Control

The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT delivers a solid 1080p and 1440p experience in Control, placing the combination in the 862nd position out of 1636 tested combos. This mid-pack ranking reflects a system that is capable of high frame rates but requires settings adjustments to maintain smooth performance at higher resolutions. The data indicates a clear GPU-bound scenario at 4K, while at 1080p, the CPU's limitations begin to surface.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo ranks 862nd out of 1636 tested configurations, placing it just slightly above the median of the database. This position is a direct reflection of the individual components' standings: the CPU sits in the 77th percentile against all tested processors, while the GPU also holds a 77th percentile ranking. The pairing of two mid-pack performers results in a combined system that is competitive but not exceptional within the broader benchmark landscape.

Looking at the CPU's direct rivals, the Ryzen 5 2600's average benchmark score of 19616 is remarkably close to its nearest competitors. It trails the Intel Core i5-1345U by a razor-thin 0.4% and sits 0.6% behind the AMD Ryzen 5 7530U. Conversely, it holds a 0.6% advantage over the Intel Core i5-11600KF and leads the Intel Core i7-10700F by 0.7%. These sub-1% deltas indicate that the processor's compute performance is essentially interchangeable with these modern alternatives, meaning the gaming outcome is largely dictated by the graphics card and the game's engine.

On the GPU side, the RX 6700 XT's average score of 33721 places it in a tight cluster of competitors. It is 0.7% faster than the AMD Radeon RX 6800, yet 1% slower than both the AMD Radeon HD 7950 and the AMD Radeon RX 480. It also holds a 1.3% lead over the NVIDIA RTX A5000. This unusual grouping of older and newer cards suggests that raw compute benchmarks do not always translate directly to gaming performance, especially in a title like Control which leverages specific DirectX 12 and ray tracing features. The combo's rank is ultimately a product of these two components' similar percentile standings, creating a balanced but not top-tier pairing.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall ranking of this CPU and GPU combination in Control?

A: The combo ranks 862nd out of 1636 tested combinations for this game.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its closest rivals?

A: The Ryzen 5 2600's average benchmark score is 19616. It is 0.4% slower than the Intel Core i5-1345U, 0.6% slower than the AMD Ryzen 5 7530U, but 0.6% faster than the Intel Core i5-11600KF and 0.7% faster than the Intel Core i7-10700F.

Q: What is the best average frame rate achieved at 1920x1080?

A: The highest average FPS at 1080p is 139.4, which is achieved with the Low settings preset.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 2560x1440?

A: The Low preset averages 109.8 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 60.2 FPS. This represents a significant 49.6 FPS drop when moving to the highest quality settings.

Q: Is the system capable of 4K gaming in Control?

A: Yes, but with compromises. At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset averages 42.8 FPS, and the Medium preset averages 50.9 FPS. Only the Low preset achieves a playable average of 70.1 FPS.

Q: What are the core and clock specifications of the CPU?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 has 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.90 GHz.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a predictable but steep decline in performance as resolution increases. At 1080p, the system is often CPU-limited, as evidenced by the High preset achieving 92.1 FPS. Moving to 1440p, the same High preset drops to 70.1 FPS, a 22 FPS reduction. This scaling pattern indicates that the RX 6700 XT is still managing the workload, but the rendering pipeline is becoming more demanding.

The jump to 4K is where the GPU becomes the definitive bottleneck. At 3840x2160, the High preset averages just 48.1 FPS, a 22 FPS drop from 1440p. This is a clear sign that the pixel fill rate and memory bandwidth of the GPU are being saturated. The RX 6700 XT's 12 GB of GDDR6 memory and 384.0 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient, but the sheer number of pixels at 4K overwhelms the processing units. The Low preset at 4K (70.1 FPS) matches the High preset at 1440p (70.1 FPS) exactly, illustrating how much graphical fidelity must be sacrificed to maintain the same frame rate at a higher resolution.

The data shows that the scaling from 1080p to 1440p is moderate, but the scaling from 1440p to 4K is severe. The 1080p Low preset hits 139.4 FPS, while the 4K Low preset hits 70.1 FPS. This 50% reduction in frame rate when doubling the pixel count confirms a GPU-bound scenario. The CPU's role diminishes at higher resolutions; the Ryzen 5 2600's 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient to feed the GPU at 1080p but become irrelevant at 4K where the GPU's rendering limits take precedence.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system shows a wide range of performance depending on the preset. The Low settings produce an average of 139.4 FPS, providing a very high refresh rate experience. Medium settings reduce this to 103 FPS, while High settings average 92.1 FPS. The Ultra preset, which likely enables more demanding effects, still manages a respectable 80.4 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 59 FPS, showing that the game's settings have a massive impact at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain strong but begin to tighten. The Low preset averages 109.8 FPS, which is still excellent for competitive play. Medium settings drop to 75.2 FPS, and High settings average 70.1 FPS. The Ultra preset falls to 60.2 FPS, which is right at the threshold for smooth gameplay on a 60 Hz display. The delta between Low and Ultra here is 49.6 FPS, indicating that the GPU is becoming more sensitive to quality settings.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain high frame rates. The Low preset is the only one that breaks the 60 FPS barrier, averaging 70.1 FPS. Medium settings drop to 50.9 FPS, High settings to 48.1 FPS, and Ultra to 42.8 FPS. The performance gap between Low and Ultra narrows to 27.3 FPS, but the absolute numbers are much lower. This suggests that at 4K, even the Low preset is pushing the GPU to its limits, and the additional load from higher settings yields diminishing returns in visual quality relative to the FPS cost.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen architecture. It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.90 GHz. In the context of Control, an Action Adventure title that relies heavily on physics and environmental interactions, the CPU's multi-threaded capabilities are relevant. The processor's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11186 and single-core score of 1579 indicate a balanced performance profile that is adequate for modern gaming.

The data suggests that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck in most tested scenarios. At 1080p, the frame rates are high enough (139.4 FPS on Low) that the CPU's single-thread performance is sufficient to keep up with the GPU. However, the difference between the 1080p Low (139.4 FPS) and the 1440p Low (109.8 FPS) shows a 29.6 FPS drop, which is purely attributable to the increased GPU load. The CPU's 16 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support with 46.9 GB/s bandwidth provide adequate data throughput for the game's assets.

The CPU's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-1345U, which scores 0.4% higher, and the AMD Ryzen 5 7530U, which scores 0.6% higher. These are all modern processors with similar or better IPC, yet the gaming performance difference in Control is likely minimal. The Ryzen 5 2600's 12 nm process node and 65 W TDP are older, but the benchmark data shows it remains competitive. The passmark multi-thread score of 13160 and single-thread score of 2239 confirm that the processor holds its own in both lightly-threaded and heavily-threaded workloads, making it a reliable partner for the RX 6700 XT.

Settings Recommendations

For gamers targeting 1920x1080, the High preset at 92.1 FPS offers a strong balance between visual quality and performance. If a higher refresh rate monitor is available, the Medium preset at 103 FPS is a viable option that still looks good. The Low preset at 139.4 FPS is only recommended for competitive play where maximum frame rates are prioritized over visuals. The Ultra preset at 80.4 FPS is playable but offers diminishing returns over High for a significant 11.7 FPS cost.

At 2560x1440, the High preset at 70.1 FPS is the sweet spot for a smooth experience on a standard 60 Hz display. The Medium preset at 75.2 FPS provides a small FPS boost with a minimal visual compromise. The Low preset at 109.8 FPS is ideal for high-refresh-rate 1440p monitors, though it sacrifices most of the game's graphical effects. The Ultra preset at 60.2 FPS is borderline; it hits the 60 FPS mark but has no headroom, so any demanding scene could cause noticeable dips.

For 3840x2160, the Low preset at 70.1 FPS is the only recommended option for consistent gameplay. The Medium preset at 50.9 FPS may be acceptable for slower-paced exploration, but the High (48.1 FPS) and Ultra (42.8 FPS) presets fall below the 60 FPS threshold and will result in a less responsive experience. The data clearly shows that this combination is not suited for 4K gaming at high settings in Control. The best overall experience is achieved by playing at 1080p or 1440p with the High preset, which delivers frame rates well above 60 FPS while retaining the game's intended visual atmosphere.