Control

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT combination in Control produces a playable but heavily GPU-limited experience, with the data showing that 1080p is the only resolution where this pairing consistently delivers high frame rates. The 12-core, 24-thread Zen 5 processor provides ample headroom, but the RDNA 1.0-based GPU, with its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 1605 MHz base clock, becomes the definitive bottleneck as resolution scales.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a stark and predictable scaling pattern that clearly identifies the Radeon RX 5700 XT as the limiting component in this pairing. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 at High settings results in a drop from 76.9 FPS to 58 FPS, a reduction of roughly 25%. The jump to 3840x2160 at High settings is far more punishing, with the average FPS plummeting to 35.7, which is a 54% decline from the 1080p result.

This behavior is classic GPU-bound scaling. The Ryzen 9 9900X, with its 4.40 GHz base and 5.60 GHz boost clocks, is not the constraint; if it were, the frame rate would remain relatively flat across resolutions. Instead, the data shows that the RX 5700 XT’s rendering throughput is saturated, and the gap between Low and Ultra settings widens dramatically at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the spread between Low (119 FPS) and Ultra (64.9 FPS) is 54.1 FPS. At 4K, that spread narrows to 26.6 FPS (61.2 FPS Low vs 34.6 FPS Ultra), indicating that even the lowest settings cannot escape the GPU’s pixel-pushing limits at 3840x2160. The conclusion is unambiguous: for smoother 1440p or 4K gameplay, the graphics card would need to be upgraded, not the CPU.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest average frame rate this combo achieves in Control?*

A: The best measured result is 119 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X bottlenecking the RX 5700 XT in this game?

A: No. Benchmark results indicate the system is heavily GPU-bound. The CPU’s massive thread count and high clocks are not the limiting factor, as evidenced by the significant FPS drops when resolution increases.

*Q: Can this combination handle 4K gaming in Control?*

A: Only at lower settings. The data shows 61.2 FPS at 3840x2160 on Low, but this falls to 45 FPS at Medium and 34.6 FPS at Ultra, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the RX 5700 XT compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The GPU’s average benchmark score is 24731, placing it almost exactly in line with the NVIDIA RTX A5000 Mobile (24763, a 0.1% difference) and slightly ahead of the Intel Arc A350M (24647, a 0.3% advantage).

Q: How does the CPU’s performance stack up against its closest competitors?

A: The Ryzen 9 9900X has an average benchmark score of 54450, which is 0.4% behind the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D (54681) and 0.7% ahead of the Intel Core i7-14700F (54097).

Q: What is the most balanced settings preset for 1440p?

A: The High preset at 2560x1440 yields 58 FPS, which is a playable middle ground. Low provides 89.3 FPS, while Ultra drops to 49.9 FPS.

GPU Role

The Radeon RX 5700 XT is the decisive factor in this system’s Control performance. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus with 448.0 GB/s bandwidth is sufficient for the game’s textures, but the architecture’s raw compute power is the limiting factor. The GPU’s boost clock of 1905 MHz and game clock of 1755 MHz are respectable for its generation, yet the data shows they are insufficient for high-refresh-rate 1440p or 4K gaming in this title.

The synthetic benchmark results for the GPU paint a clear picture of its standing. With a percentile rank of 68 among all GPUs, it is a mid-range performer. Its average benchmark score of 24731 is nearly identical to the NVIDIA RTX A5000 Mobile (24763) and slightly better than the Intel Arc A350M (24647). This places the RX 5700 XT in a performance tier where 1080p is the native comfort zone. The measured FPS confirms this: at 1080p, the GPU can push from 64.9 FPS on Ultra to 119 FPS on Low. However, the 4K results, where even Low settings only muster 61.2 FPS, prove that the 5700 XT lacks the fill rate and shading power required for the higher pixel counts. The 225 W TDP and dual-slot cooler are consistent with this performance class, but they do not overcome the architectural limits of RDNA 1.0.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a complete matrix of performance across three resolutions and four quality presets.

At 1920x1080, the system is fully playable across the board. Low settings deliver 119 FPS, Medium drops to 85.5 FPS, High achieves 76.9 FPS, and Ultra still holds 64.9 FPS. This is the only resolution where the frame rate remains above 60 FPS on all presets, making it the sweet spot for this hardware.

At 2560x1440, the GPU starts to struggle. The Low preset yields 89.3 FPS, which is still excellent. However, Medium falls to 61.1 FPS, High to 58 FPS, and Ultra drops to 49.9 FPS. The step from Low to Medium is a 28.2 FPS loss, indicating that the higher pixel count makes the GPU’s shading units the primary bottleneck.

At 3840x2160, the results are marginal. Low settings average 61.2 FPS, which is technically playable, but Medium drops to 45 FPS, High to 35.7 FPS, and Ultra to 34.6 FPS. The differences between High and Ultra at 4K are negligible (1.1 FPS), suggesting that the GPU is completely saturated and additional settings have minimal impact. The data shows a clear trend: this combo is a 1080p performer, a passable 1440p machine on Low/Medium, and only viable at 4K on the absolute lowest settings.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X is a high-end desktop processor that is overqualified for the task at hand in Control. Its 12 cores and 24 threads, based on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge), provide an enormous amount of parallel processing power. The CPU’s benchmark scores are exceptional, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 46438 and a single-core score of 6555. This compute headroom is entirely untapped in this game, as the GPU is the clear limiting factor.

The CPU’s percentile rank of 94 among all CPUs confirms its top-tier status. Its average benchmark score of 54450 is statistically tied with the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D (54681, -0.4% difference) and outperforms the Intel Core i7-14700F (54097, +0.7%) and Intel Core Ultra 5 245K (55304, -1.5%). In the context of Control, these CPU differences are irrelevant. The measured FPS does not change based on the CPU’s boost clock of 5.60 GHz; it changes based on the resolution and preset load on the GPU. The 89.6 GB/s memory bandwidth and DDR5 support ensure smooth data delivery, but the processor is never the bottleneck. This is a case where the CPU’s role is purely to feed frames to a GPU that cannot keep up.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience on this hardware, the data points to 1920x1080 as the primary target. At this resolution, the High preset offers a strong balance of visual fidelity and performance at 76.9 FPS. For players seeking maximum smoothness, the Low preset at 119 FPS is the optimal choice, as it nearly doubles the frame rate of the Ultra preset.

At 2560x1440, the High preset is the recommended compromise, delivering 58 FPS. While this is not a locked 60 FPS, it is a more stable experience than the 49.9 FPS of the Ultra preset. The Medium preset at 61.1 FPS is also viable, but the visual downgrade from High is not worth the marginal frame rate gain.

At 3840x2160, the data suggests avoiding this resolution unless absolutely necessary. The Low preset at 61.2 FPS is the only playable option, and it sacrifices significant visual quality. The Medium (45 FPS), High (35.7 FPS), and Ultra (34.6 FPS) presets all fall below the 60 FPS threshold and should be avoided for a responsive experience. For this combo, the best overall experience is unequivocally 1080p with High settings, providing a high frame rate without resorting to the lowest quality presets.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of tested hardware combinations for Control, this pairing of the Ryzen 9 9900X and RX 5700 XT ranks 1136 out of 1636 combos. This places it in the lower third of all tested systems, which is a direct result of the GPU’s mid-range standing. The CPU’s top-tier performance (94th percentile) is dragged down by the GPU’s more modest 68th percentile ranking.

This ranking, however, is a reflection of the GPU’s age and class, not a failure of the CPU. The data shows that if the RX 5700 XT were paired with a weaker CPU, the frame rates would likely be similar, as the system is GPU-bound. Conversely, if the Ryzen 9 9900X were paired with a more powerful GPU, the ranking would improve dramatically. The 1136th position indicates that this is a system built for 1080p gaming, and the benchmark results confirm that it performs admirably in that specific context, even if it cannot compete with higher-end GPU configurations in this title.