Control

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9060 produces a solid, playable experience in Control, but the data reveals a configuration that is clearly more capable at lower resolutions. The measured frame rates across the three tested resolutions show a predictable scaling pattern, with performance dropping by roughly 29% when moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 at High settings, and a further 32% drop when moving from 2560x1440 to 3840x2160. This steep decline indicates that while the CPU is more than capable, the GPU becomes the primary limiting factor as pixel count increases.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K follows a typical curve for a mid-range GPU. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo delivers an average of 82 FPS. Increasing the resolution to 2560x1440 drops this to 62 FPS, a reduction of 20 FPS. Moving to 3840x2160 further reduces the average to 42 FPS. This pattern shows that at 1080p, the system has enough headroom to push high frame rates, but the demands of 4K significantly strain the GPU.

The scaling behavior is most pronounced when examining the Low settings preset. At 1080p Low, the system averages 130 FPS, which is a strong result. Dropping to 1440p Low yields 98 FPS, and at 4K Low, the average falls to 66 FPS. The difference between 1080p and 4K at Low settings is 64 FPS, which is a 49% reduction. This large drop at Low settings suggests that even when graphical load is minimized, the GPU still cannot maintain 4K performance comparable to lower resolutions.

The Medium preset shows a similar trend, with averages of 92 FPS at 1080p, 70 FPS at 1440p, and 47 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset, which is the most demanding, delivers 71 FPS at 1080p, 54 FPS at 1440p, and 36 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result of 36 FPS is the lowest in the entire dataset, indicating that this resolution and setting combination is not viable for smooth gameplay.

What this scaling data suggests is that the Ryzen 7 5700X3D is not the bottleneck at any resolution. The 8-core, 16-thread processor with a 96 MB shared L3 cache is capable of feeding the GPU at all tested settings. The limiting component is clearly the RX 9060, as evidenced by the consistent frame rate drops that correlate directly with pixel count rather than CPU-bound scenarios.

GPU Role

The Radeon RX 9060 is built on the RDNA 4.0 architecture with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s. The GPU's boost clock is rated at 2990 MHz, with a game clock of 2400 MHz. These specifications align with the measured performance, which shows that the card is capable of producing 60+ FPS at 1080p on all presets except Ultra, where it still manages 71 FPS.

The 8 GB VRAM capacity is a relevant factor for Control at higher resolutions. At 4K, the game's texture and geometry demands can strain a GPU with limited memory, and the data supports this. The 4K Medium result of 47 FPS and 4K High result of 42 FPS indicate that the GPU is working near its limits, with the 4K Ultra result of 36 FPS suggesting that VRAM capacity may be contributing to the performance drop.

The GPU's benchmark scores place it in a specific performance tier. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 3322, and its Passmark G3D score is 17631. These numbers position the RX 9060 at the 59th percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, which has an average benchmark score of 16129, a difference of -0.7% from the RX 9060's average of 16014. This close parity is reflected in the game's measured results, which show the card performing as expected for its tier.

The GPU's clock behavior also explains the frame rate consistency. With a boost clock of 2990 MHz and a game clock of 2400 MHz, the card has a substantial overclock headroom, but the measured results do not show significant variance. The Medium preset across all resolutions shows min and max FPS values that are within a reasonable range (e.g., 78-106 FPS at 1080p), indicating stable clock delivery under load.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 delivers the highest frame rates, with all presets except Ultra averaging above 82 FPS. The 2560x1440 resolution is also viable, with High settings averaging 62 FPS, but 3840x2160 drops to 42 FPS or lower, making it less suitable for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the RX 9060 compare to its nearest rival in this game?

A: The RX 9060 has an average benchmark score of 16014, which is -0.7% compared to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti's score of 16129. This indicates that the two GPUs deliver nearly identical performance, which is consistent with the measured results for Control.

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 5700X3D a bottleneck at 4K?

A: No. The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K shows a consistent decline that correlates with GPU load, not CPU load. The CPU's 8 cores and 16 threads are sufficient to keep up with the GPU at all tested resolutions and settings.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the Low preset averages 130 FPS, while Ultra averages 71 FPS. This represents a 45% reduction in frame rate when moving from Low to Ultra, which is a significant cost for the visual improvements.

Q: Can this system maintain 60 FPS at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the High preset delivers an average of 62 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold. The Medium preset averages 70 FPS, providing more headroom. The Ultra preset falls below 60 FPS at 54 FPS.

Q: How stable are the frame rates at Medium settings?

A: The Medium preset has recorded min and max FPS values. At 1080p, the range is 78 to 106 FPS, at 1440p it is 59 to 80 FPS, and at 4K it is 40 to 54 FPS. These ranges indicate generally stable performance, with the 4K result showing the most variance.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Ryzen 7 5700X3D and RX 9060 ranks 1632 out of 2888 tested combos for Control. This places it in the 43rd percentile of all tested configurations, meaning that a majority of systems outperform this pairing in this specific game. The rank reflects the GPU's position in the market, as the RX 9060 sits at the 59th percentile among all GPUs, but the game's demands on the GPU result in a lower overall combo ranking.

The CPU's performance tier is higher than the GPU's. The Ryzen 7 5700X3D is at the 77th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 24709. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D, has an average score of 24728, a delta of -0.1%. The CPU's Cinebench R23 multicore score of 22366 and single-core score of 3157 indicate strong processing power, but this does not translate to a high combo rank because Control is more dependent on GPU performance.

This rank disparity suggests that the combo is balanced in favor of the CPU, which may be beneficial for other workloads but does not boost the gaming performance in Control beyond what the GPU can deliver. The rank also indicates that users with higher-end GPUs will see significantly better results, while those with lower-end GPUs will see worse performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across all tested configurations. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers the highest average at 130 FPS. The Medium preset averages 92 FPS, with a recorded range of 78 to 106 FPS. High settings average 82 FPS, and Ultra settings average 71 FPS. These results show that 1080p is well-suited to this combo, with even the highest settings remaining above 70 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 98 FPS, dropping from 130 FPS at 1080p. The Medium preset averages 70 FPS, with a range of 59 to 80 FPS. High settings average 62 FPS, and Ultra settings average 54 FPS. This resolution represents a compromise between image fidelity and performance, with High settings remaining playable but Ultra falling below the 60 FPS threshold.

At 3840x2160, the performance drops significantly. The Low preset averages 66 FPS, which is the only 4K result above 60 FPS. The Medium preset averages 47 FPS, with a range of 40 to 54 FPS. High settings average 42 FPS, and Ultra settings average 36 FPS. All 4K settings except Low produce average frame rates below 50 FPS, making them less ideal for a smooth gaming experience.

The data shows a clear hierarchy: 1080p delivers the best performance, 1440p offers a balance, and 4K is only viable at Low settings. The variance in the Medium preset results (min and max values) indicates that this setting provides consistent frame delivery, which is important for gameplay stability.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured frame rates, the optimal settings depend on the user's resolution preference. At 1920x1080, the High preset is the recommended choice, as it delivers an average of 82 FPS while providing a good balance of visual quality. The Ultra preset at 71 FPS is also viable, but the 13% performance cost over High may not justify the visual improvements for all users.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the best option for maintaining high frame rates, averaging 70 FPS with a minimum of 59 FPS. The High preset at 62 FPS is also acceptable, but it leaves less headroom for demanding scenes. The Ultra preset at 54 FPS is below the 60 FPS target and should be avoided for competitive or fast-paced gameplay.

At 3840x2160, only the Low preset provides playable performance, averaging 66 FPS. The Medium preset at 47 FPS is marginal, and the High and Ultra presets at 42 FPS and 36 FPS respectively are not recommended for smooth gameplay. Users prioritizing 4K resolution should accept the visual compromises of the Low preset.

For the best overall experience, the data suggests that 1080p High settings provide the optimal balance of frame rate and visual quality. Users with 1440p monitors should choose Medium settings to stay comfortably above 60 FPS, while 4K users should stick to Low settings for playability.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D plays a supporting role in this combo, providing ample processing power that does not limit the GPU in Control. The CPU features 8 cores and 16 threads based on the Zen 3 architecture, with a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. The 96 MB shared L3 cache is a distinctive feature that benefits gaming workloads by reducing memory latency.

The CPU's benchmark results show strong multi-threaded performance, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 22366 and a Geekbench multicore score of 11086. The single-threaded performance is also respectable, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3157. These scores indicate that the CPU is not a bottleneck for the RX 9060, which is confirmed by the frame rate scaling data.

The CPU's 7 nm process and 8,850 million transistors on a 74 mm² die contribute to its efficiency, with a TDP of 105 W. The memory support for DDR4 at 51.2 GB/s bandwidth provides sufficient data throughput for the game. The PCIe Gen 4 interface with 20 lanes ensures that the GPU can communicate with the CPU without bandwidth limitations.

In the context of Control, the CPU's role is to maintain consistent frame delivery, particularly at lower resolutions where the GPU has more headroom. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 130 FPS, which requires the CPU to process frames quickly. The Ryzen 7 5700X3D handles this task effectively, as evidenced by the stable frame rates across all settings. The CPU's nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D, has a nearly identical average benchmark score (24728 vs 24709), indicating that the 5700X3D is competitive with newer processors in this class.