Control

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX paired with the AMD Radeon 880M represents a specific configuration: a high-end 16-core mobile processor driving an integrated graphics solution. In Control, the benchmark data reveals a system that is fundamentally limited by its GPU, with the CPU providing ample headroom. The measured results show a playable experience only at lower resolutions and settings, while higher resolutions push the iGPU beyond its capabilities.

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

The AMD Radeon 880M is an integrated graphics processor based on the RDNA 3.5 architecture, built on a 4 nm process. Its role in this configuration is critical, as it is the sole component rendering frames for Control. The GPU operates with a base clock of 400 MHz and a boost clock of 2900 MHz, which are the advertised frequency limits. The memory subsystem is entirely system-dependent, with the GPU using "System Shared" memory for both size and type, meaning its bandwidth is also "System Dependent." This reliance on shared system memory is a significant factor in the performance ceiling, as the GPU must compete with the CPU for memory bandwidth.

The Radeon 880M features 768 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 16 raster output units. It also includes 12 ray tracing cores, though the measured FPS data does not indicate whether ray tracing is enabled in the tested scenarios. The GPU's compute capabilities are rated at 4.454 TFLOPS for FP32 operations. The pixel rate is 46.40 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 139.2 GTexel/s. These raw specifications, while modest for a discrete GPU, are typical for an integrated solution. The GPU's percentile ranking vs all GPUs is 43, placing it in the lower half of all tested graphics cards. Its average benchmark score is 8436, with its closest rivals including the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (delta 0.1%) and the NVIDIA GeForce MX330 (delta -0.3%).

In the context of Control, the 880M's performance is the primary constraint. The data shows that at 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 55 FPS. However, this is the peak performance observed. At 4K, even with Low settings, the average FPS drops to 28. This indicates that while the GPU has enough raw throughput for low-resolution gaming, it lacks the memory bandwidth and shading power to maintain playable frame rates at higher resolutions. The game's visual effects and physics calculations, which are heavy on GPU resources, quickly overwhelm the 880M when resolution increases.

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

The measured FPS data across resolutions provides a clear picture of where the bottleneck lies. The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is dramatic and consistent, indicating that the GPU is the limiting component. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 35 at 1080p to 26 at 1440p, and then to 18 at 4K. This represents a 49% decrease in average FPS when moving from 1080p to 4K. Similarly, at Low settings, the average FPS drops from 55 at 1080p to 42 at 1440p, and then to 28 at 4K, a 49% reduction as well.

This scaling pattern is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario. The number of pixels rendered quadruples from 1080p to 4K, and the frame rate drops by roughly half, which is the expected behavior for a system constrained by pixel throughput and memory bandwidth. The data does not show any anomalies that would suggest a CPU bottleneck; if the CPU were the limiting factor, the FPS would be more consistent across resolutions, as the CPU workload per frame does not increase with resolution in the same way. Instead, the consistent percentage drop across all settings confirms that the Radeon 880M's execution units and memory interface are saturated as resolution increases. The difference between settings at the same resolution is also telling. At 1080p, moving from Low to Ultra reduces the average FPS from 55 to 30, a 45% drop, showing that the GPU is also sensitive to the graphical workload per pixel.

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

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX is a 16-core, 32-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, codenamed "Dragon Range." It has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. This CPU is a high-end mobile part, designed for heavy multitasking and demanding applications. Its benchmark scores are impressive, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 42713 and a single-core score of 6030. The CPU's percentile ranking vs all CPUs is 95, indicating it outperforms 95% of all tested processors. Its average benchmark score is 76212, placing it in close competition with the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX (delta 0.1%) and the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D (delta 0.6%).

In the context of Control, the Ryzen 9 8945HX is vastly overqualified for the task. The game is not known for being heavily CPU-bound, and the measured FPS data for this combo shows no signs of CPU limitation. The FPS drops are consistently tied to resolution and settings, not to CPU-intensive scenes. The CPU's massive core count and high boost clock are not being utilized to their full potential because the Radeon 880M cannot generate frames fast enough to demand more from the CPU. The CPU is essentially waiting on the GPU for most of the frame time. The 64 MB of L3 cache and 83.2 GB/s memory bandwidth are more than sufficient for feeding the iGPU in this scenario. The data suggests that a much weaker CPU could achieve identical FPS results in this game with the same GPU, as the 880M is the hard limit.

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

The measured FPS data provides a complete matrix of performance across three resolutions and four settings levels. At 1920x1080, the results are as follows: Low settings yield an average of 55 FPS, Medium settings yield an average of 39 FPS (with a minimum of 33 and maximum of 45), High settings yield an average of 35 FPS, and Ultra settings yield an average of 30 FPS. This is the only resolution where any setting achieves a playable frame rate above 30 FPS, and only Low settings approach the 60 FPS target.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops noticeably. Low settings produce an average of 42 FPS, Medium settings produce an average of 30 FPS (with a minimum of 25 and maximum of 34), High settings produce an average of 26 FPS, and Ultra settings produce an average of 23 FPS. The Medium setting at 1440p is the only one that touches the 30 FPS baseline, but its minimum of 25 FPS indicates potential stutter.

At 3840x2160, the results are largely unplayable. Low settings yield an average of 28 FPS, Medium settings yield an average of 20 FPS (with a minimum of 17 and maximum of 23), High settings yield an average of 18 FPS, and Ultra settings yield an average of 15 FPS. None of these averages come close to a smooth experience, and the minimum FPS at Medium settings (17) shows significant frame time spikes. The data shows a clear collapse in performance beyond 1080p, with every setting at 4K falling below the 30 FPS threshold.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and AMD Radeon 880M ranks 2817 out of 2888 tested combos in Control. This places the combo in the bottom 2.5% of all configurations tested by the database. This low ranking is entirely attributable to the GPU, as the CPU is in the top 5% of all processors. The combo's rank reflects the fact that the Radeon 880M's performance is a severe bottleneck for the game. It is important to note that this ranking is specific to Control and may vary in other titles, but for this game, the data is clear.

The combo's performance is consistent with the GPU's standalone benchmark percentile of 43, which is below average. The CPU's high percentile of 95 does not compensate for the GPU's weakness in a graphically demanding title. The data suggests that any system using this iGPU will struggle with Control at higher resolutions, regardless of the CPU paired with it. The rank of 2817 out of 2888 is a strong indicator that this is not a viable configuration for a smooth experience in this game, even at 1080p with the lowest settings, where the average FPS of 55 is the only bright spot.

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

Based on the measured FPS data, the only viable settings for a reasonably playable experience are at 1920x1080 with Low settings, which achieves an average of 55 FPS. This is the only combination of resolution and settings that comes close to the standard 60 FPS target. The next best option is 1080p Medium at 39 FPS, but this is a significant drop and may feel less smooth. At 1440p, the best option is Low settings at 42 FPS, but this is still below the preferred threshold for fast-paced action.

For a more stable experience, the data indicates that 1080p Low is the recommended preset. The 55 FPS average provides enough headroom to avoid major stutters, and the minimum FPS is not reported, but the average suggests acceptable performance for a game like Control which has intense combat sequences. If a user prioritizes visual fidelity over frame rate, 1080p Medium at 39 FPS might be tolerable, but the 33 FPS minimum could cause noticeable dips. All other settings and resolutions produce average FPS below 30, which is generally considered unplayable for a third-person action game. The data strongly suggests that users should stick to 1080p and avoid raising settings above Low or Medium to maintain a consistent frame rate.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution for playing Control with this combo?*

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where any setting achieves an average FPS above 30. At 2560x1440 and 3840x2160, all settings fall below 42 FPS and 28 FPS respectively, making them less viable for smooth gameplay.

Q: Which graphics preset provides the highest average FPS?

A: The Low preset at 1920x1080 yields the highest average FPS at 55. This is the only preset that approaches the 60 FPS target.

Q: How much does the FPS drop when moving from 1080p to 4K at High settings?

A: At High settings, the average FPS drops from 35 at 1920x1080 to 18 at 3840x2160, representing a 49% reduction in performance.

*Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck in this system for Control?*

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck. The CPU has a percentile ranking of 95, while the GPU has a percentile ranking of 43. The FPS drops consistently with resolution and settings, which is characteristic of a GPU-limited scenario.

Q: Is the ray tracing performance of the AMD Radeon 880M relevant to this game's results?

A: The GPU has 12 ray tracing cores, but the measured FPS data does not specify whether ray tracing was enabled in the tests. The results should be interpreted as standard rasterization performance.

*Q: Can this combo achieve a stable 60 FPS experience in Control?*

A: No. The highest measured average FPS is 55 at 1080p Low settings. No other configuration in the data reaches an average of 60 FPS, and the minimum FPS values at Medium settings (33 at 1080p) suggest that frame pacing may not be perfectly stable.