Control

# Control — AMD Ryzen 5 8400F + AMD Radeon RX 7700

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 delivers a compelling mid-range configuration for Control, a 2019 Action Adventure title. Benchmark data reveals this combo achieves playable frame rates across all tested resolutions, with a clear pattern of GPU-bound performance at higher settings and resolution. The combo ranks 1294th out of 2888 tested configurations, placing it in the upper-middle tier of the database. With 12 measured FPS data points spanning three resolutions and four quality presets, the data offers a thorough picture of how these components interact in this specific title.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K follows an expected trajectory, but the magnitude varies significantly depending on the quality preset. At Low settings, average FPS falls from 148 at 1920x1080 to 76 at 3840x2160 — a reduction of 72 FPS, or roughly 49%. At High settings, the drop is from 93 at 1080p to 48 at 4K, a 45 FPS decrease (48%). Medium settings show a similar pattern: 105 at 1080p down to 54 at 4K, a 51 FPS reduction (49%). Ultra settings display the most dramatic scaling, going from 81 at 1080p to 41 at 4K — a 40 FPS drop (49%).

This consistent ~49% reduction across all four presets strongly indicates a GPU-limited scenario. The RX 7700's rendering workload scales nearly linearly with pixel count, which is characteristic of a graphics card that is the primary bottleneck. Interestingly, the percentage drop is almost identical regardless of preset, suggesting that even at Low settings, the GPU remains the limiting factor rather than the CPU. The data shows the 8400F is capable of feeding the RX 7700 sufficient frames at 1080p Low (148 FPS), yet the scaling pattern suggests the CPU is not constraining performance at any resolution.

The 4K Ultra result of 41 FPS is notably below the 60 FPS threshold, while 4K Medium (54 FPS) and 4K High (48 FPS) also fall short. The jump from 4K Medium to 4K Low (76 FPS) represents the largest single-step improvement in the dataset, a 22 FPS gain that highlights how much headroom exists when lowering quality at this resolution. At 1440p, all settings except Ultra (61 FPS) exceed 70 FPS, making this resolution the practical sweet spot for high-refresh-rate displays. The data implies that resolution scaling in Control is firmly GPU-bound, with the RX 7700's 16 GB memory buffer and 624.1 GB/s bandwidth providing consistent performance across the tested configurations.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F brings six cores and twelve threads based on the Zen 4 architecture, manufactured on a 4 nm process at TSMC. Its base clock of 4.20 GHz and boost clock of 4.70 GHz position it as a solid mid-range processor for gaming workloads. The CPU's benchmark scores reveal its multi-threaded capabilities: Cinebench R23 multicore reaches 20851, while single-core hits 2943. In PassMark, the multithread score is 24389 with a single-thread score of 3685. These numbers place the 8400F in the 77th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 25005.

In Control, the CPU's role appears secondary to the GPU, as evidenced by the resolution scaling patterns. The game's Action Adventure genre typically benefits from strong single-thread performance, and the 8400F's 3DMark single-thread score of 951 supports this. However, the measured FPS at 1080p Low (148 FPS) suggests the CPU can handle even the most demanding frame-rate scenarios without becoming a bottleneck. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 6091 and max-thread score of 6165 indicate that multi-threaded workloads are handled efficiently, though Control is unlikely to fully utilize all twelve threads.

Comparing to nearest rivals, the 8400F's average score of 25005 is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F (24964, deltaPct 0.2%) and Intel Core i7-11850H (24935, deltaPct 0.3%). The Intel Core i7-13620H trails slightly at 24911 (deltaPct 0.4%), while the AMD EPYC 9474F leads at 25103 (deltaPct -0.4% relative to the 8400F). These tight margins suggest that in CPU-bound scenarios, the 8400F would perform equivalently to these alternatives. The 16 MB shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR5 memory support (83.2 GB/s bandwidth) provide adequate data throughput for gaming, though the CPU's 65 W TDP and 4 nm process node suggest efficiency is a priority over raw throughput.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with the Navi 32 chip, manufactured on a 5 nm process at TSMC. It features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 624.1 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's clock speeds include a base of 1900 MHz, boost of 2459 MHz, and game clock of 2041 MHz. With 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 96 ROPs, the RX 7700 offers substantial raw compute power: 25.18 TFLOPS FP32 and a pixel rate of 236.1 GPixel/s.

The GPU's benchmark results show a PassMark G3D score of 20974, which places it in the 58th percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 15852 is remarkably close to the AMD Radeon R9 370X (15862, deltaPct -0.1%) and the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 (15679, deltaPct 1.1%). The AMD Radeon RX 9060 (16014, deltaPct -1%) and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti (16129, deltaPct -1.7%) both score slightly higher. This clustering suggests the RX 7700 sits in a competitive performance tier, though these rival comparisons are based on synthetic benchmarks rather than Control specifically.

In Control, the GPU's 16 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for the game's textures and effects, even at 4K Ultra. The measured FPS data indicates the RX 7700 is the primary determinant of performance across all tested configurations. The consistent ~49% FPS drop from 1080p to 4K across all presets is textbook GPU-bound behavior, with the card's rendering pipeline becoming the limiting factor as pixel count increases. The 2x 8-pin power connectors and 550 W suggested PSU indicate this is a power-hungry card, but the 200 W TDP is reasonable for its performance class.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the RX 7700 delivers strong performance across all settings. Low settings average 148 FPS, providing an exceptionally smooth experience for competitive play or high-refresh-rate monitors. Medium settings yield 105 FPS average with a minimum of 89 and maximum of 121 FPS, showing solid frame-time consistency. High settings drop to 93 FPS, still well above the 60 FPS threshold. Ultra settings average 81 FPS, maintaining smooth gameplay despite the increased visual fidelity.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance remains respectable but begins to show the GPU's workload. Low settings average 112 FPS, still excellent for high-refresh displays. Medium settings produce 80 FPS average (minimum 68, maximum 92), with the frame range indicating occasional dips but generally stable performance. High settings average 71 FPS, just above the 60 FPS target. Ultra settings average 61 FPS, teetering on the edge of smoothness but remaining playable.

At 3840x2160, the RX 7700's limits become apparent. Low settings average 76 FPS, which is playable but a significant drop from lower resolutions. Medium settings average 54 FPS (minimum 46, maximum 62), with the minimum dipping below 50 FPS, suggesting potential stutter in demanding scenes. High settings average 48 FPS, below the 60 FPS threshold. Ultra settings average 41 FPS, which may be acceptable for slower-paced sections but could feel sluggish during action sequences.

The data reveals a clear hierarchy: 1080p is fully playable at all settings, 1440p is playable at all settings with Ultra being borderline, and 4K is only truly smooth at Low settings. The Medium preset at each resolution offers the best balance of visual quality and frame rate, with the 1440p Medium configuration (80 FPS) standing out as particularly well-balanced.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F + AMD Radeon RX 7700 combination ranks 1294th out of 2888 tested combos in Control, placing it in the 55th percentile of all configurations. This mid-pack ranking reflects the hardware's positioning: the CPU is strong (77th percentile overall), but the GPU's 58th percentile benchmark score drags the overall ranking down. The data suggests that for Control specifically, the GPU is the limiting factor, meaning a stronger graphics card would yield more significant FPS improvements than a CPU upgrade.

The ranking context becomes clearer when examining the individual component benchmarks. The CPU's average score of 25005 places it in the 77th percentile, while the GPU's 15852 average score sits in the 58th percentile. This 19-percentage-point gap indicates the combo is somewhat imbalanced for this game, with the CPU having more headroom than the GPU is able to utilize. In GPU-bound scenarios like Control, this imbalance means the 8400F's performance is underutilized, as the RX 7700 becomes the bottleneck at higher resolutions and settings.

Compared to the broader database, this combo's rank of 1294 out of 2888 means it outperforms roughly 55% of tested configurations. This is a respectable position, though not exceptional. The data implies that for users seeking higher frame rates at 4K Ultra, a more powerful GPU would be necessary, while the CPU could handle such an upgrade without becoming a new bottleneck.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Control?*

A: 2560x1440 offers the best balance, with all settings averaging above 61 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the combo achieves 80 FPS average, while 1440p Ultra maintains 61 FPS — both suitable for smooth gameplay.

*Q: Can this combo run Control at 4K?*

A: Yes, but only at Low settings (76 FPS average) for smooth performance. Medium (54 FPS), High (48 FPS), and Ultra (41 FPS) all fall below the 60 FPS threshold, though they remain playable depending on personal tolerance.

*Q: Which component limits performance in Control?*

A: The GPU is the primary bottleneck. The consistent ~49% FPS drop from 1080p to 4K across all presets indicates GPU-bound behavior, while the CPU's 77th percentile ranking suggests it has ample headroom.

Q: How does this combo compare to similar hardware?

A: The CPU's average score of 25005 is within 0.4% of the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F and Intel Core i7-13620H. The GPU's 15852 average score is within 1.7% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, making these components closely matched to their direct competitors.

Q: What is the highest FPS achievable with this combo?

A: At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo reaches an average of 148 FPS. This is the highest measured average across all tested configurations, making it suitable for high-refresh-rate displays at this setting.

*Q: Is the 16 GB VRAM sufficient for Control at 4K?*

A: Yes, the 16 GB GDDR6 memory is more than adequate for Control at 4K Ultra. The measured 41 FPS at 4K Ultra is limited by GPU compute power rather than memory capacity, as indicated by the consistent scaling pattern across all settings.

Settings Recommendations

For a smooth experience at 1920x1080, the Ultra preset (81 FPS average) provides the best visual quality without sacrificing playability. Players prioritizing frame rate can use Medium (105 FPS) or even Low (148 FPS) for competitive advantages. At 2560x1440, the Medium preset (80 FPS average) offers the most balanced experience, with High (71 FPS) and Ultra (61 FPS) remaining viable options for those who prefer visual fidelity. The 1080p and 1440p Medium presets both demonstrate strong frame-time consistency, with minimums of 89 and 68 FPS respectively.

At 3840x2160, only the Low preset (76 FPS) delivers consistently smooth performance. Medium (54 FPS) and High (48 FPS) are playable but may exhibit stuttering in demanding scenes, as evidenced by the Medium preset's minimum of 46 FPS. The Ultra preset (41 FPS) is not recommended for 4K unless the player prioritizes visual quality over gameplay smoothness. Across all resolutions, the Medium preset appears to offer the best compromise between visual fidelity and frame rate, with the 1440p Medium configuration (80 FPS) standing out as the optimal overall experience for this hardware combination.