Control

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700X and AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT combination delivers a solid, high-refresh-rate experience in Control, with the data showing that the GPU becomes the primary performance limiter as resolution and settings increase. The 8-core, 16-thread processor, with a base clock of 4.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, provides ample computational headroom. Its benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 30,325 and a single-core score of 4,281, place it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs. This positions it marginally ahead of the Intel Core i5-13500 by 0.4% and the Intel Core i7-12800HX by 0.5% in average benchmark scores, while being 0.8% behind the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H. This level of single-thread performance is typically sufficient for game logic and physics, suggesting that at lower resolutions, the processor is unlikely to bottleneck the frame rate.

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

The Ryzen 7 7700X’s architecture is built around 8 cores and 16 threads, utilizing the Zen 4 design on a 5 nm process. The processor’s high boost clock of 5.40 GHz is a key factor for gaming workloads, as it ensures that the main game thread can be processed quickly. In Control, a title that features complex physics and destructible environments, the CPU’s role is to handle these simulation tasks alongside the game’s core logic. The data indicates that the processor is more than capable in this regard. At 1080p with Low settings, the combination achieves an average of 170.6 FPS, a figure that is substantially higher than what the GPU can sustain at higher settings, suggesting the CPU is not the limiting factor there.

The processor’s 32 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR5 memory support with 83.2 GB/s of bandwidth help feed the GPU with data. When comparing the CPU’s performance metrics to its nearest rivals, the Ryzen 7 7700X holds its ground. Its average benchmark score of 34,313 is virtually identical to the Intel Core i5-13500's 34,175, a delta of only 0.4%. This means that in CPU-bound scenarios, users should expect similar performance from these two processors. However, the 7700X’s advantage becomes more pronounced in multi-threaded workloads, as seen in its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 30,325, which is a strong result for a desktop part. For Control, the data suggests that the CPU provides a stable foundation, allowing the GPU to be the primary determinant of frame rates, especially when graphical settings are increased.

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

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how the RX 7800 XT handles Control across different presets. At 1080p, the Low preset yields an average of 170.6 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Medium preset drops to 123.8 FPS, still very smooth, while High produces 108.9 FPS. The Ultra preset, at 92.7 FPS, remains playable but sacrifices a significant number of frames for marginal visual gains. Moving to 1440p, the Low preset averages 129.7 FPS, which is excellent. The High preset at 86.1 FPS is the sweet spot for a 1440p monitor with a 144 Hz refresh rate, as it balances visual quality with a frame rate that is well above the 60 FPS threshold. The Medium preset at 91.2 FPS is slightly faster but offers fewer visual improvements.

At 4K, the situation changes dramatically. The Ultra preset averages only 46.8 FPS, which is below the standard for smooth gameplay. The High preset improves this to 55.7 FPS, which is borderline. The Medium preset at 63.4 FPS is the minimum recommended for a playable 4K experience, while the Low preset at 85.9 FPS offers the best performance. Based on this data, for the best overall experience, the High preset at 1440p is recommended, as it provides a high frame rate with substantial visual fidelity. For 4K users, the Medium preset is the most balanced option, as it maintains a frame rate above 60 FPS. The data shows that the jump from Medium to High yields a larger performance cost than the jump from Low to Medium, indicating that the High preset introduces more demanding effects.

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

The performance scaling across resolutions clearly indicates a GPU-bound scenario at higher settings. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 108.9 FPS at 1080p to 86.1 FPS at 1440p, a decrease of 20.9%. Moving from 1440p to 4K, the frame rate falls to 55.7 FPS, a further reduction of 35.3%. This steep decline with increasing resolution is a classic sign that the GPU is the limiting component. The pixel count from 1080p to 4K quadruples, and the RX 7800 XT’s rendering throughput is being taxed accordingly. The data shows that the CPU is not the bottleneck, as the frame rate scales consistently with the GPU’s workload.

Looking at the Low preset scaling, the frame rate goes from 170.6 FPS at 1080p to 129.7 FPS at 1440p, a drop of 24.0%, and then to 85.9 FPS at 4K, a further drop of 33.8%. While the absolute numbers are higher, the percentage drops are similar to the High preset, confirming that even at lower settings, the GPU’s pixel throughput is the primary constraint. The 1080p Low figure of 170.6 FPS suggests that the CPU could potentially push even higher frame rates if the GPU were faster, but the GPU’s limits are reached first. This behavior is typical for a mid-to-high-end GPU like the RX 7800 XT, which is designed for high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming but requires settings adjustments for 4K.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest average frame rate recorded for this CPU and GPU combo in Control?*

A: The highest average frame rate is 170.6 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: How does the Ryzen 7 7700X compare to the Intel Core i5-13500 in average benchmark scores?

A: The Ryzen 7 7700X has an average benchmark score of 34,313, which is 0.4% higher than the Intel Core i5-13500's score of 34,175.

Q: At 4K resolution, which settings preset provides an average frame rate above 60 FPS?

A: The Low preset at 3840x2160 achieves an average of 85.9 FPS, and the Medium preset achieves 63.4 FPS, both of which are above 60 FPS.

Q: What is the performance difference between the High and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: The High preset averages 86.1 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 70.2 FPS, representing a performance reduction of 15.9 FPS when moving to Ultra.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking among all graphics cards?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT ranks in the 76th percentile of all GPUs based on its average benchmark score.

Q: Does the CPU show any signs of bottlenecking at 1080p with Low settings?

A: The data does not indicate a CPU bottleneck, as the frame rate of 170.6 FPS is very high, and the CPU’s single-thread performance is strong. The GPU still appears to be the limiting factor.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with the Navi 32 chip, featuring 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus. This memory configuration provides a bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s, which is crucial for high-resolution textures and effects. The GPU’s boost clock is listed at 2430 MHz, with a game clock of 2124 MHz. These clocks, combined with 3840 shading units and 60 ray accelerators, determine its raw rendering power. The GPU’s average benchmark score of 32,619 places it in the 76th percentile of all GPUs, and it is closely matched with the NVIDIA P104-100, which is 0.4% faster, and the AMD FirePro S9300 X2, which is 0.2% slower. This indicates that the RX 7800 XT sits in a specific performance tier, and its performance in Control reflects that.

The 16 GB of VRAM is a notable asset, as it ensures that even at 4K with High settings, the GPU is unlikely to run out of memory, which could cause stuttering or texture pop-in. The data shows that the GPU’s performance scales predictably with settings. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 77.9 FPS (170.6 vs 92.7), demonstrating the impact of the GPU’s fill rate and shader complexity. The GPU’s FP32 performance of 37.32 TFLOPS provides the computational power needed for the game’s physics and particle effects. The transition from High to Ultra at 4K results in a drop from 55.7 FPS to 46.8 FPS, a 16.0% reduction, suggesting that the Ultra preset includes features that heavily tax the GPU’s resources. The data consistently shows that the RX 7800 XT is the primary driver of frame rates in this configuration.

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

The measured FPS data is presented here in full detail.

At 1920x1080, the average frame rates are as follows:

• Low: 170.6 FPS
• Medium: 123.8 FPS
• High: 108.9 FPS
• Ultra: 92.7 FPS

At 2560x1440, the average frame rates are as follows:

• Low: 129.7 FPS
• Medium: 91.2 FPS
• High: 86.1 FPS
• Ultra: 70.2 FPS

At 3840x2160, the average frame rates are as follows:

• Low: 85.9 FPS
• Medium: 63.4 FPS
• High: 55.7 FPS
• Ultra: 46.8 FPS

The data reveals that the performance gap between 1080p and 1440p is consistent across all settings, with an average reduction of roughly 20-25%. The gap between 1440p and 4K is larger, with an average reduction of roughly 35-40%. The Low preset at 4K (85.9 FPS) outperforms the High preset at 1440p (86.1 FPS) by a negligible margin, showing that resolution has a more significant impact than the settings preset. The combination ranks 613th out of 1,636 total CPU-GPU combinations tested in this game, placing it in the upper-middle tier of the database. This ranking, along with the measured FPS, indicates that the system is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p high-refresh-rate gaming, while also being capable of 4K gaming with adjusted settings.