Control

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database for Control, the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER achieves a rank of 244 out of 2888 tested combinations. This places the pairing in the top 8.5% of all combos tested for this title. The percentile placement of the individual components supports this strong showing, with the CPU sitting in the 85th percentile of all CPUs and the GPU in the 86th percentile of all GPUs. The data indicates a balanced pairing where neither component is drastically holding back the other, resulting in a high overall standing that users can expect to deliver a very smooth experience at most settings.

The high rank is a direct consequence of the combined capabilities of the two parts. The CPU's strong single-thread score of 2941 and multi-thread score of 20363 provide a solid foundation for game logic and physics, while the GPU's raw graphical power handles the rendering load. The delta between the combo's rank and the theoretical maximum suggests that there is still some headroom, but the margin is small enough to be negligible for practical gameplay, as the measured FPS will show high performance across the board.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is a powerhouse built on the Ada Lovelace architecture, featuring 10240 shading units and 80 RT cores. For Control, a game that heavily utilizes ray tracing for its atmospheric effects, these RT cores are particularly relevant. The GPU's high boost clock of 2550 MHz, up from a base of 2295 MHz, allows it to sustain high throughput in demanding scenes. With 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, the card offers a substantial 736.3 GB/s of memory bandwidth, ensuring that high-resolution textures and geometry data are fed to the processor without becoming a bottleneck.

The GPU's performance in the database is notable. Its Passmark G3D score of 34245 places it in the 86th percentile of all GPUs. The nearest rival in the database is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, with a delta of -0.1%, indicating the SUPER variant is effectively a marginal improvement over the non-SUPER model. The performance gap to the next closest rivals, the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X and the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB, is also narrow, at -1.1% and -2.7% respectively. This suggests that in synthetic tests, the card is at the top of its class, and the data for Control shows that it translates this raw power into high frame rates.

Resolution Scaling

Analyzing the measured FPS across resolutions reveals a classic scaling pattern that points to the GPU as the primary performance limiter at higher resolutions. Moving from 1080p to 1440p sees a noticeable drop in performance, which becomes even more pronounced at 4K. This is expected behavior for a high-end GPU; as the resolution increases, the rendering load on the GPU grows exponentially, while the CPU's workload remains relatively constant.

For example, at Ultra settings, the average FPS drops from 134 at 1920x1080 to 102 at 2560x1440, a 24% decrease. The drop from 1440p to 4K is even steeper, with the average FPS falling from 102 to 69, a 32% decrease. This accelerating drop-off clearly indicates that the RTX 4080 SUPER is being pushed harder as the pixel count increases. At 1080p, the frame rates are so high (196 FPS on Low) that the CPU might be playing a larger role in limiting the absolute maximum, but the GPU is still the dominant factor in how performance scales with resolution. The data shows a system that is extremely capable at 1440p and 4K, but the largest frame rate gains from lower settings are seen at 1080p, where the GPU is less stressed.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data for this combo provides a comprehensive look at its performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. The numbers show a system capable of high refresh rate gaming even at the most demanding settings.

1920x1080 (1080p):

At this resolution, the combo is exceptionally fast. On Low settings, it averages 196 FPS. Moving to Medium, the average is 172 FPS, with a minimum of 146 and a maximum of 198. High settings yield an average of 155 FPS, and even at the maximum Ultra preset, the system maintains an average of 134 FPS. The data shows that 1080p gaming is a non-issue, with all settings comfortably above 130 FPS.

2560x1440 (1440p):

The performance remains very strong at 1440p. The Low preset delivers an average of 178 FPS. The Medium preset averages 132 FPS, with a minimum of 112 and a maximum of 152. High settings produce an average of 117 FPS, while Ultra settings manage an average of 102 FPS. This indicates that 1440p is the sweet spot for this pairing, offering high visual fidelity with frame rates that are still very high, making it ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors.

3840x2160 (4K):

At 4K, the system shows its limits but still delivers playable performance. The Low preset averages 125 FPS. The Medium preset averages 89 FPS, with a minimum of 76 and a maximum of 102. High settings drop the average to 79 FPS, and the Ultra preset yields an average of 69 FPS. While the frame rates at 4K are lower than at other resolutions, they remain well within the playable range, even at Ultra settings, confirming the RTX 4080 SUPER's capability as a 4K-class GPU.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Vermeer. It operates at a base clock of 3.00 GHz and boosts up to 4.00 GHz. Its defining feature is the large 96 MB shared L3 cache, which is a significant advantage for gaming workloads that often rely on frequently accessed data. The CPU's performance in the database is strong, with an average benchmark score of 37018, placing it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs.

The nearest rivals illustrate its position in the market. The AMD Ryzen 5 5600F scores 36945, a delta of 0.2% slower, while the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 scores 37093, a delta of -0.2% faster. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is also a close competitor at 36938 (0.2% slower), and the Intel Core i9-12900T scores 37112, a delta of -0.3% faster. This shows the 5500X3D is in the upper echelon of mid-range processors.

In Control, the CPU's role is to handle game logic, physics, and draw calls. The high single-thread score of 2941 is critical for a game like this, which relies on complex physics and interactions. The data suggests that the CPU is more than capable of keeping up with the RTX 4080 SUPER at 1080p, where the GPU is less of a bottleneck. The 96 MB L3 cache helps ensure that the CPU has fast access to the data needed to feed the GPU, minimizing stutters and frame time spikes. The 12 threads are also sufficient for modern game engines, ensuring that background tasks don't interfere with the main game thread.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings will depend on the user's target resolution and refresh rate.

• For 1080p: The Ultra preset, averaging 134 FPS, is the clear recommendation for users with a 120Hz or 144Hz monitor. The High preset at 155 FPS would be better suited for a 165Hz monitor, but the visual gains from Ultra are significant. The data shows that there is plenty of headroom to enable all graphical features without compromising playability.

• For 1440p: The Medium preset, averaging 132 FPS, is an excellent choice for high-refresh-rate 1440p monitors. It provides a balance of visual quality and performance, with a minimum FPS of 112 ensuring a smooth experience. The High preset at 117 FPS is also a strong option for 1440p, offering better visuals for a modest 15 FPS drop. For users with a 60Hz monitor, the Ultra preset at 102 FPS is more than sufficient and provides the best visual experience.

• For 4K: The High preset, averaging 79 FPS, is a solid choice for a 60Hz 4K display, offering a great balance of visual fidelity and performance. The Medium preset at 89 FPS is also viable for those who prefer a higher frame rate buffer. The Ultra preset, averaging 69 FPS, is playable and offers the best image quality, but it is closer to the edge of the performance envelope. The data suggests that High is the sweet spot for a smooth and visually impressive 4K experience.

Overall, the data indicates that the combo is best suited for 1440p high-refresh-rate gaming, where it excels. For 4K, it delivers a smooth experience on High settings, making it a very capable 4K gaming system.

FAQ

*Q: What is the combo's overall rank in the database for Control?*

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER combination ranks 244th out of 2888 tested combos for the game, placing it in the top 8.5%.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 SUPER compare to its nearest rival, the RTX 4080, in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 4080 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 54209, while the RTX 4080 scores 54247. This results in a delta of -0.1%, indicating that the SUPER is essentially on par with the non-SUPER model in synthetic tests.

Q: What is the best resolution for high-refresh-rate gaming with this combo?

A: The data shows that 2560x1440 is the sweet spot. At Medium settings, it averages 132 FPS, and at High settings, it averages 117 FPS, making it ideal for 120Hz to 165Hz monitors.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming?

A: Yes, it can. At 4K with High settings, it averages 79 FPS, and even at Ultra settings, it maintains an average of 69 FPS, making it a capable 4K gaming system for a 60Hz display.

Q: What is the CPU's key architectural feature that benefits gaming?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D features a large 96 MB shared L3 cache, which is a significant advantage for gaming workloads that rely on frequently accessed data, helping to reduce latency and improve frame pacing.

Q: How much of a performance drop is there from 1080p to 4K at Ultra settings?

A: At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 134. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 69. This represents a 48.5% reduction in frame rate, illustrating the significant load that 4K rendering places on the GPU.