Control

Control, the surreal action-adventure from Remedy, is a demanding title that stresses both the CPU and GPU, but the data for this specific pairing—the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F and AMD Radeon RX 7600—reveals a system that behaves differently depending on the resolution. The benchmark results show a configuration that is clearly capable of high refresh rates at 1080p, but which begins to buckle under the weight of 4K, suggesting that the graphics card becomes the primary bottleneck as pixel count increases. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS data to explore how each component contributes to the final experience.

Resolution Scaling

The most striking trend in the measured data is how performance degrades as resolution increases. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo achieves 75 FPS, which drops to 56 FPS at 2560x1440, and then further plummets to 38 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 25% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and then a 49% drop from 1440p to 4K. The scaling is not linear; it accelerates, which is a classic sign that the GPU is becoming the limiting factor.

The pattern becomes even more clear when examining the Low preset. At 1080p Low, the system pushes 118 FPS, a very high frame rate that suggests the CPU is doing its job well. At 1440p Low, it drops to 89 FPS, and at 4K Low, it hits 60 FPS. The fact that even the Low preset cannot maintain high frame rates at 4K is telling. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect Low settings at 4K to yield frame rates closer to the 1080p Low result, as the CPU workload would be similar. Instead, the frame rate drops by nearly half, indicating that the Radeon RX 7600 is working at its maximum capacity and cannot keep up with the pixel output required by 3840x2160.

This implies that for this game, the resolution scaling is dictated almost entirely by the GPU. The Ryzen 5 5600F provides a strong foundation, but the RX 7600's 8 GB of VRAM and 128-bit memory bus, which provides 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth, appear to be the constraints at higher resolutions. The data suggests that the system is well-balanced at 1080p, where the CPU and GPU can both contribute to high frame rates, but becomes heavily GPU-bound at 1440p and especially 4K, where the graphics card's raw throughput is the deciding factor.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture. It operates at a base clock of 3.00 GHz and can boost up to 4.00 GHz. In the context of Control, these specifications appear to be more than sufficient. The benchmark data supports this, as we see a substantial increase in FPS when lowering graphics settings at a fixed resolution, which is a sign that the CPU is not holding the system back.

Looking at its synthetic benchmarks, the 5600F scores 2872 in single-thread performance and 19236 in the multi-thread test. Its Passmark average score is 36945, placing it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 5 225, has a nearly identical score of 36938, showing a delta of 0%. This suggests that the 5600F is a solid, mid-range performer that can handle the game's physics and logic without becoming a bottleneck, especially at 1080p where the GPU is less stressed.

The data implies that the CPU's role is to provide a stable platform. At 1080p Low, the 118 FPS result shows the CPU can feed frames to the GPU quickly. Even at 4K, the CPU is not the primary issue; the GPU is. The 32 MB of shared L3 cache likely helps with game data retrieval, and the dual-channel DDR4 memory support with 51.2 GB/s of bandwidth is adequate. The conclusion from the FPS data is that the 5600F is not the limiting component in this configuration for Control. Instead, it provides ample headroom, allowing the user to increase resolution and settings until the GPU becomes the constraint.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7600 is the clear workhorse in this pairing, and the measured FPS data shows it is also the primary bottleneck in more demanding scenarios. With a boost clock of 2655 MHz and a game clock of 2250 MHz, the GPU has the raw speed, but its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus may be its Achilles' heel. The 288.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth is a figure that, when combined with the VRAM capacity, seems to be the limiting factor in this game.

The GPU's synthetic scores show it is a mid-range card. Its Passmark G3D score is 16634, placing it in the 57th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM, has a score of 15199, a delta of -0.2%, meaning the RX 7600 is slightly ahead. However, the real-world data tells a more nuanced story. At 1080p, the card performs admirably, but the 4K results are underwhelming. The 4K Ultra preset yields just 33 FPS, which is not a smooth experience.

The drop from 1080p Medium (84 FPS) to 1440p Medium (64 FPS) is a 24% decrease, and then to 4K Medium (43 FPS) is another 33% decrease. This indicates that the GPU's rendering capabilities and memory bandwidth are being saturated. The fact that the 4K Low preset also drops to 60 FPS suggests that even with reduced detail, the pixel fill rate and memory bandwidth are insufficient for 4K. The GPU is the dominant factor in this combo's performance, and its limitations are exposed as the resolution increases.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of tested configurations for Control, this pairing of the Ryzen 5 5600F and Radeon RX 7600 holds a combo rank of 2028 out of 2888 combos. This places it in the lower-middle tier of the database, which is a reflection of the GPU's performance relative to more powerful cards. The rank is not a measure of failure, but rather a positioning that shows this is not a high-end system.

The CPU's individual percentile of 85 is much higher than the GPU's percentile of 57. This discrepancy is the key takeaway. The processor is a strong performer, but the graphics card holds the combo back in the rankings. If the GPU were replaced with a more powerful model, the combo rank would likely improve significantly, as the CPU has the headroom to support it. The data suggests this is a balanced system for 1080p gaming, but in a database that includes high-end configurations, it ranks lower due to the GPU's mid-range status.

The nearest GPU rivals, such as the RTX 3050 OEM, are closely matched in synthetic scores, but the RX 7600's real-world performance in this game is what defines its rank. The ranking implies that while this combo is competent, there are many faster combos for this specific game, and its performance is limited primarily by the graphics card's capabilities.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the combo's performance across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the system shows strong results, ranging from 118 FPS on Low to 65 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset delivers 84 FPS with a minimum of 71 and a maximum of 97, indicating a stable experience. High settings produce 75 FPS, which is also very playable.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops noticeably. The Low preset achieves 89 FPS, which is still smooth. High settings produce 56 FPS, and Medium yields 64 FPS with a minimum of 54 and a maximum of 73. The Ultra preset dips to 49 FPS, which starts to feel less fluid for a fast-paced action game. At 3840x2160, the system struggles. The Low preset is just at the edge of playability at 60 FPS. High settings drop to 38 FPS, and Medium is 43 FPS with a minimum of 36 and a maximum of 49. The Ultra preset is 33 FPS, which is not recommended for a good experience.

The data shows a clear hierarchy. The system is best suited for 1080p, where it can handle even the Ultra preset with 65 FPS. At 1440p, it is a capable performer on Medium and Low settings, but High and Ultra may require compromises. At 4K, the system is only truly playable on Low settings, and even then, it is at the lower boundary of what is considered smooth.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience depends heavily on the user's display resolution. For 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is a viable option, with an average of 65 FPS. However, the High preset at 75 FPS offers a better balance of visual fidelity and performance, providing a smoother experience that is often preferable in a game with fast action. The Medium preset at 84 FPS is also an excellent choice for competitive or high-refresh-rate play.

For 2560x1440, the Medium preset appears to be the sweet spot. The 64 FPS average is playable, and the minimum of 54 FPS shows acceptable frame pacing. The High preset at 56 FPS is also feasible, but the lower frame rate may be noticeable. The Low preset at 89 FPS is the best choice for maximizing smoothness, but it comes at the cost of visual detail. The Ultra preset at 49 FPS is not recommended for a consistently smooth experience.

For 3840x2160, the options are limited. The Low preset is the only one that provides a playable 60 FPS average. The Medium preset at 43 FPS and High at 38 FPS are too low for a responsive action game, and Ultra at 33 FPS is not viable. The data suggests that 4K gaming on this combo requires significant settings reductions to be enjoyable.

FAQ

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

A: The data indicates that 1920x1080 is the optimal resolution. At 1080p, the combo achieves 75 FPS on High and 84 FPS on Medium, providing a smooth and visually appealing experience.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Control?

A: The data shows that 4K gaming is only playable on the Low preset, which achieves an average of 60 FPS. Higher settings at 4K result in sub-40 FPS averages, which is not a smooth experience.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 5600F has an average benchmark score of 36945, which is nearly identical to the Intel Core Ultra 5 225's score of 36938, showing a delta of 0%.

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

A: The measured FPS data suggests the GPU is the limiting factor. As resolution increases, the frame rate drops significantly even on the Low preset, indicating the Radeon RX 7600 is the bottleneck.

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

A: For Control, this specific combo ranks 2028 out of 2888 tested combos, placing it in the lower-middle percentile of all tested systems.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 89 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 49 FPS. This represents a 40 FPS difference, showing a significant performance cost for the highest visual settings.