Control

Control is an action-adventure title that stresses both the CPU and GPU in unusual ways, and the pairing of an AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D with an AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT produces a distinctive performance curve. The measured data for this combination covers 1080p, 1440p, and 4K across four quality presets, allowing a clear read on where the bottleneck shifts. The Ryzen 5 7500X3D is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the 7000 series, based on the Raphael design and built on a 5 nm process by TSMC, with a base clock of 4.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz. The RX 6800 XT is a RDNA 2.0 part, built on a 7 nm process with 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 512.0 GB/s of bandwidth and 20.74 TFLOPS of FP32 compute. This page analyzes the measured FPS rows, the CPU and GPU roles, and how this combo ranks against all other tested combinations.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep but not uniform, which reveals a lot about the limiting component in this system. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 113 FPS at 1920x1080 to 86 FPS at 2560x1440, then to 58 FPS at 3840x2160. That is a 24% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 33% drop from 1440p to 4K, indicating that the GPU is becoming progressively more stressed as pixel count rises. At Low settings, the same pattern holds but with higher absolute numbers: 179 FPS at 1080p, 136 FPS at 1440p, and 92 FPS at 4K. The 4K Low result is still above 90 FPS, suggesting that even at the highest resolution, the RX 6800 XT has enough headroom to avoid a severe collapse when settings are lowered.

The scaling at Medium settings is particularly telling because it includes min and max FPS data. At 1080p Medium, the average is 127 FPS with a min of 108 and a max of 146. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 96 FPS with a min of 82 and a max of 111. At 4K Medium, the average falls to 65 FPS with a min of 55 and a max of 75. The min-to-max spread narrows as resolution increases, from 38 FPS at 1080p to 29 FPS at 1440p to 20 FPS at 4K, which implies that frame pacing becomes more consistent when the GPU is more fully utilized. The Ultra preset shows the largest relative drop: 98 FPS at 1080p, 74 FPS at 1440p, and 50 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result of 50 FPS is the single lowest measured average in the entire dataset, confirming that this preset at 4K pushes the combo to its limits.

The question is whether the CPU or GPU is the primary limiter at each stage. At 1080p Low, the 179 FPS result is high enough that the Ryzen 5 7500X3D's 6 cores and 12 threads could be the ceiling, especially given the processor's 4.00 GHz base and 4.50 GHz boost clocks. At 4K Ultra, the 50 FPS result is far below any CPU constraint, pointing squarely at the GPU's 20.74 TFLOPS and 512.0 GB/s bandwidth as the bottleneck. The data suggests that the crossover point lies somewhere between 1440p and 4K, where the GPU load begins to dominate. At 1080p, the CPU likely holds back higher frame rates; at 4K, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor.

CPU Role

The Ryzen 5 7500X3D is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the 7000 series, with a Raphael codename and a 5 nm process from TSMC. Its 96 MB of shared L3 cache is a notable feature for gaming, as it can reduce memory latency in cache-sensitive workloads. The CPU's PassMark single-thread score is 3494, and its multithread score is 25047, with an average benchmark score of 44573. This places it in the 89th percentile among all CPUs, and its nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H (0.2% higher), the Intel Core i9-13950HX (0.5% higher), and the AMD Ryzen AI Max 385 (0.6% higher), while the Intel Core i5-14600 is 0.7% lower. The processor's TDP is 65 W, and it supports DDR5 memory with 83.2 GB/s of bandwidth.

In Control, the CPU's role is most evident at 1080p Low, where the measured average is 179 FPS. This is the highest FPS in the entire dataset, and it is likely close to the CPU's maximum frame delivery capability in this game. The fact that 1080p Ultra yields 98 FPS, a 45% reduction from Low, suggests that the GPU is already taking on more work at Ultra settings even at 1080p. The CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient for Control's action-adventure gameplay, which typically does not scale beyond a few threads. The PassMark physics score of 2779 and the extended instructions score of 20455 provide context for the CPU's general compute capabilities, but in-game, the L3 cache and single-thread performance matter more. The single-thread score of 3494 is competitive with the rival Intel parts, and the 0.2% to 0.6% deltas against the nearest rivals indicate that this CPU is not a weak link in the pairing.

The CPU's boost clock of 4.50 GHz is modest compared to some higher-end parts, but the 96 MB L3 cache compensates in gaming scenarios. At 4K, the CPU's role diminishes, as the GPU's pixel and texture throughput becomes the limiting factor. The data supports this: 4K Low at 92 FPS is still a strong result, and the gap between 1080p Low (179 FPS) and 4K Low (92 FPS) is a 49% reduction, which is more consistent with GPU scaling than CPU scaling. For a game like Control, which has physics-based destruction and particle effects, the CPU's 6 cores handle the game logic, but the GPU's 4608 shading units and 128 ROPs do the heavy lifting for visual fidelity.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS measured for this combo?

A: The highest average FPS is 179, recorded at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K Ultra?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 50, with no min or max data recorded.

Q: What is the difference between 1080p High and 4K High average FPS?

A: The 1080p High average is 113 FPS, while the 4K High average is 58 FPS, a drop of 55 FPS or about 49%.

Q: Does the combo maintain 60 FPS at 1440p across all settings?

A: Yes, at 2560x1440, the lowest average is 74 FPS on Ultra, and the highest is 136 FPS on Low, so all settings exceed 60 FPS.

Q: Which settings preset shows the smallest min-to-max spread at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080 Medium, the min is 108 FPS and the max is 146 FPS, a spread of 38 FPS; no other 1080p preset has min/max data.

Q: How does the CPU's single-thread score compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Ryzen 5 7500X3D has a single-thread score of 3494, and its nearest rivals have average scores within 0.2% to 0.7% of its 44573 average, indicating close performance.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank for this pairing is 1183 out of 3720 tested combinations, placing it in the top 32% of all combos in the database. This rank reflects the balance between the Ryzen 5 7500X3D and the RX 6800 XT, which is neither a top-tier pairing nor a mismatched one. The CPU's 89th percentile standing among all CPUs and the GPU's 85th percentile among all GPUs suggest that both components are above average, but the combination does not reach the upper echelon of tested systems. The rank of 1183 is likely influenced by the GPU's end-of-life status and the CPU's relatively recent release, as well as the game's specific demands.

In the context of Control, the rank suggests that this combo is capable of smooth gameplay at most settings, but it is not optimized for the highest frame rates at 4K Ultra. The data shows that 4K Ultra is the only preset that dips below 55 FPS, and the 50 FPS average there is below the 60 FPS target that many players prefer. At 1440p, the combo ranks higher in practical terms, as all settings exceed 74 FPS. The rank of 1183 out of 3720 implies that there are 1182 combos that perform better in this game, but the gap is not enormous, given that the RX 6800 XT's nearest rivals (the NVIDIA RTX A1000 Mobile, Intel Arc A550M, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, and AMD Radeon RX Vega 64) all have average scores within 3% of the RX 6800 XT's 48477. This tight clustering suggests that the combo's rank is more about the CPU-GPU balance than raw component strength.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT is the dominant component in this pairing, with 16 GB of GDDR6 memory, a 256-bit bus, and 512.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its 4608 shading units, 288 texture mapping units, and 128 ROPs deliver a pixel rate of 288.0 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 648.0 GTexel/s. The GPU's base clock is 1825 MHz, with a game clock of 2015 MHz and a boost clock of 2250 MHz. The FP32 performance is 20.74 TFLOPS, and the FP16 performance is 41.47 TFLOPS (2:1), which are strong figures for a 7 nm RDNA 2.0 part. The GPU's TDP is 300 W, and it requires a 700 W suggested PSU with 2x 8-pin power connectors.

In Control, the GPU's role is most apparent in the resolution scaling. At 4K Ultra, the 50 FPS average is a direct result of the GPU's compute and memory bandwidth limits. The 512.0 GB/s bandwidth is sufficient for 1440p but becomes a constraint at 4K with Ultra settings, which likely include high-resolution textures and heavy post-processing. The GPU's 72 ray tracing cores are present, but Control's implementation of ray tracing may not be the primary factor; instead, the raw pixel and texture rates are the key. The 288.0 GPixel/s pixel rate means the GPU can fill 4K frames, but the 20.74 TFLOPS FP32 compute is what handles the game's physics and effects, and at 4K Ultra, that compute is stretched.

The GPU's benchmark scores reinforce its position: the PassMark G3D score is 24980, and the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 3689. The GPU's percentile rank is 85, and its nearest rivals are all within 1.5% (NVIDIA RTX A1000 Mobile) to 3% (AMD Radeon RX Vega 64) of its average score of 48477. This indicates that the RX 6800 XT is a mid-to-high tier GPU, and its performance in Control is consistent with that standing. The 16 GB VRAM is ample for Control, which does not require more than 8 GB at 4K, so the memory capacity is not a limiting factor; rather, the bandwidth and compute are.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions and four settings, with min and max values only recorded for Medium presets. At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 179 FPS, High averages 113 FPS, Medium averages 127 FPS (min 108, max 146), and Ultra averages 98 FPS. The Medium preset at 1080p has the only min/max data for that resolution, showing a 38 FPS range. At 2560x1440, Low averages 136 FPS, High averages 86 FPS, Medium averages 96 FPS (min 82, max 111), and Ultra averages 74 FPS. The 1440p Medium range is 29 FPS, narrower than at 1080p. At 3840x2160, Low averages 92 FPS, High averages 58 FPS, Medium averages 65 FPS (min 55, max 75), and Ultra averages 50 FPS. The 4K Medium range is 20 FPS, the tightest of the three resolutions.

The data reveals a consistent pattern: as resolution increases, the average FPS decreases, and the min-to-max spread narrows. This is expected when the GPU becomes the bottleneck, as frame times become more uniform under heavy load. The 1080p Low result of 179 FPS is the outlier, suggesting that the CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads can deliver high frame rates when the GPU is lightly loaded. The 4K Ultra result of 50 FPS is the lowest, and it is the only preset below 55 FPS, indicating that this combo is not suited for 4K Ultra in Control if 60 FPS is the target. The 1440p results are the most balanced, with all settings above 74 FPS, making 1440p the sweet spot for this pairing.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the best experience for this combo depends on the resolution target. At 1920x1080, the High preset at 113 FPS is the best balance of visual quality and performance, as it is 15 FPS higher than Ultra (98 FPS) and only 14 FPS lower than Medium (127 FPS). The Low preset at 179 FPS is unnecessary for most players, as High provides a smooth experience with better visuals. At 2560x1440, the High preset at 86 FPS is the recommended choice, as it stays above 85 FPS while delivering better fidelity than Medium (96 FPS) or Low (136 FPS). Ultra at 74 FPS is playable, but High offers a 12 FPS improvement with minimal visual difference in most scenes.

At 3840x2160, the situation is more nuanced. The High preset at 58 FPS is below the 60 FPS target, while Medium at 65 FPS is above it, with a min of 55 FPS and a max of 75 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K is the only one that maintains an average above 60 FPS, making it the recommended choice for 4K gaming. The Low preset at 92 FPS is smoother but sacrifices too much visual quality for a game like Control, which relies on atmospheric lighting and particle effects. The Ultra preset at 50 FPS is not recommended, as it dips below 55 FPS and may cause noticeable stuttering in action sequences. For a consistent experience, the Medium preset at 4K is the best compromise, offering a 65 FPS average with a min of 55 FPS, which is acceptable for most players. At 1440p, High at 86 FPS is the optimal preset, and at 1080p, High at 113 FPS is the best overall. The data suggests that this combo is best utilized at 1440p High, where it delivers a 86 FPS average with no min/max concerns, or at 1080p High for maximum smoothness.