Control

# Control with AMD Ryzen 9 7900X + AMD Radeon RX 7700

This combination pairs a 12-core, 24-thread Zen 4 desktop processor with a 16 GB RDNA 3.0 graphics card, producing a system that ranks 1294th out of 2888 tested combos in Control. The measured frame rates show a config that is clearly capable of smooth 1080p and 1440p play, with 4K Ultra demanding more than the GPU can consistently deliver. The data across twelve resolution/settings rows reveals a system where the GPU is the primary constraint at higher resolutions, while the high-core-count CPU provides ample headroom for the game's physics and rendering threads.

FAQ

Q: What is the best measured performance this combo achieves in Control?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 148 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings. The maximum FPS in any measured row is 121 FPS, which appears as the max value at 1920x1080 Medium settings.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations in Control?

A: The combo ranks 1294th out of 2888 total tested combos, placing it in the upper-middle portion of the database. This percentile position reflects a balanced pairing where neither component is drastically mismatched for this game.

Q: What is the lowest average frame rate measured?

A: The lowest average is 41 FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings. This is the only measured row that falls below the 48 FPS threshold typically considered playable, indicating that 4K Ultra is not a viable configuration.

Q: Does the GPU have enough memory for Control at high resolutions?

A: Yes. The Radeon RX 7700 comes with 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 624.1 GB/s of bandwidth. The data shows that even at 4K Ultra, where the game loads extensive textures, the memory capacity is sufficient to avoid the frame rate collapse that would accompany VRAM overflow.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-threading performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Ryzen 9 7900X averages 53288 in benchmark scores, sitting 0.2% ahead of the AMD EPYC 7313P and 0.6% ahead of the Intel Xeon 634. It trails the Intel Core i7-14700F by 0.6% and the Intel Xeon Phi 7290 by 0.3%, showing that this CPU is statistically tied with its closest competitors.

Q: What is the difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the average frame rate drops from 112 FPS on Low to 61 FPS on Ultra, a reduction of 51 FPS. This 45% performance penalty for the Ultra preset is consistent across resolutions, suggesting that the game's higher settings impose a similar relative load regardless of pixel count.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is built on the Navi 32 chip using RDNA 3.0 architecture, manufactured on TSMC's 5 nm process with 28,100 million transistors. Its 2560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 96 raster output pipelines deliver a peak pixel rate of 236.1 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 393.4 GTexel/s. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1900 MHz, a game clock of 2041 MHz, and boosts up to 2459 MHz, with memory running at 2438 MHz (19.5 Gbps effective) across a 256-bit bus for 624.1 GB/s bandwidth.

In Control, the GPU's role is dominant at higher resolutions and settings. The data shows a clear pattern: at 4K, the average frame rate ranges from 76 FPS on Low to 41 FPS on Ultra, with High and Medium landing at 48 and 54 FPS respectively. The 16 GB frame buffer prevents any memory-related stutters, but the raw compute throughput becomes the limiting factor as pixel count and shading complexity increase. The FP32 performance of 25.18 TFLOPS is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K Ultra result of 41 FPS indicates the GPU is saturated.

The RX 7700's benchmark percentile of 58 places it slightly above the median GPU. Its nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score include the AMD Radeon R9 370X (0.1% slower), the AMD Radeon RX 9060 (1% faster), the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 (1.1% slower), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti (1.7% faster). These small deltas suggest that within this performance class, the RX 7700 is competitive, but it is not a high-end part that can brute-force demanding 4K scenarios.

The measured FPS data reinforces this interpretation. At 1080p Low, the GPU produces 148 FPS, indicating it has headroom to spare. At 4K Ultra, the 41 FPS average shows the GPU is working near its limits. The absence of min/max FPS data for most rows (only Medium settings include these values) limits stutter analysis, but the available data shows a 46-62 FPS range at 4K Medium and 89-121 FPS at 1080p Medium, suggesting reasonable frame pacing.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X provides 12 cores and 24 threads based on Zen 4 architecture (Raphael), running at a base clock of 4.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. This processor, released in September 2022, features 64 MB of shared L3 cache, 1 MB of L2 cache per core, and 64 KB of L1 cache per core. It supports DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration with 83.2 GB/s bandwidth, and its 170 W TDP is fed through an AMD Socket AM5 platform with PCIe Gen 5 connectivity.

In Control, the CPU's contribution is most evident at lower resolutions and settings where the GPU is not the bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 148 FPS, and at 1080p Ultra, it still manages 81 FPS — these numbers are high enough that the CPU must be feeding the GPU efficiently. The processor's single-thread performance (2016.5 in Cinebench R23 single-core) and multi-thread performance (29300 in Cinebench R23 multi-core) provide the foundation for the game's physics and AI systems.

The CPU's benchmark percentile of 91 places it well above the median, and its average benchmark score of 53288 is within 0.6% of its nearest rivals. The EPYC 7313P is 0.2% behind, the Xeon 634 is 0.6% behind, the Xeon Phi 7290 is 0.3% ahead, and the Core i7-14700F is 0.6% ahead. These negligible differences mean that in gaming scenarios, the 7900X is unlikely to be the limiting component, especially when paired with a GPU of the RX 7700's class.

The measured frame rates support this analysis. At 4K Low, the system produces 76 FPS, which is 28 FPS lower than at 1080p Low (148 FPS). This 49% drop when moving from 1080p to 4K at the same settings indicates that the GPU workload is scaling with resolution, while the CPU's work remains relatively constant. The CPU is not preventing higher frame rates at 4K; rather, the GPU's pixel throughput is the constraint. Conversely, at 1080p, the CPU's high single-thread performance ensures that frame rates can reach 148 FPS without hitting a processor bottleneck.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers average frame rates of 148 FPS on Low, 105 FPS on Medium, 93 FPS on High, and 81 FPS on Ultra. The Medium setting shows a min FPS of 89 and a max FPS of 121, indicating a 32 FPS spread. The progression from Low to Ultra represents a 45% reduction in average frame rate (148 to 81 FPS), with each settings tier costing roughly 12-16 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the averages are 112 FPS on Low, 80 FPS on Medium, 71 FPS on High, and 61 FPS on Ultra. The Medium row shows a min of 68 FPS and a max of 92 FPS, a 24 FPS spread. Compared to 1080p, the 1440p results are 24-32 FPS lower across all settings, with the gap narrowing slightly at Ultra (20 FPS difference between 81 and 61).

At 3840x2160, the averages drop to 76 FPS on Low, 54 FPS on Medium, 48 FPS on High, and 41 FPS on Ultra. The Medium row shows a min of 46 FPS and a max of 62 FPS, a 16 FPS spread. The 4K results are 50-72% lower than their 1080p counterparts, with the largest absolute drop occurring at Low (72 FPS) and the smallest at Ultra (40 FPS).

The data reveals that the performance penalty from 1080p to 4K is not uniform across settings. At Low, the drop is 72 FPS (148 to 76); at Medium, it is 51 FPS (105 to 54); at High, it is 45 FPS (93 to 48); and at Ultra, it is 40 FPS (81 to 41). This pattern indicates that at lower settings, where the GPU has more headroom, the resolution increase has a larger absolute impact because the system is not already constrained by shading complexity.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Ryzen 9 7900X and Radeon RX 7700 ranks 1294th out of 2888 tested combos in Control, placing it in the 55th percentile of all tested systems. This ranking reflects a mid-pack position, which is consistent with the GPU's 58th percentile standing. The CPU's 91st percentile suggests that the processor is not holding the system back; instead, the GPU's performance class defines the overall ranking.

Compared to the GPU's nearest rivals, the RX 7700 is 1.7% slower than the RTX 3060 Ti and 1% slower than the RX 9060, but 0.1% faster than the R9 370X and 1.1% faster than the Pro W5500. These small deltas imply that swapping the GPU for any of these competitors would move the combo ranking by only a handful of positions, given that the CPU remains constant.

The combo's rank of 1294 out of 2888 means that 1594 tested combinations achieve higher frame rates in Control. This is not a top-tier gaming rig, but it is also not near the bottom. The data suggests that for a 1440p gaming target, this combo is well-positioned, as the 71 FPS average at 1440p High is comfortably above playable thresholds. At 4K, the 48 FPS at High and 41 FPS at Ultra indicate that the system is at the edge of playability, which explains the mid-pack ranking.

Settings Recommendations

For a smooth experience with this combo, the measured data points to 2560x1440 High as the optimal balance. This setting produces an average of 71 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for fluid gameplay, while maintaining visual quality that is substantially better than Low or Medium. The 1440p Ultra setting drops to 61 FPS, which is still playable but leaves less margin for demanding scenes.

At 1920x1080, the High preset delivers 93 FPS, making it an excellent choice for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Ultra preset at 81 FPS also provides a smooth experience, and the 12 FPS difference between High and Ultra at this resolution may be worth the visual upgrade for players who prioritize image quality. The Medium preset at 105 FPS offers a middle ground, but the data shows that the step from Medium to High costs only 12 FPS while providing noticeable improvements.

At 3840x2160, the results are marginal. The Medium preset at 54 FPS is the only 4K option that exceeds 50 FPS, while High at 48 FPS and Ultra at 41 FPS fall below that mark. For 4K gaming, the Medium preset is the only recommendation, and even then, the min FPS of 46 (from the Medium row) suggests occasional dips. Players targeting 4K should consider lowering settings to Medium or accepting a variable frame rate experience.

The Low presets, while achieving high frame rates (148 FPS at 1080p, 112 FPS at 1440p, 76 FPS at 4K), sacrifice too much visual quality for a game like Control, which relies heavily on atmospheric lighting and particle effects. The data shows that the step from Low to Medium costs 43 FPS at 1080p (148 to 105), but this is a worthwhile trade for the visual improvement, given the remaining 105 FPS is still excellent.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the GPU-heavy nature of Control. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 93 FPS at 1080p to 71 FPS at 1440p (a 24% reduction) and then to 48 FPS at 4K (a 48% reduction from 1080p). At Low settings, the drop is more severe: from 148 FPS at 1080p to 112 FPS at 1440p (24% reduction) to 76 FPS at 4K (49% reduction). This consistent ~48-49% reduction from 1080p to 4K indicates that the GPU is the limiting component, as the pixel count quadruples while the CPU workload remains nearly constant.

The fact that the percentage drop is similar across all settings (ranging from 45% at Ultra to 49% at Low) suggests that Control's rendering pipeline scales predictably with resolution. The GPU's fillrate and shading capabilities are the dominant factors, with the 96 ROPs and 393.4 GTexel/s texture rate determining how quickly pixels can be processed. At 4K, the RX 7700's 236.1 GPixel/s pixel rate is insufficient to maintain high frame rates at higher settings, which is why the 4K High and Ultra results fall below 50 FPS.

The scaling pattern also indicates that the CPU is not a bottleneck at any resolution. If the CPU were limiting, the frame rate would remain constant as resolution increases, but the data shows a clear downward trend. At 1080p Low, the 148 FPS result is likely near the CPU's maximum frame delivery capability for this game, but the CPU's 91st percentile ranking and high single-thread scores (2016.5 in Cinebench R23 single-core) suggest it could push higher if paired with a more powerful GPU. For this combo, the GPU is the definitive performance limiter at all resolutions above 1080p Low.