Control

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti lands at rank 1384 out of 2888 tested combinations for Control. That places this combo in the middle of the pack, at the 48th percentile of all tested systems. The data suggests this pairing is neither a top-tier performer nor a weak one; it sits squarely in the territory where the GPU’s 8 GB VRAM and the CPU’s 8-core architecture both contribute to a balanced but unremarkable result. The rank implies that many other combos achieve higher frame rates, but also that a substantial number fall below this pairing’s output.

The combination’s overall standing can be understood through the individual component percentiles. The CPU ranks in the 94th percentile against all CPUs, while the GPU sits in the 59th percentile against all GPUs. That gap is telling: the processor is far more capable relative to its peers than the graphics card is relative to its own competition. In Control, a game that leans heavily on GPU performance for rendering, the RTX 3060 Ti becomes the limiting factor. The CPU’s high percentile does not translate into top-tier frame rates because the GPU cannot fully exploit the processor’s capabilities at higher settings and resolutions. Benchmark results indicate that the combo’s rank is dragged down by the GPU’s mid-pack standing, even though the CPU is a strong performer in isolation.

GPU Role

The RTX 3060 Ti is built on the Ampere architecture with a GA104 chip, fabricated on Samsung’s 8 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 1410 MHz and a boost clock of 1665 MHz, while its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory runs at 1750 MHz, effective 14 Gbps, across a 256-bit bus. That memory configuration yields a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. The GPU also features 4864 shading units, 152 texture mapping units, and 80 raster output units. For ray tracing, it includes 38 RT cores, and for AI workloads, 152 tensor cores. The pixel rate is 133.2 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 253.1 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance at 16.20 TFLOPS.

In Control, which uses real-time ray tracing and complex particle effects, the RTX 3060 Ti’s RT cores play a role, but the measured data shows that the GPU’s raw rasterization performance is what drives frame rates at standard settings. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is a key constraint at higher resolutions. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average frame rate drops to 41 FPS, while at High settings it reaches 47 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is substantial: 74 FPS versus 41 FPS, a 33 FPS gap. This indicates that the GPU is heavily loaded by the game’s visual demands, and the VRAM buffer may be filling up, causing performance to scale inversely with settings intensity.

The GPU’s benchmark scores reinforce its mid-range positioning. In Passmark G3D, it scores 20349, and in Geekbench OpenCL it achieves 78927. These numbers place it in the 59th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 16129. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 9060, which scores 16014 (0.7% higher), and the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT, which scores 16361 (1.4% higher). The RTX 3060 Ti is slightly behind those cards in raw average score, which aligns with its measured performance in Control. The GPU’s power draw is listed at 200 W, and it requires a suggested PSU of 550 W, but those figures do not directly translate into frame rates; instead, they frame the hardware’s capability envelope.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data across resolutions reveals a clear scaling pattern that points to the GPU as the primary bottleneck. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 145 FPS average. Moving to 2560x1440 Low drops that to 110 FPS, a 24% reduction. At 3840x2160 Low, the average falls to 74 FPS, which is a 49% drop from 1080p Low. This steep decline as resolution increases suggests that the GPU’s rendering throughput is being stretched thin, while the CPU has ample headroom to handle the game’s logic at all resolutions.

The scaling is even more pronounced at higher settings. For High settings, 1080p yields 92 FPS, 1440p yields 69 FPS, and 4K yields 47 FPS. That is a 49% drop from 1080p to 4K. For Medium settings, 1080p produces 103 FPS, 1440p produces 78 FPS, and 4K produces 53 FPS, a 49% decline as well. Ultra settings show a similar pattern: 80 FPS at 1080p, 60 FPS at 1440p, and 41 FPS at 4K, a 49% reduction. The consistency of this ~50% drop from 1080p to 4K across all settings is a strong indicator that the GPU is the limiting component. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the scaling would be less uniform, with smaller drops at higher resolutions where the GPU takes on more work.

The data implies that at 1080p, the RTX 3060 Ti can push high frame rates, especially at Low settings, but as pixel count increases, the GPU’s fill rate and memory bandwidth become insufficient to maintain those numbers. The 448.0 GB/s bandwidth is moderate by modern standards, and the 8 GB VRAM may cause texture swapping at 4K Ultra, contributing to the low 41 FPS average. The CPU’s role in this scaling is minimal; its 8 cores and 16 threads with a boost clock of 5.50 GHz are more than capable of feeding frames at all tested resolutions. The bottleneck is squarely on the GPU’s shoulders, and the resolution scaling data confirms that.

Settings Recommendations

Given the measured frame rates, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution, but the data provides clear guidance. At 1920x1080, all settings are playable, with Low at 145 FPS, Medium at 103 FPS, High at 92 FPS, and Ultra at 80 FPS. For a smooth experience at 1080p, High settings offer a strong balance: 92 FPS is well above the 60 FPS threshold for most displays, and the visual uplift from Medium to High is noticeable in a game like Control, which features detailed environments and lighting. Ultra at 80 FPS is also viable, but the marginal gains over High may not justify the extra GPU load, especially if the user wants to maintain headroom for demanding scenes.

At 2560x1440, the situation tightens. Low settings produce 110 FPS, Medium produces 78 FPS, High produces 69 FPS, and Ultra drops to 60 FPS. The data suggests that Medium is the sweet spot for 1440p, as 78 FPS provides a fluid experience while retaining decent visual quality. High at 69 FPS is still playable, but it leaves little margin for drops in intense combat sequences. Ultra at 60 FPS is exactly at the threshold, but the measured average suggests that frame pacing could be inconsistent, making it a riskier choice. Low is overkill in terms of performance, as 110 FPS exceeds what most 1440p displays can show, but it sacrifices too much visual fidelity.

At 3840x2160, the options are limited. Low settings yield 74 FPS, Medium yields 53 FPS, High yields 47 FPS, and Ultra yields 41 FPS. For 4K, Low is the only setting that consistently stays above 60 FPS, but the visual compromise is significant. Medium at 53 FPS is acceptable for players who prioritize image quality over frame rate, but the 45 FPS minimum recorded for Medium at 4K suggests occasional stutters. High and Ultra are not recommended for 4K, as both fall below 50 FPS, which is generally considered too low for an action-adventure game with fast-paced combat. The data indicates that this combo is best suited for 1080p or 1440p gaming, with 4K reserved for Low or Medium settings if the user is willing to accept lower frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of this combo’s performance across all resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the averages are: Low at 145 FPS, Medium at 103 FPS with a min of 88 FPS and max of 119 FPS, High at 92 FPS, and Ultra at 80 FPS. The Medium setting’s min and max values indicate some frame variability, but the average is solid. The 1080p results show that the RTX 3060 Ti can handle Control’s demands at this resolution without breaking a sweat, even at Ultra.

At 2560x1440, the averages are: Low at 110 FPS, Medium at 78 FPS with a min of 66 FPS and max of 90 FPS, High at 69 FPS, and Ultra at 60 FPS. The Medium min of 66 FPS is still above the 60 FPS threshold, but the 24 FPS range between min and max shows that frame times can vary. High and Ultra remain playable, but the margin for error is thin. The 1440p results suggest that this resolution is the practical ceiling for this combo if the user wants to maintain high settings.

At 3840x2160, the averages are: Low at 74 FPS, Medium at 53 FPS with a min of 45 FPS and max of 61 FPS, High at 47 FPS, and Ultra at 41 FPS. The Medium min of 45 FPS is a significant drop, indicating that 4K gaming with this GPU is a compromise. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 33 FPS, which shows how much the settings impact performance when the GPU is under heavy load. The data reveals that this combo is not designed for 4K Ultra gaming; it can manage 4K Low comfortably, but anything higher requires accepting sub-60 FPS averages.

FAQ

Q: What is the combo’s rank in Control compared to other tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 1384 out of 2888 tested combinations, placing it in the middle of the pack.

Q: How does the CPU’s performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F has an average benchmark score of 69996, which is 0.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX (69875), 0.2% lower than the Intel Core i7-14700KF (70163), 0.7% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (69515), and 0.9% higher than the Intel Core i7-14700K (69355).

Q: What is the GPU’s memory configuration, and how does it affect 4K performance?

A: The RTX 3060 Ti has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus with 448.0 GB/s bandwidth. At 3840x2160, this memory capacity appears to limit performance, as Ultra settings yield only 41 FPS average.

Q: Which resolution provides the best balance of performance and visual quality?

A: The data shows that 2560x1440 with Medium settings delivers 78 FPS average, which is above the 60 FPS threshold while maintaining decent visual fidelity. At 1080p, High settings at 92 FPS offer a similar balance.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU at any resolution?

A: No, the resolution scaling data shows consistent ~50% FPS drops from 1080p to 4K across all settings, indicating the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU’s 8 cores and 16 threads with a 5.50 GHz boost clock provide ample headroom.

Q: What is the GPU’s percentile ranking among all GPUs?

A: The RTX 3060 Ti is in the 59th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 16129. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 9060, scores 16014, which is 0.7% lower.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F is a desktop processor from the 9000 series, built on the Zen 5 architecture with the codename Granite Ridge. It features 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. The CPU is manufactured on a 4 nm process by TSMC, with 8,315 million transistors on a 70.6 mm² die. Its cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU supports DDR5 memory on a dual-channel bus with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth, and it uses the AMD Socket AM5. It has a TDP of 65 W, a PCIe Gen 5 interface with 24 lanes, and an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. The launch MSRP is $289.

In Control, the CPU’s role is to handle game logic, physics calculations, and AI, which the 8-core, 16-thread configuration handles with ease. The CPU’s benchmark scores are impressive: it scores 36470 in Passmark Multithread, 4691 in Passmark Single Thread, and 2122 in Passmark Physics. It also scores 421988 in Passmark Data Compression and 21488 in Passmark Data Encryption. These numbers place the CPU in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 69996. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-14700KF, scores 70163, which is only 0.2% higher, showing that the 9700F is competitive with top-tier desktop processors.

However, in this game, the CPU’s high performance does not translate into equally high frame rates because Control is GPU-bound. The measured FPS data shows that even at 1080p Low, the combo reaches 145 FPS, which is high but not exceptional for a CPU with this much power. At 4K Ultra, the CPU is likely idle waiting for the GPU to render frames, as the 41 FPS average is far below what the CPU could theoretically support. The CPU’s 32 MB of L3 cache and 89.6 GB/s memory bandwidth ensure that data flows quickly to the GPU, but the GPU’s 448.0 GB/s bandwidth is the limiting factor for memory-intensive tasks like texture loading at high resolutions. The CPU’s 5.50 GHz boost clock is more than sufficient for Control’s single-threaded and multi-threaded workloads, and the data shows no evidence of CPU bottlenecking at any resolution or setting. The combo’s rank of 1384 out of 2888 is thus a reflection of the GPU’s mid-pack performance, not the CPU’s, which is a top-tier component in its own right.