Control

The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT secures a mid-pack position in our Control benchmark database, ranking 919th out of 1,636 tested combos. This places the pairing in the 56th percentile of all configurations, indicating that while it is not a top-tier performer for this title, it sits comfortably above the median. The combination leverages a high-end 16-core processor with a mid-range RDNA 2 graphics card, and the data shows a system that is more constrained by the GPU than the CPU in most scenarios. The overall rank reflects a balanced setup that prioritizes consistent frame rates over maximum graphical fidelity, making it a dependable, if not record-breaking, choice for Control.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 919 out of 1,636 tested configurations places it in the middle of the field, a result that aligns with the individual component percentiles. The Ryzen 9 5950X sits in the 93rd percentile against all CPUs, while the RX 6700 XT lands in the 77th percentile against all GPUs. This disparity suggests the CPU is capable of driving higher performance, but the GPU becomes the limiting factor in this pairing. The combo’s overall standing is therefore a reflection of the GPU’s mid-range positioning rather than any deficiency in the processor.

When comparing the CPU to its nearest rivals, the data shows a tightly clustered group. The Intel Core i5-14600K posts an average score 0.2% higher, while the Intel Core i5-14600KF is 0.6% ahead. The AMD EPYC 4345P leads the group at 1.1% higher, and the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H trails by 0.7%. These sub-2% deltas indicate that the 5950X’s multi-threaded performance is virtually indistinguishable from these competitors in synthetic benchmarks, reinforcing that the CPU is not the bottleneck for this game.

For the GPU, the rivalry is equally close. The AMD Radeon RX 6800 scores 0.7% higher, while the NVIDIA RTX A5000 is 1.3% higher. Interestingly, older AMD cards like the Radeon HD 7950 and RX 480 both show scores 1% higher, which highlights the importance of driver optimization and game-specific scaling over raw architectural superiority. The RX 6700 XT’s 77th percentile ranking is solid, but the data suggests that in Control, the GPU’s performance is closely matched with both its direct successor and legacy hardware.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT is built on the RDNA 2.0 architecture with the Navi 22 chip, manufactured on a 7 nm process at TSMC. It features 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 384.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The memory clock runs at 2000 MHz with 16 Gbps effective speed, while the GPU’s base clock is 2321 MHz, boosting to 2581 MHz, and the game clock is set at 2424 MHz. These specifications position the card as a capable 1440p performer, which is reflected in the measured FPS data.

In Control, the GPU’s role is dominant across all resolutions. At 4K with High settings, the card produces an average of 43.6 FPS, which drops to 38.5 FPS at Ultra. The gap between Low and Ultra settings at 4K is substantial, with Low delivering 71.4 FPS against Ultra’s 38.5 FPS—a 46% performance swing. This indicates that the card’s 12 GB VRAM and 384.0 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for the game’s textures, but the raw compute power of 13.21 TFLOPS FP32 is the limiting factor at higher presets.

The GPU’s 40 ray tracing cores are present, but Control’s implementation of ray tracing is not separately benchmarked here. The card’s pixel rate of 165.2 GPixel/s and texture rate of 413.0 GTexel/s provide ample fill rate for the game’s physics-heavy environments. The data shows that the RX 6700 XT is best utilized at 1440p, where it achieves 68.3 FPS at High and 57.6 FPS at Ultra, making it a viable option for high-refresh-rate monitors at this resolution.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X is a 16-core, 32-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Vermeer, and built on a 7 nm process at TSMC. Its base clock is 3.40 GHz with a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, and it features a 64 MB L3 cache along with 512 KB L2 per core. The CPU supports DDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus and 51.2 GB/s bandwidth, and it connects via PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes. These specifications make it a powerhouse for multi-threaded workloads, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 38,607 and Geekbench multi-core score of 12,084.

In Control, the CPU’s role is less prominent than the GPU’s, but its performance ceiling ensures it never becomes a bottleneck. The 5950X’s single-thread score of 5450 in Cinebench R23 and 944 in 3DMark single-thread indicate strong per-core performance, which is crucial for a game that relies on a primary game thread. The 16 cores and 32 threads provide ample headroom for background tasks and the game’s physics simulation, but the measured FPS data shows that the GPU is the primary driver of frame rates.

The CPU’s percentile ranking of 93rd against all CPUs confirms its high-end status, yet its nearest rivals show negligible differences in average scores. The Intel Core i5-14600K, for instance, is just 0.2% faster, suggesting that for Control, a 6-core consumer chip is nearly equivalent to the 16-core 5950X. This is typical for a game that is not heavily multi-threaded, and it underscores that the combo’s rank is dictated by the GPU’s mid-range performance rather than the CPU’s capabilities.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combo reveals a clear scaling pattern across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the RX 6700 XT delivers its highest frame rates, with Low settings producing 142.7 FPS average. This drops to 102.8 FPS at Medium, 88.1 FPS at High, and 77.9 FPS at Ultra. The 64.8 FPS difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p demonstrates the GPU’s sensitivity to graphical presets, with each step up in quality costing roughly 15-20% performance.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain playable but show a notable decline. Low settings yield 109.4 FPS, which is still excellent for competitive play, while Medium produces 73.6 FPS and High delivers 68.3 FPS. Ultra settings drop to 57.6 FPS, which is the threshold for 60 FPS gaming and suggests that users may need to dial back to High for a smoother experience. The 51.8 FPS gap between Low and Ultra at this resolution shows that the GPU’s 12 GB VRAM is sufficient, but its compute power is taxed by higher presets.

At 3840x2160, the card struggles to maintain high frame rates. Low settings produce 71.4 FPS, which is impressive for 4K, but Medium drops to 49.3 FPS, High to 43.6 FPS, and Ultra to 38.5 FPS. The 32.9 FPS difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is the smallest of the three resolutions, indicating that the GPU is becoming compute-bound rather than memory-bound. For 4K gaming, the data suggests that Low settings are the only viable option for smooth gameplay, while 1440p and 1080p offer more flexibility across presets.

FAQ

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

A: The combo ranks 919th out of 1,636 tested configurations, placing it in the 56th percentile. This is a mid-pack result, reflecting the GPU’s mid-range positioning rather than the CPU’s high-end capabilities.

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

A: The data shows that 2560x1440 is the sweet spot. At High settings, the combo achieves 68.3 FPS, and at Ultra it maintains 57.6 FPS, making it suitable for high-refresh-rate monitors without sacrificing visual quality.

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

A: At 4K, the combo is limited. Low settings produce 71.4 FPS, but Medium drops to 49.3 FPS, High to 43.6 FPS, and Ultra to 38.5 FPS. For 4K, low settings are the only viable option for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the RX 6700 XT compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RX 6700 XT scores within 1.3% of its closest competitors. The AMD Radeon RX 6800 is 0.7% higher, the NVIDIA RTX A5000 is 1.3% higher, and both the AMD Radeon HD 7950 and RX 480 are 1% higher.

Q: Is the Ryzen 9 5950X a bottleneck for this GPU in Control?

A: No, the data does not indicate a CPU bottleneck. The 5950X ranks in the 93rd percentile for CPUs, and its nearest rivals show less than 1.1% performance differences, confirming that the GPU is the limiting factor.

Q: What is the FPS difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, Low settings produce 142.7 FPS, while Ultra produces 77.9 FPS. This represents a 64.8 FPS difference, showing significant performance scaling with graphical presets.