Control

This analysis examines how the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D combination performs in Control, based on measured benchmark data. The pairing represents a top-tier desktop platform, with the CPU scoring in the 96th percentile among all processors and the GPU in the 92nd percentile among all graphics cards. The data shows this combo achieves high frame rates across all tested resolutions and settings, making it a strong candidate for high-refresh-rate gaming in this title.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus sits in a tight performance cluster. Its average benchmark score of 84,003 is just 0.2% above the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K (83,807), meaning the two processors would be virtually indistinguishable in gaming workloads. The AMD EPYC 4584PX (83,090) trails by 1.1%, while the AMD EPYC 9135 (82,980) is 1.2% behind. Interestingly, the AMD EPYC 7F72 (85,072) outperforms the 290K Plus by 1.3%, though that is a server-class part. For Control specifically, any of these CPUs would deliver essentially identical frame rates, as the game’s engine rarely becomes CPU-bound at these performance levels.

On the GPU side, the RTX 5090 D’s average benchmark score of 77,712 places it near some unexpected rivals. The AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT (76,904) is just 1.1% slower, which is a mobile part—a reminder that synthetic averages do not always translate directly to gaming performance. The AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (78,940) is 1.6% faster, and the NVIDIA Tesla P100 variants (79,396 and 79,605) lead by 2.1% and 2.4% respectively. However, these Tesla cards are datacenter-oriented and lack the gaming-focused feature set of the RTX 5090 D. In Control, the 5090 D’s measured frame rates are the definitive reference point, and any of these rival GPUs would likely produce similar average FPS at the same settings, though driver optimizations for this specific game could shift the balance.

CPU and GPU Roles

The measured FPS data reveals how the balance shifts across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the CPU has more room to feed the GPU, but the RTX 5090 D is so powerful that it still drives extremely high frame rates. The jump from Low to Ultra settings at 1080p is substantial: 298 FPS average at Low drops to 211 at Medium, then 188 at High, and finally 163 at Ultra. This scaling shows the GPU is the primary limiter even at 1080p, as the workload increases with each preset tier.

Moving to 2560x1440, the same pattern holds but with lower absolute numbers. Low settings produce 225 FPS average, Medium drops to 160, High to 142, and Ultra to 124. The percentage drop from Low to Ultra is roughly 45%, similar to the 1080p drop of about 45% (from 298 to 163). This consistency suggests the GPU remains the dominant factor, with the CPU keeping up easily at both resolutions.

At 3840x2160, the GPU load becomes even more pronounced. Low settings still deliver 152 FPS average, but Medium falls to 108, High to 96, and Ultra to 83. The spread from Low to Ultra is about 45% again, mirroring the lower resolutions. Critically, even at 4K Ultra, the combo never dips below 60 FPS—the minimum recorded at 4K Medium is 92 FPS, and the Ultra preset likely stays well above the playable threshold. The data indicates the CPU is never the bottleneck in this configuration; the GPU handles the rendering load across all tested scenarios, with the Ultra 9 290K Plus providing ample headroom.

How This Combo Ranks

Among 3,720 tested CPU-GPU combinations in Control, this pairing ranks 5th overall. That places it in the top 0.13% of all tested systems, which is an exceptional result. The rank reflects the combined capability of the Ultra 9 290K Plus and RTX 5090 D, and it means only four other configurations in the database achieve higher frame rates in this game. Given that the CPU and GPU both sit in the mid-90th percentiles individually, their synergy in Control is clearly effective. The measured FPS data supports this ranking, as the combo exceeds 60 FPS at every resolution and settings combination tested, including 4K Ultra.

The rank also implies that users with slightly less powerful components—say, a Core Ultra 9 285K or an RTX 5090 non-D variant—would likely see similar performance, given the small deltaPct values to the nearest rivals. However, the 5th-place rank indicates that this specific pairing is among the fastest options available for Control, and the headroom above the 60 FPS threshold is substantial at all resolutions.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves in Control?

A: At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo reaches 298 FPS average, which is the fastest measured result in the dataset.

Q: Can this setup handle 4K Ultra settings?

A: Yes. At 3840x2160 Ultra, the average FPS is 83, which is comfortably above the 60 FPS playable threshold, and all four settings presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) are marked as playable at this resolution.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 4K at Ultra settings?

A: The average FPS drops from 163 at 1920x1080 Ultra to 83 at 3840x2160 Ultra, a reduction of 49% (80 FPS difference).

Q: Does the CPU limit performance at lower resolutions?

A: The data does not indicate CPU limiting. Even at 1080p Low, where the CPU would be most likely to bottleneck, the combo still delivers 298 FPS average, suggesting the GPU remains the primary constraint at all settings.

Q: What is the lowest minimum FPS recorded in the dataset?

A: The only minimum FPS values provided are 92 FPS at 3840x2160 Medium, 136 FPS at 2560x1440 Medium, and 180 FPS at 1920x1080 Medium. No minimums are listed for other presets, but the available data shows no drops below 60 FPS.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested configurations?

A: It ranks 5th out of 3,720 tested combos in Control, placing it in the top percentile of all systems in the database.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its fastest results. Low settings produce an average of 298 FPS, Medium averages 211 FPS with a minimum of 180 and maximum of 243, High averages 188 FPS, and Ultra averages 163 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 135 FPS, with each preset step reducing performance by roughly 10-30%.

At 2560x1440, performance scales down proportionally. Low settings average 225 FPS, Medium averages 160 FPS (min 136, max 184), High averages 142 FPS, and Ultra averages 124 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p at each preset is notable: Low falls by 73 FPS, Medium by 51 FPS, High by 46 FPS, and Ultra by 39 FPS. This indicates that 1440p imposes a meaningful load increase on the GPU.

At 3840x2160, the results remain strong but show the expected 4K penalty. Low settings average 152 FPS, Medium averages 108 FPS (min 92, max 124), High averages 96 FPS, and Ultra averages 83 FPS. Compared to 1440p, the 4K results are 73 FPS lower at Low, 52 FPS lower at Medium, 46 FPS lower at High, and 41 FPS lower at Ultra. The consistent pattern across resolutions suggests that Control scales predictably with pixel count, and the RTX 5090 D handles 4K Ultra with an 83 FPS average.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, which delivers an average of 83 FPS. Since the playable threshold is 60 FPS and all four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) are listed as playable, users can select Ultra for maximum visual quality without worrying about frame rate drops. The 83 FPS average provides a comfortable margin above the threshold.

At 2560x1440, Ultra is again the best choice, averaging 124 FPS. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold, and the minimum recorded FPS at Medium (136) suggests that even the most demanding scenes at Ultra will stay well above playable levels. The data shows no reason to drop below Ultra at this resolution.

At 1920x1080, Ultra settings yield an average of 163 FPS, which is the best preset available. The minimum FPS at Medium is 180, indicating that Ultra likely maintains high frame rates even in heavy scenes. For users with high-refresh-rate monitors (144Hz or 165Hz), this setting provides enough headroom to keep the experience smooth. Across all three resolutions, the recommendation is the same: use Ultra settings, as the RTX 5090 D has ample performance to handle the maximum visual fidelity in Control.