Control

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and AMD Radeon RX 580 combination delivers playable performance at 1080p in Control, but the data clearly shows that the RX 580 becomes the primary limiting factor as resolution increases. This pairing represents a balanced entry-level setup from previous generations, and the measured FPS values illustrate a predictable pattern of scaling that highlights the GPU's constraints at higher resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and consistent drop as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 63 FPS, which drops to 48 FPS at 1440p and further to 32 FPS at 2160p. This represents a 49.2% reduction from 1080p to 4K at Low settings, indicating that the GPU is heavily taxed by the pixel count increase.

For High settings, the scaling shows a similar pattern: 40 FPS at 1080p, 30 FPS at 1440p, and 20 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 25%, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is 33.3%. This suggests that the performance penalty accelerates at higher resolutions, which is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario where the fill rate and memory bandwidth become critical.

The Medium settings row provides additional insight with min/max data. At 1080p Medium, the average is 45 FPS with a minimum of 38 FPS and maximum of 51 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 34 FPS with a range of 29-39 FPS. At 4K Medium, the average falls to 23 FPS with a range of 19-26 FPS. The narrowing of the min-max spread at higher resolutions suggests that the frame pacing becomes more consistent, but at unacceptably low performance levels.

The Ultra settings exhibit the steepest relative decline. Starting at 35 FPS at 1080p, it drops to 26 FPS at 1440p (a 25.7% reduction) and then to 18 FPS at 4K (a 30.8% reduction from 1440p). These numbers indicate that Ultra settings at 4K are not viable for this combo, as 18 FPS falls well below playable thresholds.

The data points strongly toward the GPU being the limiting component. The Ryzen 5 3600, with 6 cores and 12 threads, has sufficient processing power for this game, as evidenced by the relatively modest performance drop when moving from 1080p to 1440p compared to the larger drop from 1440p to 4K. The RX 580's 8 GB GDDR5 memory and 256-bit bus width provide a theoretical bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s, which becomes insufficient as pixel counts rise.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 2 architecture, manufactured on a 7 nm process at TSMC. It operates with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz, with a TDP of 65 W. The processor's cache configuration includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of shared L3 cache.

In synthetic benchmarks, the Ryzen 5 3600 demonstrates solid multi-threaded capabilities. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 15045, while the single-core score is 2124. The Geekbench multi-core score reaches 7372, with a single-core score of 1536. The PassMark multithread score is 17700, and the single-thread score is 2562. These numbers place the CPU at the 71st percentile of all CPUs tested.

The nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks provide context. The Intel Core i7-1260P has an average score of 17007, which is 0.2% higher than the Ryzen 5 3600's average. The Intel Core i5-11400 scores 17067, a -0.2% difference. The AMD EPYC 7573X and EPYC 7742 both show 0.2% and -0.2% deltas respectively, indicating that the Ryzen 5 3600 sits in a tightly packed performance cluster.

For Control specifically, the CPU's 12 threads are likely sufficient to feed the GPU at 1080p, where the RX 580's frame delivery is the bottleneck. The game's action-adventure genre typically involves physics calculations and AI routines that benefit from multi-threading, and the Ryzen 5 3600's 12 threads provide adequate headroom. The 32 MB of shared L3 cache helps reduce memory latency, which is beneficial for game logic.

However, at 4K resolution, the CPU's role diminishes further. The massive drop in FPS from 1080p to 4K at every setting level indicates that the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth are the limiting factors, not the CPU's processing power. The Ryzen 5 3600's performance characteristics are more than adequate for this workload, and the data suggests that upgrading the GPU would yield far greater performance gains than upgrading the CPU.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combo is at 1080p with Medium settings. The Medium preset delivers an average of 45 FPS with a minimum of 38 FPS and maximum of 51 FPS. This provides a good balance between visual quality and smoothness, as the frame rate stays above the 30 FPS threshold that many consider the minimum for playable action-adventure games.

At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 63 FPS average, which is the highest measured FPS across all configurations. This setting offers the smoothest experience and is recommended for players who prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity. The 63 FPS average is close to the 60 FPS target that many gamers prefer for responsive gameplay.

For 1080p High, the average drops to 40 FPS. This is still playable but may feel less smooth during intense combat sequences. The Ultra preset at 1080p yields 35 FPS, which is borderline playable but may exhibit noticeable stuttering in demanding scenes.

At 1440p, the data suggests that Low settings (48 FPS) are the only viable option for consistent playability. Medium settings at 1440p drop to 34 FPS with a minimum of 29 FPS, which is below the 30 FPS threshold for acceptable performance. High settings at 1440p (30 FPS) and Ultra (26 FPS) are not recommended for a satisfying experience.

The 4K resolution is not suitable for this combo under any settings. The highest measured FPS at 4K is 32 FPS at Low settings, but this drops to 23 FPS at Medium, 20 FPS at High, and 18 FPS at Ultra. These values are too low for a responsive gaming experience, and players should avoid 4K resolutions entirely with this hardware.

The data indicates that the Medium preset at 1080p represents the sweet spot for this combo. It balances the visual enhancements that Medium settings typically provide against the performance requirements, resulting in a playable frame rate with acceptable minimums. Players who are sensitive to frame drops should consider Low settings to maintain the highest possible FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 + AMD Radeon RX 580 combination ranks 3399 out of 3720 tested combos in Control. This places it in the lower percentile of all tested configurations, specifically at the 8.6% mark from the bottom. This low ranking reflects the GPU's age and performance class, as the RX 580 is an end-of-life product with a 53rd percentile ranking among all GPUs.

The GPU's synthetic benchmark scores contextualize its performance. The PassMark G3D score is 8813, with a DirectX 12 score of 43 and a DirectX 11 score of 60. The Geekbench Vulkan score reaches 45173, while the Metal score is 45235. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1005. These numbers show that the RX 580 is positioned among mid-range GPUs from its era.

The nearest GPU rivals in synthetic benchmarks include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile at 12940 (a -0.1% delta), the GTX 1660 SUPER at 12986 (a -0.4% delta), and the AMD Radeon 740M at 12870 (a 0.5% delta). These close scores suggest that the RX 580 performs similarly to these GPUs in general benchmarks, but the measured FPS in Control may differ due to driver optimizations and game-specific factors.

The combo's rank of 3399 out of 3720 indicates that most other hardware combinations perform better in Control. This is expected given the RX 580's age and the game's demanding visual effects. The CPU's higher percentile ranking (71st) does not compensate for the GPU's limitations, confirming that the GPU is the bottleneck in this pairing.

For perspective, the combo sits in the bottom 8.6% of tested configurations. This means that over 91% of other combos achieve higher FPS in Control. The data suggests that this hardware configuration is best suited for 1080p gaming at medium settings, which aligns with the measured FPS results.

FAQ

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

A: The highest measured average FPS is 63, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

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

A: The data shows that 4K resolution yields average FPS between 18 and 32 depending on settings, with Low settings achieving 32 FPS, Medium 23 FPS, High 20 FPS, and Ultra 18 FPS. These values are below playable thresholds.

Q: What is the recommended settings preset for this combo?

A: The Medium preset at 1920x1080 provides an average of 45 FPS with a minimum of 38 FPS, representing the best balance between visual quality and playability.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 3600 compare to its nearest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Ryzen 5 3600 has an average benchmark score of 17035, which is 0.2% higher than the Intel Core i7-1260P (17007) and 0.2% lower than the Intel Core i5-11400 (17067).

Q: What is the combo's ranking among tested configurations in Control?

A: This combo ranks 3399 out of 3720 tested combos, placing it in the lower percentile of all configurations tested in this game.

Q: What is the GPU's memory configuration?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 580 features 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS data reveals a systematic pattern across all resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the Low setting achieves 63 FPS average, which is the fastest result for this combo. The Medium setting at 1080p yields 45 FPS average with a minimum of 38 FPS and maximum of 51 FPS. The High setting drops to 40 FPS average, while the Ultra setting reaches 35 FPS average.

At 2560x1440, the performance decreases substantially. The Low setting produces 48 FPS average, which is the only 1440p configuration above 40 FPS. The Medium setting achieves 34 FPS average with a range of 29-39 FPS. The High setting drops to 30 FPS average, and the Ultra setting reaches 26 FPS average.

The 3840x2160 resolution shows the most severe performance degradation. The Low setting at 4K achieves 32 FPS average, the Medium setting 23 FPS average with a range of 19-26 FPS, the High setting 20 FPS average, and the Ultra setting 18 FPS average.

The data reveals that the scaling from 1080p to 1440p costs roughly 20-25% of the frame rate, while scaling from 1440p to 4K costs an additional 30-35%. This non-linear scaling is characteristic of GPU-bound scenarios where memory bandwidth becomes increasingly critical at higher resolutions.

The min/max values for Medium settings show that frame pacing remains relatively stable across resolutions, with the spread between minimum and maximum FPS being 13 FPS at 1080p, 10 FPS at 1440p, and 7 FPS at 4K. This tightening of the frame time distribution at lower FPS levels is typical and does not compensate for the overall performance loss.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 580 is built on the Polaris 20 chip using GCN 4.0 architecture, manufactured on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. The GPU contains 5,700 million transistors on a die size of 232 mm², with a transistor density of 24.6M per mm². Its clock speeds are set at 1257 MHz base and 1340 MHz boost, with memory running at 2000 MHz (8 Gbps effective).

The GPU's memory subsystem consists of 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s. The shading units number 2304, with 144 texture mapping units and 32 render output units. The pixel rate is 42.88 GPixel/s, and the texture rate reaches 193.0 GTexel/s. The FP32 performance is 6.175 TFLOPS, with FP16 performance matching at 6.175 TFLOPS (1:1 ratio).

In Control, the RX 580's performance characteristics directly influence the measured FPS. The 256.0 GB/s memory bandwidth is sufficient for 1080p gaming but becomes a bottleneck at higher resolutions. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is not exceeded by this game at the tested settings, but the bandwidth limitations are evident in the steep FPS drops at 1440p and 4K.

The GPU's TDP of 185 W with a suggested power supply of 450 W indicates that this is a power-hungry card by modern standards. Its dual-slot design and single 8-pin power connector are typical for its generation. The PCIe 3.0 x16 interface provides adequate bandwidth for the card's capabilities.

In synthetic benchmarks, the RX 580 achieves a PassMark G3D score of 8813, placing it at the 53rd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the RTX 3050 Ti Mobile (12940, -0.1% delta), GTX 1660 SUPER (12986, -0.4% delta), and Radeon 740M (12870, 0.5% delta). These close scores suggest that the RX 580's raw compute capabilities are comparable to these newer GPUs, but architectural differences and driver support may affect real-world gaming performance.

The GPU's production status is end-of-life, with its successor being the Vega architecture. The data shows that while the RX 580 can handle Control at 1080p with playable frame rates, its performance at higher resolutions is insufficient for a satisfying gaming experience. The measured FPS values confirm that the GPU, rather than the CPU, is the limiting factor for this combo in Control.