX 5090 D in Control?

A: The benchmark data shows no significant CPU bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 162 FPS, and even at 4K Ultra it maintains 83 FPS. The frame rates scale consistently with GPU load, indicating the CPU is sufficient for this game.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 60 FPS gaming?

A: All four tested presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) clear 60 FPS at every resolution. The highest average frame rate at 4K is 129 FPS on Low, while Ultra still delivers 83 FPS, so users can select any preset and remain well above the playable threshold.

Q: How does the RTX 5090 D compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 5090 D has an average benchmark score of 77712. The AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT scores 1.6% higher, while the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB scores 2.1% higher. The AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT scores 1.1% lower. These differences are minor and would produce nearly identical frame rates in Control.

Q: Is the Core i5-9400 a high-end CPU according to the database?

A: No. It sits in the 47th percentile of all tested CPUs, meaning roughly half of CPUs perform better. However, its nearest rivals (Intel Core i7-1068NG7, Intel Core i7-10710U, AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500, Intel Core i3-10305) are all within 0.4% of its average score, so it is representative of a mid-range class.

Q: What is the minimum frame rate recorded for this combo?

A: The only recorded minimum FPS values are 121 FPS at 1080p Medium, 110 FPS at 1440p Medium, and 92 FPS at 4K Medium. All other settings only have average FPS data, but the recorded minimums never approach the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Does the RTX 5090 D perform better at lower resolutions?

A: Yes. The average frame rate on Low settings rises from 129 FPS at 4K to 147 FPS at 1440p and 162 FPS at 1080p. The trend is consistent across all presets, with higher resolutions producing lower frame rates due to increased GPU load.

The Verdict

This PC can run Control with ease. The recorded data shows that every resolution and every settings preset tested clears the 60 FPS playable threshold by a wide margin. The verdict by resolution is unambiguous: at 3840x2160, all four settings (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) are playable, with Ultra delivering 83 FPS on average. At 2560x1440, all four settings are also playable, and Ultra reaches 119 FPS. At 1920x1080, the same holds true, with Ultra averaging 130 FPS.

The best settings for maximum visual quality are Ultra at every resolution. At 4K, Ultra produces 83 FPS, which is above the playable threshold but leaves some headroom for demanding scenes. At 1440p, Ultra averages 119 FPS, offering a smooth experience with high fidelity. At 1080p, Ultra reaches 130 FPS, providing a very fluid experience. Users who prioritize frame rate over visuals can drop to Low settings, which yields 129 FPS at 4K, 147 FPS at 1440p, and 162 FPS at 1080p. The data indicates that this combination is overqualified for Control, and users can expect consistently high performance regardless of their settings choices.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following figures are taken directly from the recorded measurements for Control.

At 1920x1080:

• Low settings: 162 FPS average.
• Medium settings: 142 FPS average, with a minimum of 121 FPS and a maximum of 164 FPS.
• High settings: 137 FPS average.
• Ultra settings: 130 FPS average.

At 2560x1440:

• Low settings: 147 FPS average.
• Medium settings: 130 FPS average, with a minimum of 110 FPS and a maximum of 149 FPS.
• High settings: 125 FPS average.
• Ultra settings: 119 FPS average.

At 3840x2160:

• Low settings: 129 FPS average.
• Medium settings: 108 FPS average, with a minimum of 92 FPS and a maximum of 124 FPS.
• High settings: 96 FPS average.
• Ultra settings: 83 FPS average.

The pattern is consistent: lowering the resolution or the settings preset increases the average frame rate. The only settings with recorded minimum and maximum values are Medium across all three resolutions, which provides a useful range for understanding frame pacing. At 4K Medium, the minimum of 92 FPS is still 32 FPS above the playable threshold, indicating that even the worst-case frames in this configuration remain comfortably playable.

How This Combo Ranks

The database ranks this specific combination of Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D at position 417 out of 3720 tested combos for Control. This places the system in the top 11.2% of all tested configurations, a strong result that reflects the GPU's dominance in this game.

The ranking is driven almost entirely by the RTX 5090 D, which sits in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs. The Core i5-9400, by contrast, sits in the 47th percentile of CPUs. This mismatch means the combo is performing near the ceiling of what the GPU can deliver, and the CPU is not dragging the system down in any meaningful way. The 417th place ranking out of 3720 combos indicates that a large majority of tested systems, likely those with weaker GPUs, deliver lower frame rates in Control. The data suggests that users with this combo should expect performance comparable to other high-end GPU pairings, and the only way to meaningfully improve the ranking would be to pair the RTX 5090 D with a higher-tier CPU, though the gains would be minimal given how GPU-bound this game is at the tested settings.