Control

Control, Remedy’s 2019 action-adventure, presents a fascinating stress test for one of the most extreme hardware pairings available: the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D. The measured frame rates across resolutions and settings reveal a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher loads, yet still shows the enduring relevance of the 5800X3D’s 3D V-Cache in maintaining a stable experience. The data paints a clear picture of a combo that crushes this title at 1440p and 4K, while the 1080p numbers hint at the theoretical limits of the processor’s architecture in a game that is not particularly CPU-intensive.

Resolution Scaling

The most striking observation from the measured data is the dramatic drop in performance as resolution increases, which strongly indicates that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is the primary limiting component at higher settings. At 1080p with High settings, the combo delivers 183 FPS. Moving to 1440p High, that figure drops to 142 FPS, a reduction of 41 FPS. The jump to 2160p (4K) High sees the average fall to 96 FPS, which is a 46 FPS drop from the 1440p result and an 87 FPS drop from 1080p. This scaling pattern, where the frame rate decreases by roughly 20-30% with each resolution step, is classic GPU-bound behavior; the rendering load on the RTX 5090 D is increasing faster than the CPU can feed it frames.

The scaling becomes even more telling when examining the lower presets. At Low settings, the 1080p result is 216 FPS, while 1440p Low yields 197 FPS and 4K Low yields 152 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is a relatively modest 19 FPS, but the drop from 1440p to 4K is a much steeper 45 FPS. This suggests that even at Low settings, the pixel throughput demands of 4K are beginning to saturate the GPU’s capabilities, despite the massive 1.79 TB/s memory bandwidth and 32 GB of GDDR7 VRAM. The RTX 5090 D’s raw compute power is exceptional, but the data suggests that at 4K, it is the sheer number of pixels, not the game’s visual complexity, that is the deciding factor.

At Ultra settings, the resolution scaling is even more pronounced. The 1080p Ultra average is 163 FPS, which falls to 124 FPS at 1440p and then to 83 FPS at 4K. The gap between 1080p and 4K at Ultra is a substantial 80 FPS. This indicates that the most demanding preset scales poorly with resolution, amplifying the GPU workload significantly. The fact that the RTX 5090 D can still maintain an 83 FPS average at 4K Ultra reflects its power, but the linear progression of the drops suggests that the GPU is being pushed to its limits. The data implies that for this specific title, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D is rarely a bottleneck; it is the RTX 5090 D that determines the final frame rate, especially as the resolution climbs.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal experience depends heavily on the target display resolution and refresh rate, but the data provides clear guidance for maximizing performance. For 4K users, the Medium preset appears to be the sweet spot. The measured average of 108 FPS at 3840x2160 with Medium settings is a significant 12 FPS improvement over High (96 FPS) and a 25 FPS improvement over Ultra (83 FPS). The minimum FPS of 92 at 4K Medium is also well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, indicating a stable experience. While Ultra offers superior visual fidelity, the 83 FPS average might be too inconsistent for high-refresh-rate 4K displays, making Medium the most balanced choice for a high frame rate without a massive visual compromise.

At 1440p, the story changes. The High preset delivers a measured 142 FPS, which is excellent for most high-refresh-rate monitors. However, the Medium preset yields 160 FPS, a 18 FPS increase, and the Low preset reaches 197 FPS. For competitive play or for users with a 165Hz or 240Hz monitor, the Medium or Low presets become more attractive. The data suggests that the jump from High to Medium is more substantial (18 FPS) than from Medium to Low (37 FPS), implying that the High preset includes some particularly taxing effects that are not worth the performance cost for a marginal visual gain. The Ultra preset at 1440p (124 FPS) is still playable, but the performance deficit compared to High (142 FPS) is notable, and users should consider if the extra visual details justify an 18 FPS loss.

For 1080p, the combo is so powerful that even the Ultra preset (163 FPS) is far beyond the requirements of a standard 60Hz or 144Hz display. The Low preset’s 216 FPS is the highest measured, but the High preset’s 183 FPS is a more sensible choice, offering a strong balance of visual quality and performance. The data indicates that at 1080p, the RTX 5090 D is never a limiting factor, and the user has the freedom to select any preset without dropping below 160 FPS. In summary, the measured data suggests: for 4K, use Medium; for 1440p, use High or Medium depending on refresh rate; for 1080p, use High or Ultra for the best visual experience.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Control with this combo for a high refresh rate experience?

A: Based on the measured data, 1440p with Medium settings provides an average of 160 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. 4K with Medium settings provides 108 FPS, which is also viable for a 120Hz display.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck at 1080p in this game?

A: The data shows that the frame rates at 1080p are extremely high, ranging from 163 FPS at Ultra to 216 FPS at Low. The relatively small performance gaps between resolutions at lower settings suggest the CPU is not a significant bottleneck, as the GPU is still able to produce very high frame counts.

Q: How much performance is gained by lowering settings from Ultra to Medium at 4K?

A: The measured data shows a 25 FPS increase. The 4K Ultra average is 83 FPS, while the 4K Medium average is 108 FPS, representing a 30% improvement in frame rate.

Q: Does the RTX 5090 D’s 32 GB VRAM show any advantages in this game?

A: At 4K Ultra, the game runs at an average of 83 FPS. The large VRAM capacity and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth are likely contributing to the stability of the frame rate, though the data does not provide a direct comparison against a GPU with less VRAM.

Q: What is the difference in performance between 1080p and 4K at High settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1080p High is 183, while at 4K High it is 96. This is a difference of 87 FPS, or a 52% reduction in frame rate when moving to the higher resolution.

Q: Which preset gives the highest minimum FPS at 1440p?

A: The only preset with a measured minimum FPS at 1440p is Medium, which has a minimum of 136 FPS. The other presets do not have min FPS data available in the measured set.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D ranks at position 77 out of 2888 tested combos for Control. This places it in the top 2.7% of all tested hardware configurations for this specific game. This high ranking is largely attributable to the RTX 5090 D’s sheer rendering power, as the GPU is the dominant component in this title, particularly at higher resolutions. The rank indicates that this combo is capable of outperforming the vast majority of systems, which includes those with newer CPUs and other high-end GPUs.

The ranking also contextualizes the performance data. A rank of 77 out of 2888 means there are 76 other combos that produce higher average frame rates in Control. While the measured FPS numbers are impressive, the ranking suggests that some pairings, likely with even newer top-tier CPUs, manage to edge out this setup, possibly in scenarios where the CPU can push the GPU slightly harder at lower resolutions. However, the delta is likely to be small, as the 5800X3D’s performance is still highly competitive. The data implies that for a game like Control, which is not known for extreme CPU requirements, the GPU choice is paramount, and this combo’s rank reflects a near-optimal balance for high-resolution gaming, with the 5800X3D providing enough processing power to avoid hindering the RTX 5090 D in most scenarios.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is the undisputed performance driver in this configuration for Control. The data clearly shows that its capabilities are the primary factor in determining the final frame rates. The GPU’s specifications are monstrous: 21,760 shading units, 176 ROPs, and a boost clock of 2407 MHz. These hardware resources translate into a theoretical FP32 performance of 104.8 TFLOPS, which is what allows the GPU to brute-force its way through Control’s demanding visuals. The 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth, ensures that texture streaming and high-resolution assets are never a limiting factor, even at 4K Ultra.

The benchmark results for the RTX 5090 D are equally revealing. Its Passmark G3D score is 44,065, and its Geekbench Vulkan score is 376,915. These scores place it in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs, confirming its position at the top of the performance hierarchy. In Control specifically, the GPU’s dominance is evident in the resolution scaling. The fact that the frame rate drops so consistently from 1080p to 1440p to 4K indicates that the GPU’s rendering pipeline is being saturated with pixel work. The GPU is not being held back by the CPU; it is working at its full potential. The data suggests that the RTX 5090 D is so powerful that even a game from 2019 can be run at maximum settings with high frame rates, and it is only at 4K Ultra that its limits are truly tested, with an average of 83 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the combo delivers exceptional performance. The Low preset achieves an average of 216 FPS. The High preset yields 183 FPS. The Medium preset produces an average of 190 FPS, with a minimum of 162 FPS and a maximum of 219 FPS. The Ultra preset rounds out the results with an average of 163 FPS. These numbers show that at 1080p, the system is rarely challenged, and even the most demanding preset maintains an average well above 144 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440 (1440p), the frame rates remain very high but show the expected decline. The Low preset averages 197 FPS. The High preset drops to 142 FPS. The Medium preset averages 160 FPS, with a minimum of 136 FPS and a maximum of 184 FPS. The Ultra preset delivers an average of 124 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 73 FPS, highlighting the significant impact of the Ultra preset’s extra effects.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the RTX 5090 D is finally pushed. The Low preset averages 152 FPS. The High preset averages 96 FPS. The Medium preset averages 108 FPS, with a minimum of 92 FPS and a maximum of 124 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 83 FPS. The data shows a steep drop from Low to High (56 FPS), and then a more moderate drop from High to Ultra (13 FPS), suggesting that the High preset includes many of the same demanding features as Ultra, but with a few key differences that impact performance.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D serves as the supporting pillar in this configuration, and while its role is less prominent than the GPU’s, it is still critical for delivering the high frame rates seen in the data. The CPU’s unique selling point is its 96 MB of shared L3 cache, which is a massive amount compared to standard processors. This large cache is particularly effective in gaming, as it allows for more data to be stored on-die, reducing the need to access slower system memory. In a game like Control, which features complex physics and particle effects, this can help maintain a consistent frame time and prevent stutters.

The CPU’s specifications include 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz. Its benchmark scores are solid, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14,317 and a single-core score of 1,452. It ranks in the 80th percentile of all CPUs and has an average benchmark score of 27,896. While these scores are not class-leading, they are more than sufficient for gaming. The data indicates that the 5800X3D is not the limiting factor in this combo, as the frame rates are consistently high and scale directly with GPU load. The CPU’s performance is closely matched to its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i9-10900K, which has a deltaPct of 0.1%, and the AMD Ryzen 7 6800U, which has a deltaPct of 0%.

The architectural efficiency of the Zen 3 design, combined with the 3D V-Cache, allows the 5800X3D to keep up with the RTX 5090 D’s immense frame generation. In scenarios where the GPU is not fully saturated, such as at 1080p Low, the CPU is able to provide frames quickly enough to reach 216 FPS. The data suggests that this CPU is a capable partner for the RTX 5090 D in Control, providing enough processing power to avoid becoming a bottleneck, even at lower resolutions where the CPU workload is higher relative to the GPU. It proves the 5800X3D’s design that a CPU from the 5000 series can still hold its own in a top-tier system for a game released in 2019.