Control

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data for Control reveals a steep performance curve as resolution climbs. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo averages 96.9 FPS, which drops to 74.7 FPS at 1440p and then to 46.4 FPS at 4K. That represents a 23% decline from 1080p to 1440p, and another 38% drop from 1440p to 4K. The scaling pattern is consistent across every settings preset, indicating a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions.

The gap between 1080p and 4K is particularly telling. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 61.1 at 1080p to 49.2 at 1440p, then to 31.1 at 4K. The 4K result is roughly half of the 1080p figure, which strongly suggests the GTX 1070's pixel throughput becomes the primary constraint as resolution increases. The GPU's pixel rate of 107.7 GPixel/s and texture rate of 202.0 GTexel/s are modest by modern standards, and the data reflects that.

Curiously, the drop from Medium to Ultra at 4K is severe: 37.7 FPS down to 28.6 FPS. That 24% reduction for one settings tier suggests Ultra introduces effects that disproportionately tax the Pascal architecture. At 1080p, the same tier change costs 27% (71.3 to 51.9 FPS), so the relative penalty is similar, but the absolute numbers at 4K fall below playable thresholds. The data implies that the GTX 1070's 8 GB of GDDR5 memory and 256.3 GB/s bandwidth are adequate for 1080p but become increasingly strained as resolution scales.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F brings 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 4.20 GHz and boost up to 4.70 GHz. This Zen 4 architecture part sits on the AM5 socket and uses DDR5 memory with dual-channel support and 83.2 GB/s bandwidth. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU scores 20,851 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2,943 in single-core, placing it at the 82nd percentile among all CPUs.

For Control, a game that typically scales with both thread count and single-thread performance, the 8400F's 12 threads should provide ample headroom. The 3DMark results show a scaling pattern: 1,874 for 2 threads, 3,563 for 4 threads, 5,275 for 8 threads, and 6,165 for max threads. The jump from 8 to 12 threads is relatively small, suggesting diminishing returns beyond 8 threads. This aligns with the game's behavior — Control rarely saturates more than 8 threads in typical scenes.

The CPU's nearest rival comparison shows it trading blows with the AMD Ryzen 7 2700X, with a deltaPct of 0 (identical average score of 25,057 vs 25,064). It also sits 0.3% above the Ryzen 5 7500F. This suggests the 8400F is a solid mid-range performer, but the measured FPS data indicates the CPU is not the bottleneck in most resolutions. At 1080p Low, the 96.9 FPS average is likely approaching the CPU's limit, but the consistent scaling to 4K suggests the GPU dominates the performance equation.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 is a Pascal-generation part built on TSMC's 16 nm process, with 7,200 million transistors on a 314 mm² die. It features 1,920 shading units, 120 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. The base clock of 1506 MHz boosts to 1683 MHz, while memory runs at 2002 MHz (8 Gbps effective). With 8 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, bandwidth reaches 256.3 GB/s.

The GPU's benchmark profile shows a PassMark G3D score of 13,498 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1,082. Its percentile ranking is 51, placing it squarely in the mid-range. The nearest rivals include the GTX 1650 SUPER (1.4% faster) and the GTX 880M (1.3% slower), indicating the GTX 1070 sits at a performance plateau that newer budget cards have matched.

In Control, the GTX 1070's 8 GB VRAM appears sufficient for 1080p and 1440p at all settings, but the 4K results suggest memory pressure or bandwidth limitations. The 256.3 GB/s bandwidth is modest for 4K textures, and the 64 ROPs may struggle with the game's post-processing effects at higher resolutions. The data shows the GPU's pixel rate of 107.7 GPixel/s becomes a limiting factor as resolution increases, particularly at Ultra settings where the 4K average drops to 28.6 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific pairing of Ryzen 5 8400F and GTX 1070 ranks 1,372 out of 1,636 tested combos in Control. That places it in the bottom 16% of all configurations, which is notable given the CPU's strong 82nd percentile ranking. The discrepancy highlights the GPU's role as the performance limiter — the 8400F is a capable processor, but the GTX 1070 holds the combo back.

The rank of 1,372 suggests that most other combos in the database deliver higher average FPS in Control. Given that the GTX 1070's percentile is 51, roughly half of all GPUs outperform it, and many of those are paired with weaker CPUs yet still achieve better results in this game. The data implies that for Control specifically, the GPU choice matters far more than the CPU, and this combo's low rank reflects the aging Pascal architecture's struggles with the game's visual demands.

The CPU's nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks (Ryzen 7 2700X, Ryzen AI 5 PRO 340, EPYC 9474F) all have similar average scores, but their pairing with different GPUs would likely yield better in-game results. This combo's rank is a function of the GPU's 51st percentile standing, not the CPU's 82nd percentile, reinforcing the GPU-bound nature of Control's performance profile.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

At 1080p, the combo delivers 96.9 FPS on Low, 71.3 FPS on Medium, 61.1 FPS on High, and 51.9 FPS on Ultra. The spread from Low to Ultra is 45 FPS, indicating that settings have a significant impact at this resolution. All four settings produce playable frame rates, with even Ultra staying above 50 FPS.

Moving to 1440p, the averages drop to 74.7 FPS on Low, 55 FPS on Medium, 49.2 FPS on High, and 39.7 FPS on Ultra. The Low setting remains smooth, but Ultra falls below 40 FPS, which may cause noticeable stutter in action-heavy scenes. The gap between Low and Ultra widens to 35 FPS, showing that the GPU's workload increases disproportionately at higher settings.

At 4K, the results become marginal: 46.4 FPS on Low, 37.7 FPS on Medium, 31.1 FPS on High, and 28.6 FPS on Ultra. Only Low achieves a playable average, and even that is borderline. The Ultra setting at 4K delivers less than 30 FPS, which would likely feel sluggish during combat sequences. The data shows a clear pattern: this combo is designed for 1080p gaming, acceptable at 1440p with reduced settings, and not viable at 4K beyond Low presets.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

For 1080p gaming, the High preset at 61.1 FPS offers the best balance of visual fidelity and performance. The jump from High to Ultra costs 9.2 FPS (61.1 to 51.9), which may not justify the visual gains in Control's atmospheric environments. Medium at 71.3 FPS is a solid alternative if smoother motion is preferred over visual detail.

At 1440p, the Medium preset at 55 FPS is the sweet spot. High at 49.2 FPS is playable but approaches the lower bound of smooth gameplay, while Low at 74.7 FPS sacrifices too much visual quality for a game that relies heavily on ambiance and lighting. Ultra at 39.7 FPS is not recommended, as the frame rate dips into territory where input lag becomes noticeable.

For 4K, the only viable option is Low at 46.4 FPS, and even that is marginal. Medium at 37.7 FPS and High at 31.1 FPS are not recommended for sustained play. Ultra at 28.6 FPS is effectively unplayable. Users targeting 4K should consider lowering resolution or upgrading the GPU, as the data clearly shows this combo cannot maintain smooth frame rates at that resolution regardless of settings.

FAQ

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

A: 1080p provides the most consistent experience, with all settings staying above 50 FPS. At 1440p, only Low and Medium remain above 50 FPS, while 4K drops below 47 FPS even on Low.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 8400F compare to its nearest CPU rivals?

A: The 8400F scores 25,064 in average benchmarks, which is identical to the Ryzen 7 2700X (25,057, 0% delta) and 0.3% higher than the Ryzen 5 7500F (24,993). It trails the Ryzen AI 5 PRO 340 by 0.1% (25,099).

Q: Is the GTX 1070 the bottleneck in this system?

A: Yes, the data indicates the GPU limits performance. The CPU ranks at the 82nd percentile while the GPU ranks at the 51st percentile, and the combo ranks 1,372 out of 1,636 in Control, suggesting the GPU drags down overall results.

Q: What FPS can I expect at 1080p with High settings?

A: The measured average is 61.1 FPS at 1080p High. This is playable for most action games, though not high-refresh-rate territory.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Control?

A: Only with Low settings, which delivers 46.4 FPS. Medium drops to 37.7 FPS, High to 31.1 FPS, and Ultra to 28.6 FPS, all below comfortable playability thresholds.

Q: How does the GTX 1070 compare to the GTX 1650 SUPER?

A: The GTX 1650 SUPER is 1.4% faster in average benchmark scores (12,504 vs 12,331), making the two GPUs nearly identical in synthetic performance. The GTX 1070 has more memory bandwidth and VRAM, but the newer card edges it out in raw scores.