Control

Control is a demanding action-adventure title that stresses both the CPU and GPU, and the data for the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 shows a pairing that is clearly bound by the graphics card at higher resolutions. The benchmark results indicate a system that can deliver high refresh rate gameplay at 1080p, but requires careful settings management to maintain smooth performance at 4K. This combination ranks in the 49th percentile of tested combos for this game, suggesting a balanced but not top-tier pairing.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a predictable but steep performance curve as resolution increases. At 1080p High settings, the combo produces 97.1 FPS, which drops to 72.7 FPS at 1440p and further to 46 FPS at 4K. This represents a 25% performance hit when moving from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 37% drop from 1440p to 4K. The scaling pattern indicates that the RTX 5060 is the primary limiting factor in this configuration; the Ryzen 9 5950X has ample headroom to feed the GPU at lower resolutions, but the GPU’s rendering workload becomes the bottleneck as pixel count increases.

The gap between Low and Ultra settings widens dramatically at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the difference between Low (146.7 FPS) and Ultra (79.9 FPS) is 66.8 FPS, a 45% reduction in performance. At 4K, that same gap shrinks to 33.9 FPS (Low at 74.2 FPS vs Ultra at 40.3 FPS), representing a 46% reduction. This consistent percentage drop across resolutions suggests that the GPU is being saturated similarly at each setting tier, and that the CPU is not introducing a significant bottleneck even at 1080p where frame rates are highest.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo ranks 804th out of 1636 tested combinations in Control, placing it in the upper-middle tier of all systems tested. This ranking is heavily influenced by the RTX 5060’s position in the GPU hierarchy; the card sits at the 73rd percentile of all GPUs, while the CPU is at the 93rd percentile of all CPUs. The data shows a mismatch in raw capability, with the processor being a far stronger component than the graphics card.

When compared to the GPU’s nearest rivals, the RTX 5060’s average benchmark score of 30109 places it virtually identical to the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT, which scores 30097 (a delta of 0%). It is also closely matched with the older AMD Radeon RX 570, which scores 30158 (a delta of -0.2%). This suggests that in Control, the RTX 5060 should perform similarly to these cards, and any ranking differences between systems using these GPUs would come down to the CPU. The CPU, meanwhile, is within 1% of several Intel and Xeon parts, indicating that the 5950X is not the differentiating factor in this combo’s ranking.

GPU Role

The RTX 5060 features 8 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. In Control, this memory configuration appears adequate for 1080p and 1440p, but may be a constraint at 4K Ultra where texture and buffer demands increase. The card’s base clock is 2280 MHz with a boost clock of 2497 MHz, and its 19.18 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is the theoretical peak for this architecture.

The GPU’s benchmark results show strong DirectX 11 performance (a score of 200 in Passmark’s DirectX 11 test) but weaker DirectX 12 results (a score of 77). Control uses DirectX 11 and 12, and the data suggests the card is well-optimized for the older API that the game commonly runs on. The card’s 73rd percentile ranking among all GPUs, combined with its average benchmark score of 30109, places it in the mid-range segment. The measured FPS in Control confirms this positioning, as the card cannot sustain 60 FPS at 4K High settings, but comfortably exceeds that threshold at 1440p High.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience per the measured rows, the data points to a clear sweet spot at 1440p High settings, which yields 72.7 FPS. This provides a solid balance between visual fidelity and smoothness, staying well above the 60 FPS threshold. At 1080p, High settings also work well at 97.1 FPS, leaving headroom for those with high refresh rate monitors. Moving to Ultra at 1080p drops the frame rate to 79.9 FPS, which is still playable but offers diminishing visual returns for a 18% performance cost.

At 4K, the situation is more constrained. High settings produce 46 FPS, which is below the ideal smoothness threshold. The data shows that Low settings at 4K (74.2 FPS) are the only way to achieve high frame rates at that resolution, but this sacrifices significant visual quality. For 4K users, Medium settings at 54.2 FPS represent a compromise, but the frame rate is still not fully smooth. The recommendation is to target 1440p High for the best overall balance, or drop to 1080p Ultra if maximum image quality is preferred over resolution.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates across all settings. Low settings produce 146.7 FPS, Medium drops to 104.9 FPS, High yields 97.1 FPS, and Ultra comes in at 79.9 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra is a 45% reduction, showing that the GPU is the limiting factor even at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates decrease across the board. Low settings produce 109.6 FPS, Medium drops to 82.6 FPS, High yields 72.7 FPS, and Ultra falls to 62.5 FPS. The percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p is consistent across settings, averaging around 25%, which indicates linear scaling with pixel count.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain high frame rates. Low settings produce 74.2 FPS, Medium drops to 54.2 FPS, High yields 46 FPS, and Ultra falls to 40.3 FPS. The performance hit from 1440p to 4K is more severe, averaging around 37%, reflecting the increased memory bandwidth and compute demands at this resolution. The data shows that the RTX 5060’s 8 GB of VRAM and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient to maintain smooth performance at 4K with high-quality settings.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Control at 4K with High settings?

A: No. The measured data shows 46 FPS at 4K High, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. You would need to drop to Medium (54.2 FPS) or Low (74.2 FPS) settings for better performance at 4K.

Q: What is the best resolution for this system?

A: 1440p High settings provide the best balance, with 72.7 FPS. This offers good visual quality while staying comfortably above 60 FPS. At 1080p, High settings yield 97.1 FPS, which is also excellent for high refresh rate displays.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this configuration?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor. The RTX 5060 ranks at the 73rd percentile of all GPUs, while the Ryzen 9 5950X ranks at the 93rd percentile of all CPUs. The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K confirms the GPU is the primary constraint.

Q: How does the RTX 5060 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 5060’s average benchmark score of 30109 is nearly identical to the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT (30097) and the AMD Radeon RX 570 (30158). These scores are within 0.2% of each other, indicating very similar performance in this game.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1080p Ultra settings?

A: The measured average is 79.9 FPS at 1080p Ultra. This is playable, but the 18% performance drop from High settings (97.1 FPS) may not be worth the visual upgrade for competitive play.

Q: Does the system support high refresh rate gaming?

A: Yes, at 1080p. With Low settings producing 146.7 FPS and High settings at 97.1 FPS, the system can drive 144Hz monitors at 1080p. At 1440p, only Low settings (109.6 FPS) exceed 100 FPS, while High settings (72.7 FPS) are better suited for 60Hz displays.