Control

The AMD Ryzen 5 7600 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 combination delivers exceptional performance in Control, ranking in the top 4% of all tested combos. At 1080p, this pairing achieves 261 FPS on Low settings, demonstrating that the GPU has ample headroom even when paired with a mid-range processor. However, the data reveals that scaling to 4K drops performance significantly, with the Ultra preset still delivering a playable 76 FPS average. This analysis examines how each component contributes to the measured results, how the combo ranks against other configurations, and which settings provide the optimal balance of visual quality and frame rate.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 7600 features 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. This processor belongs to the 7000 series, built on the Zen 4 architecture with a 5 nm process node from TSMC. The CPU's 32 MB of shared L3 cache and 83.2 GB/s dual-channel DDR5 memory bandwidth provide solid foundation for gaming workloads, though Control's engine appears to leverage only a portion of these resources.

The Ryzen 5 7600 achieves a 78th percentile ranking against all CPUs in the benchmark database, with an average benchmark score of 26,324. Its closest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX, scores 26,274, placing the 7600 just 0.2% ahead. The Intel Core i9-11900KF scores 26,212, which is 0.4% behind, while the AMD Ryzen 5 8540U scores 26,187, trailing by 0.5%. These near-identical scores indicate that the 7600 performs squarely within the expected range for its class.

In Control specifically, the CPU's impact becomes evident when examining the FPS progression across resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 261 FPS, which suggests the CPU can feed frames rapidly enough to saturate the RTX 4090's capabilities at lower resolutions. The single-thread performance of 999 in 3DMark and 1,852 in Cinebench R23 indicates strong per-core efficiency, which is crucial for games that rely heavily on a few threads. The multi-threaded Cinebench R23 score of 12,735 confirms that the processor's 12 threads provide ample parallel processing for modern game engines.

The 65W TDP and unlocked multiplier make this CPU a flexible option for various system configurations, though the benchmark data shows that its performance in Control is primarily limited by the GPU at higher resolutions. At 4K Ultra, the frame rate drops to 76 FPS, a 71% reduction from 1080p Low, indicating that the CPU's role diminishes as resolution increases. The processor's 78th percentile ranking suggests it is above average, but not elite, which aligns with its measured performance in Control where it never becomes the bottleneck even at 1080p.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is the dominant component in this pairing, featuring 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus with 1.01 TB/s bandwidth. The GPU's base clock of 2235 MHz boosts to 2520 MHz, with memory running at 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective). Built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with 16,384 shading units, 512 TMUs, and 176 ROPs, this card delivers 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 compute performance.

The RTX 4090 ranks in the 88th percentile against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 60,347. Its nearest rival, the Intel Arc Pro A60, scores 60,326 with a 0% delta, while the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M scores 61,896, placing the 4090 2.5% behind that workstation card. The AMD Radeon PRO V710 scores 58,657, which is 2.9% behind the 4090. These comparisons illustrate that the RTX 4090's synthetic benchmark performance is competitive but not universally dominant, yet its gaming results in Control are outstanding.

The GPU's 24 GB VRAM capacity ensures that even the most demanding 4K textures are handled without memory pressure, which is reflected in the measured FPS across all settings. At 1080p Low, the card achieves 261 FPS, and at 1080p Ultra, it still manages 149 FPS, a 43% reduction. The 4K results show a similar pattern: 139 FPS at Low and 76 FPS at Ultra, representing a 45% drop. These percentages indicate that the RTX 4090 scales predictably with settings, with the Ultra preset consistently costing roughly 45% of the Low preset's frame rate.

The GPU's 128 RT cores and 512 tensor cores are relevant for Control's physics and visual effects, though the benchmark data does not isolate ray tracing performance. The 443.5 GPixel/s pixel rate and 1,290.2 GTexel/s texture rate provide ample fill rates for high-resolution rendering. The 450W TDP and triple-slot cooler design reflect the card's high power requirements, with the suggested 850W PSU indicating that this is a demanding component for any system.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of diminishing returns as resolution increases. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 261 FPS, which drops to 139 FPS at 4K Low, a 47% reduction. The Medium preset shows a similar trend: 194 FPS at 1080p drops to 99 FPS at 4K, a 49% decrease. High settings produce 172 FPS at 1080p versus 88 FPS at 4K, a 49% reduction. The Ultra preset yields 149 FPS at 1080p and 76 FPS at 4K, a 49% decrease as well.

These consistent ~49% reductions from 1080p to 4K indicate that the RTX 4090 is the limiting component across all settings. The CPU's role becomes increasingly negligible as resolution rises, since the GPU's rendering workload grows quadratically with pixel count. The 1440p results fall between these extremes: 206 FPS at Low, 146 FPS at Medium, 130 FPS at High, and 113 FPS at Ultra. The 1440p to 4K drop ranges from 33% at Low (206 to 139) to 33% at Ultra (113 to 76), consistent with the pixel count increase from 3.7 million to 8.3 million pixels.

The minimum FPS data points provide additional insight into frame pacing. At 1080p Medium, the minimum FPS is 165, while the average is 194, indicating a 15% variance. At 1440p Medium, the minimum is 124 against an average of 146, a 15% variance. At 4K Medium, the minimum is 84 versus an average of 99, also a 15% variance. This consistent variance suggests that Control's frame time distribution remains stable across resolutions, with the GPU's raw performance determining the absolute values.

The maximum FPS figures show similar consistency: 223 at 1080p Medium, 168 at 1440p Medium, and 114 at 4K Medium. The spread between minimum and maximum at each resolution (58 FPS at 1080p, 44 FPS at 1440p, and 30 FPS at 4K) narrows as resolution increases, reflecting the GPU's more consistent workload at higher pixel counts.

How This Combo Ranks

This AMD Ryzen 5 7600 and RTX 4090 combination ranks 137th out of 3,720 tested combos in Control, placing it in the top 3.7% of all configurations. This ranking reflects the GPU's dominant role in determining gaming performance, as the RTX 4090's 88th percentile GPU ranking outweighs the CPU's 78th percentile ranking. The combo's position suggests that while the processor is not the fastest available, the graphics card's immense power compensates to deliver near-top-tier results.

The data shows that this combo outperforms the vast majority of tested systems, with only 136 configurations achieving better frame rates in Control. Given the RTX 4090's end-of-life production status, this ranking represents the peak of the previous generation's performance. The combination's 137th rank out of 3,720 means it sits above 3,583 other combinations, a signal of the GPU's effectiveness in this game.

The CPU's nearest rivals, which include the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX and Intel Core i9-11900KF, would likely produce similar results when paired with the same GPU, since the processor's synthetic benchmark scores are within 0.5% of each other. The GPU's nearest rivals, including the Intel Arc Pro A60 and AMD Radeon Pro W6600M, show that the RTX 4090's raw compute performance is competitive but not unmatched. However, in Control's specific workload, the 4090's combination of high clocks, large VRAM pool, and optimized drivers delivers exceptional results.

The ranking also highlights the diminishing returns of pairing a high-end GPU with a mid-range CPU. While the 7600 does not bottleneck the 4090 at any tested resolution, the combo's rank would likely improve with a more powerful processor. The measured data cannot confirm this hypothesis, but the 0.2% to 0.5% performance differences between the 7600 and its rivals suggest that CPU choice has minimal impact on the final ranking.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for optimizing the gaming experience across different resolutions. At 1080p, the High preset delivers 172 FPS, which is more than sufficient for smooth gameplay on high refresh rate monitors. The Medium preset at 194 FPS offers a 13% improvement over High, while the Ultra preset at 149 FPS is 13% slower. For 1080p users, the High preset strikes the best balance between visual fidelity and frame rate, as the difference between High and Ultra is minimal in terms of playability.

At 1440p, the High preset achieves 130 FPS, which is ideal for 120Hz displays. The Medium preset at 146 FPS provides a 12% boost, while Ultra at 113 FPS remains playable but requires a high refresh rate monitor to fully utilize. The Low preset at 206 FPS is excessive for most displays and sacrifices too much visual quality. The 1440p High setting is the recommended choice, as it provides excellent visuals while maintaining frame rates above 120 FPS.

At 4K, the High preset delivers 88 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset at 99 FPS offers a 13% improvement, while Ultra at 76 FPS still meets the 60 FPS minimum. The Low preset at 139 FPS is unnecessary at this resolution. For 4K users, the High preset provides the best experience, as the visual difference between High and Ultra is less noticeable at higher pixel densities, while the frame rate improvement from High to Medium is modest.

The Ultra preset consistently delivers the lowest frame rates at every resolution, with 149 FPS at 1080p, 113 FPS at 1440p, and 76 FPS at 4K. While these numbers are playable, the performance cost of Ultra settings yields diminishing visual returns. The Medium preset offers the best frame rate to quality ratio for users prioritizing performance, while High provides the best balance for most users.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum frame rate achievable with this combo?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 261 at 1080p with Low settings. The lowest measured average is 76 FPS at 4K with Ultra settings.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested systems?

A: This combination ranks 137th out of 3,720 tested combos in Control, placing it in the top 3.7% of all configurations tested.

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

A: The GPU is the limiting component across all resolutions, as evidenced by the consistent ~49% FPS reduction from 1080p to 4K across Medium, High, and Ultra settings.

Q: What settings provide the best balance of visuals and performance at 1440p?

A: The High preset at 130 FPS offers the best balance, with Medium at 146 FPS providing a 12% performance boost and Ultra at 113 FPS remaining playable.

Q: Does the CPU's performance affect the frame rate at 1080p?

A: The CPU achieves a 78th percentile ranking with an average benchmark score of 26,324, and the 1080p Low result of 261 FPS suggests it can feed frames quickly enough to avoid bottlenecking the GPU.

Q: How does the RTX 4090's memory capacity impact the game's performance?

A: The 24 GB of GDDR6X memory with 1.01 TB/s bandwidth ensures that even 4K Ultra settings do not encounter memory limitations, allowing the GPU to maintain consistent frame rates across all tested configurations.