Control

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is a combination with a clear split personality. The CPU is a modern, high-end powerhouse, while the GPU is a capable but older mainstream part. In Control, this pairing produces a system that is heavily constrained by the graphics card, especially at higher resolutions and settings. The data shows a predictable scaling pattern where the GPU dictates performance, leaving the CPU with plenty of headroom.

FAQ

*Q: Is this combo capable of running Control at 1920x1080?*

A: Yes, the measured results show playable frame rates across all settings at this resolution. The average FPS ranges from 52.0 at Ultra to 91.5 at Low, with High and Medium settings landing at 56.6 and 62.9 respectively.

*Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Control?*

A: Based on the data, 1920x1080 is clearly the optimal resolution. It is the only resolution where the average FPS exceeds 60 on any preset, achieving 91.5 at Low and 67.1 at 2560x1440 Low.

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

A: The Ryzen 7 9700X is essentially tied with its closest competitors. It is 0.2% faster than the Intel Core i5-14500HX and 0.6% faster than the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845, but 0.4% slower than the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H and 0.8% slower than the Intel Core Ultra 5 225H.

Q: What is the GPU's performance percentile, and what does that mean?

A: The GTX 1660 SUPER has a percentile of 55 against all GPUs. This means it performs better than 55% of all tested GPUs, placing it in the middle of the pack, which aligns with its measured performance in Control.

Q: How much VRAM does the GPU have, and is it sufficient?

A: The GPU has 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus. This is a limiting factor, as the benchmark results show performance dropping significantly at 3840x2160, likely due to VRAM capacity and bandwidth constraints.

Q: What kind of performance jump is seen from High to Low settings at 2560x1440?

A: The data shows a substantial difference. At 2560x1440, the average FPS increases from 45.4 on High to 67.1 on Low, a gain of 21.7 FPS, or roughly 48% more performance.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Control, this specific pairing of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER ranks at position 1457 out of 1636 total combos. This places it in the lower 11th percentile of all tested systems, indicating that while it is a functional configuration, it is not a top performer for this specific title. The rank is heavily influenced by the GPU's performance ceiling. The CPU, being in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, is not the limiting factor; the GTX 1660 SUPER, which sits in the 55th percentile of all GPUs, holds the combo back. This disparity is the defining characteristic of this pairing, making it a CPU-heavy system that is bottlenecked by its graphics card in Control.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is the primary determinant of frame rates in Control. It features a base clock of 1530 MHz and a boost clock of 1785 MHz, paired with 6 GB of GDDR6 memory running at an effective 14 Gbps. The memory interface is 192-bit, providing a bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s. These specifications are moderate by today's standards and directly impact the game's performance. The GPU's 125 W TDP and 300 W suggested PSU requirement are important for system planning, but its 12 nm Turing architecture and 55th percentile ranking against all GPUs set expectations for mid-range performance.

The benchmark data shows a clear correlation between the GPU's workload and frame rates. At 1920x1080, the GPU can handle the game well, but as resolution increases, the load on the GPU's shading units and memory subsystem grows, leading to a significant performance drop. The 6 GB VRAM buffer is a potential bottleneck at higher resolutions, as the game's textures and assets may exceed this capacity, causing performance to degrade. The GTX 1660 SUPER is the clear limiting factor in this combo; the CPU has far more headroom than the GPU can utilize.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the combo's performance across different resolutions and settings. At 3840x2160 (4K), the system struggles to maintain playable frame rates. The average FPS is 23.0 on Ultra, 29.5 on High, 34.0 on Medium, and 43.4 on Low. None of these settings reach 60 FPS, and even Low settings produce a sub-60 experience, making 4K impractical for smooth gameplay.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the results are mixed. The average FPS is 40.7 on Ultra, 45.4 on High, 49.5 on Medium, and 67.1 on Low. This shows that the system can achieve a playable 60 FPS only on the Low preset. For gamers aiming for higher quality settings at 1440p, they will have to accept frame rates in the 40s and 50s, which may be acceptable for a slower-paced action-adventure title but will not be ideal for competitive play.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the combo performs much better. The average FPS is 52.0 on Ultra, 56.6 on High, 62.9 on Medium, and 91.5 on Low. This is the only resolution where the system can consistently exceed 60 FPS, and it does so on the Medium and Low presets. The jump from High to Low is significant, but the step from Medium to High is smaller, suggesting that the most efficient performance gains come from dropping from High to Medium settings.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X is a high-performance processor that is not a bottleneck in this configuration. It is a Zen 5 architecture chip with 8 cores and 16 threads, a base clock of 3.80 GHz, and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. This CPU is in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 36029. Its multi-threaded capabilities are strong, as shown by its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 31588 and Geekbench multicore score of 17002. Single-thread performance is also excellent, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4459.

For Control, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with data. The 9700X has far more performance than the GTX 1660 SUPER can utilize. The data shows that at 1920x1080 Low, where the GPU load is lowest, the system achieves 91.5 FPS. This is a CPU-bound scenario, and the 9700X handles it without issue. In all other tested scenarios, the frame rate is dictated by the GPU. The CPU's 32 MB of shared L3 cache and 89.6 GB/s memory bandwidth are sufficient for the game's demands. This CPU will not be the cause of any frame rate drops; the GPU is the sole performance gate.

Settings Recommendations

Given the measured data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the user's resolution and performance targets. For a smooth 60 FPS experience, the 1920x1080 Medium preset is the best choice, delivering an average of 62.9 FPS. This provides a solid balance between visual quality and performance. If visual fidelity is the priority and a 60 FPS target is not mandatory, 1920x1080 High at 56.6 FPS is a viable option, offering better image quality with only a slight performance cost.

At 2560x1440, the system is not capable of sustaining 60 FPS on higher presets. The 2560x1440 Low preset is the only one that achieves a playable 67.1 FPS average. For users who insist on higher quality, 2560x1440 Medium at 49.5 FPS is the best compromise, but they should be prepared for a less fluid experience. For 3840x2160, the system is not recommended for this game, as even the 3840x2160 Low preset only yields 43.4 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. The data clearly indicates that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can offer a good experience on Medium or High settings.