Control

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 pairing produces a fascinating bottleneck dynamic in Control, where the GPU’s raw power is frequently restrained by the CPU’s older architecture. Benchmark results show this combo ranks 187th out of 2,888 tested configurations, placing it in the top 6.5% of all systems. The data reveals that while the RTX 4090 is capable of delivering massive frame rates, the Ryzen 5 5600F’s six Zen 3 cores create a ceiling that prevents the system from achieving the extreme performance the GPU alone could theoretically provide.

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

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600F is a six-core, twelve-thread processor built on the Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Vermeer. It runs at a base clock of 3.00 GHz and boosts up to 4.00 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The CPU’s 32 MB of shared L3 cache and 512 KB L2 per core are typical for the generation, but its memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s via dual-channel DDR4 is modest by modern standards. In Control, which is an action-adventure title with demanding physics and AI systems, the CPU’s role is significant but secondary to the GPU.

The PassMark multithread score of 19,236 and single-thread score of 2,872 place this processor in the 85th percentile of all CPUs, indicating it is a solid mid-range performer. However, its nearest rivals in the benchmark database tell a nuanced story. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 scores 36,938 on average (0% delta), while the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D scores 37,018 (-0.2%), the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 scores 37,093 (-0.4%), and the Intel Core i9-12900T scores 37,112 (-0.5%). These deltas are all within half a percent, showing the 5600F is essentially tied with these alternatives in synthetic workloads. Yet in a game like Control, the actual frame rate outcomes depend more on how these cores handle real-time game logic than on synthetic scores.

The data indicates that at 1080p Low settings, the system achieves 187 FPS average, which is the highest recorded across all tested configurations in this dataset. This suggests the CPU is not the primary limiter at lower resolutions and settings, as the GPU has plenty of headroom. However, when moving to Ultra settings at 1080p, the average drops to 149 FPS, a 20% reduction. This drop is more attributable to GPU load than CPU limitations, since the RTX 4090 is working harder on effects and lighting. The 5600F’s 4.00 GHz boost clock is adequate for feeding the GPU at these frame rates, but it lacks the higher clocks and newer architecture found in top-tier CPUs.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is a monster of a graphics card, built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with the AD102 chip. It features 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, delivering 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth. The GPU’s base clock runs at 2235 MHz with a boost clock of 2520 MHz, and its memory operates at 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective). With 16,384 shading units, 512 texture mapping units, and 176 ROPs, the card is designed to crush 4K gaming workloads. Its 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 128 RT cores make it exceptionally well-suited for Control’s ray-traced effects, though the measured data here does not isolate RT performance.

In the benchmark database, the RTX 4090 holds an 88th percentile ranking among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 60,347. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Arc Pro A60 (60,326, 0% delta), AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 (60,140, 0.3% delta), AMD Radeon Pro W6600M (61,896, -2.5% delta), and AMD Radeon PRO V710 (58,657, 2.9% delta). These comparisons are largely irrelevant for gaming, as the RTX 4090 is in a completely different performance class than these professional or workstation cards, but they illustrate the GPU’s synthetic compute strength.

In Control, the GPU’s role becomes dominant at higher resolutions. At 4K Ultra, the system averages 76 FPS, which is a playable but not exceptional result for a flagship card. The 24 GB VRAM is never a limitation in this game, as Control’s textures and world geometry do not come close to exhausting that capacity. The GPU’s 2520 MHz boost clock ensures that pixel and texture rates remain high, but the measured FPS at 4K High (88 FPS) and 4K Medium (99 FPS) show a clear pattern: the RTX 4090 is being held back by something else in the system, likely the CPU or memory subsystem, as the scaling from Low to Ultra is not as dramatic as one would expect from a card with this much raw power.

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

The resolution scaling data reveals the balance between CPU and GPU workload in Control. Starting at 1080p Low, the system delivers 187 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low, the average drops to 171 FPS, a 9% decrease. At 4K Low, the average falls to 139 FPS, which is a 26% drop from 1080p Low. This scaling is relatively gradual, indicating that at Low settings, the CPU is still contributing significantly to the frame rate, as the GPU is not fully saturated until higher resolutions.

For High settings, the pattern shifts. At 1080p High, the system hits 158 FPS. At 1440p High, it drops to 130 FPS (an 18% decrease), and at 4K High, it reaches 88 FPS (a 44% decrease from 1080p). The larger percentage drop from 1440p to 4K compared to 1080p to 1440p suggests the GPU is becoming the primary bottleneck at 4K, which is expected for a demanding title. However, the absolute numbers are telling: a flagship GPU like the RTX 4090 should not be dropping to 88 FPS at 4K High in a game from 2019 unless there is a significant CPU limitation.

The Medium settings row provides the only min/max FPS data in the entire dataset. At 1080p Medium, the system averages 165 FPS with a minimum of 140 and maximum of 190. At 1440p Medium, the average is 146 FPS with a minimum of 124 and maximum of 168. At 4K Medium, the average drops to 99 FPS with a minimum of 84 and maximum of 114. The min FPS values show that even the worst-case frame times are above 84 FPS at 4K, which is smooth, but the gap between 1080p and 4K averages (165 vs 99 FPS) demonstrates that the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K. The CPU’s six cores are sufficient to maintain frame pacing at higher resolutions, but they cap the maximum achievable FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

At 1080p, the system delivers its highest frame rates. Low settings produce an average of 187 FPS. Medium settings average 165 FPS, with a minimum of 140 and maximum of 190. High settings average 158 FPS. Ultra settings average 149 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 38 FPS (187 to 149), which is a 20% performance hit for the highest visual quality. This indicates that at 1080p, the GPU has enough headroom to absorb the increased workload from higher settings, but the CPU’s 4.00 GHz boost clock prevents the system from exceeding 190 FPS even at Medium settings.

At 1440p, the frame rates remain high but show more differentiation. Low settings average 171 FPS. Medium settings average 146 FPS, with a minimum of 124 and maximum of 168. High settings average 130 FPS. Ultra settings average 113 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 58 FPS (171 to 113), a 34% reduction. This larger percentage drop compared to 1080p indicates the GPU is starting to become more of a constraint at 1440p, as the higher pixel count increases the per-pixel workload. The minimum FPS of 124 at Medium settings shows that even in demanding scenes, the system stays well above 60 FPS.

At 4K, the system shows its most pronounced scaling. Low settings average 139 FPS. Medium settings average 99 FPS, with a minimum of 84 and maximum of 114. High settings average 88 FPS. Ultra settings average 76 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 63 FPS (139 to 76), a 45% reduction. This is the largest percentage drop across all resolutions, confirming that the RTX 4090 is the dominant factor at 4K. The difference between 4K Low and 4K Medium is 40 FPS (139 to 99), which is a substantial jump, indicating that Medium settings introduce significant GPU load. The 4K Ultra result of 76 FPS is the lowest in the dataset but still above 60 FPS, making it playable for most users.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This combination of the Ryzen 5 5600F and RTX 4090 ranks 187th out of 2,888 tested combos in Control, placing it in the top 6.5% of all systems. This ranking is respectable but not exceptional for a GPU of this caliber. The data suggests that the CPU is holding back the GPU’s potential, as many other combos with the RTX 4090 likely achieve higher rankings with faster processors. The 5600F’s 85th percentile CPU ranking and the RTX 4090’s 88th percentile GPU ranking do not translate into a top-100 combo ranking, which would require a more balanced or higher-end CPU.

The gap between this combo’s rank and what one might expect from the GPU alone is telling. The RTX 4090 is a top-tier GPU, but pairing it with a mid-range CPU like the 5600F creates a bottleneck that prevents the system from reaching the upper echelons of the performance charts. The measured FPS data supports this: at 1080p, the system cannot exceed 187 FPS, which is likely lower than what a stronger CPU would allow. At 4K, the system still delivers playable frame rates, but the 76 FPS Ultra result is not the kind of performance one would associate with a flagship GPU in a less demanding title.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the user’s resolution and performance priorities. At 1080p, the High preset at 158 FPS offers a strong balance between visual fidelity and performance. The Ultra preset at 149 FPS is only 6% slower and provides the best image quality, so for users with 1080p displays, Ultra is the recommended choice, as the 149 FPS average is well above the refresh rate of most monitors.

At 1440p, the Medium preset at 146 FPS with a minimum of 124 FPS is the most reliable option for competitive play. The High preset at 130 FPS is also excellent, but the Medium preset’s higher minimum FPS (124 vs unknown for High) ensures smoother frame pacing in action sequences. For users prioritizing visual quality, the Ultra preset at 113 FPS is still very playable and offers a significant improvement in graphical detail.

At 4K, the Medium preset at 99 FPS with a minimum of 84 FPS is the best experience per the measured rows. This preset delivers a smooth, consistent frame rate that stays above 60 FPS at all times. The High preset at 88 FPS is also viable, but the 11 FPS drop from Medium to High may not be worth the visual gains for some users. The Ultra preset at 76 FPS is the worst option for performance, and while it is technically playable, the 23 FPS difference between Medium and Ultra is substantial. Given that the RTX 4090 is capable of much higher frame rates with a better CPU, the Medium preset at 4K represents the sweet spot for this specific combo.