Control

Control, the 2019 action-adventure from Remedy, presents a demanding blend of physics-based combat and complex visual effects. In this analysis, the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX paired with the AMD Radeon 8060S produces a dataset that clearly illustrates the performance hierarchy across resolutions and settings. The measured frames per second (FPS) reveal a configuration that is capable of smooth play at 1080p, but which requires careful settings management to maintain playability at higher resolutions. The data shows a system where the integrated GPU’s performance is the primary variable influencing the final experience, scaling predictably with both resolution and graphical preset.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Radeon 8060S is an integrated graphics processor based on the RDNA 3.5 architecture, built on a 4 nm process. Its clock speeds are listed with a base of 1295 MHz and a boost of 2900 MHz, which are the figures that drive its computational throughput. The GPU’s memory configuration is described as "System Shared," meaning it relies on the host system's DDR5 memory rather than dedicated VRAM. Consequently, memory bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent," which can be a significant factor in a game like Control that features high-resolution textures and complex post-processing effects.

The GPU’s raw specifications include 2560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 64 raster output units. It also features 40 ray tracing cores, though the impact of these on Control's specific implementation is not directly measured in the provided FPS data. The theoretical peak performance is rated at 14.85 TFLOPS for FP32 operations, with a pixel rate of 185.6 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 464.0 GTexel/s. These figures suggest a GPU that is positioned for high-end integrated graphics, and the benchmark scores reflect this. Its average benchmark score of 55757 places it in the 87th percentile of all GPUs, with its nearest rival being the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB, which scores nearly identically (55698, a 0.1% delta). Interestingly, the data also lists the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 as a rival with a score of 56083, showing a performance delta of -0.6% against the 8060S.

In the context of Control, the GPU's role is clear. At 1080p, the GPU is the dominant factor, with average FPS scaling from 130 at Low settings down to 71 at Ultra. This wide spread indicates that the rendering load is primarily on the GPU. At 4K, the demands on the shared memory system and the GPU's compute units become even more pronounced, with the average FPS dropping to 36 at Ultra. The data suggests that while the Radeon 8060S has enough raw compute power for 1080p gaming, its performance in Control is heavily influenced by the memory subsystem and the selected graphical preset, particularly as resolution increases.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combination depend entirely on the target resolution and the desired frame rate. The data provides clear rows for Low, Medium, High, and Ultra presets at each resolution. For a smooth 60+ FPS experience, the choices are narrow at higher resolutions.

At 1920x1080, the configuration is powerful enough to handle most presets comfortably. The Low preset yields an average of 130 FPS, providing headroom for high refresh rate displays. The Medium preset averages 92 FPS, with a minimum of 78 and maximum of 106, which remains an excellent experience. The High preset drops to an average of 82 FPS, still well above the 60 FPS threshold. Even the Ultra preset manages an average of 71 FPS, making it a viable option for users prioritizing visual fidelity over maximum frame rates at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the performance cost of higher resolution becomes apparent. The Low preset is the only option that maintains a significant margin above 60 FPS, averaging 98 FPS. The Medium preset averages 70 FPS, with a minimum of 59 FPS, which puts it right on the edge of the 60 FPS target. The High preset averages 62 FPS, which is playable but leaves little room for demanding scenes. The Ultra preset averages 54 FPS, which is below the ideal threshold for smooth play.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly overextended. Only the Low preset achieves a playable average of 66 FPS. The Medium preset averages 47 FPS, with a minimum of 40 FPS, indicating noticeable stuttering in demanding moments. The High preset averages 42 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to 36 FPS. For the best experience at 4K, the data suggests that players must use the Low preset. For 1440p, the Medium preset offers a balance of quality and performance, though the High preset is also technically playable. At 1080p, the High preset is recommended as it provides a strong balance of visual quality and performance, with the Ultra preset also being a reasonable choice for those with less sensitive frame rate requirements.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo in Control?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 130, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: At 4K resolution, which settings preset is the only one to maintain an average above 60 FPS?

A: At 3840x2160, only the Low settings preset achieves an average FPS above 60, with a measured average of 66 FPS.

Q: How does the AMD Radeon 8060S's average benchmark score compare to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080?

A: The Radeon 8060S has an average benchmark score of 55757, while the RTX 5080 has a score of 56083. This results in a performance delta of -0.6% for the Radeon 8060S, meaning the RTX 5080 is slightly ahead.

Q: What is the average FPS for the Medium preset at 1440p, and what are the minimum and maximum recorded values?

A: At 2560x1440 with the Medium preset, the average FPS is 70, with a minimum of 59 FPS and a maximum of 80 FPS.

Q: What is the rank of this CPU and GPU combination among all tested combos for Control?

A: This combination is ranked 1632 out of 2888 total tested combinations in the game's benchmark database.

Q: What is the boost clock speed of the AMD Radeon 8060S GPU?

A: The AMD Radeon 8060S has a boost clock speed of 2900 MHz.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance scaling. The following breakdown details the exact average FPS for each configuration, with minimum and maximum values where available.

1920x1080:

At the lowest settings, the system achieves an average of 130 FPS. Moving to the Medium preset, the average drops to 92 FPS, with a minimum of 78 FPS and a maximum of 106 FPS. The High preset yields an average of 82 FPS. The maximum visual fidelity preset, Ultra, produces an average of 71 FPS.

2560x1440:

At 1440p, the Low preset delivers an average of 98 FPS. The Medium preset sees the average fall to 70 FPS, with a recorded minimum of 59 FPS and a maximum of 80 FPS. The High preset averages 62 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 54 FPS, dropping below the 60 FPS threshold.

3840x2160:

At 4K, the performance envelope tightens significantly. The Low preset is the only one to stay above 60 FPS, with an average of 66 FPS. The Medium preset averages 47 FPS, with a minimum of 40 FPS and a maximum of 54 FPS. The High preset averages 42 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 36 FPS, representing the most demanding configuration tested.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial and reveals the nature of the bottleneck. At the High preset, the average FPS falls from 82 at 1080p to 62 at 1440p, a reduction of 20 FPS. Moving from 1440p to 4K at High settings, the average drops from 62 to 42 FPS, a further 20 FPS reduction. This pattern shows a consistent and significant cost associated with each resolution step.

Examining the Low preset provides a similar trend. The average FPS is 130 at 1080p, 98 at 1440p, and 66 at 4K. This represents a 32 FPS drop from 1080p to 1440p, and another 32 FPS drop from 1440p to 4K. The linear nature of these drops, despite the exponential increase in pixel count, suggests that the GPU is the primary limiting component. The Radeon 8060S's fixed compute resources and its reliance on system memory for bandwidth are being saturated as the resolution increases.

The data indicates that the scaling is not perfectly linear with pixel count, but the consistent large FPS losses at each step point to a GPU-bound scenario. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see a smaller performance delta between higher resolutions, as the CPU workload remains relatively constant. Instead, the FPS drops significantly with each resolution increase, confirming that the AMD Radeon 8060S is the component dictating performance in Control.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX is a high-end mobile processor with 16 cores and 32 threads, based on the Zen 4 architecture. It has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, which provides substantial single-threaded and multi-threaded processing power. Its benchmark scores are impressive, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42713 and a single-core score of 6030. The processor’s average benchmark score is 76212, placing it in the 95th percentile of all CPUs.

In the context of Control, the CPU's role is to handle game logic, physics calculations, and draw calls. The data suggests that the Ryzen 9 8945HX is more than capable of feeding the Radeon 8060S GPU. Evidence for this comes from the resolution scaling analysis; if the CPU were a bottleneck, the FPS would not drop as dramatically when moving from 1080p to 4K. The fact that FPS declines sharply with resolution indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor, while the CPU has ample headroom.

The CPU's nearest rivals further contextualize its standing. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX has an average score of 76155, a delta of 0.1% compared to the 8945HX, putting them at near parity. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D, a desktop part, scores 75779, a 0.6% delta, meaning the 8945HX is slightly ahead in this database's aggregate. This high level of CPU performance ensures that it does not hinder the gaming experience, allowing the GPU to be the sole determinant of frame rate in this title.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combined performance of the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and AMD Radeon 8060S in Control is ranked 1632 out of 2888 tested combinations. This places the combo in the lower-middle portion of the database, which is a logical outcome given the analysis of the FPS data. While the CPU is a top-tier performer, the GPU, despite being a high-end integrated solution, is not able to keep pace with the demands of the game at higher resolutions and settings.

This ranking is a direct consequence of the GPU's performance ceiling. The combo's position in the 56th percentile (1632/2888) reflects that while it can handle 1080p gaming with high frame rates, it struggles to maintain similar performance at 1440p and 4K. For instance, at 4K Ultra, the system only manages 36 FPS, which is a poor experience for a game like Control that relies on fast-paced action and precise aiming.

The ranking of 1632 suggests that there are many other combinations that offer superior performance, likely those with dedicated graphics cards. The data indicates that the Radeon 8060S's performance is comparable to a discrete GPU like the Radeon RX 6750 GRE, but the overall combo ranking is dragged down by the fact that it is an integrated solution sharing system resources. Ultimately, this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can deliver a smooth and enjoyable experience, but it is not a high-ranking contender in the broader spectrum of tested hardware configurations.