Control

This pairing of the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is a top-tier combination for playing Control. The benchmark data shows this system delivers excellent frame rates across all settings, though the specific performance characteristics reveal a clear division of labor between the CPU and GPU depending on resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

The data places this specific CPU and GPU combination at rank 283 out of 3720 tested combos for Control. This means it sits in the top 7.6% of all configurations in the database, a strong showing for a high-end desktop setup. The ranking reflects a system that is not at the absolute peak of performance but is firmly within the upper echelon, offering a smooth experience for the vast majority of players.

This rank is particularly impressive when considering the components' individual standings in their respective markets. The CPU holds an 87th percentile ranking against all tested CPUs, while the GPU sits at the 86th percentile against all GPUs. The combination of two components that each outperform 86-87% of their peers results in a synergistic pairing that lands in the top 8% of combos for this specific game. It indicates that neither component is a bottleneck in a way that would drag the overall rank down; instead, they work well together to produce high frame rates.

Looking at the nearest rivals for the CPU, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D's average benchmark score of 39768 is remarkably close to its closest competitors. It is only 0.4% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840HS (score 39603) and 0.7% ahead of the AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 (score 39485). Conversely, it trails the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 by 0.7% (score 40048) and the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 by 0.8% (score 40081). These tiny deltas suggest that in general synthetic workloads, the raw compute is very similar to these other chips, but the 9800X3D's specific strengths, likely in gaming scenarios, contribute to its high combo ranking here.

The GPU's nearest rivals tell a similar story of a tightly contested market segment. The RTX 4080 SUPER's average score of 54209 is virtually identical to the standard RTX 4080, which is only 0.1% higher (score 54247). It is also within 1.1% of the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X (score 54828) and 2.7% behind the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB (score 55698). This indicates that the 4080 SUPER is a very competitive performer, and its high rank in this combo is a result of its own capabilities combined with the CPU's gaming prowess.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is the primary driver of visual fidelity in this setup. It is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture and features 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s. This large frame buffer is crucial for modern games at high resolutions and with high-detail textures. The GPU has a base clock of 2295 MHz and a boost clock of 2550 MHz, which are the speeds at which it operates during gameplay to produce the measured frames.

Its performance in Control shows a clear pattern: the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the frame rates are exceptionally high, but as the resolution increases to 1440p and then 4K, the average FPS drops significantly. This is a classic sign of the GPU reaching its computational limits and struggling to fill the increasing number of pixels. The data shows that while the CPU is more than capable of feeding the GPU at lower resolutions, the GPU's workload becomes the primary constraint as pixel count rises.

The GPU's benchmark scores support its strong gaming performance. Its Passmark G3D score is a substantial 34245, and its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 6600. In the context of the measured FPS, the RTX 4080 SUPER's role is to provide the raw rasterization power needed to maintain high frame rates. The difference between Low and Ultra settings at any resolution highlights the GPU's workload in handling effects, shadows, and reflections, which is directly tied to its shader and RT core capabilities.

Resolution Scaling

The benchmark results for Control show a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 245 at 1080p to 185 at 1440p and further to 125 at 4K. This represents a 24.5% drop when moving from 1080p to 1440p, and a 49.0% drop from 1080p to 4K. This scaling is characteristic of a system where the CPU is capable of delivering very high frame rates, but the GPU is increasingly taxed by the higher pixel output.

The pattern is similar at High settings, with average FPS of 155 at 1080p, 117 at 1440p, and 79 at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p is 24.5%, and from 1080p to 4K it is 49.0%. Interestingly, the relative performance drop is almost identical across Low and High settings, which suggests that the scaling is primarily resolution-bound rather than setting-bound. The GPU is being asked to do more work at higher resolutions, and the proportional increase in workload is consistent regardless of the quality preset.

This scaling behavior indicates that at 1080p, the system is likely CPU-bound, or at least not fully GPU-bound, as the frame rates are extremely high. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D, with its high single-thread performance (as indicated by a 3DMark single-thread score of 1212 and Passmark single-thread score of 4430), is able to push frame rates well past 200 FPS on low settings. However, as resolution increases, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, and the FPS scales down accordingly. The data strongly suggests that for a 4K gaming experience, the RTX 4080 SUPER is the component determining the final frame rate, while at 1080p, the CPU's potential is the ceiling.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at performance across three resolutions and four settings presets.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: The average frame rate is 245 FPS. This is an exceptionally high number, showing that the system has massive headroom at this resolution.
• Medium: The average FPS is 174, with a minimum of 148 and a maximum of 200. The jump from Low to Medium introduces a significant performance cost, indicating more demanding visual effects.
• High: The average FPS is 155. This is a substantial drop from Low but still provides a very smooth experience on high refresh rate monitors.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 134. This is the most demanding preset at 1080p, but the system still delivers frame rates well above the 60 FPS standard.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: The average FPS is 185, a 24.5% drop from the 1080p Low result. This shows the GPU is starting to work harder.
• Medium: The average FPS is 132, with a minimum of 112 and a maximum of 152. This is a 24.1% drop from the 1080p Medium result.
• High: The average FPS is 117, a 24.5% drop from 1080p High. This remains a very playable frame rate for competitive or fast-paced action.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 102. This is a 23.9% drop from 1080p Ultra and is still comfortably above 100 FPS, making it an excellent choice for high-refresh 1440p gaming.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: The average FPS is 125, a 49.0% drop from 1080p Low. This is still a high frame rate, but the significant drop shows the GPU is now the primary bottleneck.
• Medium: The average FPS is 89, with a minimum of 76 and a maximum of 102. This is a 48.9% drop from 1080p Medium and shows the system is now firmly in GPU-bound territory.
• High: The average FPS is 79, a 49.0% drop from 1080p High. This is a good result for 4K, providing a smooth experience for most games.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 69, a 48.5% drop from 1080p Ultra. This is the most demanding configuration tested, but it still manages to stay above the 60 FPS threshold.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the user's display resolution and refresh rate.

For 4K (3840x2160), the High preset is the best choice. It provides an average FPS of 79, which is a very smooth experience for a single-player action-adventure game. The Ultra preset dips to 69 FPS, which is lower and may be more susceptible to frame time spikes, though the data doesn't show minimums for this setting. The Medium preset at 89 FPS offers a noticeable performance boost over High, but the visual fidelity difference between Medium and High is often significant. Given that High provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS, it is the recommended sweet spot for a high-quality 4K experience.

For 1440p (2560x1440) users, Ultra settings are the clear recommendation. The average FPS of 102 is excellent, and the visual quality improvement over High is worthwhile when the system can handle it without issue. If a player has a 144Hz or higher refresh rate monitor, they could drop to High to achieve 117 FPS, but the difference may not be worth the reduction in visual fidelity for a game like Control.

For 1080p (1920x1080) gamers, the story is similar to 1440p. The Ultra preset at 134 FPS is the best option for the highest visual quality. This frame rate is well above 60 FPS and is also high enough to take advantage of 120Hz or 144Hz displays. If a player has a 240Hz monitor, they could consider the High preset at 155 FPS, but the sacrifice in visual quality is not recommended for a game that benefits from its atmospheric graphics. The Low preset at 245 FPS is only useful for extreme competitive play, which is not the target audience for this title.

FAQ

*Q: Can this system run Control at 4K with maximum settings?*

A: Yes, it can. The measured data shows an average FPS of 69 at 4K with the Ultra preset. This is above the 60 FPS threshold and provides a smooth experience, though it leaves less headroom than the High preset, which averages 79 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the system appears to be less GPU-bound than at higher resolutions. The extremely high frame rates, such as 245 FPS on Low, suggest the CPU's performance, with its high single-thread scores, is a significant factor in achieving these numbers, though the GPU is still working hard. The scaling to 4K shows a nearly 50% drop in FPS, indicating the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck as resolution increases.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 4K?

A: The performance loss is consistent across all settings, at approximately 49%. For example, at High settings, the average FPS drops from 155 at 1080p to 79 at 4K. This indicates that the workload scales almost linearly with the pixel count, which is expected for a GPU-bound scenario.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a 144Hz 1440p monitor?

A: The Ultra preset is the best choice. It delivers an average FPS of 102, which is below the 144Hz refresh rate but still provides a very smooth and responsive experience. Using the High preset increases the average to 117 FPS, which is closer to the monitor's refresh rate, but the loss in visual quality may not be worth the ~15% performance gain.

Q: How does this combo compare to other top-tier systems?

A: The data shows this combo ranks 283rd out of 3720 tested combos for Control, placing it in the top 8%. This is a high ranking, but not the absolute best. Its performance is close to systems with similar components, with its CPU and GPU both performing within a few percent of their nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks.

Q: Are the minimum FPS numbers available for all settings?

A: No. The data includes minimum and maximum FPS only for the Medium preset at each resolution. For example, at 4K Medium, the minimum is 76 FPS and the maximum is 102 FPS. For Low, High, and Ultra presets, only the average FPS is provided.