Control

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER combination delivers a robust Control experience, with benchmark data showing strong performance across all tested resolutions. This analysis examines how the CPU and GPU specifications influence the measured frame rates, how this specific pairing ranks among thousands of tested configurations, and which settings provide the optimal balance of visual fidelity and performance.

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

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor built on the Zen 4 (Phoenix) architecture using a 4 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 4.20 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, drawing a 65 W TDP within the AMD Socket AM5 platform. The CPU features a cache hierarchy of 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and a shared 16 MB L3 cache, with dual-channel DDR5 memory support delivering 83.2 GB/s bandwidth.

For a game like Control, which is an action-adventure title from 2019, the CPU's single-thread performance is critical for maintaining consistent frame pacing. The 8400F's single-thread benchmark scores show a 3DMark single-thread result of 951, a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2943, and a Passmark single-thread score of 3685. These figures place it in the 77th percentile among all CPUs, indicating solid single-core capability. The multi-threaded results are equally respectable: Cinebench R23 multicore reaches 20851, and the 3DMark max-threads test scores 6165. The CPU's average benchmark score of 25005 places it in a tight cluster with its nearest rivals, including the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F (24964, 0.2% slower) and the Intel Core i7-13620H (24911, 0.4% slower), while slightly trailing the AMD EPYC 9474F (25103, -0.4% faster).

In the context of Control, the 6-core/12-thread configuration is sufficient to feed the GPU without becoming a bottleneck, particularly at lower resolutions where CPU overhead is more apparent. The data suggests that the 8400F's architecture, with its 4 nm process and Zen 4 cores, provides the necessary instruction throughput to keep frame rates high. The 16 MB shared L3 cache helps with frequently accessed game data, while the high memory bandwidth from DDR5 support ensures the CPU can quickly pass data to the GPU. At 1080p, where the CPU has the most influence on maximum frame rates, the combination achieves 214 FPS on Low settings, demonstrating the processor's ability to handle high draw call volumes without stalling.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The pairing of the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER achieves a combo rank of 639 out of 3720 tested combinations in Control. This places the configuration in the top 17.2% of all tested combos, which is a strong result given the wide variety of hardware configurations in the database. The rank reflects the overall capability of this pairing to deliver high frame rates across the tested settings and resolutions.

The GPU's benchmark data helps contextualize this rank. The RTX 4070 SUPER, based on the AD104 chip with Ada Lovelace architecture, scores 29995 in Passmark G3D and 43223 in its average benchmark score, placing it in the 83rd percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in the database are the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB (43262, -0.1% faster), NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile (43268, -0.1% faster), and NVIDIA Quadro M6000 (43301, -0.2% faster), while the RTX 4090 Mobile (43667) leads it by 1%. This GPU performance, combined with the CPU's 77th percentile ranking, suggests a well-balanced system where neither component dramatically overshadows the other.

The combo rank of 639 indicates that while there are faster configurations, this pairing is far from the bottom of the pack. For a 1080p and 1440p gaming focus, the data shows this combo can push well beyond 100 FPS at high settings, which is a desirable outcome for most gamers. The rank also accounts for consistency across resolutions; the fact that this combo handles 4K at playable frame rates (60 FPS at Ultra) contributes positively to its standing. It is importantly the rank is specifically for Control, and the game's optimization for both CPU and GPU resources plays a role in how well this hardware scales.

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

Analyzing the resolution scaling reveals a clear pattern of frame rate degradation as pixel count increases, which is typical for a GPU-bound game like Control. At 1080p with High settings, the average FPS is 135. Moving to 1440p at the same settings drops this to 102 FPS, a 24.4% reduction. At 4K, the average further drops to 69 FPS, which is 48.9% lower than the 1080p result. This steep decline indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions, as the CPU's workload remains relatively constant while the GPU must render significantly more pixels.

The pattern holds across all settings. On Low settings, the drop from 1080p (214 FPS) to 1440p (162 FPS) is 24.3%, and to 4K (110 FPS) is 48.6%. For Medium settings, the drop from 1080p (152 FPS) to 1440p (115 FPS) is 24.3%, and to 4K (78 FPS) is 48.7%. Ultra settings show a similar trend: 118 FPS at 1080p, 89 FPS at 1440p (24.6% drop), and 60 FPS at 4K (49.2% drop). The consistency of these percentages across all settings is notable, suggesting that the frame rate scaling is almost purely resolution-driven rather than settings-driven.

This uniformity points to the GPU as the dominant bottleneck at higher resolutions. The RTX 4070 SUPER, with its 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus providing 504.2 GB/s bandwidth, is well-equipped for 1440p gaming, but the transition to 4K demands substantially more pixel throughput. The GPU's pixel rate of 198.0 GPixel/s and texture rate of 554.4 GTexel/s are sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, these rates are taxed more heavily. The fact that the CPU's performance does not degrade with resolution—it maintains the same instruction throughput regardless of pixel count—confirms that the Ryzen 5 8400F is not the limiting factor in this scenario.

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

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average of 214 FPS, which is the highest recorded frame rate in the dataset. The Medium preset delivers 152 FPS with a minimum of 130 FPS and a maximum of 175 FPS, indicating good frame consistency. High settings yield 135 FPS, while Ultra produces 118 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 96 FPS, representing a 44.9% performance drop when enabling the highest visual quality.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 162 FPS, a substantial decrease from the 1080p result but still very fluid. Medium settings average 115 FPS with a minimum of 98 FPS and a maximum of 133 FPS, showing tighter frame pacing than the 1080p Medium result. High settings achieve 102 FPS, and Ultra settings produce 89 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra at 1440p is 73 FPS, or 45.1%, which is nearly identical to the percentage drop seen at 1080p, reinforcing the consistent scaling pattern.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 110 FPS, which remains playable for a 4K experience. Medium settings average 78 FPS with a minimum of 66 FPS and a maximum of 90 FPS, providing a playable range that stays above 60 FPS. High settings achieve 69 FPS, while Ultra settings drop to exactly 60 FPS. The performance delta from Low to Ultra at 4K is 50 FPS, or 45.5%, again matching the pattern observed at lower resolutions. The 4K Medium data, with its min/max range, suggests that the frame rate can dip to 66 FPS during intense scenes, which may be noticeable to players with high-refresh-rate 4K displays, but it remains within a playable threshold.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is the dominant component in this pairing for Control's frame rate output. Its 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus provides 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth, which is ample for the game's textures and effects at 4K resolution. The GPU's base clock of 1980 MHz and boost clock of 2475 MHz, with memory running at 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective), allow it to sustain high throughput across scenes. The 7168 shading units, 224 texture mapping units, and 80 render output units work together to process the game's complex visual effects, including its signature particle physics and destructible environments.

The GPU's benchmark results place it in the 83rd percentile, with a Passmark G3D score of 29995. Its nearest rivals in the database include the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB (43262 average score, -0.1% faster) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile (43268, -0.1% faster), which are statistically equivalent performers. The RTX 4090 Mobile leads by 1%, but the 4070 SUPER's desktop form factor with dual-slot cooling and 220 W TDP allows for sustained boost clocks that benefit extended gaming sessions.

In Control, the GPU's architecture with 56 RT cores and 224 tensor cores supports the game's use of ray tracing and DLSS features, although the measured FPS data does not specify whether these features are enabled. The GPU's FP32 performance of 35.48 TFLOPS and texture rate of 554.4 GTexel/s are significant contributors to the high frame rates observed. At 1080p Ultra, the GPU achieves 118 FPS, which suggests it is not fully saturated at this resolution, allowing headroom for future driver optimizations. At 1440p Ultra, the 89 FPS result indicates the GPU is working harder, and at 4K Ultra, the 60 FPS exactly matches the common 60 Hz display refresh rate, making it an ideal pairing for standard 4K monitors.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1440p provides the best balance of visual quality and performance. At High settings, the combo achieves 102 FPS at 1440p, compared to 135 FPS at 1080p and 69 FPS at 4K. The 1440p result offers a significant visual upgrade over 1080p while maintaining frame rates well above 60 FPS.

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

A: Yes, but with limitations. At 4K Ultra settings, the average FPS is exactly 60, which is playable on a standard 60 Hz monitor. The Medium preset at 4K provides a safer margin with 78 FPS average and a minimum of 66 FPS, ensuring smoother gameplay during intense scenes.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Ryzen 5 8400F has an average benchmark score of 25005, which is 0.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F (24964) and 0.3% higher than the Intel Core i7-11850H (24935). It trails the AMD EPYC 9474F (25103) by 0.4%, but these differences are negligible in real-world gaming scenarios.

Q: Is the GPU more important than the CPU for this game?

A: The resolution scaling data strongly indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck. Frame rates drop by approximately 48-49% when moving from 1080p to 4K across all settings, while the CPU workload remains constant. The GPU's 83rd percentile ranking versus the CPU's 77th percentile further supports this conclusion.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum FPS recorded?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 214 at 1080p Low settings. The lowest average is 60 at 4K Ultra settings. The only min/max data provided is for Medium settings: at 4K the range is 66-90 FPS, at 1440p it is 98-133 FPS, and at 1080p it is 130-175 FPS.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations?

A: This combo ranks 639th out of 3720 tested combinations in Control, placing it in the top 17.2% of all configurations. This rank reflects strong overall performance, particularly considering the CPU is not a top-tier processor but still achieves excellent results.

Settings Recommendations

For the optimal experience, the data suggests different presets depending on the target resolution. At 1080p, the Ultra preset at 118 FPS is the clear choice, as it provides the highest visual fidelity while still delivering frame rates far above what most displays can show. Players with 144 Hz monitors will appreciate the headroom, and the 130 FPS minimum at Medium settings indicates that even Ultra should maintain a consistent frame rate above 100 FPS.

At 1440p, the High preset at 102 FPS offers the best balance. The Ultra preset drops to 89 FPS, which remains playable but sacrifices some smoothness for marginal visual gains. The Medium preset at 115 FPS provides additional frame rate headroom, but the High preset's visual improvements justify the 13 FPS trade-off for most players. The 98 FPS minimum at Medium settings suggests High will stay comfortably above 90 FPS in most scenes.

At 4K, the Medium preset at 78 FPS is the strongest recommendation. The minimum of 66 FPS ensures gameplay remains fluid even during demanding sequences, while the 78 FPS average provides a buffer above the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset at 69 FPS is also viable, but the tighter margin to 60 FPS may cause noticeable stutters on some displays. The Ultra preset at exactly 60 FPS is only suitable for players with 60 Hz monitors who prioritize maximum visual quality over frame rate stability. For most users, the Medium preset at 4K represents the sweet spot, delivering 78 FPS with a visual fidelity that remains impressive.