Control

Control is a 2019 action-adventure title that stresses both GPU and CPU depending on resolution, and the data for the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER shows a system that delivers a highly playable experience across all tested settings, with a notable shift in bottleneck behavior as resolution changes. The combo ranks 438th out of 2888 tested combinations in this game, placing it in the top 15% of all recorded hardware pairings, which indicates a strong overall matchup for this title. The measured FPS values span from a demanding 60 FPS average at 4K Ultra to a fluid 214 FPS average at 1080p Low, demonstrating that this configuration has enough headroom to prioritize visual fidelity or competitive frame rates depending on the user’s preference.

Resolution Scaling

The scaling behavior from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic GPU-bound progression, but with an interesting twist at the lower settings that hints at CPU limitations. At Ultra settings, the average FPS drops from 118 at 1920x1080 to 89 at 2560x1440, a 24.6% reduction, and then further to 60 at 3840x2160, another 32.6% reduction from the 1440p figure. This steep and consistent decline is textbook GPU scaling — the RTX 4070 SUPER is working progressively harder to fill the larger frame buffers, and the Ryzen 5 7500X3D has enough headroom to keep feeding it.

However, the Low settings preset tells a different story. At 1080p Low, the system hits 214 FPS average, which drops to 162 at 1440p Low (a 24.3% reduction) and then to 110 at 4K Low (a 32.1% reduction from 1440p). The percentage drops are remarkably similar to the Ultra preset, but the absolute frame rates are much higher, suggesting that even at 4K Low, the CPU is still keeping pace with the GPU’s output. The fact that 4K Low produces 110 FPS while 4K Ultra produces 60 FPS indicates that the GPU is the primary limiter at 4K, regardless of preset, but the gap between presets at the same resolution is driven by GPU workload.

The Medium preset shows the most balanced scaling pattern. At 1080p Medium, the average is 152 FPS, dropping to 115 at 1440p Medium (a 24.3% reduction), and then to 78 at 4K Medium (a 32.2% reduction from 1440p). This consistency across all three presets — roughly 24% reduction from 1080p to 1440p and 32% reduction from 1440p to 4K — strongly suggests that the limiting component scales uniformly with pixel count. The RTX 4070 SUPER’s 12 GB of VRAM and 504.2 GB/s memory bandwidth are sufficient to avoid any capacity-related stutters, as evidenced by the smooth min FPS values at Medium: 130 at 1080p, 98 at 1440p, and 66 at 4K.

What the resolution scaling does not show is a CPU bottleneck until the very lowest settings at 1080p. With 214 FPS at 1080p Low, the Ryzen 5 7500X3D’s 6 cores and 12 threads are clearly pushing the frame rate to a level where the GPU is no longer the sole constraint, but the system still delivers a playable experience. The 96 MB of shared L3 cache is likely helping maintain consistent frame pacing in this scenario, as Control’s physics-heavy environments benefit from large cache pools.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is the dominant component in this pairing, and its specifications align well with the measured results. The GPU features 7168 shading units, 224 texture mapping units, and 80 ROPs, with base and boost clocks of 1980 MHz and 2475 MHz respectively. The 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus delivers 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth, which is adequate for Control’s texture-heavy scenes at 4K, as the Ultra preset maintains a 60 FPS average without dipping below playable thresholds.

The GPU’s 56 RT cores and 224 tensor cores are present but Control’s implementation of ray tracing is not explicitly benchmarked in this data set, so the focus remains on rasterized performance. The passmark G3D score of 29995 places this GPU in the 83rd percentile among all GPUs, and its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB (deltaPct -0.1) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile (deltaPct -1.0). This means the RTX 4070 SUPER is performing essentially on par with a top-tier workstation card from a previous generation and within 1% of a mobile flagship, which contextualizes its strong 4K showing.

The clock behavior is particularly relevant at 4K. The boost clock of 2475 MHz is not sustained at all times, but the average FPS figures suggest that the GPU is maintaining high utilization across all tested presets. At 4K Ultra, the 60 FPS average is exactly what many gamers target, and the fact that it does not drop below that suggests the GPU is thermally and power-constrained by its 220 W TDP, yet still delivers consistent output. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 4627 further confirms that this GPU is a capable 1440p and entry-level 4K performer, which the measured FPS data validates.

The GPU’s memory configuration is worth noting in the context of Control’s open-world environments. The 12 GB VRAM is not maxed out at any preset, as evidenced by the lack of min FPS crashes at 4K Ultra. The 80 ROPs ensure adequate pixel throughput, and the 198.0 GPixel/s pixel rate supports the 4K resolution scaling pattern observed in the data. Overall, the GPU role is clear: it is the primary limiter at 1440p and 4K, and its performance headroom at 1080p allows the CPU to become more relevant.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance for this specific hardware combination. At 1080p Medium, the average FPS is 152 with a minimum of 130, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay and leaves enough headroom for demanding action sequences. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 115 with a minimum of 98, which is still exceptionally smooth for a high-resolution experience. Even at 4K Medium, the average of 78 FPS with a minimum of 66 is playable on most displays, making Medium the only preset that delivers a consistently playable experience across all three resolutions.

The High preset is a viable alternative for users who prioritize visual fidelity over raw frame rate. At 1080p High, the average is 135 FPS, which is still very smooth, and at 1440p High, the average of 102 FPS is excellent for most gamers. However, at 4K High, the average drops to 69 FPS, which is technically playable but leaves less margin for error in intense combat scenarios. The Ultra preset, while offering the highest visual quality, only achieves 60 FPS at 4K and 89 FPS at 1440p, making it the least flexible option.

For competitive players or those with high-refresh-rate monitors, the Low preset is the clear choice. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 214 FPS average, which exceeds the refresh rate of most 144Hz displays, and even at 1440p Low, the 162 FPS average is sufficient for 144Hz gaming. The 4K Low preset at 110 FPS is also impressive, demonstrating that the RTX 4070 SUPER can handle 4K gaming at high frame rates if visual settings are reduced. The recommendation is to start with Medium and adjust upward to High if the display and personal preference allow, or downward to Low if maximum frame rate is the goal.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured FPS values show a clear progression from Low to Ultra. The Low preset delivers 214 FPS average, which is the highest recorded score in the entire data set. The Medium preset produces 152 FPS average with a minimum of 130 and a maximum of 175, providing a wide margin of safety for frame rate fluctuations. The High preset achieves 135 FPS average, and the Ultra preset rounds out the 1080p results with 118 FPS average. This 96 FPS spread between Low and Ultra at 1080p indicates that the GPU has significant headroom at this resolution, and the CPU’s 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient to avoid becoming a limiting factor until the very highest frame rates.

At 2560x1440, the FPS values compress slightly as the GPU begins to work harder. The Low preset delivers 162 FPS average, which is still exceptionally high. The Medium preset produces 115 FPS average with a minimum of 98 and a maximum of 133, showing a tighter frame time distribution than at 1080p. The High preset achieves 102 FPS average, and the Ultra preset drops to 89 FPS average. The 73 FPS spread between Low and Ultra at 1440p is narrower than at 1080p, confirming that the GPU is becoming more of a limiting factor at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the FPS values show the most significant GPU impact. The Low preset delivers 110 FPS average, which is still playable for most users. The Medium preset produces 78 FPS average with a minimum of 66 and a maximum of 90, which is the only 4K preset with recorded min and max values. The High preset achieves 69 FPS average, and the Ultra preset drops to 60 FPS average. The 50 FPS spread between Low and Ultra at 4K is the narrowest of any resolution, indicating that the GPU is the dominant constraint across all settings at this resolution.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Control at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: Yes, the data shows that at 3840x2160, the system achieves a 60 FPS average at Ultra settings, 69 FPS at High, 78 FPS at Medium, and 110 FPS at Low. The Medium preset even records a minimum FPS of 66, ensuring consistent performance.

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for a 144Hz monitor?

A: At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system produces 214 FPS average, which exceeds 144Hz. At 2560x1440 with Low settings, the average is 162 FPS, also above 144Hz. For a more balanced experience, 1440p Medium at 115 FPS average is close to the 144Hz target.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its nearest rivals in this game?

A: The RTX 4070 SUPER has a passmark G3D score of 29995, which is nearly identical to the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB (deltaPct -0.1) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile (deltaPct -0.1). It is 1% slower than the RTX 4090 Mobile, indicating it performs at a high level.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck at any resolution?

A: At 1920x1080 Low, the system hits 214 FPS average, which suggests the CPU is approaching its limit, but it does not prevent playable frame rates. At all other settings and resolutions, the GPU is the primary limiting factor.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for this system?

A: The lowest minimum FPS recorded is 66 at 3840x2160 with Medium settings. The minimum FPS at 2560x1440 Medium is 98, and at 1920x1080 Medium it is 130, showing consistent frame pacing.

Q: Does the 12 GB VRAM cause any issues at 4K?

A: No, the data does not indicate any VRAM-related stuttering or frame drops. The 4K Ultra preset maintains a 60 FPS average, and the 4K Medium preset has a minimum of 66 FPS, suggesting the 12 GB of GDDR6X memory is sufficient for Control.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D plays a supporting role in this pairing, but its specifications are critical to understanding the measured results. This 6-core, 12-thread processor is based on the Raphael architecture (Zen 4) and features a base clock of 4.00 GHz with a boost clock of 4.50 GHz. The standout feature is the 96 MB of shared L3 cache, which is a hallmark of the X3D series and likely contributes to the system’s ability to maintain high frame rates in Control’s physics-driven combat and destruction sequences.

The CPU’s passmark multithread score of 25047 and single-thread score of 3494 place it in the 89th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 44573. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H (deltaPct 0.2), the Intel Core i9-13950HX (deltaPct 0.5), and the AMD Ryzen AI Max 385 (deltaPct 0.6), indicating that the 7500X3D is a mid-to-high-tier performer. The 65 W TDP and 5 nm process node from TSMC allow it to maintain high clock speeds without excessive power draw, which is beneficial for sustained gaming sessions.

In the context of Control, the CPU role becomes most apparent at 1080p Low, where the system achieves 214 FPS average. At this frame rate, the GPU is not the sole limiter, and the CPU’s 6 cores and 12 threads are being utilized to feed the GPU. The large L3 cache likely helps with the game’s asset streaming and physics calculations, as Control is known for its destructible environments and complex particle effects. The CPU’s memory support for DDR5 and dual-channel configuration, with 83.2 GB/s bandwidth, ensures that the GPU has a steady supply of data to process.

However, the data does not show the CPU becoming a significant bottleneck at any resolution. The consistent percentage drops in FPS from 1080p to 1440p and from 1440p to 4K across all presets indicate that the GPU is scaling as expected, and the CPU is keeping pace. The 7500X3D’s 4.50 GHz boost clock is sufficient to avoid holding back the RTX 4070 SUPER, even at 4K Low where the system produces 110 FPS. This suggests that the CPU is adequately matched to the GPU for this title, and users should not expect CPU-related frame drops in Control with this configuration.