Control

The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 is a study in contrasts. The 12-core, 24-thread Zen 4 processor is a modern powerhouse, while the Pascal-based GPU is an end-of-life component from 2016. In Control, a game that demands both strong CPU throughput for physics and AI and substantial GPU muscle for its destructible environments, this pairing produces a fascinating bottleneck story. The data shows a combo that ranks low overall, yet the CPU’s headroom suggests the GTX 1070 is the sole limiting factor at every resolution tested.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the benchmark database, this specific combination of AMD Ryzen 9 7900X and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 places at rank 3083 out of 3720 tested combos for Control. That places it in the bottom 17% of all pairings, a position that initially seems surprising given the CPU’s capabilities. The explanation is straightforward: the GPU’s age and performance ceiling drag the entire system down, regardless of the processor’s strength.

The CPU itself sits in the 91st percentile versus all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 53288. Its nearest rivals in synthetic testing include the AMD EPYC 7313P (0.2% ahead), the Intel Xeon Phi 7290 (0.3% behind), and the Intel Core i7-14700F (0.6% behind). These are all server or high-end desktop parts, which underscores how potent the 7900X is in isolation. Yet in Control, the measured FPS tells a different story—one where the GTX 1070’s 47th percentile standing among all GPUs becomes the dominant factor.

The gap between the CPU’s elite ranking and the combo’s poor game-specific rank highlights a classic mismatch. The Ryzen 9 7900X is capable of far more than this GPU can deliver, and the benchmark results confirm that no amount of processor headroom can compensate for a GPU that averages just 9780 in its own benchmark suite. The combo rank of 3083 is not a reflection of the CPU’s ability, but rather a warning about pairing a top-tier processor with a mid-range, end-of-life graphics card for a demanding action-adventure title like Control.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 is the clear performance anchor in this pairing. Its specifications show a GPU built on the 16 nm Pascal architecture, with 1920 shading units, 120 texture mapping units, and 64 raster output units. The memory configuration consists of 8 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 256.3 GB/s. The base clock runs at 1506 MHz, with a boost clock of 1683 MHz, while the memory operates at 2002 MHz (8 Gbps effective).

In Control, these specifications translate to specific performance tiers. At 1080p with Low settings, the GTX 1070 achieves an average of 97 FPS, which is the highest measured result for this combo. This suggests that at lower resolutions and reduced settings, the GPU can still stretch its legs. However, the picture changes rapidly as resolution and settings increase. The GPU’s FP32 compute of 6.463 TFLOPS and pixel rate of 107.7 GPixel/s are modest by modern standards, and the data reflects this in the game’s heavier presets.

The GTX 1070’s 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for Control at 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K results show the GPU struggling. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 27, which is below playable thresholds. The GPU’s nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks—the AMD FirePro W5000 (0.2% behind), NVIDIA Quadro M2000M (0.5% behind), and NVIDIA Tesla M10 (0.6% ahead)—all sit within a narrow performance band, confirming that the GTX 1070 is firmly a mid-range part. Its end-of-life production status and 2016 release date further contextualize why it cannot keep pace with the CPU’s capabilities.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a steep performance drop as resolution climbs, which is the signature of a GPU-bound system. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 at High settings, the average FPS falls from 61 to 46, a 24.6% reduction. The jump from 1440p to 3840x2160 at High settings is even more punishing, with the average dropping from 46 to 31, a 32.6% decrease. This progressive decline indicates that the GTX 1070’s pixel throughput and memory bandwidth are being saturated as pixel count increases.

At Low settings, the scaling pattern is similar but with higher absolute values. The 1080p Low average of 97 FPS drops to 73 at 1440p (a 24.7% decrease) and then to 49 at 4K (a 32.9% decrease from 1440p). These consistent percentage drops across different settings presets suggest that resolution scaling is purely a GPU function—the CPU is not introducing any variability. The Ryzen 9 7900X, with its 12 cores and 24 threads, has ample processing power to feed the GPU at any resolution, but the GTX 1070 cannot translate that CPU headroom into higher frame rates as resolution increases.

The 4K results are particularly telling. At 3840x2160, even Low settings yield only 49 FPS, while Medium drops to 35, High to 31, and Ultra to 27. These numbers indicate that the GTX 1070 is fundamentally inadequate for 4K gaming in Control, regardless of settings. The GPU’s 256.3 GB/s memory bandwidth and 6.463 TFLOPS of FP32 compute are simply insufficient for the pixel workload at 8.3 million pixels. The data implies that the limiting component at 4K is unequivocally the GPU, with the CPU having no influence on the outcome.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution. At 1920x1080, the High preset delivers an average of 61 FPS, which is smooth for most action games. The Medium preset offers 69 FPS, a modest improvement, while Ultra drops to 53 FPS. For players prioritizing frame rate at 1080p, Medium appears to be the sweet spot, providing 69 FPS average with a minimum of 58 FPS and maximum of 79 FPS, as measured. Low settings at 1080p reach 97 FPS, but the visual quality trade-off is substantial for a game like Control with its atmospheric environments.

At 2560x1440, the situation becomes more constrained. The High preset yields 46 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced combat. Medium offers 52 FPS with a minimum of 44 and maximum of 60, which is a better balance. Low settings at 1440p reach 73 FPS, making it the only preset that consistently stays above 60 FPS. For 1440p users, Low is the recommended choice if frame rate is the priority, while Medium is acceptable for those who prefer visual fidelity over smoothness.

At 3840x2160, no preset reaches playable levels. The highest average is 49 FPS at Low, which is borderline, while Medium (35 FPS), High (31 FPS), and Ultra (27 FPS) are all below the threshold for comfortable gaming. The data suggests that 4K is not viable with this GPU for Control, and users should either lower their resolution or accept significant compromises. Given the measured values, the best experience across all resolutions is achieved at 1080p Medium or 1440p Low, where the GPU can maintain a reasonable balance between visual quality and frame rate.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS data for this combo in Control shows a consistent pattern across all resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average of 97 FPS, the highest score in the entire dataset. Medium follows at 69 FPS with a minimum of 58 and maximum of 79, while High drops to 61 FPS. Ultra at 1080p averages 53 FPS, which is still playable but shows the GPU’s limits under maximum settings.

Moving to 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 73 FPS, a significant drop from 1080p but still respectable. Medium at 1440p averages 52 FPS with a minimum of 44 and maximum of 60, while High yields 46 FPS. Ultra at 1440p drops to 40 FPS, which is the first preset below the 60 FPS threshold. The 1440p data shows that the GTX 1070 can handle medium settings with moderate smoothness, but high and ultra presets start to strain.

At 3840x2160, the results are uniformly poor. Low averages 49 FPS, Medium averages 35 FPS with a minimum of 30 and maximum of 40, High averages 31 FPS, and Ultra averages 27 FPS. None of these 4K results reach 60 FPS, and only Low approaches a playable level. The 4K Medium data includes a minimum of 30 FPS and maximum of 40 FPS, showing significant frame time variance. Across all resolutions, the pattern is clear: the GTX 1070 provides playable performance only at 1080p and 1440p with reduced settings, and is not suitable for 4K gaming in Control.

FAQ

*Q: Is this combo capable of running Control at 4K?*

A: No. The measured data shows that at 3840x2160, the highest average FPS is 49 at Low settings, with Medium at 35, High at 31, and Ultra at 27. All of these are below the 60 FPS threshold, and most are below 30 FPS, making 4K unplayable with this GPU.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1080p gaming with this combo?

A: At 1920x1080, the Medium preset provides the best balance with an average of 69 FPS, a minimum of 58 FPS, and a maximum of 79 FPS. High averages 61 FPS, while Low reaches 97 FPS but sacrifices visual quality.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X has an average benchmark score of 53288. Its nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 7313P, is 0.2% ahead, while the Intel Xeon Phi 7290 is 0.3% behind. The Intel Core i7-14700F is 0.6% behind, and the Intel Xeon 634 is 0.6% ahead.

*Q: What is the GPU’s VRAM configuration and how does it affect Control?*

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 has 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus with 256.3 GB/s bandwidth. This is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K results show that the memory bandwidth becomes a limiting factor, contributing to the low FPS at 3840x2160.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU in this game?

A: No. The Ryzen 9 7900X has 12 cores, 24 threads, and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, which provides far more processing power than the GTX 1070 can utilize. The measured FPS drops consistently with resolution and settings, indicating a GPU bottleneck rather than a CPU one.

*Q: What is the combo’s rank among all tested combinations for Control?*

A: This combo ranks 3083 out of 3720 tested combos, placing it in the bottom 17% of all pairings. This low rank is due to the GPU’s performance, as the CPU alone sits in the 91st percentile of all CPUs.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X plays a supporting role in this pairing, but its specifications indicate it is never the limiting factor in Control. The CPU features 12 cores and 24 threads based on the Zen 4 architecture, manufactured on a 5 nm process by TSMC. Its base clock is 4.70 GHz with a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, and it has a total L3 cache of 64 MB shared across all cores. The processor supports DDR5 memory on a dual-channel bus with 83.2 GB/s bandwidth, and it includes PCIe Gen 5 connectivity with 24 lanes.

In synthetic benchmarks, the 7900X demonstrates its strength. It scores 29300 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 2016.5 in single-core, while Geekbench multicore reaches 19267 and single-core hits 2617. The PassMark multithread score is 51406, with a single-thread score of 4238. These numbers place it in the 91st percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 53288. Its nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 7313P (0.2% ahead) and Intel Core i7-14700F (0.6% behind), showing that it competes with high-end server and desktop processors.

In Control, the CPU’s role is to handle physics calculations, AI routines, and game logic, while the GPU renders the visuals. The measured FPS data shows no evidence of CPU bottlenecking—the frame rates scale predictably with resolution and settings, which is characteristic of a GPU-limited scenario. At 1080p Low, the 97 FPS average suggests the CPU can feed the GPU well above its capabilities, but the GTX 1070 cannot push higher. The 12-core, 24-thread configuration is overkill for this game, as Control rarely utilizes more than a few threads, but the high single-thread performance of 2016.5 in Cinebench R23 ensures that even lightly threaded workloads are handled efficiently.

The CPU’s performance percentile of 91 versus the GPU’s 47 creates a stark imbalance. The data implies that upgrading the GPU to match the CPU’s tier would dramatically improve Control performance, while upgrading the CPU would yield no benefit. The Ryzen 9 7900X is a future-proof processor that can handle any modern game, but in this specific pairing, its capabilities are largely wasted due to the GTX 1070’s limitations. The benchmark results confirm that the CPU is the stronger component by a wide margin, and the combo’s low rank in Control is entirely attributable to the GPU’s age and performance class.