Control

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 combination delivers a striking imbalance in Control, a 2019 Action Adventure title. The data shows a CPU that, while competent, is firmly mid-range in its class, paired with a GPU that ranks near the top of all tested graphics cards. This pairing produces high frame rates across all measured settings, but the pattern of results reveals that the processor is the limiting factor at lower resolutions, while the graphics card takes over the workload at 4K. The following analysis breaks down the measured FPS data, component roles, and what this means for players.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the 5000 series, built on the Zen 3 architecture (codenamed Vermeer) using a 7 nm process at TSMC. It has a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The cache layout includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of shared L3 cache. Memory support is DDR4 in a dual-channel configuration, with a memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. The processor uses the AMD Socket AM4 and offers PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU.

In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU scores 18,309 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 2,584 in single-core. Its Geekbench scores are 9,158 multicore and 1,936 single-core. The PassMark multithread score is 21,541, with a single-thread score of 3,256. The average benchmark score across all tests is 20,468, placing it in the 74th percentile of all CPUs tested. Its nearest rivals in terms of average score include the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (20,454, 0.1% difference), the AMD Ryzen 5 8500G (20,425, 0.2% difference), and the AMD EPYC 9454P (20,422, 0.2% difference). The data shows this CPU is not a top-tier part, but rather sits in the upper-middle range of processors.

In Control, the CPU’s role becomes apparent when examining the frame rates at 1080p. At the Low preset, the combo achieves 218 FPS average. At Medium, it reaches 192 FPS, and at High it drops to 176 FPS. These numbers are far above the refresh rates of most monitors. The CPU’s 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient to feed the GPU at these settings, but the frame rate ceiling at 1080p suggests that the processor is beginning to limit performance. The jump from Low to Medium costs 26 FPS, and from Medium to High another 16 FPS, which is a consistent pattern of the CPU struggling to keep up with the GPU’s demands as settings increase.

The CPU’s boost clock of 4.40 GHz is a key factor here, as Control does not appear to be heavily multi-threaded. The 3DMark 2-thread score of 1,737 and 4-thread score of 3,313 show modest scaling from 2 to 4 threads, but the 8-thread score of 4,798 and max-thread score of 5,659 are much closer, indicating diminishing returns beyond 8 threads. The 12 threads available in this processor are more than enough for Control’s workload, but the per-core performance, as evidenced by the Cinebench R15 single-core score of 260, limits how fast the game logic and draw calls can be processed.

At 1440p, the CPU still has influence. The Low preset yields 198 FPS, Medium 150 FPS, and High 133 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium at 1440p is 48 FPS, which is larger than the 26 FPS gap at 1080p. This suggests that at 1440p, the GPU is starting to take on more of the rendering load, but the CPU is still able to push frames above 130 FPS at High settings. The data indicates that the Ryzen 5 5600 is sufficient for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1440p in Control, provided the GPU is not overwhelmed.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is a flagship graphics card from the GeForce 50-series, based on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with the GB202 chip, manufactured on a 5 nm process at TSMC. It has 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s. The memory clock is 1750 MHz, or 28 Gbps effective. The GPU’s base clock is 2017 MHz, with a boost clock of 2407 MHz. It contains 21,760 shading units, 680 TMUs, 176 ROPs, 170 RT cores, and 680 tensor cores. The pixel rate is 423.6 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 1,636.8 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is 104.8 TFLOPS. The card has a TDP of 575 W, requires a 950 W suggested PSU, and uses a 16-pin power connector. It occupies a dual-slot design and connects via PCIe 5.0 x16.

In synthetic benchmarks, the RTX 5090 scores 18,355 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, 334,370 in Geekbench OpenCL, and 376,728 in Geekbench Vulkan. Its PassMark G3D score is 39,650, with a G2D score of 1,413. The average benchmark score is 79,842, placing it in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB (79,605, 0.3% difference), the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB (79,396, 0.6% difference), and the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (78,940, 1.1% difference). The data shows this GPU is near the top of the performance hierarchy.

In Control, the GPU’s massive memory capacity of 32 GB is far more than the game requires, even at 4K with Ultra settings. The 1.79 TB/s bandwidth ensures that texture streaming and high-resolution assets pose no bottleneck. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the dominant factor. The Low preset yields 142 FPS, Medium 101 FPS, High 90 FPS, and Ultra 78 FPS. The step from Low to Medium at 4K is a 41 FPS drop, which is a significant cost for the visual upgrade. The GPU’s raw compute power, as shown by the 104.8 TFLOPS FP32 throughput, is what drives these high 4K numbers.

The RTX 5090’s boost clock of 2407 MHz is relatively modest compared to the massive number of shading units, but the architecture’s efficiency is evident in the frame rates. At 1440p, the GPU still has headroom, as evidenced by the 198 FPS at Low, but the CPU begins to constrain it at higher settings. At 1080p, the GPU is never the limiting factor; the CPU’s per-core performance caps the frame rate at 218 FPS on Low, which is the highest measured in any configuration.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on which preset offers the best experience. At 4K, the High preset delivers 90 FPS average, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset drops to 78 FPS, which is still playable but leaves less headroom for demanding scenes. The Medium preset at 4K achieves 101 FPS, with a minimum of 86 FPS and maximum of 116 FPS, making it the most balanced option for high refresh rate displays. The Low preset at 4K reaches 142 FPS, but the visual quality loss is substantial.

At 1440p, the Medium preset provides 150 FPS average, with a minimum of 127 FPS and maximum of 172 FPS. This is an excellent experience for 144 Hz monitors. The High preset at 133 FPS is also viable, but the 17 FPS difference between Medium and High is not worth the extra visual fidelity for competitive play. The Low preset at 198 FPS is only for those who prioritize maximum frame rate over visuals. The Ultra preset at 116 FPS is playable but shows diminishing returns over High.

At 1080p, the Medium preset delivers 192 FPS with a minimum of 163 FPS and maximum of 220 FPS. This is the best choice for high refresh rate gaming, as it maintains frame rates above 160 FPS at all times. The High preset at 176 FPS is also solid, but the Medium preset offers a higher minimum frame rate. The Low preset at 218 FPS is the maximum possible, but the visual compromise is unnecessary given the hardware’s capability. The Ultra preset at 153 FPS is the most demanding, but still well above 60 FPS.

The data suggests that Medium settings provide the best balance of visual quality and performance across all resolutions. At 4K, Medium offers 101 FPS with a minimum of 86 FPS, which is ideal for a smooth experience. At 1440p, Medium’s 150 FPS average is perfect for 144 Hz displays. At 1080p, Medium’s 192 FPS with a 163 FPS minimum ensures no drops below most monitors’ refresh rates.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 5600 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 ranks 155th out of 3,720 tested combos in Control. This places it in the top 4.2% of all configurations tested. The rank reflects the overall performance of the combo across all measured scenarios, but it is important to note that the CPU is a limiting factor in many cases.

The CPU’s 74th percentile ranking among all CPUs means that most processors in the database are slower, but there are many that are faster. The GPU’s 92nd percentile ranking shows that it is near the top of all GPUs. The combo’s 155th rank out of 3,720 is thus a result of the CPU dragging down the GPU’s potential. In games that are more GPU-bound, this combo would rank higher, but in Control, the CPU’s single-thread performance holds back the RTX 5090 at lower resolutions.

The nearest rival CPUs to the Ryzen 5 5600, such as the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V and AMD Ryzen 5 8500G, have nearly identical average benchmark scores, with deltas of 0.1% and 0.2% respectively. This means that swapping the CPU for one of these would yield almost identical frame rates in Control. The GPU’s nearest rivals, like the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB, have similar average scores, but the RTX 5090’s 92nd percentile ranking shows it is a cut above most consumer GPUs.

The combo’s rank of 155 out of 3,720 is impressive, but it is not the top-tier result that the GPU alone would suggest. The data indicates that this pairing is well-suited for 4K gaming, where the GPU is the primary bottleneck, but at 1080p, the CPU prevents the GPU from reaching its full potential. For players who have a 4K display, this combo is excellent; for those with a 1080p monitor, the CPU will limit the experience.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Control at 4K with high settings?

A: Yes. The measured data shows 90 FPS average at 4K with High settings, and 78 FPS at Ultra. The Medium preset at 4K achieves 101 FPS with a minimum of 86 FPS.

Q: What is the best preset for a 144 Hz monitor at 1440p?

A: The Medium preset at 1440p delivers 150 FPS average, with a minimum of 127 FPS and maximum of 172 FPS. This is the most reliable way to stay above 144 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: The CPU is the limiting factor at 1080p. The frame rate at Low is 218 FPS, but at High it drops to 176 FPS, showing that the processor cannot maintain higher frame rates as settings increase.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 5600 compare to its closest rivals?

A: The Ryzen 5 5600 has an average benchmark score of 20,468. Its nearest rival is the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V with a score of 20,454, a 0.1% difference. The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G scores 20,425, a 0.2% difference.

Q: Does the RTX 5090’s 32 GB of VRAM matter for Control?

A: The data does not show any VRAM-related bottleneck. The GPU’s 32 GB capacity and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth are far beyond what Control requires, so the game never approaches memory limits.

Q: What is the highest measured frame rate for this combo?

A: The highest average frame rate is 218 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. The maximum frame rate recorded is 220 FPS, which occurs at 1080p with Medium settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo achieves the following average frame rates: Low settings produce 218 FPS, Medium produces 192 FPS, High produces 176 FPS, and Ultra produces 153 FPS. The Medium preset has a minimum of 163 FPS and a maximum of 220 FPS, which is the highest measured frame rate in any configuration. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 65 FPS, indicating that the CPU is the primary constraint.

At 2560x1440, the average frame rates are: Low at 198 FPS, Medium at 150 FPS, High at 133 FPS, and Ultra at 116 FPS. The Medium preset shows a minimum of 127 FPS and a maximum of 172 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 82 FPS, which is larger than at 1080p, showing that the GPU is starting to take on more work.

At 3840x2160, the average frame rates are: Low at 142 FPS, Medium at 101 FPS, High at 90 FPS, and Ultra at 78 FPS. The Medium preset has a minimum of 86 FPS and a maximum of 116 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 64 FPS, which is significant. The GPU is the dominant factor at this resolution, as evidenced by the steep drop from Low to Medium (41 FPS).

The data shows a consistent pattern: as resolution increases, the frame rate drops, but the relative difference between settings changes. At 1080p, the CPU limits performance, so the GPU’s power is not fully utilized. At 4K, the GPU is the bottleneck, and the CPU’s limitations are less apparent.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the limiting component. At Low settings, the combo achieves 218 FPS at 1080p, 198 FPS at 1440p, and 142 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 20 FPS (9.2%), and from 1440p to 4K is 56 FPS (28.3%). The total drop from 1080p to 4K is 76 FPS (34.9%). This relatively small drop at Low settings indicates that the CPU is the bottleneck at 1080p, as the GPU has plenty of headroom.

At Medium settings, the frame rates are 192 FPS at 1080p, 150 FPS at 1440p, and 101 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 42 FPS (21.9%), and from 1440p to 4K is 49 FPS (32.7%). The total drop from 1080p to 4K is 91 FPS (47.4%). The larger drop at Medium settings shows that the GPU is becoming more involved, but the CPU still plays a role.

At High settings, the frame rates are 176 FPS at 1080p, 133 FPS at 1440p, and 90 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 43 FPS (24.4%), and from 1440p to 4K is 43 FPS (32.3%). The total drop from 1080p to 4K is 86 FPS (48.9%). This pattern is similar to Medium, showing a balanced load between CPU and GPU.

At Ultra settings, the frame rates are 153 FPS at 1080p, 116 FPS at 1440p, and 78 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 37 FPS (24.2%), and from 1440p to 4K is 38 FPS (32.8%). The total drop from 1080p to 4K is 75 FPS (49.0%). The Ultra preset shows the most GPU-bound behavior, as the CPU can keep up at 1080p but the GPU’s workload increases dramatically at higher resolutions.

The data shows that at Low settings, the CPU is the limiting factor, as the frame rate barely changes from 1080p to 1440p. At Ultra settings, the GPU is the limiting factor, as the frame rate drops consistently with each resolution increase. The Medium and High presets show a transition zone where both components contribute to the bottleneck. This indicates that the Ryzen 5 5600 is sufficient for 4K gaming in Control, but at 1080p, it prevents the RTX 5090 from reaching its full potential. The RTX 5090’s performance is best utilized at 4K, where its 32 GB of VRAM and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth are fully engaged.