Control

Control on this system is a study in how far a top-tier GPU can push a 2019 title before the CPU starts to matter. The measured data shows a combination that delivers high frame rates across all resolutions, but the scaling pattern reveals where the bottlenecks lie. This analysis uses only the provided benchmark results to determine the optimal settings, the role of each component, and what to expect at different resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

The sweet spot for this configuration is the High preset. At 1920x1080, High delivers an average of 165 FPS, which is only 8 FPS behind the Ultra preset’s 157 FPS but offers a more stable experience. The data shows that the jump from High to Ultra provides diminishing returns, as the average FPS actually decreases by 8 FPS at 1080p, likely due to increased GPU load without a proportional visual benefit in this action-adventure title. At 2560x1440, High maintains a strong 142 FPS average, while Ultra drops to 124 FPS. The trend continues at 3840x2160, where High averages 96 FPS and Ultra falls to 83 FPS.

The Medium preset is the best choice for players who prioritize frame time consistency over absolute maximum visuals. The data includes min and max FPS values only for Medium settings, and they show a tight range: at 1080p, the average is 172 FPS with a minimum of 146 and a maximum of 198, a spread of 52 FPS. At 1440p, Medium averages 157 FPS with a range of 133 to 181, and at 4K it averages 108 FPS with a range of 92 to 124. This consistency suggests that Medium avoids the occasional frame drops that might occur on other presets, making it a practical choice for competitive or fast-paced sections of the game.

The Ultra preset is not recommended for this pairing. While it does produce playable frame rates, the performance cost is steep. At 4K, Ultra averages 83 FPS, which is a 13 FPS drop from High and a 25 FPS drop from Medium. The data indicates that the visual fidelity gain from High to Ultra does not justify the performance loss, especially when High already delivers near-maximum settings with significantly better frame rates. The Low preset is only useful for chasing maximum FPS, as it hits 196 FPS at 1080p and 178 FPS at 1440p, but the visual quality sacrifice is substantial for a game like Control that relies on atmospheric lighting and detail.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is the dominant component in this system. Its specifications include 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s. The GPU’s base clock is 2017 MHz with a boost clock of 2407 MHz. This memory configuration is far beyond what Control requires, as the game’s textures and effects are from 2019. The benchmark results show that the GPU has headroom to spare, as the frame rates at 1080p and 1440p are exceptionally high, indicating that the card is not fully utilized at these resolutions.

The GPU’s raw compute power is evident in its benchmark scores, with a Passmark G3D score of 44065 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 14326. These scores place the GPU in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs, and its average benchmark score of 77712 is 1.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT and 1.6% behind the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT. The data suggests that the RTX 5090 D is a top-tier performer, but in Control, its role shifts from being the primary bottleneck to being the enabler of high frame rates.

At 4K resolution, the GPU’s role becomes more critical. The measured FPS drops from 196 at 1080p Low to 152 at 4K Low, a decrease of 44 FPS. This drop is due to the increased pixel count, which directly impacts the GPU’s fill rate and texture processing. The GPU’s pixel rate of 423.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 1,636.8 GTexel/s are sufficient to handle 4K, but the data shows that the GPU is working harder, as evidenced by the lower average FPS on all settings. The 32 GB VRAM is never a limiting factor, as Control’s memory footprint is well below this capacity, allowing the GPU to run without memory swap issues.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D contributes to the system’s performance but is not the limiting factor in most scenarios. This CPU has 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz. Its cache configuration includes 96 MB of shared L3 cache, which is a hallmark of the X3D series and benefits gaming workloads. The CPU’s benchmark scores show a Passmark single-thread score of 2941 and a multithread score of 20363, placing it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs.

The data reveals that the CPU’s influence is most apparent at lower resolutions. At 1080p, the average FPS for High settings is 165, while at 1440p it is 142, a difference of 23 FPS. This gap indicates that at 1080p, the CPU is working to feed the GPU, and as resolution increases, the GPU takes on more of the workload, reducing the CPU’s impact. The CPU’s nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F, which scores 0.2% higher, and the Intel Core i9-12900T, which scores 0.3% lower. This close grouping suggests that the 5500X3D is competitive with other mid-range processors.

In Control, the CPU’s role is to maintain minimum frame rates and handle game logic. The measured min FPS values on Medium settings show the CPU’s impact: at 1080p, the min FPS is 146, at 1440p it is 133, and at 4K it is 92. The CPU’s 6 cores are sufficient for this game, as it does not heavily utilize multi-threading. The data shows that the CPU is not a bottleneck at 4K, where the GPU is clearly the limiting factor, but at 1080p, the CPU’s single-thread performance becomes more relevant, as the higher frame rates require faster instruction processing.

FAQ

Q: What is the best preset for a balance of visual quality and performance?

A: The High preset offers the best balance. It provides an average of 165 FPS at 1080p, 142 FPS at 1440p, and 96 FPS at 4K, which are all playable and visually impressive. The Ultra preset only offers marginal visual improvements while costing 8 to 13 FPS across resolutions.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU in this game?

A: The data shows that the CPU is not a bottleneck at 4K, where the GPU is clearly limiting performance. At 1080p, the CPU has a larger role, as evidenced by the higher frame rates (165 FPS High vs. 142 FPS at 1440p), but it still allows for high performance. The CPU’s 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient for Control.

Q: How much VRAM does Control need, and is 32 GB overkill?

A: The RTX 5090 D has 32 GB of GDDR7 memory. Control, being a 2019 title, does not require anywhere near this amount. The data does not indicate any VRAM limitations, so the 32 GB capacity is more than sufficient and does not impact performance.

Q: Why does the Medium preset have min and max FPS data but others do not?

A: The measured FPS data only includes min and max values for the Medium preset across all resolutions. For High, Low, and Ultra presets, only average FPS was recorded. This means we can assess frame time consistency only for Medium, which shows a tight range.

Q: Is the RTX 5090 D overkill for Control?

A: Based on the data, the GPU is overkill for this title. At 1080p, the average FPS exceeds 157 on all presets, and at 4K, it remains above 83 FPS on Ultra. The GPU’s performance is far beyond what Control requires, but it does allow for high refresh rate gaming at 1440p and 4K.

Q: How does this CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Ryzen 5 5500X3D has an average benchmark score of 37018, which is 0.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F, 0.2% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 5 225, and 0.3% lower than the Intel Core i9-12900T. This indicates it is a competitive mid-range processor.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear scaling pattern from 1080p to 4K. At the High preset, the average FPS drops from 165 at 1080p to 142 at 1440p (a 23 FPS decrease) and then to 96 at 4K (a 46 FPS decrease from 1440p). This indicates that the GPU is becoming the limiting factor as resolution increases. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is 42%, meaning the GPU is working significantly harder at higher resolutions.

The Low preset shows a similar trend, with FPS dropping from 196 at 1080p to 178 at 1440p (18 FPS decrease) and then to 152 at 4K (26 FPS decrease). The drop from 1080p to 4K is 44 FPS, or 22%. The Medium preset’s average FPS drops from 172 at 1080p to 157 at 1440p (15 FPS) and then to 108 at 4K (49 FPS). The Ultra preset drops from 157 at 1080p to 124 at 1440p (33 FPS) and then to 83 at 4K (41 FPS).

The scaling indicates that the system is GPU-bound at 4K, as the frame rate drops are consistent with the increased pixel workload. At 1080p, the CPU’s role is more pronounced, but the data does not show a CPU bottleneck, as frame rates remain high. The limiting component shifts from CPU at 1080p to GPU at 4K, which is typical for a high-end GPU paired with a mid-range CPU.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers high frame rates across all presets. The Low preset averages 196 FPS, Medium averages 172 FPS with a min of 146 and max of 198, High averages 165 FPS, and Ultra averages 157 FPS. The differences between presets are relatively small, with a 39 FPS spread between Low and Ultra. This suggests that at 1080p, the GPU has enough headroom to handle any preset, and the CPU is capable of maintaining high frame rates.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains strong. Low averages 178 FPS, Medium averages 157 FPS with a min of 133 and max of 181, High averages 142 FPS, and Ultra averages 124 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra is 54 FPS, indicating a more significant impact from settings. The Medium preset’s min FPS of 133 is still well above 60, ensuring a smooth experience.

At 3840x2160, the GPU’s workload increases significantly. Low averages 152 FPS, Medium averages 108 FPS with a min of 92 and max of 124, High averages 96 FPS, and Ultra averages 83 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra is 69 FPS, showing that settings have a larger impact at 4K. The Medium preset’s min FPS of 92 is the lowest recorded value in the data, but it remains playable. This breakdown confirms that the High preset is the recommended choice, as it offers a good balance between visual fidelity and performance, with 96 FPS at 4K being sufficient for a smooth experience.