Control

Control is a demanding action-adventure title that stresses both processor and graphics hardware, and the measured results for the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 580 provide a clear picture of a system that is firmly constrained by its graphics solution. The data shows a combination that can achieve playable frame rates at 1080p with adjusted settings, but struggles significantly as resolution increases, revealing a stark imbalance between the CPU's modern capabilities and the GPU's aging architecture.

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

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor built on the Zen 3 architecture, with a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz. This modern design, manufactured on a 7 nm process, provides substantial computational headroom for a game like Control, which relies on heavy physics simulations and complex AI routines. The processor's 32 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support with 51.2 GB/s of bandwidth are well-suited for feeding data to the GPU, but the benchmark data suggests that this CPU's potential is largely untapped in this specific configuration.

In the context of Control, the CPU's role is to handle the game's asynchronous compute tasks and the physics-based destruction of the environment. The Ryzen 5 5600F's multi-threaded performance, evidenced by a Passmark multithread score of 19236, is more than adequate for these workloads. However, the measured FPS data indicates that the system is not CPU-bound at any resolution. For instance, moving from 1080p Low (63 avg FPS) to 1080p Ultra (35 avg FPS) shows a dramatic performance drop that is characteristic of a GPU bottleneck, not a CPU limitation. The CPU's single-thread score of 2872 and its 85th percentile ranking among all CPUs further confirm that it is a high-performing part that should not be the limiting factor in this pairing.

When compared to its nearest rivals, the Ryzen 5 5600F's standing is clear. The data shows it performs nearly identically to the Intel Core Ultra 5 225, with a deltaPct of 0, and the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D, which is only 0.2% faster. This places the 5600F in a strong competitive position for gaming, yet the overall combo rank of 2633 out of 2888 tested combinations (in the 9th percentile) indicates that the GPU is holding back the entire system. The CPU is ready to deliver high frame rates, but the RX 580 cannot translate that capability into visible performance in Control.

The processor's 65W TDP and unlocked multiplier suggest it is an efficient and flexible part, but these characteristics do not influence the game's outcome here. The bottleneck is unequivocally the graphics card, as evidenced by the scaling of FPS with graphical settings rather than with CPU load. For Control, the Ryzen 5 5600F provides a stable and powerful foundation, but it is a foundation that is never fully utilized in this configuration, as the GPU reaches its limits long before the CPU does.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 580 is a 2017-era graphics card based on the Polaris 20 chip and GCN 4.0 architecture, manufactured on a 14 nm process. It features 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth. With a base clock of 1257 MHz and a boost clock of 1340 MHz, the card's raw compute power is rated at 6.175 TFLOPS FP32. These specifications are the primary driver of the performance ceiling observed in the measured FPS data for Control.

The RX 580's 8 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for 1080p gaming, but the card's memory bandwidth and processing power become severe limitations at higher resolutions. The data shows a clear pattern: at 1080p, the card can manage an average of 63 FPS on Low settings, which is playable. However, this drops to 40 FPS on High and 35 FPS on Ultra, indicating that the GPU's shading units and texture units are overwhelmed by the increased graphical demands. The card's 2304 shading units and 144 texture mapping units are simply not enough to maintain high frame rates with Control's detailed environments and effects.

The GPU's performance relative to its peers is telling. The nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile, which is only 0.1% faster, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER, which is 0.4% faster. This places the RX 580 in the mid-range tier of graphics hardware, but its 53rd percentile ranking among all GPUs highlights its age. In Control, this translates to a hard performance wall. At 1440p, the card's limitations become more pronounced, with average FPS ranging from 26 on Ultra to 48 on Low. At 4K, the card is effectively overwhelmed, with the highest average FPS being just 32 on Low settings, and dropping to 18 on Ultra.

The GPU's 185W TDP and dual-slot cooler design are irrelevant to the performance numbers, but the card's PCIe 3.0 x16 interface is a notable bottleneck. The Ryzen 5 5600F supports PCIe Gen 4, but the RX 580 is limited to the older standard. While this does not directly appear in the FPS data, it is a contributing factor to the overall system imbalance. The GPU's 8 GB of VRAM is sufficient for the game's textures at 1080p, but the card's memory clock of 2000 MHz (8 Gbps effective) and bandwidth are insufficient for the data throughput required at higher resolutions, leading to the precipitous drop in performance observed in the measured results.

FAQ

Q: What is the best average FPS this combo can achieve in Control?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 63, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does this combo perform at 4K resolution?

A: Performance at 4K is poor. The average FPS ranges from 32 on Low settings to 18 on Ultra settings, with Medium settings yielding 23 FPS and High settings yielding 20 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this system?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. The Ryzen 5 5600F has a Passmark multithread score of 19236 and ranks in the 85th percentile, while the RX 580 ranks in the 53rd percentile. The FPS drops significantly with increased resolution and settings, a clear sign of a GPU bottleneck.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested systems?

A: The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F and AMD Radeon RX 580 ranks 2633 out of 2888 tested combos in Control.

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

A: At 1080p, the average FPS drops from 63 on Low to 35 on Ultra, a difference of 28 FPS.

Q: Does the CPU's performance relative to its rivals suggest it is holding back the system?

A: No. The Ryzen 5 5600F performs nearly identically to the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 (0% delta) and is only 0.2% slower than the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D, indicating it is a capable gaming CPU that is not the source of the low frame rates.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combination is at 1920x1080 resolution. The data shows that Low settings provide the only consistently playable experience, with an average of 63 FPS. Medium settings at this resolution yield 45 FPS, which is still playable for most users, but the drop from Low is significant. High settings reduce the average to 40 FPS, and Ultra drops to 35 FPS, which may introduce noticeable stutter in a fast-paced action game like Control.

For a balance between visual quality and performance, Medium settings at 1080p are the best choice. The measured min FPS of 38 and max FPS of 51 at this setting suggest a relatively stable frame rate, whereas Low settings, while faster, will compromise the visual atmosphere that Control is known for. At 1440p, the data suggests that only Low settings (48 avg FPS) are viable, as Medium drops to 34 FPS and High falls to 30 FPS. At 4K, no setting is recommended, as the highest average FPS is just 32 on Low, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay.

The data reveals that the RX 580 cannot handle the game's higher presets at any resolution without significant frame rate penalties. The jump from Low to Medium at 1080p costs 18 FPS, and the jump from Medium to High costs another 5 FPS. This steep scaling indicates that the GPU's resources are quickly exhausted, making Low or Medium at 1080p the only sensible choices. For users prioritizing frame rate, Low is the clear winner; for those wanting a more polished visual experience, Medium offers the best compromise without falling below 40 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600F and AMD Radeon RX 580 combination ranks 2633 out of 2888 tested combos in Control, placing it in the bottom 9% of all systems tested. This is a poor ranking that reflects the GPU's age and limitations. The CPU itself is a strong performer, ranking in the 85th percentile among all CPUs, but the GPU's 53rd percentile ranking drags the entire combo down.

The data from the nearest rivals underscores this imbalance. The CPU is closely matched with the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D, with deltas of 0% and -0.2% respectively. This suggests that swapping the 5600F for a different modern CPU would yield negligible performance changes in this game. Conversely, the GPU is closely matched with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile and GTX 1660 SUPER, indicating that the RX 580 is performing as expected for its class. The low combo rank is therefore not due to a defective or underperforming part, but rather to the inherent mismatch between a high-end 2025-era CPU and a mid-range 2017-era GPU.

In practical terms, this combo rank means that the system will struggle with modern titles at higher settings. The measured FPS data confirms this, as the system only achieves playable frame rates at the lowest settings and resolution. The combo's ranking suggests that users with this configuration should prioritize upgrading the GPU to improve performance in Control, as the CPU has ample headroom to support a more powerful graphics card.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the system's performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the system achieves its best results. Low settings produce an average of 63 FPS, which is the only measurement that exceeds the 60 FPS threshold. Medium settings average 45 FPS, with a minimum of 38 and maximum of 51 FPS. High settings average 40 FPS, and Ultra settings average 35 FPS.

At 2560x1440, performance drops considerably. Low settings average 48 FPS, Medium settings average 34 FPS (with a minimum of 29 and maximum of 39), High settings average 30 FPS, and Ultra settings average 26 FPS. This represents a significant decline from 1080p, with the Low setting losing 15 FPS and the Ultra setting losing 9 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the system is overwhelmed. Low settings average 32 FPS, Medium settings average 23 FPS (with a minimum of 19 and maximum of 26), High settings average 20 FPS, and Ultra settings average 18 FPS. No setting at 4K achieves a playable frame rate, and the data shows that even the lowest preset cannot maintain a consistent 30 FPS, as the minimum FPS for Medium is 19.

The pattern is consistent across all resolutions: the gap between Low and Ultra settings is substantial, and the gap between Medium and High is smaller but still noticeable. For example, at 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 28 FPS, while the difference between Medium and High is 5 FPS. This suggests that the GPU's performance scales poorly with increasing graphical complexity, which is typical of the Polaris architecture's limitations with newer game engines.

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

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 63 at 1080p to 48 at 1440p (a 23.8% decrease) and then to 32 at 4K (a 33.3% decrease from 1440p). This steep decline is directly attributable to the GPU's limited memory bandwidth and processing power, as the number of pixels increases fourfold from 1080p to 4K.

At Medium settings, the scaling is similar: 45 FPS at 1080p drops to 34 FPS at 1440p (a 24.4% decrease) and then to 23 FPS at 4K (a 32.4% decrease). The consistency of these percentage drops across different settings suggests that the GPU is the sole bottleneck. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see a plateau in FPS at lower resolutions, where the GPU has more headroom. Instead, the FPS continues to rise as resolution decreases, indicating that the GPU is always working at its maximum capacity.

The data also shows that the FPS drop from 1080p to 1440p is proportionally similar to the drop from 1440p to 4K, which is characteristic of a GPU that is bandwidth-limited. The RX 580's 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth is simply insufficient for the data demands of 4K rendering in Control. The CPU, with its high single-thread score of 2872 and modern architecture, is not the constraint. This is further evidenced by the fact that the CPU's performance relative to its rivals is nearly identical, while the GPU's performance is the primary variable affecting the final frame rates.

Ultimately, the resolution scaling analysis confirms that the AMD Radeon RX 580 is the definitive limiting component in this system. The Ryzen 5 5600F provides ample processing power, but it is starved of work by the GPU's inability to render frames quickly enough. Upgrading the GPU would yield significant performance gains, while upgrading the CPU would have a negligible impact on this game's frame rates.