Control

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 presents a classic high-CPU/low-GPU bottleneck scenario in Control. The data shows a system where the 8-core, 16-thread processor has ample headroom, while the Pascal-generation graphics card defines the performance ceiling across all tested resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS reveals a steep performance cliff as resolution increases, clearly identifying the GTX 1070 as the limiting component. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo delivers 60.6 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same preset drops that figure to 46.6 FPS, a 23% reduction. The jump to 3840x2160 is even more punishing, with the average falling to 29.8 FPS—a 51% loss compared to 1080p.

This scaling pattern is characteristic of a GPU-bound workload. The Ryzen 7 5800XT, with its Zen 3 architecture and 4.80 GHz boost clock, is not the constraint here. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect the FPS to remain relatively flat as resolution increases, since the processor's workload does not scale with pixel count. Instead, the consistent and substantial drops at each higher resolution point directly to the 8 GB GDDR5 memory and the GP104 chip's compute limits being saturated.

The Low preset data further confirms this. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 95.3 FPS, which is a solid result. However, at 4K Low, it drops to 46.8 FPS. Even at the lowest graphical settings, the GPU cannot maintain a high frame rate at 4K, indicating that raw pixel throughput is the primary obstacle. The gap between Low and Ultra settings at the same resolution also grows with resolution: at 1080p, the difference is 39.6 FPS (95.3 vs 55.7), while at 4K, the difference narrows to 18.5 FPS (46.8 vs 28.3). This compression at higher resolutions signifies that the GPU is hitting its absolute limits regardless of the graphical workload being asked of it.

How This Combo Ranks

The benchmark database positions this combination at rank 1380 out of 1636 tested combos for Control. This places it in the lower quartile of all tested systems, which is a direct reflection of the GPU's age rather than the CPU's capability. The GTX 1070 is a capable card for its era, but in a modern title like Control, it struggles to compete with more recent hardware.

The CPU itself is a strong performer. Its average benchmark score of 29774 puts it in the 86th percentile of all CPUs, and it sits within 0.3% of rivals like the AMD Ryzen 7 7840H and AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS. This indicates that the processor is not holding back the system in any meaningful way. The bottleneck is almost entirely on the graphics side. The GTX 1070's percentile rank of 51 against all GPUs tells the same story—it is an average performer in the current landscape, and its pairing with a high-end CPU does not boost its standing in this specific game's benchmark rankings.

The ranking data suggests that the 5800XT is effectively wasted in this configuration for Control. The CPU could easily feed a much more powerful GPU, as its multi-threaded performance (Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23794) is far beyond what this game requires. The combo's rank is a consequence of the GPU's limitations, not a reflection of the CPU's potential.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 is the definitive factor in this system's Control performance. Its specifications—8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus with 256.3 GB/s bandwidth—are adequate for 1080p gaming but become stretched at higher resolutions. The card's base clock of 1506 MHz and boost clock of 1683 MHz are standard for the Pascal architecture, but the 6.463 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power is the limiting factor for the game's complex physics and particle effects.

The VRAM capacity is sufficient for most of the tested settings, but the memory bandwidth appears to be a constraint at 4K. The data shows that the Ultra preset at 3840x2160 yields only 28.3 FPS, which is barely playable. This is not a VRAM capacity issue, as 8 GB is typically enough for Control at 4K, but rather a bandwidth and processing power limitation. The card simply cannot fill the frame buffer fast enough to maintain a smooth frame rate.

The GPU's performance in synthetic benchmarks also contextualizes its in-game results. Its Passmark G3D score of 13498 and Geekbench OpenCL score of 47490 are respectable for a card from 2016, but they place it in the 51st percentile of all GPUs. This mid-pack positioning is consistent with the measured FPS in Control. The card launches with a 150 W TDP and requires a 450 W power supply, indicating it is a power-efficient design for its era, but efficiency does not translate to raw performance in a demanding title like this.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear hierarchy of playable settings. For a consistent 60 FPS experience, the 1920x1080 High preset is the only viable option, delivering 60.6 FPS. The Low preset at 1080p provides a comfortable margin at 95.3 FPS, but the visual fidelity loss is substantial. The Medium preset at 69.8 FPS is a good middle ground, offering a frame rate that is smooth enough for most players while maintaining better image quality than Low.

At 2560x1440, the options are more constrained. The Low preset achieves 75.4 FPS, which is excellent, but the visual compromise is significant. The Medium preset drops to 53.2 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for a fast-paced action game. The High preset at 46.6 FPS is borderline, and the Ultra preset at 42 FPS is likely to feel sluggish.

At 3840x2160, none of the presets offer a smooth experience. The Low preset at 46.8 FPS is the best option, but it requires a massive visual downgrade. The High preset at 29.8 FPS and Ultra at 28.3 FPS are below the threshold for comfortable gameplay. The data suggests that 4K is not a realistic target for this hardware combination in Control, and players should either lower the resolution or accept a sub-30 FPS experience.

FAQ

*Q: Can this system run Control at 4K?*

A: Technically yes, but not comfortably. The best 4K result is 46.8 FPS at Low settings. High settings at 4K produce 29.8 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 28.3 FPS. These frame rates are below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this game?

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck. The Ryzen 7 5800XT ranks in the 86th percentile of all CPUs and has a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23794. The GTX 1070 ranks in the 51st percentile of all GPUs. The FPS drops significantly at higher resolutions, which is a hallmark of GPU limitation.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1080p gaming?

A: The High preset at 1920x1080 is the best choice for a 60 FPS experience, delivering 60.6 FPS. If you prefer higher frame rates, the Medium preset at 69.8 FPS is also a strong option. The Ultra preset at 55.7 FPS is slightly below 60 FPS.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested systems?

A: It ranks 1380 out of 1636 tested combos for Control. This places it in the lower portion of the database, primarily due to the GPU's age and performance level.

Q: Does the GTX 1070's 8 GB of VRAM cause any issues?

A: The data does not indicate VRAM capacity as a primary issue. Performance drops at 4K are more attributable to the GPU's compute power and memory bandwidth (256.3 GB/s) rather than the 8 GB capacity being exceeded.

Q: What is the difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings produce 75.4 FPS, while Ultra settings produce 42 FPS. This is a 33.4 FPS difference, or a 44% performance penalty for enabling the highest visual quality.