Control

Control pairs the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D with the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT, a combination that produces a wide spread of frame rates depending on resolution and quality preset. The measured data shows this combo ranks 355th out of 1636 tested combinations, placing it in the top third of all pairings. The CPU component, with its 8 cores and 16 threads, runs at a base clock of 3.00 GHz and boosts to 4.10 GHz, built on the Zen 3 architecture with a substantial 96 MB of shared L3 cache. The GPU brings 20 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 320-bit bus, with a boost clock of 2394 MHz and a game clock of 2025 MHz, delivering 51.48 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. These specifications set the stage for understanding how the system behaves across the tested configurations.

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

The Ryzen 7 5700X3D provides eight physical cores with simultaneous multithreading, yielding 16 threads that Control can use for physics, AI, and world streaming. Its 3.00 GHz base clock and 4.10 GHz boost clock are moderate by modern standards, but the 96 MB shared L3 cache is unusually large for this class of processor. This cache capacity helps maintain consistent frame pacing in complex scenes, as data fetched from memory is more likely to reside on-die. The CPU’s benchmark scores reflect a strong multi-threaded performer: Cinebench R23 multi-core reaches 22366, while the single-core test scores 3157. In the 3DMark suite, the 16-thread test scores 6764, and the max-thread test scores 6755, showing near-linear scaling as thread count increases.

Relative to its nearest rivals, the 5700X3D sits in a tight cluster. The Intel Core i7-1360P averages 24627, a 0.2% margin, while the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D averages 24605, just 0.3% behind. The Intel Core i5-11600 trails by 0.5% with an average score of 24559, and the AMD Ryzen AI Max 385 leads by 0.6% at 24811. These differences are small, meaning CPU choice among these options will not dramatically alter Control’s performance. The 82nd percentile ranking against all CPUs confirms the 5700X3D is a capable mid-range part, but in a game like Control, the GPU is typically the primary scaling factor at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the CPU’s 16 threads ensure the GPU is fed adequately, but the data shows diminishing returns as resolution increases.

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

The RX 7900 XT is the dominant component in this pairing, and its specifications dictate the frame rate ceiling. With 20 GB of GDDR6 memory and 800.0 GB/s of bandwidth, the card has ample headroom for high-resolution textures and effects. The 5376 shading units, 336 TMUs, and 192 ROPs provide raw throughput, while 84 ray accelerators handle DXR workloads. The boost clock of 2394 MHz and game clock of 2025 MHz are typical for RDNA 3.0 parts, and the 5 nm process keeps power draw at 300 W TDP. In synthetic benchmarks, the GPU scores 29009 in PassMark G3D, with a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5623. Its 82nd percentile ranking against all GPUs places it in the upper tier, but not at the very top.

The nearest rivals show how tightly packed this performance segment is. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Mobile scores 38349, a 0% delta, while the NVIDIA CMP 70HX scores 38225, trailing by 0.3%. The NVIDIA GeForce MX570 sits 0.4% higher at 38494, and the RTX 4080 Mobile is 0.6% behind at 38135. These deltas are negligible in practice, meaning the RX 7900 XT delivers broadly similar compute performance to those alternatives. For Control, the GPU’s memory bandwidth and ROP count are particularly relevant, as the game uses high-resolution textures and particle effects that stress fill rate. The 20 GB VRAM ensures no texture swapping occurs even at 4K, allowing the measured frame rates to remain stable.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of GPU-bound scaling as resolution rises. At 1080p with High settings, the combo averages 129.9 FPS; at 1440p High, it drops to 98.7 FPS; at 4K High, it falls to 64.8 FPS. This represents a 24% reduction from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 34% reduction from 1440p to 4K. The trend indicates the GPU is the primary limiter at higher resolutions, as the CPU has sufficient headroom to maintain frame delivery. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 200.3 FPS, which is close to the practical limit for this hardware, suggesting the CPU begins to matter more at lower settings where the GPU is less taxed.

Looking at the Ultra preset, the drop is steeper: 116.4 FPS at 1080p, 86.4 FPS at 1440p, and 60.0 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is exactly 60 FPS, which aligns with a common refresh rate target, but it also shows the GPU is fully saturated. The Medium preset shows a similar pattern: 146.1 FPS at 1080p, 114.7 at 1440p, and 73.2 at 4K. Across all settings, the scaling is consistent, with 4K producing roughly half the frame rate of 1080p. This is typical for a GPU-bound scenario where pixel count doubles and fill rate becomes the bottleneck. The CPU’s 16 threads and large cache prevent any stutter or frame time spikes, as evidenced by the stable averages, but they cannot overcome the GPU’s raw pixel throughput limits.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combo’s rank of 355 out of 1636 places it in the 78th percentile of all tested pairings. This is a strong showing, but not exceptional, given the hardware’s specifications. The ranking reflects the balance between the 5700X3D’s mid-range CPU performance and the 7900 XT’s high-end GPU capabilities. In Control, which is not particularly CPU-intensive at higher resolutions, the GPU dominates the result, and the 7900 XT’s 82nd percentile GPU ranking aligns closely with the combo’s overall position. The CPU’s 82nd percentile ranking is similar, meaning neither component drags the other down significantly.

Compared to other combos in the database, this pairing sits in the top quarter, which suggests it can handle Control at high settings with playable frame rates. However, there is room above it: combos with faster GPUs like the RTX 5090 or 4090 would rank higher, but the 7900 XT’s 20 GB VRAM and 800 GB/s bandwidth ensure it remains competitive in this specific title. The deltaPct values against nearest GPU rivals are minuscule, indicating that swapping the GPU for a similar-tier part would not change the ranking materially. The CPU’s rivals also show sub-1% differences, so the combo’s position is stable within its hardware class.

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

Based on the measured FPS, the High preset offers the best balance between visual fidelity and performance across all resolutions. At 1080p, High delivers 129.9 FPS, which exceeds the refresh rate of most 144Hz monitors, while Medium only adds 16.2 FPS (146.1) and Ultra drops to 116.4. At 1440p, High produces 98.7 FPS, which is smooth for 60Hz displays and acceptable for 120Hz panels, while Ultra falls to 86.4 FPS, still playable but with diminishing returns. At 4K, High achieves 64.8 FPS, slightly above the 60 FPS target, whereas Ultra hits exactly 60.0 FPS, leaving no headroom for drops.

The Low preset is only useful for maximum frame rates, reaching 200.3 FPS at 1080p, 159.6 at 1440p, and 108.1 at 4K. For competitive play or high-refresh monitors, Low at 1080p is the choice, but it sacrifices visual quality significantly. Medium sits between Low and High, offering 146.1 FPS at 1080p and 114.7 at 1440p, but High provides better image quality for a modest FPS cost. The recommendation is High for most users, as it delivers 64.8 FPS at 4K, which is above the 60 FPS threshold, and scales well at lower resolutions. Ultra is only advisable for those with 60Hz 4K displays who prioritize maximum effects, since the 60.0 FPS average leaves no margin for demanding scenes.

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

At 1920x1080, the Low preset yields 200.3 FPS average, the highest recorded in this dataset. Medium produces 146.1 FPS, High drops to 129.9 FPS, and Ultra falls to 116.4 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 83.9 FPS, representing a 42% reduction, which shows how much headroom exists at this resolution. The 1080p numbers indicate the system is CPU-bound at Low, as the GPU is not fully utilized, but becomes GPU-bound at Ultra.

At 2560x1440, Low averages 159.6 FPS, Medium 114.7 FPS, High 98.7 FPS, and Ultra 86.4 FPS. The step from Low to Medium is 44.9 FPS, while Medium to High is 16.0 FPS, and High to Ultra is 12.3 FPS. This progressive narrowing suggests the GPU is increasingly the limiter as settings rise. The 1440p results are well-suited for 144Hz displays with Medium or High, but Ultra requires a 90Hz or lower refresh rate for consistent frame delivery.

At 3840x2160, Low reaches 108.1 FPS, Medium 73.2 FPS, High 64.8 FPS, and Ultra 60.0 FPS. The Low-to-Medium drop is 34.9 FPS, a significant 32% reduction, while Medium to High is 8.4 FPS and High to Ultra is 4.8 FPS. The 4K data shows the GPU is heavily taxed, with Low providing smooth 100+ FPS, but Ultra barely hitting 60 FPS. The 60.0 FPS at Ultra is exactly the console-like target, but the lack of headroom means any scene with heavy particle effects could dip below. The overall pattern confirms that 1080p and 1440p are the sweet spots for this combo, while 4K is viable only with settings at High or below.