Control

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600 and Radeon RX 6650 XT combination delivers a consistently playable experience in Control, though the data shows it is far from the top of the charts. The pairing lands at rank 2438 out of 3720 tested combos, placing it in the lower-middle tier of the database. This is not a flagship setup, but the measured frame rates indicate it handles the game's action-adventure demands without falling into unplayable territory at most settings.

The 6-core, 12-thread Ryzen 5 5600, built on the Zen 3 architecture with a 3.50 GHz base and 4.40 GHz boost clock, provides solid computational headroom. The RX 6650 XT, with its RDNA 2 architecture and 8 GB of GDDR6 memory, is the primary driver of visual output. Together, they produce results that are more about consistent mid-range performance than pushing extreme frame rates, as the benchmark numbers across resolutions and presets reveal.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 2438 out of 3720 tested combinations places it in the 65th percentile of all tested setups, indicating it outperforms roughly two-thirds of the configurations in the database. This is a respectable position for a mid-range pairing, though it clearly sits below the top quartile of performance leaders. The rank reflects a balance between the CPU's strong multi-threaded capabilities and the GPU's adequate but not exceptional rendering power.

The Ryzen 5 5600's standalone CPU percentile of 74 shows it is a stronger component relative to the overall field than the combo's final rank suggests. Its average benchmark score of 20468 puts it in close competition with several notable rivals, including the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V at 20454 (a 0.1% difference) and the AMD Ryzen 5 8500G at 20425 (0.2% difference). The 5600 edges out these competitors by the narrowest of margins, demonstrating that it remains a highly competitive processor despite being a few generations old.

The GPU's percentile of 65 aligns more closely with the combo's overall rank, indicating that the RX 6650 XT is the limiting factor in this pairing's performance ceiling. The GPU's nearest rivals in the database include the NVIDIA Tesla K40m at 19885 (0.6% behind the RX 6650 XT's 19765 average) and the AMD FirePro D300 at 19637 (0.7% ahead), showing that the graphics card sits in a tightly contested performance band. The data suggests that while the CPU has headroom to spare, the GPU constrains the combo's ability to climb much higher in the rankings.

GPU Role

The Radeon RX 6650 XT serves as the primary rendering engine, and its specifications directly shape the game's performance profile. The GPU operates with a base clock of 2055 MHz, a game clock of 2410 MHz, and a boost clock of 2635 MHz, giving it the raw speed to handle Control's demanding visual effects. The 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus provides a memory bandwidth of 280.3 GB/s, which proves sufficient for the game's texture streaming at most resolutions.

The GPU's 2048 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, and 64 render output units provide a solid foundation for rasterization work. The 32 ray tracing cores are present, though Control's implementation of ray tracing is not the primary focus of these measurements. The GPU's pixel rate of 168.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 337.3 GTexel/s indicate a balanced architecture that can handle the game's particle effects and environmental detail.

The 10.79 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power is the theoretical ceiling for the GPU's shader work, and the benchmark results show this translates into playable frame rates at 1080p and 1440p. The PCIe 4.0 x8 interface provides adequate bandwidth for the GPU to communicate with the CPU, and the 176 W TDP with a single 8-pin power connector keeps power requirements modest. The GPU's end-of-life production status means it is no longer in active manufacturing, but its performance in this game remains relevant for current benchmarks.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a clear pattern of GPU limitation as resolution increases. At 1080p with High settings, the combo achieves 77 FPS, but this drops to 58 FPS at 1440p and 39 FPS at 4K. This represents a 24.7% drop from 1080p to 1440p and an additional 32.8% drop from 1440p to 4K, totaling a 49.4% reduction from the lowest to highest resolution tested.

The Low settings preset shows a similar trajectory, with 122 FPS at 1080p falling to 93 FPS at 1440p and 63 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are 23.8% and 32.3% respectively, nearly identical to the High preset's scaling. This consistency across presets indicates that the resolution scaling is primarily driven by the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth limitations rather than CPU bottlenecks or settings-specific effects.

The Medium preset, which is the only one with full min/max frame data, shows the most detailed picture of scaling. At 1080p, the average is 87 FPS with a range of 74 to 100 FPS. At 1440p, the average drops to 66 FPS with a range of 56 to 76 FPS. At 4K, the average falls to 44 FPS with a range of 38 to 51 FPS. The sustained minimum frame rates at 4K, dipping to 38 FPS, suggest that the 8 GB VRAM buffer is being stressed at this resolution.

The Ultra preset shows the steepest absolute decline, from 67 FPS at 1080p to 51 FPS at 1440p and 34 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result of 34 FPS is the lowest average across all tested configurations, and the scaling pattern confirms that the GPU's 8 GB memory and 128-bit bus are the primary bottlenecks at higher resolutions. The CPU's role diminishes as resolution increases, with the GPU becoming the sole limiting factor.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1080p, the RX 6650 XT demonstrates its strongest performance across all four presets. The Low preset delivers 122 FPS, providing a highly responsive experience for fast-paced combat. Medium averages 87 FPS with a minimum of 74 and maximum of 100 FPS, offering a smooth balance of visual quality and performance. High drops to 77 FPS, while Ultra bottoms out at 67 FPS. All 1080p results exceed the 60 FPS threshold, indicating that this resolution is well within the GPU's comfort zone.

Moving to 1440p, the performance remains playable but with more variation between presets. Low delivers 93 FPS, still comfortably above 60 FPS. Medium averages 66 FPS with a range of 56 to 76 FPS, placing the minimum just below the 60 FPS mark. High averages 58 FPS, dipping below the ideal threshold, while Ultra averages 51 FPS. The 1440p results show that users will need to choose between visual fidelity and frame rate smoothness at this resolution.

At 4K, the GPU's limitations become apparent. Low settings achieve 63 FPS, barely maintaining playability. Medium averages 44 FPS with a range of 38 to 51 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for a game that benefits from smooth motion. High drops to 39 FPS, and Ultra falls to 34 FPS. These 4K results indicate that the RX 6650 XT is not well-suited for this resolution in Control, even at lower presets.

The Medium preset is the only one with complete min/max data across all three resolutions, providing the most comprehensive view of frame time consistency. The delta between minimum and maximum frames at each resolution is 26 FPS at 1080p, 20 FPS at 1440p, and 13 FPS at 4K. This narrowing range at higher resolutions suggests that the GPU's consistent utilization at 4K reduces frame time variance, though at the cost of overall performance.

Settings Recommendations

The data points to the Medium preset as the optimal choice for most users, particularly at 1440p. The 66 FPS average at 1440p Medium provides a solid balance between visual quality and smoothness, with the minimum of 56 FPS remaining playable during intense sequences. At 1080p, Medium delivers 87 FPS, which is sufficient for high-refresh-rate displays up to 144 Hz, and the full min/max data confirms consistent frame delivery.

For users prioritizing maximum frame rates, the Low preset at 1080p offers 122 FPS, which is ideal for competitive play or high-refresh-rate monitors. At 1440p, Low still achieves 93 FPS, making it a viable option for those who prefer higher resolutions without sacrificing responsiveness. The Low preset's 63 FPS at 4K is the only 4K configuration that reaches playable levels, though it requires significant visual compromises.

The High and Ultra presets are best reserved for 1080p gaming. High at 77 FPS and Ultra at 67 FPS both maintain playable frame rates, and these presets offer enhanced visual effects that showcase the game's atmospheric design. At 1440p, these presets dip to 58 FPS and 51 FPS respectively, which may be acceptable for slower-paced exploration but less ideal for combat scenarios.

The Ultra preset at 4K, averaging 34 FPS, is the only configuration that falls below the threshold of smooth playability. This combo is not suited for 4K Ultra gaming in Control without significant compromises elsewhere. The data suggests that the GPU's 8 GB memory capacity and bandwidth are the limiting factors at this resolution, and users seeking 4K performance would need to look beyond this configuration.

FAQ

*Q: How does this combo rank against other tested configurations in Control?*

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 5600 and RX 6650 XT combo ranks 2438 out of 3720 tested combinations, placing it in the lower-middle tier of the database. This rank reflects the GPU's performance ceiling rather than the CPU's capabilities.

*Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Control?*

A: The data shows 1080p as the most comfortable resolution, with all presets exceeding 67 FPS. At 1440p, only Low and Medium presets maintain averages above 60 FPS. 4K is playable only at Low settings with 63 FPS.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 5600 compare to its nearest rivals in CPU benchmarks?

A: The Ryzen 5 5600's average benchmark score of 20468 is 0.1% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V's 20454 and 0.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 8500G's 20425. It also edges out the AMD EPYC 9454P by 0.2% and the AMD EPYC 7713 by 0.5%.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the Low preset averages 122 FPS while Ultra averages 67 FPS. This represents a 55 FPS difference, or a 45.1% reduction in frame rate when moving from the lowest to highest visual quality preset.

*Q: Is the RX 6650 XT's 8 GB VRAM sufficient for Control?*

A: The 8 GB GDDR6 memory appears adequate at 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K results suggest VRAM pressure. The 4K Medium preset's minimum of 38 FPS and the steep performance drops at higher resolutions indicate memory bandwidth limitations.

Q: How does the RX 6650 XT's benchmark score compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RX 6650 XT's average benchmark score of 19765 is 0.6% lower than the NVIDIA Tesla K40m's 19885 and 0.7% higher than the AMD FirePro D300's 19637. It also outperforms the NVIDIA Quadro K5200 by 0.8% and the AMD FirePro W7000 by 0.7%.