Control

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for Control with the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F and AMD Radeon RX 9070 shows a clear progression from 1080p to 4K, with the expected drop in frame rates as pixel count increases. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 182 FPS at 1920x1080 to 137 FPS at 2560x1440, and further to 93 FPS at 3840x2160. That represents a 25% reduction from 1080p to 1440p and a 32% further reduction from 1440p to 4K. At High settings, the drop is from 115 FPS at 1080p to 87 FPS at 1440p, then to 59 FPS at 4K, a 24% and 32% decline respectively. The scaling pattern is consistent across presets, with 4K performance sitting roughly half that of 1080p.

This scaling behavior indicates that the limiting component shifts as resolution increases. At 1080p, the CPU has more headroom to feed the GPU, and the system achieves very high frame rates, particularly at Low settings where 182 FPS suggests the GPU is still the primary bottleneck but the CPU is keeping up adequately. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the dominant constraint, as the frame rates at Ultra settings drop to 51 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 42 FPS (93 vs 51), while at 1080p that gap is 82 FPS (182 vs 100), showing that the GPU's workload scaling with settings is more pronounced at lower resolutions where the CPU can maintain higher throughput.

The Radeon RX 9070's 16 GB of GDDR6 memory and 256-bit bus provide 644.6 GB/s of bandwidth, which is sufficient for 4K textures in Control, but the raw shading throughput of 36.13 TFLOPS FP32 is what ultimately limits high-resolution performance. The data suggests that for 4K gaming, the GPU is the limiting factor, while at 1080p the balance shifts slightly toward the CPU, though the Ryzen 5 7500F's six cores and 12 threads are still capable of supporting the frame rates observed.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500F is a six-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Raphael, built on TSMC's 5 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, with 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 cache per core, and 32 MB of shared L3 cache. The processor supports DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, providing 83.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth, and uses the AMD Socket AM5 platform. Its TDP is rated at 65 watts, and the chip includes ECC memory support.

In Control, the CPU's role is primarily to handle game logic, physics, and draw call submission. The benchmark results show that the Ryzen 5 7500F's single-thread performance is strong, with a 3DMark single-thread score of 974 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3218 points. Multi-threaded performance is also respectable, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 22799 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 12362. The processor's 3DMark 16-thread score of 6376 and max-thread score of 6379 indicate that scaling beyond eight threads is minimal, which is typical for games like Control that may not fully utilize more than a few cores.

The CPU's percentile ranking among all CPUs is 77, meaning it outperforms 77% of tested processors. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-11850H, has an average benchmark score of 24935, which is 0.1% lower than the Ryzen 5 7500F's 24964 average. The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F scores 25005, 0.2% higher, while the Intel Core i7-13620H and Intel Core 5 210H are 0.2% and 0.4% lower respectively. These differences are negligible in practice, suggesting that the CPU is not a differentiator in this game's performance.

At 1080p with Low settings, the Ryzen 5 7500F can sustain 182 FPS average, which is well above the refresh rate of most monitors. Even at 4K Ultra, the CPU is not the bottleneck, as the GPU is clearly limiting the frame rate to 51 FPS. The processor's boost clock of 5.00 GHz helps maintain consistent frame times in Control's more demanding scenes, such as those with multiple enemies or destructible environments. The 65-watt TDP also means the CPU does not generate excessive heat, allowing the GPU to operate without thermal throttling from the CPU side.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 is built on the RDNA 4.0 architecture, using the Navi 48 chip manufactured on TSMC's 4 nm process. It features 3584 shading units, 224 texture mapping units, and 128 raster operations pipelines, along with 56 ray tracing cores. The GPU operates with a base clock of 1330 MHz, a game clock of 2070 MHz, and a boost clock of 2520 MHz. Memory is 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, providing 644.6 GB/s of bandwidth, with a memory clock of 2518 MHz (20.1 Gbps effective). The card has a TDP of 220 watts, requires a 550-watt power supply, and uses dual 8-pin power connectors. It supports PCIe 5.0 x16 and has display outputs including one HDMI 2.1b and three DisplayPort 2.1a.

In Control, the GPU is the primary driver of frame rate, especially at higher resolutions and settings. The benchmark data shows that at 4K Ultra, the average frame rate is 51 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. At 4K High, the average is 59 FPS, just shy of 60, while 4K Medium reaches 66 FPS. The jump from Low to Medium at 4K is 27 FPS (93 to 66), and from Medium to High is 7 FPS (66 to 59), indicating that the Medium preset is the most efficient point in terms of performance per visual quality increase.

The GPU's 16 GB of VRAM is ample for Control's textures at 4K, and the 644.6 GB/s bandwidth ensures that texture streaming does not become a bottleneck. The pixel rate of 322.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 564.5 GTexel/s are sufficient for the game's rendering demands at 1440p, but at 4K, the shading throughput of 36.13 TFLOPS FP32 is the limiting factor. The GPU's percentile ranking among all GPUs is 69, and its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN Z, has an average score of 23736, which is 0.6% lower than the RX 9070's 23877. The AMD Radeon RX 6800S scores 24063, 0.8% higher, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile and RTX 2080 SUPER are 1.1% lower and 1.2% higher respectively.

The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6290 and Geekbench OpenCL score of 131539 indicate strong compute performance, but in Control, the frame rates are more dependent on the GPU's rasterization capabilities. At 1080p, the RX 9070 delivers 182 FPS at Low settings, which is more than enough for competitive play, but at 4K Ultra, the 51 FPS average is below the threshold for a consistently smooth experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers four resolutions (1920x1080, 2560x1440, 3840x2160) and four settings presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra), with average frame rates recorded for each combination. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 100 at Ultra to 182 at Low. Specifically, Low averages 182 FPS, Medium averages 129 FPS with a minimum of 110 and maximum of 148, High averages 115 FPS, and Ultra averages 100 FPS. At 2560x1440, the averages are 137 FPS at Low, 98 FPS at Medium (min 83, max 112), 87 FPS at High, and 75 FPS at Ultra. At 3840x2160, the averages are 93 FPS at Low, 66 FPS at Medium (min 56, max 76), 59 FPS at High, and 51 FPS at Ultra.

The Medium preset is the only one with recorded minimum and maximum frame rates, which are provided for all three resolutions. At 1080p Medium, the minimum is 110 FPS and maximum is 148 FPS, giving a range of 38 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the minimum is 83 FPS and maximum is 112 FPS, a range of 29 FPS. At 4K Medium, the minimum is 56 FPS and maximum is 76 FPS, a range of 20 FPS. These ranges indicate that frame pacing is more consistent at lower resolutions, likely because the GPU is not as stressed, allowing for more uniform frame times.

The data shows that the step from Low to Medium at each resolution incurs a significant performance cost. At 1080p, the drop is 53 FPS (182 to 129), at 1440p it is 39 FPS (137 to 98), and at 4K it is 27 FPS (93 to 66). The step from Medium to High is smaller, with drops of 14 FPS at 1080p, 11 FPS at 1440p, and 7 FPS at 4K. The step from High to Ultra is also 14 FPS at 1080p, 12 FPS at 1440p, and 8 FPS at 4K. This pattern suggests that the performance difference between Medium and High is less than between Low and Medium, and that the Ultra preset offers diminishing returns relative to its performance cost.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 4K Ultra settings?

A: The average frame rate at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 51 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7500F has an average benchmark score of 24964, which is 0.1% higher than the Intel Core i7-11850H (24935) and 0.2% lower than the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F (25005).

Q: What is the GPU's memory bandwidth?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 9070 has a memory bandwidth of 644.6 GB/s, provided by 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus.

Q: At which resolution does the system achieve the highest frame rate?

A: The highest average frame rate is 182 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: What is the minimum frame rate recorded at 1440p Medium settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the minimum frame rate is 83 FPS, with an average of 98 FPS and a maximum of 112 FPS.

Q: How does the GPU's percentile ranking compare to its rivals?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 9070 ranks in the 69th percentile among all GPUs, with its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN Z, scoring 0.6% lower, and the AMD Radeon RX 6800S scoring 0.8% higher.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the Medium preset provides the best balance between visual quality and performance across all resolutions. At 1920x1080, Medium averages 129 FPS, which is more than sufficient for high-refresh-rate monitors, and the minimum of 110 FPS ensures smooth gameplay even in demanding scenes. At 2560x1440, Medium averages 98 FPS with a minimum of 83 FPS, which is still above the 60 FPS target for most users. At 3840x2160, Medium averages 66 FPS with a minimum of 56 FPS, which is playable but may dip below 60 FPS in intense moments.

The High preset is also viable for users who prioritize visual fidelity over frame rate. At 1080p, High averages 115 FPS, at 1440p it averages 87 FPS, and at 4K it averages 59 FPS. The 4K High result is borderline, as the average is just below 60 FPS, and users may experience occasional stutters. For users with 4K displays who want a consistent 60 FPS experience, Medium is the recommended preset, as it provides a 7 FPS improvement over High while still offering better visuals than Low.

The Ultra preset is only recommended for users with 1080p or 1440p displays, as it averages 100 FPS at 1080p and 75 FPS at 1440p, both of which are playable. At 4K, Ultra averages 51 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay, and users should avoid this preset unless they are willing to accept lower frame rates. The Low preset is useful for competitive play or for achieving very high frame rates, with 182 FPS at 1080p and 137 FPS at 1440p, but the visual quality is noticeably reduced.

The data shows that the Medium preset offers the most consistent frame pacing, as evidenced by the smaller range between minimum and maximum FPS at each resolution. At 1080p Medium, the range is 38 FPS, at 1440p Medium it is 29 FPS, and at 4K Medium it is 20 FPS. This consistency is important for a smooth gaming experience, as sudden frame drops can be more jarring than a lower but stable frame rate.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F and AMD Radeon RX 9070 ranks 1134th out of 3720 tested combinations in Control, placing it in the 69.5th percentile of all tested combos. This rank reflects the system's overall capability in this game, which is strong but not top-tier, as the GPU's 69th percentile ranking and the CPU's 77th percentile ranking suggest that neither component is at the extreme high end of the performance spectrum.

The CPU's nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score are all within 0.4% of the Ryzen 5 7500F's score, indicating that the processor is not a differentiator in this game. The GPU's nearest rivals are similarly close, with the AMD Radeon RX 6800S scoring 0.8% higher and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER scoring 1.2% higher. This means that the combo's ranking is primarily determined by the GPU's performance in Control, which is adequate for 1440p gaming but not sufficient for consistently smooth 4K gameplay at high settings.

In practical terms, this combo is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can achieve high frame rates at medium to high settings. At 4K, users will need to compromise on settings to maintain playable frame rates, with Medium being the recommended preset for a 60 FPS experience. The combo's rank of 1134 out of 3720 places it in the upper third of all tested configurations, making it a capable system for Control, but not among the most powerful combinations available. The data suggests that users seeking higher 4K performance would need a more powerful GPU, while those focused on 1080p competitive play could achieve even higher frame rates with a less demanding settings preset.