Control

Control pairs a 6-core AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D with an 8 GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, and the measured results in this Action Adventure title show a combination that is consistently playable but never overwhelming. The CPU’s Zen 3 architecture uses a 3.00 GHz base clock and 4.00 GHz boost clock, with 96 MB of shared L3 cache providing the kind of latency advantage that benefits game logic and frame pacing. The GPU’s Ampere architecture, built on Samsung’s 8 nm process, brings 4864 shading units and 152 texture mapping units, with a boost clock of 1665 MHz, to handle the visual workload. The data indicates a pairing where the RTX 3060 Ti is the primary driver of performance in most scenarios, but the X3D’s cache helps maintain consistent minimums at higher settings.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D provides 6 cores and 12 threads, which is a configuration that comfortably handles Control’s threaded workload without becoming a bottleneck at standard gaming resolutions. Its base clock of 3.00 GHz and boost clock of 4.00 GHz are modest by modern standards, but the 96 MB shared L3 cache compensates by keeping frequently accessed data closer to the cores. This is a Zen 3 design on the Vermeer codename, produced on TSMC’s 7 nm process, and it supports DDR4 memory at 51.2 GB/s bandwidth, which aligns well with the GPU’s 448.0 GB/s memory bandwidth for balanced data flow.

In the PassMark benchmarks, this CPU scores 20363 in multithread, 2941 in single-thread, and 2282 in physics tests. These numbers place it at the 85th percentile among all CPUs, indicating solid mid-range performance. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F, which scores 36945 on average (0.2% higher), and the Intel Core i9-12900T, which scores 37112 (0.3% higher). The 5500X3D’s average benchmark score is 37018, meaning it sits in a tight cluster where a few percentage points separate it from competitors. For Control specifically, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and physics calculations; the 2282 physics score suggests it can handle the game’s destruction and object interactions without stuttering, while the 60033 integer math score supports general game logic processing.

The measured FPS data confirms that the CPU is rarely the limiting factor. At 1080p Low settings, the combo reaches 145 FPS average, which indicates the CPU can push frames well beyond typical display refresh rates when the GPU is not stressed. Even at 4K Ultra, where the GPU is heavily loaded, the average FPS drops to 41, but the presence of any playable result at that resolution implies the CPU maintains minimum frame delivery. The 5500X3D’s 105 W TDP and AM4 socket compatibility make it a practical choice for existing platforms, and its locked multiplier (not unlocked) means it relies on cache efficiency rather than overclocking headroom, which suits a game like Control that benefits from consistent memory access patterns.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

Among all 2888 tested combinations in this benchmark database, the Ryzen 5 5500X3D with RTX 3060 Ti ranks 1384th for Control. This places it in the lower-middle tier of the overall distribution, which might sound unremarkable until you consider the GPU’s percentile standing. The RTX 3060 Ti sits at the 59th percentile among all GPUs, meaning it outperforms roughly 59% of the field, while the CPU’s 85th percentile is notably higher. This mismatch suggests the GPU is the performance ceiling, and the rank reflects that.

Compared to its nearest GPU rivals, the RTX 3060 Ti’s average benchmark score is 16129, with the AMD Radeon RX 9060 scoring 16014 (0.7% higher) and the AMD Radeon Pro 5600M scoring 16351 (1.4% higher). The RX 5700 XT scores 16361 (1.4% higher), putting the 3060 Ti in a tightly contested band. For Control, this means the combo’s rank is largely determined by the GPU’s ability to handle the game’s particle effects and lighting, not by CPU limitations. The rank of 1384 out of 2888 puts it at roughly the 48th percentile of all combos, which is consistent with a mid-range GPU paired with a strong CPU — you get the CPU headroom, but the GPU holds back the final result.

The data shows that combos with higher-ranked GPUs will outperform this pairing significantly at 4K, but at 1080p, the gap narrows because the CPU can compensate. The 145 FPS at 1080p Low is competitive with many higher-tier GPUs that might be CPU-limited in this title, demonstrating that the 5500X3D’s cache-heavy design extracts maximum performance from the 3060 Ti. Benchmarks for the CPU show it at 37018 average, which is only 0.2% behind the Ryzen 5 5600F and 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225, so the processing power is solid; the ranking issue is purely the GPU’s 8 GB VRAM and 16.20 TFLOPS FP32 compute being outclassed by more recent hardware.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data reveals a clear scaling pattern that identifies the GPU as the bottleneck. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 92 at 1080p to 69 at 1440p (a 25% reduction), then to 47 at 4K (a 32% reduction from 1440p). This steep decline as resolution increases is the signature of a GPU-bound scenario, where the RTX 3060 Ti’s rendering throughput is the constraint. The CPU’s performance does not change with resolution, so the fact that FPS drops so consistently with pixel count confirms the GPU is doing the heavy lifting.

At Low settings, the scaling is even more revealing: 145 FPS at 1080p drops to 110 at 1440p (24% lower), then to 74 at 4K (33% lower from 1440p). The absolute FPS at 1080p Low (145) is high enough that the CPU might start to become a factor, but the consistent percentage drops suggest the GPU still dominates. If the CPU were the limit, we would expect the 1080p and 1440p numbers to be closer together, since the CPU workload does not scale with resolution. Instead, the data shows a linear relationship between pixel count and frame rate, which points squarely at the GPU’s fill rate and shader throughput.

Medium settings show the same trend with min/max data: at 1080p, the average is 103 FPS with a minimum of 88 and maximum of 119; at 1440p, the average drops to 78 with a minimum of 66 and maximum of 90; at 4K, the average is 53 with a minimum of 45 and maximum of 61. The min FPS at 4K Medium (45) is above the 30 FPS threshold for playability, but the 61 FPS max shows the GPU is working hard. The fact that Ultra settings at 4K yield only 41 FPS average reinforces that the 3060 Ti is the limiting component — the CPU’s 96 MB L3 cache cannot overcome the GPU’s 8 GB VRAM capacity or 133.2 GPixel/s pixel rate when pushing 8.3 million pixels per frame.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best results across all settings. Low settings average 145 FPS, which is smooth for any display. Medium settings average 103 FPS with a minimum of 88 and maximum of 119, providing a solid 60+ FPS experience with headroom. High settings average 92 FPS, still comfortably above 60. Ultra settings average 80 FPS, which is playable but shows the GPU starting to strain as settings increase. The spread from 145 to 80 FPS across settings indicates that the 3060 Ti has enough headroom at 1080p to trade visual quality for frame rate without hitting a hard wall.

Moving to 2560x1440, the averages drop proportionally. Low settings average 110 FPS, which is excellent for 1440p gaming. Medium settings average 78 FPS with a minimum of 66 and maximum of 90, keeping the experience smooth on most monitors. High settings average 69 FPS, which is right at the edge of 60 FPS playability but still acceptable. Ultra settings average 60 FPS exactly, meaning you can run the game at maximum settings at 1440p and hit the magic 60 FPS mark, though there is no headroom for dips. The min FPS at Medium (66) is above the 60 FPS threshold, suggesting the CPU’s cache helps prevent stutters even when the GPU is loaded.

At 3840x2160, the results are more mixed. Low settings average 74 FPS, which is playable and shows the GPU can handle 4K with reduced graphical fidelity. Medium settings average 53 FPS with a minimum of 45 and maximum of 61, which is below 60 but still playable on VRR displays. High settings average 47 FPS, which is borderline for action games. Ultra settings average 41 FPS, which is technically playable but not ideal for a game with fast-paced combat. The data shows a clear pattern: 1080p is where this combo excels, 1440p is the sweet spot for High/Ultra settings, and 4K requires Low or Medium settings for acceptable performance.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the primary driver of Control’s performance, and its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory is a critical factor. The game’s use of high-resolution textures and particle effects can push VRAM usage, and the 8 GB capacity is sufficient at 1080p and 1440p but may cause texture swapping at 4K Ultra, which explains the 41 FPS average. The GPU’s memory bus is 256-bit with 448.0 GB/s bandwidth, which is adequate for the data throughput required at 1440p but becomes a limiting factor at 4K where the pixel workload demands more memory access.

The GPU’s clock speeds are 1410 MHz base and 1665 MHz boost, with memory running at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective). These clocks, combined with 4864 shading units and 152 tensor cores, deliver 16.20 TFLOPS of FP32 compute. In the PassMark G3D benchmark, the 3060 Ti scores 20349, and in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, it scores 2626. These benchmark scores place it at the 59th percentile among all GPUs, with nearest rivals including the Radeon RX 9060 (0.7% higher) and Radeon Pro 5600M (1.4% higher). The GPU’s 200 W TDP and 550 W suggested PSU requirement are typical for this performance class.

For Control specifically, the GPU’s 80 ROPs and 133.2 GPixel/s pixel rate determine the fill-rate ceiling at high resolutions. The measured FPS at 4K Ultra (41) versus 4K Low (74) shows a 45% performance drop when enabling Ultra settings, which is consistent with the GPU’s memory bandwidth being saturated by higher-quality textures and effects. The RTX 3060 Ti’s 38 RT cores and 152 tensor cores are underutilized in Control unless ray tracing is enabled, but the data provided does not include ray-traced settings, so the standard rasterization performance is what these numbers reflect.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on your target resolution and frame rate preference. At 1080p, the High preset at 92 FPS average is the best balance of visual quality and performance, offering a significant improvement over Medium’s 103 FPS while still maintaining a smooth experience. If you have a 144 Hz monitor, the Low preset at 145 FPS is the only way to fully utilize it, but the visual sacrifice is substantial. For most players, High at 1080p provides the best experience — it looks good and stays well above 60 FPS.

At 1440p, the Ultra preset at 60 FPS average is exactly at the 60 FPS threshold, making it a risky choice for a game with sudden action sequences. The High preset at 69 FPS offers a small safety margin and is the recommended choice for a consistent experience. Medium at 78 FPS is also viable if you prefer extra headroom, but the visual difference between High and Ultra in Control is minimal, so choosing High for the 9 FPS gain is the practical call. The min FPS at Medium (66) is reassuring, but High’s lack of min FPS data suggests it may dip below 60 during heavy scenes.

At 4K, the Low preset at 74 FPS is the only way to get a truly smooth experience, but it sacrifices most of the game’s visual identity. Medium at 53 FPS is playable on a VRR display, with a minimum of 45 FPS, but it is not ideal for fast-paced combat. High and Ultra at 47 and 41 FPS respectively are only recommended if you prioritize image quality over frame rate and have a 30-60 FPS VRR range. The data indicates that this combo is not well-suited for 4K gaming in Control beyond Low settings, and the GPU’s 8 GB VRAM is the likely culprit for the steep drop-off at Ultra. For the best overall experience, 1080p High or 1440p High are the sweet spots, delivering 92 and 69 FPS respectively with a good balance of fidelity and responsiveness.