Control

The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER delivers a distinctly GPU-bound experience in Control, with the CPU's substantial 16-core, 32-thread configuration providing ample headroom that never becomes the primary constraint in the measured scenarios. The data indicates a processor that ranks in the 93rd percentile against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 49062, placing it within a whisker of the Intel Core i5-14600K which posts a nearly identical 49166 average score, a delta of just -0.2%. This close parity in synthetic workloads suggests that in a game like Control, which relies more heavily on GPU throughput than on multi-threaded CPU muscle, the Ryzen 9's additional cores over a 14th-gen Intel part are largely irrelevant to frame rates.

The CPU's clock speeds, with a base of 3.40 GHz and a boost of 4.90 GHz, are more than sufficient for the game's single-threaded demands, as evidenced by a 3dmark single-thread score of 944 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 5450. While the processor can deliver massive multi-threaded performance—a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 38607—the game's frame rates scale far more dramatically with GPU settings changes than with any CPU-related variable. The 5950X is effectively a non-factor in this pairing; it is a top-tier desktop part that provides a massive computational cushion, but the benchmark results show that the RTX 2070 SUPER is what determines playability, so the CPU's role here is to ensure that no frame pacing or draw-call bottlenecks emerge, which its high boost clock and Zen 3 architecture handle with ease.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is the definitive performance limiter in this configuration, and its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus with 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth is a critical factor in the game's higher resolution and quality presets. The GPU's architecture, based on the TU104 chip with 2560 shading units, operates at a base clock of 1605 MHz and a boost of 1770 MHz, delivering a peak FP32 throughput of 9.062 TFLOPS. This places the card in the 65th percentile against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 22206, sitting between the NVIDIA RTX A400 which scores 22307 (a 0.5% difference) and the AMD Radeon RX 5700 which scores 21670 (a 2.5% difference).

Examining the measured frame rates, the GPU's workload scales predictably with settings. At 1080p, the card manages a solid 84.6 FPS on High, but this drops to 73.6 FPS on Ultra, showing that the 8 GB VRAM buffer and the card's compute power are already being taxed by the game's higher-end effects. The most telling sign of GPU dominance is the performance cliff at 4K with Ultra settings, where the average FPS falls to 35.4, a figure that indicates the card is thoroughly saturated. The RTX 2070 SUPER's ray tracing and tensor cores, 40 and 320 respectively, are present but are not the primary drivers of the performance in these rasterized benchmarks; the raw fill rate and shader throughput dictate the results, and the data shows that the card's limits are reached well before the CPU's capabilities are even approached.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and consistent pattern of GPU-bound scaling across the three resolutions, with the RTX 2070 SUPER's performance eroding as pixel count increases. At 1080p with High settings, the combo achieves 84.6 FPS, which is a very playable figure, but moving to 1440p drops that number to 60.8 FPS, a reduction of 23.8 FPS, and then to 4K, it falls further to 44.1 FPS. This scaling behavior is a textbook example of a GPU-limited system: the CPU is not the bottleneck at any point, as the frame rate losses are directly proportional to the increased rendering load on the graphics card.

The percentage drops are steepest at the highest quality presets. For instance, at 1080p, moving from High to Ultra only costs 11 FPS (from 84.6 to 73.6), but at 4K, the same settings jump costs 8.7 FPS (from 44.1 to 35.4), which is a larger relative penalty. The Low preset at 1080p yields a high 130 FPS, but at 4K Low, the card still manages 67 FPS, indicating that the GPU's raw compute is sufficient for lighter loads but its memory bandwidth and shader throughput get overwhelmed by the game's more demanding visual features. The data strongly suggests that the limiting component is the GPU, as the frame rates scale almost exclusively with resolution and settings, with no evidence of a CPU ceiling being hit, even at the lowest tested settings where the CPU would have to feed frames as fast as possible.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of tested combinations for Control, this pairing of the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER ranks at 985 out of 1636 total combos. This places it in the lower-middle tier of all tested systems, which is a reflection of the GPU's age and performance class rather than any deficiency in the CPU. The rank is heavily influenced by the GPU's 65th percentile standing, as the 5950X alone would rank much higher, but the overall combo score is dragged down by the graphics card's limitations in more demanding scenarios.

The combo's position suggests that while it is capable of running the game, it is not a high-end pairing by modern standards. The benchmarks show that the GPU's nearest rivals, such as the RTX 4060 Mobile which scores 22729 on average (a 2.3% delta), are not significantly faster, confirming that the 2070 SUPER is a mid-range performer in the current landscape. For a system with a top-tier 16-core CPU, the 985th rank is a clear indication that the graphics card is the weak link, and the measured FPS data at 4K Ultra, where the combo produces only 35.4 FPS, underscores this ranking as a practical representation of its gaming capabilities.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS rows provide a clear guide for optimizing the experience in Control. For a smooth 60+ FPS target, the High preset at 1440p is the sweet spot, delivering 60.8 FPS, which is just above the threshold and offers a good balance of visual quality and performance. If you have a 1080p display, the High preset is an excellent choice, yielding 84.6 FPS, while even the Ultra preset at 73.6 FPS remains comfortably playable, allowing you to max out the game's visuals without dropping below 60 FPS.

For 4K users, the situation is more constrained. The Low preset provides 67 FPS, which is the only playable option at that resolution, but it comes with significant visual compromises. The High and Medium presets at 4K, which produce 44.1 and 45.5 FPS respectively, are borderline for a 60 Hz monitor, and the Ultra preset at 35.4 FPS is not recommended for any serious play. The data indicates that the best experience per the measured rows is the High preset at 1440p, as it offers a near-60 FPS experience with high-quality visuals, while 1080p High is the best choice for those prioritizing frame rate stability over resolution.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows an average of 44.1 FPS at 4K High, which is not a smooth 60 FPS experience. The 4K Low preset is the only viable option at that resolution, delivering 67 FPS.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X a bottleneck for the RTX 2070 SUPER in this game?

A: No. The CPU's average benchmark score of 49062 is nearly identical to the Intel Core i5-14600K, and the frame rates scale directly with GPU settings and resolution, indicating the RTX 2070 SUPER is the limiting component.

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

A: The High preset at 1440p yields 60.8 FPS, which is the best balance of quality and performance. The Medium preset offers 71.1 FPS, but with lower visual fidelity.

Q: How does this combo compare to other tested systems in the database?

A: It ranks 985 out of 1636 combinations, placing it in the lower-middle tier. This is primarily due to the GPU's 65th percentile standing, as the CPU is a top-tier part.

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

A: The Low preset produces 130 FPS, while the Ultra preset produces 73.6 FPS, a difference of 56.4 FPS. This shows a significant performance cost for the highest quality settings.

Q: Does the GPU have enough VRAM for this game at maximum settings?

A: The 8 GB of GDDR6 memory is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K Ultra result of 35.4 FPS suggests that the memory bandwidth and capacity are strained at the highest resolution.