Control

# Control with AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D + AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT delivers a mid-range 4K experience in Control, with measured frame rates that scale predictably across resolutions and settings. The combo ranks 1267th out of 2888 tested combinations, placing it in the 56th percentile of all system pairings tested for this game. The data shows a system that can handle 1080p and 1440p gaming with high refresh rates, while 4K requires careful settings management to maintain playable performance.

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

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D is a 12-core, 24-thread processor from the 9000 series, built on the Zen 5 architecture with the Granite Ridge codename. It operates on a 4 nm process from TSMC, featuring a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. The processor carries a substantial 128 MB of L3 cache, with 80 KB of L1 cache per core and 1 MB of L2 cache per core. This cache configuration is particularly relevant for game performance, as Control's physics-heavy environments and destructible objects benefit from large, fast-accessible data pools.

In synthetic benchmarks, the 9900X3D demonstrates strong multi-threaded capability with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 47737 and a single-core score of 6739. The Geekbench multicore result of 22884 and single-core score of 3041 reinforce this pattern. The processor's percentile ranking against all CPUs is 91, indicating it outperforms the vast majority of processors in general benchmark scenarios. Its average benchmark score of 54762 places it in close competition with the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF, which scores 55093 — a mere 0.6% difference. The 9900X3D also edges out the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K by 1.3% and the Intel Xeon 6505P by 2%.

For a game like Control, the CPU's role is primarily about maintaining a consistent frame delivery pipeline. The measured FPS data shows that at 1080p Low settings, the system achieves 148 FPS average, which suggests the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with frames well beyond what most displays can show. However, the question arises: does the 9900X3D's massive cache and high boost clock actually translate into better frame pacing in Control, or does the GPU become the limiting factor at higher settings?

The answer lies in the frame rate progression across resolutions. At 1080p Ultra, the system hits 81 FPS, while at 4K Ultra it drops to 42 FPS. This 48% reduction from 1080p to 4K at Ultra settings points to the GPU being the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. The CPU's 12 cores and 24 threads are more than sufficient for Control's threading model, which typically scales well up to 8 threads in this genre. The 3DMark 8-thread score of 9002 and 16-thread score of 12490 indicate that the processor has ample headroom for game workloads, even when background applications compete for resources.

The 9900X3D's single-thread performance is also noteworthy, with a 3DMark single-thread score of 1269 and a PassMark single-thread score of 4646. Control's game logic, particularly the physics simulation and AI routines, benefits from strong single-thread performance. The processor's boost clock of 5.50 GHz ensures that these latency-sensitive tasks complete quickly, reducing the chance of frame hitches caused by CPU stalls.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT is built on the RDNA 2.0 architecture using the Navi 22 chip, manufactured on a 7 nm process from TSMC. It features 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 432.0 GB/s. The GPU's memory clock runs at 2250 MHz, which translates to 18 Gbps effective. Its base clock is 2150 MHz, with a boost clock of 2600 MHz and a game clock of 2495 MHz. The card has 2560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 64 ROPs, along with 40 ray tracing cores.

In Control, the GPU's 12 GB VRAM capacity is a significant asset. The game's high-resolution textures and complex particle effects can consume substantial memory at 4K Ultra settings. The measured FPS data shows that at 4K Ultra, the system averages 42 FPS, while at 4K High it reaches 48 FPS. This 6 FPS difference suggests that the Ultra preset introduces additional effects that stress the GPU's compute capabilities more than its memory bandwidth.

The RX 6750 XT's synthetic benchmark performance places it in the 71st percentile against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 26011. Its nearest rival in the benchmark database is the AMD Radeon R9 M395X, which scores 25891 — a difference of just 0.5%. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Mobile scores 25740, putting the RX 6750 XT 1.1% ahead. This close grouping indicates that the RX 6750 XT sits in a competitive performance tier, though the comparison to mobile parts suggests it's not a high-end desktop GPU.

The GPU's pixel rate of 166.4 GPixel/s and texture rate of 416.0 GTexel/s are moderate figures that explain its performance profile in Control. At 1440p High, the system achieves 71 FPS, which is a 24% drop from 1080p High's 94 FPS. This scaling is typical for a GPU with 2560 shading units, as the increased pixel count at 1440p demands more from the ROPs and memory subsystem. The 192-bit memory bus and 432.0 GB/s bandwidth become more critical at higher resolutions, and the data suggests they are adequate but not exceptional for 4K gaming.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Control at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 4K Medium, the system averages 54 FPS with a minimum of 46 FPS and maximum of 62 FPS. At 4K High, the average drops to 48 FPS, and at 4K Ultra it falls to 42 FPS. The Medium preset provides the most consistent 4K experience, while Ultra pushes the GPU to its limits.

Q: How does the CPU's 128 MB of L3 cache affect Control's performance?

A: The large L3 cache helps maintain consistent frame delivery by reducing memory latency for frequently accessed game data. This is reflected in the strong 1080p Low performance of 148 FPS, which suggests the CPU can feed frames quickly. However, the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher settings, so the cache's benefit is primarily seen in frame pacing rather than peak FPS.

Q: What is the optimal resolution for this combo in Control?

A: The data indicates 1440p is the sweet spot. At 1440p High, the system achieves 71 FPS, and at 1440p Medium it reaches 80 FPS with a minimum of 68 FPS. These frame rates provide a good balance between visual quality and smoothness, whereas 4K requires dropping to Medium settings to maintain similar performance.

Q: How does the RX 6750 XT compare to its nearest GPU rivals in overall benchmarks?

A: The RX 6750 XT's average benchmark score of 26011 is 0.5% higher than the AMD Radeon R9 M395X's 25891 and 1.1% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Mobile's 25740. It also outperforms the AMD FirePro W7100 by 0.6% and the AMD FirePro D700 by 0.7%.

Q: Does the 9900X3D bottleneck the RX 6750 XT in Control?

A: No, the data suggests the opposite. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 148 FPS, which is well above typical display refresh rates. The performance drop when moving to higher resolutions and settings is consistent with GPU limitation, not CPU bottlenecking. The processor's 91st percentile ranking among all CPUs confirms it has ample headroom.

Q: What settings preset provides the most stable frame times?

A: The Medium preset at any resolution offers the most consistent frame delivery. At 1440p Medium, the minimum FPS is 68 with an average of 80, and at 4K Medium, the minimum is 46 with an average of 54. These minimum frame rates are notably higher than what would be expected from High or Ultra presets, indicating better frame time consistency.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data reveals a clear hierarchy in settings presets across all resolutions. The Medium preset offers the best balance between visual fidelity and performance, as evidenced by its consistent minimum frame rates. At 1440p Medium, the system delivers 80 FPS average with a minimum of 68 FPS, making it the recommended choice for a smooth gaming experience. The 4K Medium preset, with its 54 FPS average and 46 FPS minimum, is acceptable for players prioritizing resolution over frame rate.

The Low preset provides the highest frame rates but sacrifices visual quality. At 1080p Low, the system hits 148 FPS, and at 1440p Low it reaches 112 FPS. These settings are suitable for competitive play or for users with high refresh rate displays, though the visual downgrade may not be worth it for Control's atmospheric presentation. The High preset represents a middle ground, offering 94 FPS at 1080p, 71 FPS at 1440p, and 48 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset delivers the most visual fidelity but drops below 60 FPS at 1440p, with a 62 FPS average, and falls to 42 FPS at 4K.

For users with 1080p displays, the High preset at 94 FPS is recommended for the best experience, as the frame rate is high enough to be smooth while maintaining good visual quality. At 1440p, the Medium preset at 80 FPS with 68 FPS minimum is the best choice, as it stays above the 60 FPS threshold more consistently than High. For 4K displays, the Medium preset is the only viable option for maintaining playable frame rates, as High and Ultra fall below the 50 FPS mark.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D + AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT combination ranks 1267th out of 2888 tested combos in Control, placing it in the upper half of all system pairings. This rank reflects the GPU's mid-range positioning, as the CPU is a top-tier processor that would typically be paired with a more powerful graphics card. The combo's performance is limited by the RX 6750 XT's capabilities, particularly at higher resolutions and settings.

The CPU's 91st percentile ranking against all processors indicates that the 9900X3D is not the limiting factor in this pairing. The GPU's 71st percentile ranking against all GPUs provides a more accurate representation of the system's overall gaming capability. This discrepancy between CPU and GPU tiers explains the combo's mid-pack rank in Control, as the game's performance is predominantly GPU-bound at the tested settings.

Compared to the GPU's nearest rivals in the benchmark database, the RX 6750 XT's performance is competitive but not exceptional. The 0.5% advantage over the R9 M395X and 1.1% advantage over the RTX 3080 Ti Mobile represent small margins that translate to minor frame rate differences in actual gameplay. The combo's 1267th rank out of 2888 combinations suggests that many other system pairings achieve better performance in Control, likely those with higher-tier GPUs.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1080p, the system demonstrates its strongest performance across all settings. The Low preset delivers 148 FPS average, which is the highest measured frame rate for this combo. The Medium preset achieves 105 FPS with a minimum of 90 FPS and maximum of 121 FPS, providing a solid experience. The High preset reaches 94 FPS, while the Ultra preset drops to 81 FPS. These results show that at 1080p, the system can handle even the most demanding preset with frame rates above 60 FPS.

Moving to 1440p, the performance scales downward as expected. The Low preset delivers 112 FPS, a 24% decrease from 1080p Low. The Medium preset achieves 80 FPS with a minimum of 68 FPS and maximum of 92 FPS. The High preset reaches 71 FPS, while the Ultra preset drops to 62 FPS. The 1440p Medium and High presets both remain above 60 FPS, making them viable options for smooth gameplay.

At 4K, the system's limitations become apparent. The Low preset delivers 76 FPS, which is still playable. The Medium preset achieves 54 FPS with a minimum of 46 FPS and maximum of 62 FPS, providing a borderline experience. The High preset drops to 48 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to 42 FPS. These 4K results indicate that the RX 6750 XT struggles to maintain high frame rates at this resolution, particularly with higher quality settings.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K reveals important insights about the limiting component in this system. At Low settings, the frame rate decreases from 148 FPS at 1080p to 112 FPS at 1440p (a 24% drop) and then to 76 FPS at 4K (a 32% drop from 1440p). This scaling pattern indicates that even at Low settings, the GPU becomes increasingly strained as pixel count increases, although the CPU's strong single-thread performance helps maintain playable frame rates.

At Medium settings, the progression from 105 FPS at 1080p to 80 FPS at 1440p represents a 24% decrease, and the further drop to 54 FPS at 4K is a 33% decrease from 1440p. The minimum frame rate at 4K Medium is 46 FPS, which approaches the threshold where frame pacing becomes noticeable. The High settings show a similar pattern: 94 FPS at 1080p, 71 FPS at 1440p (24% drop), and 48 FPS at 4K (32% drop from 1440p). The Ultra settings exhibit the largest absolute drop, going from 81 FPS at 1080p to 62 FPS at 1440p (23% drop) and finally to 42 FPS at 4K (32% drop from 1440p).

These consistent percentage drops across settings levels suggest that the GPU's memory bandwidth and compute throughput are the primary limiting factors at higher resolutions. The 432.0 GB/s bandwidth and 13.31 TFLOPS FP32 performance are adequate for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but they become insufficient for maintaining high frame rates at 4K. The CPU's role in this scaling is minimal, as the 9900X3D's processing power remains underutilized even at 4K Ultra settings. This analysis confirms that the RX 6750 XT is the performance bottleneck for this combo in Control, particularly for users targeting 4K resolution.