Control

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 combination in Control presents a clear case of GPU-limited performance at higher resolutions, with the data showing a dramatic and predictable drop in frame rates as pixel count increases. At 1080p, the combo delivers a highly playable 107 FPS on Low settings and 68 FPS on High, but scaling to 4K reduces these figures to 55 FPS and 35 FPS, respectively. This 4K-to-1080p ratio indicates that the RTX 2060 is the primary bottleneck, as the CPU's headroom becomes less relevant when the GPU is tasked with rendering nearly four times the pixels.

Resolution Scaling

The measured frame rates across resolutions tell a story of a component pairing where the GPU saturates well before the processor. At 1920x1080, the performance envelope is broad: from 107 FPS on Low to 59 FPS on Ultra. This spread of 48 FPS demonstrates that the RTX 2060 can still stretch its legs at this resolution, with settings having a massive impact on output. Moving to 2560x1440, the same settings range yields 81 FPS on Low and 45 FPS on Ultra, a narrower but still significant gap of 36 FPS. At 3840x2160, the ceiling collapses further: 55 FPS on Low down to 30 FPS on Ultra, a spread of just 25 FPS.

The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a 24% performance hit on High settings (68 to 51 FPS), while the jump from 1440p to 4K at High settings incurs a 31% drop (51 to 35 FPS). This non-linear degradation is typical of a GPU that is running out of memory bandwidth and shading throughput. The 6 GB VRAM and 192-bit memory bus on the RTX 2060, combined with its 336.0 GB/s bandwidth, are sufficient for 1080p but become strained at 4K, where texture and geometry demands multiply. The data suggests that 1080p is the sweet spot for this combo, with 1440p being a compromise, and 4K playable only on lower presets.

Notably, the minimum and maximum FPS data available only for Medium settings at each resolution reinforces this trend. At 1080p Medium, the combo fluctuates between 65 and 88 FPS, a 23 FPS variance. At 1440p Medium, it ranges from 49 to 66 FPS, and at 4K Medium, it drops to 33 to 45 FPS. This shrinking envelope at higher resolutions indicates that the GPU is not only slower but also less consistent, as it struggles to maintain frame pacing under load.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of tested configurations for Control, this pairing sits at rank 2950 out of 3720 combos. This placement in the 21st percentile of all tested systems is a direct reflection of the RTX 2060's age and tier. The GPU's percentileVsAllGpus score of 58 places it squarely in the mid-range, while the CPU's percentileVsAllCpus of 87 indicates a top-tier processor. This mismatch is the defining characteristic of the combo: a high-end CPU held back by a mid-range GPU.

The comboRankInGame data of 2950/3720 means that roughly 770 other combinations performed worse, but a significant majority of setups delivered higher frame rates. This ranking is not a verdict on playability but rather a measure of competitive standing. In a game like Control, which is known for its demanding physics and particle effects, this ranking suggests that the RTX 2060 is the limiting factor preventing the system from reaching the upper echelons of performance. The CPU's power is largely untapped in this scenario, as the GPU becomes the ceiling at all resolutions above 1080p.

Comparatively, the GPU's nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks—the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 (0% delta), AMD Radeon 680M (0.1% delta), and RTX 3050 OEM (0.6% delta)—all score within a fraction of a percent of the RTX 2060. This clustering indicates that the RTX 2060's raw compute is closely matched by older and integrated solutions, explaining its mid-pack ranking in Control. The CPU, on the other hand, is nearly 0.5% faster than the Intel Core i7-14650HX in average benchmark score, showcasing its dominance, but this does not translate to in-game leadership due to the GPU bottleneck.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Vermeer, and built on a 7 nm process. With a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, it offers substantial single-thread and multi-thread performance. Its benchmark scores reflect this: a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 16262 and a single-core score of 1527, alongside a Geekbench multicore score of 14118. These are elite numbers, placing the CPU in the 87th percentile of all processors.

In Control, however, the CPU's role is secondary. The game's engine is optimized to leverage multiple cores, but the measured FPS data does not show a scenario where the CPU becomes the bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 107 FPS, which is likely near the engine's frame rate ceiling given the GPU's capabilities. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see more consistent frame rates across lower resolutions and settings, but instead, we see a clear scaling with GPU load. The CPU's 64 MB of L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support at 51.2 GB/s provide ample bandwidth to feed the GPU, but the RTX 2060's 6 GB VRAM fills up quickly at higher settings, causing the GPU to wait on texture swaps.

The 3DMark scores further highlight the CPU's prowess: a max-thread score of 10075 and a single-thread score of 941. These numbers suggest that the 5900X can handle any physics or AI calculations Control throws at it without breaking a sweat. The PassMark multithread score of 39002 and data compression score of 499968 underscore its productivity strengths, but in gaming, these are largely irrelevant when the GPU is the constraining factor. The conclusion is that the CPU is overqualified for this pairing, and its performance headroom is wasted in Control at all tested settings.

FAQ

*Q: What is the maximum average FPS achievable with this combo in Control?*

A: The highest recorded average FPS is 107 at 1920x1080 with Low settings. At 4K with Ultra settings, the average drops to 30 FPS.

*Q: Is this CPU or GPU the bottleneck in Control?*

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck. At 4K, the average FPS drops from 55 on Low to 30 on Ultra, showing a clear GPU limit. The CPU's high benchmark scores do not translate to higher frame rates at higher resolutions.

*Q: How does this combo rank against other tested systems in Control?*

A: It ranks 2950th out of 3720 tested combos, placing it in the bottom 21% of all configurations for this game.

*Q: Can this system handle 1440p gaming in Control?*

A: Yes, but with compromises. At 1440p, the combo achieves 81 FPS on Low and 51 FPS on High, which is playable, but Ultra settings drop to 45 FPS, which may not be ideal for fast-paced action.

Q: What is the performance difference between 1080p and 4K at High settings?

A: The average FPS drops from 68 at 1080p to 35 at 4K, a 49% reduction in frame rate, illustrating the GPU's struggle at higher resolutions.

Q: Does the CPU's 12-core/24-thread configuration provide any benefit in this game?

A: While the CPU is highly capable with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 16262, the game's measured FPS does not show a scenario where the CPU is the limiting factor. The GPU saturates first, so the extra cores are not utilized to their full potential in Control.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is a Turing-architecture GPU with 1920 shading units, 120 texture mapping units, and 48 ROPs. It features 30 RT cores and 240 tensor cores, though Control's measured data does not isolate ray tracing performance. The GPU's base clock is 1365 MHz with a boost clock of 1680 MHz, and it is paired with 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s. Its FP32 performance is rated at 6.451 TFLOPS, which is modest by modern standards.

In Control, the GPU's 6 GB VRAM is a critical constraint. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is just 30, which is barely playable, and the lack of min FPS data for this setting suggests instability. The GPU's passmark G3D score of 14111 and DirectX 12 score of 53 indicate mid-range performance, aligning with its 58th percentile standing. The RTX 2060's nearest rival, the GTX 580, scores virtually identically in synthetic benchmarks, but the RTX 2060 offers architectural advantages like DirectX 12 Ultimate support and ray tracing capabilities, which are not reflected in the raw FPS numbers.

The GPU's performance in Control is consistent with its hardware profile. At 1080p, it delivers smooth frame rates across all presets, but the gap between Low and Ultra (107 vs 59 FPS) shows that it lacks the raw horsepower to maintain high frame rates with maximum effects. At 1440p, the situation worsens, and at 4K, it becomes a slideshow on higher settings. The GPU's 160 W TDP and dual-slot design are typical for this class, but the data makes it clear that it is a 1080p-oriented card for demanding titles like Control.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience balances visual fidelity with playable frame rates. For 1080p, the High preset at 68 FPS is the best choice, offering a significant visual upgrade over Low (107 FPS) while maintaining a smooth frame rate. The Ultra preset at 59 FPS is also viable, but the 9 FPS drop from High may not justify the marginal visual gains. Medium at 76 FPS is a solid fallback if you prefer higher frame rates, but High provides a better overall package.

For 1440p, the recommendation shifts to Medium settings, which deliver 58 FPS. This is a playable frame rate, and the 49 FPS minimum ensures consistency. High at 51 FPS is acceptable, but the 7 FPS difference between High and Medium is noticeable during intense combat sequences. Low at 81 FPS is the choice for competitive play, but it sacrifices too much visual detail for a single-player action-adventure game. Ultra at 45 FPS is not recommended due to the risk of frame drops.

At 4K, the data strongly advises against High or Ultra presets, as they yield 35 FPS and 30 FPS, respectively. The Medium preset at 39 FPS is the only viable option, but even this is borderline. Low at 55 FPS is the only preset that approaches playability, but the visual downgrade is severe. The conclusion is that this combo is not suited for 4K gaming in Control; users should either drop to 1440p or accept Low settings at 4K. The Medium preset at 1440p offers the best compromise between visual quality and performance across all measured configurations.