Control

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti delivers a compelling 1440p and 4K experience in Control, with the data indicating a clear GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions. This analysis examines the measured FPS across resolutions and settings, the distinct roles of the CPU and GPU, and how this specific combination ranks against the broader database.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for this combo reveals a classic scaling pattern where the graphics card becomes the primary bottleneck as resolution increases. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo achieves an average of 121 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440, the average drops to 92 FPS, a 24% reduction. At 3840x2160, the average further declines to 62 FPS, which is a 49% drop from the 1080p baseline. This steep decline shows that the RTX 3080 Ti is being pushed progressively harder, with pixel count directly translating to lower frame rates.

The pattern holds across all settings presets. For instance, with Ultra settings, the average FPS goes from 105 at 1080p to 80 at 1440p, and then down to 54 at 4K. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is particularly punishing: High settings lose 30 FPS (from 92 to 62), Medium settings lose 33 FPS (from 103 to 70), and Low settings lose 47 FPS (from 145 to 98). This significant drop at 4K suggests that even a high-end GPU like the RTX 3080 Ti, with its 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 912.4 GB/s bandwidth, is heavily taxed by Control's rendering demands at that resolution.

The data suggests that the limiting component at 1080p and 1440p is less clear-cut, but at 4K, it is undeniably the GPU. The CPU, while not the star of the show, has enough headroom to feed the GPU at lower resolutions, as evidenced by the 177 FPS average at 1080p Low settings. This high frame rate at a low resolution indicates that the Ryzen 7 3700X can handle the game's logic and draw calls without becoming a bottleneck, allowing the GPU to run at its maximum potential. However, at 4K, the GPU's raw throughput is the ceiling, and the FPS scales predictably with the rendering load.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is the dominant component in this pairing, and its specifications directly explain the measured performance. The GPU is built on the Ampere architecture and features 10,240 shading units, 320 texture mapping units, and 112 ROPs. Its boost clock is listed at 1665 MHz, and it operates with a 384-bit memory bus, which provides a massive 912.4 GB/s of bandwidth through its 12 GB of GDDR6X memory. These specifications are what allow the card to push the high frame rates seen in the data.

In Control, a game known for its physics and visual effects, the GPU's role is paramount. At 4K Ultra settings, the combo averages 54 FPS, which is a demanding workload that relies heavily on the GPU's pixel rate of 186.5 GPixel/s and texture rate of 532.8 GTexel/s. The 34.10 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power is also crucial for the game's complex shaders and particle effects. The difference between Low and Ultra settings at 4K is stark, with the average jumping from 98 FPS on Low to 54 FPS on Ultra. This 44 FPS gap highlights how the GPU's resources are allocated as visual fidelity increases.

The RTX 3080 Ti's benchmark scores in the FACT PACK corroborate its position. It achieves a Passmark G3D score of 26896 and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 192697, placing it in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in the database include the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 with a deltaPct of 0.8%, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 with a deltaPct of 2%. This indicates that the 3080 Ti is a very capable card, but it is not at the absolute top tier, which is consistent with the 4K Ultra results showing a sub-60 FPS average. The GPU's performance in this title is strong, but it is clear that 4K Ultra is a stretch for it without adjustments.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X provides the processing foundation for this combo, and while it is not the primary driver of the FPS at higher resolutions, its capabilities are sufficient to avoid holding the system back. This CPU features 8 cores and 16 threads based on the Zen 2 architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. Its 32 MB of L3 cache and support for DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s are adequate for feeding the GPU data.

In gaming, the CPU's role is to handle game logic, physics calculations, and draw call submissions. The data from the measured FPS shows that the CPU is not a bottleneck at 1080p, where the combo achieves a high average of 177 FPS on Low settings. This high frame rate suggests the CPU can keep up with the GPU's output. However, as resolution increases, the GPU takes longer to render each frame, giving the CPU more time to prepare the next one. This is why the FPS drop is primarily attributed to the GPU, not the CPU.

The Ryzen 7 3700X's benchmark scores in the FACT PACK show it is a solid mid-range performer. It scores 2092 in Cinebench R15 multi-core and 204 in single-core. Its Passmark multithread score is 22458, and it sits in the 84th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 with a deltaPct of 0.1% and the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H with a deltaPct of 0.5%. This indicates that the 3700X is a balanced processor, but it is not the latest or most powerful option. In Control, its performance is adequate, but a newer CPU might provide slightly higher minimum frame rates in CPU-intensive scenes, though the measured data does not show a CPU-induced bottleneck.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. The data shows a clear trade-off between visual quality and performance across all three resolutions.

At 1920x1080, the combo is powerful enough to handle any preset. The Ultra preset averages 105 FPS, which is excellent for a high-refresh-rate monitor. However, the High preset provides a 121 FPS average, and the Medium preset achieves 136 FPS. Given that the Low preset reaches 177 FPS, there is headroom for maximum quality. For the smoothest experience on a 144Hz display, the High preset is a good choice, but for those with a 120Hz display, Ultra is viable without dropping below the 100 FPS mark.

At 2560x1440, the data recommends the High preset as the sweet spot. The average FPS is 92, which is playable but not extremely high. The Ultra preset drops to 80 FPS, which is still playable on a 60Hz monitor but might feel less responsive on a 144Hz screen. The Medium preset offers a 103 FPS average, which is a better balance for higher refresh rates. For the best visual experience that maintains a frame rate above 60, High is the recommended preset. If a higher frame rate is preferred, Medium provides an 11 FPS boost over High.

At 3840x2160, the data suggests that Ultra settings are too demanding, as the average FPS is only 54. This might be acceptable for a 60Hz display, but it is on the edge. The High preset provides a 62 FPS average, which is just above 60 and is the recommended choice for a stable 4K experience. The Medium preset increases the average to 70 FPS, which offers a more comfortable margin for frame time consistency. The Low preset, at 98 FPS, is the only option that provides a truly high frame rate at 4K, but it sacrifices significant visual quality. For the best balance of quality and performance at 4K, the High preset is the recommended choice.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti holds a specific position in the database for Control. The combo rank is 1036 out of 3720 tested combinations, placing it in the top 27.8% of all tested systems. This is a strong result, indicating that this pairing is capable of running the game well compared to a wide variety of other hardware configurations.

This rank is influenced by both the CPU and GPU performance. The RTX 3080 Ti's strength is the primary driver of this ranking, as it is a high-end GPU from its generation. The Ryzen 7 3700X is a competent CPU, but its age is a factor. The data suggests that this combo is well above average for the game, but it is not at the very top tier. The 1036th rank out of 3720 combos means there are still many systems that outperform it, likely those with newer, more powerful CPUs and GPUs.

The rank is consistent with the measured FPS data. The combo can achieve high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, and it can play at 4K with some settings adjustments. This level of performance places it in the upper middle class of the database. The near-60 FPS average at 4K High settings is a notable achievement, but the drop to 54 FPS at Ultra shows its limits. Overall, this combo is a solid performer for Control, offering a good experience across most resolution and settings combinations.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings?

A: The average FPS is 121.

Q: Does this combo achieve 60 FPS at 4K with Ultra settings?

A: No, the average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 54, which falls below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: What is the best preset for a smooth 1440p experience?

A: Based on the data, the Medium preset offers an average of 103 FPS, which is higher than the High preset's 92 FPS, making it a better choice for higher refresh rates at 2560x1440.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in the database?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X is within 0.5% of its nearest rivals, including the AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 and the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H, indicating similar overall benchmark performance.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 4K at High settings?

A: The average FPS drops from 121 at 1920x1080 to 62 at 3840x2160, which is a 59 FPS reduction.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested systems in the database?

A: The combo ranks 1036 out of 3720 tested combinations for Control.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data provides the exact measured average FPS for each resolution and settings combination.

1920x1080:

• Low: 177 FPS average
• Medium: 136 FPS average (min 116, max 157)
• High: 121 FPS average
• Ultra: 105 FPS average

2560x1440:

• Low: 145 FPS average
• Medium: 103 FPS average (min 88, max 118)
• High: 92 FPS average
• Ultra: 80 FPS average

3840x2160:

• Low: 98 FPS average
• Medium: 70 FPS average (min 59, max 80)
• High: 62 FPS average
• Ultra: 54 FPS average

The data shows a consistent pattern: for every resolution, the Low preset provides the highest frame rate, and the Ultra preset provides the lowest. The Medium preset often provides a significant boost over High, as seen at 4K where it averages 70 FPS compared to High's 62 FPS. This makes Medium a viable alternative for players seeking higher performance without the full visual quality sacrifice. The minimum FPS values, where available, show that the Medium preset maintains a floor above 59 FPS at 4K, which is crucial for avoiding stutter.