Control

# Control with AMD Ryzen 9 9900X + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 delivers a formidable Control experience, placing this combo at rank 72 out of 3,720 tested combinations. This places the pairing in the top 2% of all tested systems, reflecting the substantial headroom both components bring to this 2019 Action Adventure title. The data shows a system capable of triple-digit frame rates at every resolution tested, with the only question being how far settings can be pushed before performance dips below the 60 FPS threshold.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X is a 12-core, 24-thread processor built on the Zen 5 architecture with the Granite Ridge codename. It operates on the AMD Socket AM5 platform with a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. This is a desktop-class chip manufactured on TSMC's 4 nm process, containing 16,630 million transistors across a dual-die design with each die measuring 70.6 mm². The processor carries 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 cache per core, and 64 MB of shared L3 cache.

For Control, the CPU's role is significant but secondary to the GPU. The game's physics-driven combat and destructible environments benefit from the 12-core configuration, but benchmark results indicate that even at lower resolutions where CPU load is proportionally higher, the system maintains exceptional frame rates. The 9900X's single-thread performance, reflected in a 3DMark single-thread score of 1,286 and a Geekbench single-core score of 3,010, ensures that the game's primary game logic thread is never a bottleneck. Multi-threaded headroom is substantial with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32,172 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 22,174, though Control rarely stresses all 24 threads simultaneously.

The processor's 24 threads provide ample capacity for background processes while gaming, and the 89.6 GB/s dual-channel DDR5 memory bandwidth supports the high data throughput Control demands during rapid scene transitions. The 9900X sits at the 92nd percentile among all CPUs in the database, with an average benchmark score of 57,498. Its nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 9015, scores 57,555, representing a negligible 0.1% difference. The Intel Core i9-14900 scores 58,115, which is 1.1% higher, and the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M scores 58,323, 1.4% higher. These margins are within the noise of typical gaming workloads, confirming that the 9900X's processing power is more than sufficient for Control's requirements.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is the flagship of the GeForce 50-series, built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with the GB202 chip. This GPU is manufactured on TSMC's 5 nm process with 92,200 million transistors on a 750 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 122.9 million per square millimeter. The card features 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, delivering 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth with memory clocked at 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective). The GPU's base clock is 2017 MHz with a boost clock of 2407 MHz.

For Control, the RTX 5090's immense memory capacity and bandwidth prove decisive. The game's highly detailed environments and particle effects benefit from the 32 GB frame buffer, which eliminates any possibility of VRAM-related stuttering even at 4K Ultra settings. The 1,636.8 GTexel/s texture rate and 423.6 GPixel/s pixel rate allow the card to maintain high fill rates during Control's most visually intense sequences, particularly the shifting environments of the Oldest House. The 104.8 TFLOPS FP32 compute performance provides substantial headroom for the game's physics calculations and post-processing effects.

The RTX 5090 ranks at the 92nd percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 79,842. Its nearest rival in the database is the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB with a score of 79,605, showing a 0.3% difference. The AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT scores 78,940, which is 1.1% lower, while the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64X scores 80,959, 1.4% higher. These comparisons highlight that the RTX 5090 operates at the absolute top tier of GPU performance, making it exceptionally well-suited for demanding titles like Control.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 achieves a rank of 72 out of 3,720 tested combos in Control. This places the pairing in the top 1.9% of all systems tested, a position that reflects the exceptional synergy between these two high-end components. The rank considers both CPU and GPU contributions, and the data indicates that neither component significantly bottlenecks the other in this title.

At 1920x1080, the system achieves frame rates ranging from 153 FPS at Ultra settings to 279 FPS at Low settings. These numbers demonstrate that the combination is capable of driving high-refresh-rate monitors even at maximum quality settings. The 1440p results show similar scalability, with 116 FPS at Ultra and 211 FPS at Low. At 4K, the system maintains playable performance across all settings, with 78 FPS at Ultra and 142 FPS at Low.

The rank of 72 suggests that while this is an elite-level combination, there are 71 other configurations that achieve higher performance in Control. These likely include combinations with even more specialized hardware or configurations that benefit from specific driver optimizations. However, the substantial gap between this combo's rank and the median of all tested systems underscores the exceptional capability of the 9900X and RTX 5090 pairing for this title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data reveals a consistent performance hierarchy across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the system delivers an average of 279 FPS at Low settings, 198 FPS at Medium settings with a minimum of 168 FPS and maximum of 228 FPS, 176 FPS at High settings, and 153 FPS at Ultra settings. These figures indicate that even at the highest quality preset, the system maintains frame rates well above the 144 Hz threshold favored by competitive gamers.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance scales as expected with increased pixel count. Low settings produce 211 FPS average, Medium settings deliver 150 FPS with a minimum of 127 FPS and maximum of 172 FPS, High settings achieve 133 FPS, and Ultra settings maintain 116 FPS. The 1440p results demonstrate that the RTX 5090's 32 GB memory buffer and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth are sufficient to prevent memory-related performance drops at this resolution, with the minimum FPS at Medium settings staying within 23 FPS of the average.

At 3840x2160, the system still delivers excellent performance. Low settings produce 142 FPS average, Medium settings achieve 101 FPS with a minimum of 86 FPS and maximum of 116 FPS, High settings maintain 90 FPS, and Ultra settings deliver 78 FPS. The 4K results show a more pronounced drop from Low to Ultra settings, with a 64 FPS difference, compared to 126 FPS at 1080p and 95 FPS at 1440p. This indicates that at 4K, the GPU becomes the primary performance limiter, though the system remains fully playable at all settings.

The scaling from 1080p to 4K at Ultra settings shows a 75 FPS drop, from 153 FPS to 78 FPS, representing a 49% reduction. At Low settings, the drop is more substantial at 137 FPS, from 279 FPS to 142 FPS, a 49% reduction as well. This consistent scaling pattern indicates that the system's performance is largely GPU-bound across all settings, with the CPU providing sufficient headroom to avoid introducing additional bottlenecks at higher resolutions.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Control with this combo?

A: The data shows that at 2560x1440, the system delivers 116 FPS at Ultra settings and 150 FPS at Medium settings, providing an excellent balance between visual quality and frame rate. At 3840x2160, Ultra settings produce 78 FPS, which is still playable, while High settings yield 90 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 5090's memory configuration benefit Control?

A: The 32 GB GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus provides 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth. This large frame buffer ensures that Control's detailed environments never encounter VRAM limitations, even at 4K Ultra settings where the game can consume significant memory resources.

Q: Is the Ryzen 9 9900X sufficient for high-refresh-rate gaming in Control?

A: Yes, the 9900X's single-thread performance, indicated by a 3DMark single-thread score of 1,286, ensures that Control's primary game thread runs efficiently. At 1920x1080 Low settings, the system achieves 279 FPS, demonstrating that the CPU can support frame rates well beyond typical high-refresh-rate displays.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Medium and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Medium settings produce an average of 150 FPS with a minimum of 127 FPS and maximum of 172 FPS, while Ultra settings produce 116 FPS average. This represents a 34 FPS difference between the two presets.

Q: How does this combo's rank compare to other tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 72 out of 3,720 tested combinations, placing it in the top 1.9% of all systems tested for Control. This indicates that only 71 other configurations achieve higher performance in this title.

Q: Can this system maintain 60 FPS at 4K with maximum settings?

A: Yes, at 3840x2160 Ultra settings, the system delivers 78 FPS average, which is 18 FPS above the 60 FPS threshold. This provides comfortable headroom for maintaining smooth gameplay even during demanding sequences.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset depends on the target resolution and frame rate preference. At 1920x1080, Ultra settings provide 153 FPS, which is sufficient for most high-refresh-rate monitors. However, for competitive play where maximum frame rates are desired, Low settings at 279 FPS offer the highest performance. The Medium preset at 198 FPS represents a strong balance between visual fidelity and performance, with a minimum of 168 FPS ensuring consistent frame delivery.

At 2560x1440, the High preset at 133 FPS offers an excellent combination of visual quality and performance. For gamers with 144 Hz monitors, the Medium preset at 150 FPS with a minimum of 127 FPS ensures that frame rates rarely drop below the refresh rate threshold. Ultra settings at 116 FPS remain viable for those prioritizing image quality over raw frame rate, while Low settings at 211 FPS provide maximum performance for high-refresh-rate displays.

At 3840x2160, the High preset at 90 FPS provides the best balance for 4K gaming, offering substantial visual improvements over Medium while maintaining a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. The Medium preset at 101 FPS with a minimum of 86 FPS is recommended for those who want additional performance headroom, particularly if using a 120 Hz or higher refresh rate display. Ultra settings at 78 FPS remain playable but may experience noticeable frame drops during intense combat sequences. Low settings at 142 FPS are recommended for players who prioritize frame rate above all else, though the visual compromise at 4K may be significant. The data suggests that High settings at any resolution provide the most consistent experience, balancing the visual enhancements Control offers with reliable frame delivery.