Control

This combo pairs AMD's top-tier Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor with the last-generation Radeon RX 5700 XT graphics card. The benchmark data for Control shows a system where the GPU is the clear performance ceiling, while the CPU provides enough headroom to avoid becoming a bottleneck at most settings. The result is a playable experience at 1080p and 1440p, with 4K requiring significant settings compromises.

How This Combo Ranks

The measured performance of this CPU-GPU pairing in Control places it at rank 1171 out of 1636 tested combos. This percentile position, roughly the 28th percentile, indicates that while the system is functional, it sits in the lower half of all tested configurations for this specific game. The ranking is heavily influenced by the graphics card, as the RX 5700 XT is a previous-generation part that holds back the modern CPU’s potential.

Looking at the individual component benchmarks, the CPU is not the limiting factor. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D scores in the 90th percentile against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 37780. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon 6353P (37811, -0.1% delta), Intel Core Ultra 5 225 (37831, -0.1% delta), and Intel Core i9-13900HK (38020, -0.6% delta). These are all extremely close scores, showing the 9800X3D is at the top of the CPU performance heap.

The GPU tells a different story. The RX 5700 XT sits in the 68th percentile against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 24731. Its closest competitors are the NVIDIA RTX A5000 Mobile (24763, -0.1% delta), Intel Arc A350M (24647, 0.3% delta), and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile (24592, 0.6% delta). The low delta percentages between these rivals show that this GPU performs in a tightly clustered group, but the overall percentile confirms it is a mid-range part. This combination of a top-tier CPU and mid-range GPU results in the system being ranked lower than the CPU alone would suggest.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is the strongest component in this pairing. It features 8 cores and 16 threads, built on the Zen 5 architecture with a 4 nm process. The base clock is 4.70 GHz, boosting up to 5.20 GHz. This high clock speed, combined with a substantial 96 MB of shared L3 cache, gives the CPU exceptional single-threaded performance that many games rely on.

Benchmark results confirm the CPU’s strength. In Cinebench R23, it scores 34004 multi-core and 4800 single-core. Geekbench shows 18413 multi-core and 3341 single-core. The 3DMark tests reveal scaling: 2394 for 2 threads, 4669 for 4 threads, 8252 for 8 threads, and 10067 for max threads. This scaling pattern shows the processor efficiently uses its cores, though the jump from 8 threads to max threads is minimal, indicating the 8-core/16-thread configuration is well-utilized.

In Control, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and physics calculations. Given the game is from 2019, it does not require the absolute latest CPU features. The 9800X3D has more than enough processing power for this title. The data suggests the CPU is never the bottleneck at any resolution tested. Even at 1080p Low, where the GPU is least stressed, the CPU can push frame rates to 118.9 FPS, which is well within the range where the CPU could be a limiting factor, but the results show it keeps up.

The CPU’s memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s with DDR5 support and PCIe Gen 5 lanes ensure that data transfer to the GPU is not constrained. The 120W TDP is modest for the performance level, allowing sustained boost clocks during long gaming sessions.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT is the performance limiter in this combo. It uses the Navi 10 chip on the RDNA 1.0 architecture, manufactured on a 7 nm process. The GPU has a base clock of 1605 MHz, a game clock of 1755 MHz, and a boost clock of 1905 MHz. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s.

The 2560 shading units, 160 texture units, and 64 ROPs are configured to deliver 9.754 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. This is respectable for its generation, but the RDNA 1.0 architecture lacks the ray tracing cores found in newer cards. The GPU supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, which covers the API requirements for Control.

The GPU’s benchmark scores show its mid-range position. In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, it scores 2134. Passmark results show 16277 for G3D and 7650 for GPU compute. The Geekbench scores are 93691 for Metal, 77773 for OpenCL, and 73091 for Vulkan. These results place it in the 68th percentile, confirming it is a capable but not high-end part.

For Control, the RX 5700 XT’s 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for this game, but the raw compute power is what limits performance. At 4K Ultra, the GPU averages only 32.7 FPS, showing it cannot handle the pixel count and settings together. The boost clock of 1905 MHz helps at lower resolutions, but the GPU’s age shows when the resolution increases. The 225W TDP and dual-slot design are typical for this performance class, and the 550W suggested PSU is adequate for a system with this CPU.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates show a clear pattern across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers playable performance across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 118.9 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. Medium settings drop to 85.7 FPS, High settings to 76.7 FPS, and Ultra to 66.8 FPS. All 1080p results are above 60 FPS, making this resolution the sweet spot for this combo.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance remains respectable but starts to show the GPU’s limitations. Low settings average 91 FPS, which is still excellent. Medium settings drop to 61.3 FPS, just above the 60 FPS threshold. High settings average 55.9 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. Ultra settings drop to 48.1 FPS, which may feel less smooth.

At 3840x2160, the GPU struggles. Low settings average 60.7 FPS, barely hitting the 60 FPS mark. Medium settings drop to 44.7 FPS, High settings to 34.4 FPS, and Ultra to 32.7 FPS. These 4K results show that the RX 5700 XT cannot maintain high frame rates at this resolution without significant settings reductions.

The progression from Low to Ultra at each resolution shows a consistent performance penalty. At 1080p, the drop from Low to Ultra is 52.1 FPS (118.9 to 66.8). At 1440p, the drop is 42.9 FPS (91 to 48.1). At 4K, the drop is 28 FPS (60.7 to 32.7). This narrowing delta at higher resolutions suggests the GPU becomes the primary constraint, with settings having less relative impact.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the bottleneck clearly. At High settings, the FPS drops from 76.7 at 1080p to 55.9 at 1440p (a 27% decrease) and further to 34.4 at 4K (a 55% decrease from 1080p). This steep drop-off indicates the GPU is the limiting component, as the CPU is more than capable of handling the increased resolution demands.

At Low settings, the scaling is similar: 118.9 FPS at 1080p, 91 at 1440p, and 60.7 at 4K. The 4K result being just above 60 FPS shows that even at the lowest settings, the GPU is working near its maximum capacity. The CPU’s strong performance does not compensate for the GPU’s inability to process more pixels.

The data suggests that the Ryzen 7 9800X3D is severely underutilized in this pairing. At 1080p Low, the CPU could likely push much higher frame rates if paired with a stronger GPU. The 118.9 FPS result is likely not CPU-limited, but rather GPU-limited at the rendering load. As resolution increases, the CPU’s role diminishes further, and the RX 5700 XT becomes the sole determinant of performance.

For a 4K display, this combo requires Low settings to achieve a playable 60 FPS. For 1440p, High settings are acceptable at just below 60 FPS, but Medium settings provide a safer margin. At 1080p, all settings are playable, making this the recommended resolution for this hardware pairing.

FAQ

Q: Is this combo good for playing Control at 1080p?

A: Yes, the data shows all settings at 1920x1080 produce averages above 60 FPS. Low settings hit 118.9 FPS, Medium 85.7 FPS, High 76.7 FPS, and Ultra 66.8 FPS.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Control?

A: At 3840x2160, only Low settings achieve 60.7 FPS. Medium drops to 44.7 FPS, High to 34.4 FPS, and Ultra to 32.7 FPS, so 4K requires Low settings for smooth play.

Q: Which component limits performance in this combo?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU scores in the 90th percentile, while the GPU sits in the 68th percentile. The steep FPS drop at higher resolutions confirms the GPU cannot keep up with the CPU’s capability.

Q: What is the best settings profile for 1440p?

A: Medium settings at 61.3 FPS is the best balance for smooth gameplay. High settings at 55.9 FPS is playable, but Low at 91 FPS is the only setting that provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS.

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

A: The Ryzen 7 9800X3D averages 37780, which is within 0.7% of the Intel Core i5-13600KF (38028) and Intel Core i9-13900HK (38020). It effectively ties with the Intel Xeon 6353P (37811).

Q: Is the 8 GB VRAM on the GPU sufficient for this game?

A: The measured results show the VRAM is not a limiting factor in Control. The performance drops at 4K are due to compute limitations, not memory capacity, as the game runs within the 8 GB allocation at all tested settings.