Control

Control with the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT is a study in GPU-bound scaling. The CPU is a modern 8-core, 16-thread Zen 5 part that sits in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, but the RX 5700 XT is an older RDNA 1.0 card that ranks in just the 59th percentile of all GPUs. The data shows a pairing where the processor has ample headroom, leaving the graphics card as the definitive bottleneck across all tested resolutions and settings. This analysis breaks down exactly how that dynamic plays out, from core utilization to specific frame rate targets.

CPU Role

The Ryzen 7 9700F brings 8 cores and 16 threads to the table, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. This is a 65W part built on TSMC's 4 nm process, and its PassMark multithread score of 36470 places it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs. In the context of Control, this processor is not the limiting factor. The benchmark results confirm this: at 1080p Low settings, the combo hits 115 FPS average, but at 1080p Ultra, that number drops to 63 FPS. If the CPU were the constraint, we would expect to see the FPS remain relatively flat regardless of graphical settings, as the processor would be maxed out in both scenarios.

Instead, the data indicates that the CPU is feeding the GPU far more frames than the RX 5700 XT can render. The Ryzen 7 9700F's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX and Intel Core i7-14700KF, with deltaPct values of 0.2 and -0.2 respectively, showing it trades blows with high-end chips. Its single-thread score of 4691 further supports its capability to handle game logic and draw calls efficiently. For Control, a game that does feature complex physics and destruction, having 16 threads ensures there is no stutter from thread saturation, but the measured FPS scaling proves that the GPU is the ceiling here. The CPU's strong PassMark physics score of 2122 suggests it can handle the game's simulation demands without breaking a sweat, allowing the GPU to be the sole arbiter of performance.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT is the clear performance gate in this configuration. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its boost clock is 1905 MHz, and it has 2560 shading units. The GPU's PassMark G3D score of 16277 puts it in the 59th percentile, and its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell and AMD Radeon PRO W7500, with deltaPct values of -0.3 and -0.3 respectively. This places it in a mid-range tier of graphics hardware.

The 8 GB VRAM is a critical detail for Control. The game's High and Ultra presets at 4K resolution are likely exceeding this capacity, which contributes to the low average FPS of 37 and 32, respectively. At 4K Medium, the average FPS rises to 42, but the minimum FPS of 36 indicates that memory pressure is causing frame time spikes. The GPU's DirectX 12 PassMark score of 64 is notably lower than its DirectX 11 score of 116, which is a potential concern because Control uses DX12. However, the measured FPS data suggests the card still functions, but it is clearly working near its limits. The 9.754 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is being fully utilized, and the game's rendering load at higher presets is simply too much for the card's raw throughput and memory subsystem.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drops from 1080p to 4K are pronounced and reveal a purely GPU-limited scenario. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 73 at 1080p to 55 at 1440p, and then to 37 at 4K. This is a 49% drop from 1080p to 4K, which is a massive reduction in performance. Similarly, at Low settings, the average FPS goes from 115 at 1080p to 87 at 1440p and then to 59 at 4K. This scaling pattern is the hallmark of a GPU bottleneck: as the resolution increases, the pixel fill rate and memory bandwidth demands skyrocket, and the RX 5700 XT simply cannot keep up.

If the CPU were the bottleneck, the FPS would remain relatively constant across resolutions, because the processor's workload (game logic, physics) does not increase with resolution. The fact that the FPS drops so significantly at every settings tier when moving to higher resolutions confirms that the Ryzen 7 9700F is not the constraint. For example, the jump from 1080p Medium (82 FPS) to 1440p Medium (62 FPS) and then to 4K Medium (42 FPS) shows a consistent, steep decline. This is a clear indicator that to improve 4K performance, the user would need a more powerful GPU, not a better CPU. The data suggests that at 1080p, the RX 5700 XT is still the limiting factor, but it is able to deliver playable frame rates, whereas at 4K, it is overwhelmed.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the most balanced experience is achieved at 1080p High settings. This preset delivers an average of 73 FPS, which is well within the smooth range for an action-adventure game. The difference between High and Medium at 1080p is 9 FPS (73 vs 82), but the visual uplift from Medium to High is typically significant in terms of texture quality and effects. Conversely, the drop from High to Ultra is 10 FPS (73 to 63), which is a 14% performance penalty for what is often a marginal visual improvement. Therefore, High is the sweet spot for visual fidelity versus frame rate.

For users who prioritize a higher refresh rate, 1080p Low settings yields 115 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh monitors. However, this likely comes with a noticeable reduction in visual quality. At 1440p, the card struggles to maintain high frame rates. High settings at 1440p yield only 55 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. Medium at 1440p gives 62 FPS and is a better choice if you want to stay above 60 FPS. At 4K, the card is not recommended for this game. Even Low settings at 4K only achieve 59 FPS, and Medium drops to 42 FPS with a minimum of 36 FPS, which will result in noticeable stuttering. The data indicates that High settings at 1080p or Medium at 1440p are the best compromises for this hardware combination.

FAQ

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck in this system for Control?

A: The data clearly shows the GPU is the primary bottleneck. For instance, at 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves 115 FPS, but at 1080p Ultra, it drops to 63 FPS. This massive frame rate drop due to graphical settings indicates the GPU is the limiting component, as the CPU's workload does not change significantly with these settings.

Q: Can this system run Control at 4K resolution smoothly?

A: No, not at playable frame rates. The best 4K result is at Low settings with an average of 59 FPS, but Medium settings drop to 42 FPS with a minimum of 36 FPS. High and Ultra settings at 4K only produce 37 FPS and 32 FPS respectively, which are not smooth enough for a satisfying experience.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a 60 FPS target at 1080p?

A: High settings at 1080p is the best choice, delivering an average of 73 FPS. Medium settings give 82 FPS, but the visual improvement from Medium to High is substantial, while the performance cost is only 9 FPS. Ultra is not recommended as it drops to 63 FPS for minimal visual gains.

Q: How does the performance at 1440p compare to 1080p?

A: The performance drops significantly. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 73 at 1080p to 55 at 1440p. At Medium settings, it falls from 82 to 62 FPS. The card can still achieve playable frame rates at 1440p in Medium or Low, but it is not capable of maintaining high refresh rates.

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 9700F a good match for the RX 5700 XT?

A: In terms of balance, the CPU is significantly more powerful than the GPU. The Ryzen 7 9700F ranks in the 94th percentile for all CPUs, while the RX 5700 XT ranks in the 59th percentile. This means the CPU has a lot of headroom, and the GPU will always be the performance ceiling in this game. Upgrading the GPU would yield a much larger performance increase than upgrading the CPU.

Q: What are the minimum frame rates like for this combo?

A: Minimum FPS data is only available for Medium settings. At 1080p Medium, the minimum is 70 FPS. At 1440p Medium, it drops to 53 FPS. At 4K Medium, it falls to 36 FPS. These numbers suggest that at higher resolutions, the system can experience significant frame drops, which could lead to stuttering.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact average FPS (and minimum/maximum where available) for each tested configuration.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

|------------|----------|---------|---------|---------|

| 1920x1080 | Low | 115 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 82 | 70 | 94 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 73 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 63 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 87 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 62 | 53 | 71 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 55 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 48 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 59 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 42 | 36 | 48 |

| 3840x2160 | High | 37 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 32 | - | - |

The data shows a consistent pattern: at 1080p, the RX 5700 XT provides a playable experience across all presets, from 63 FPS on Ultra to 115 FPS on Low. The jump to 1440p reduces performance by roughly 25-30%, making Ultra a marginal 48 FPS and High a modest 55 FPS. At 4K, the card is squarely in the non-playable territory for anything above Low, with Medium dipping to 42 FPS and High/Ultra falling below 40 FPS. The minimum FPS data for Medium settings illustrates the increasing frame time variance at higher resolutions, with 4K showing a 6 FPS delta between the average and minimum, which can be felt as stutter. Overall, the benchmark results indicate that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, with 1440p being a stretch goal that requires dropping to Medium or Low settings.