Control

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D combined with the Intel Arc B570 delivers a playable Control experience at 1080p and 1440p, but the GPU becomes the definitive bottleneck at 4K, where even the lowest settings struggle to maintain fluidity. The data shows a combo that is well-balanced for mainstream resolutions but falls short of the high-refresh-rate and 4K enthusiast tiers.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a steep performance cliff as resolution increases, a classic sign of a GPU-limited configuration at higher pixel counts. At 1080p with High settings, the combo produces 63 FPS. Moving to 1440p High drops that to 48 FPS, a 23.8% reduction. The jump to 4K High is far more punishing, landing at 32 FPS, which is a 33.3% drop from 1440p and roughly half the 1080p performance.

This scaling pattern indicates that the Intel Arc B570's rendering throughput is the primary constraint at 4K. The 1080p to 1440p transition shows a moderate loss, but the 1440p to 4K transition is catastrophic, suggesting the GPU's memory bandwidth and shading capacity are overwhelmed by the 8.3 million pixel workload. At 4K, even the Low preset (51 FPS) barely achieves playability, while the Ultra preset bottoms out at 28 FPS, which is a stutter-prone experience for a fast-paced action title.

The scaling from Low to Ultra at each resolution further confirms the GPU bottleneck. At 1080p, the spread between Low (101 FPS) and Ultra (55 FPS) is 46 FPS. At 1440p, the spread narrows to 34 FPS (76 to 42). At 4K, the spread compresses further to 23 FPS (51 to 28). This compression at higher resolutions is the definitive fingerprint of a GPU-limited scenario: the CPU has enough headroom to feed frames, but the GPU simply cannot render them faster regardless of the graphical load. The data suggests that for 4K gaming, this combo is unsuitable for anything beyond the lowest fidelity settings, and even then, the 51 FPS average is below the 60 FPS target most players expect.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B570 is the decisive component in this pairing's gaming performance. Its specifications include 10 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s. The GPU operates at a fixed clock of 2500 MHz for both base and boost, which is a relatively high frequency for a mid-range part. The 2304 shading units and 80 ROPs are tasked with pixel processing, and the data shows these resources are insufficient for 4K Ultra settings in Control, where the average FPS falls to 28.

The VRAM capacity of 10 GB is a critical factor at higher resolutions. While the fact pack does not provide per-setting VRAM usage, the performance collapse at 4K suggests that the memory subsystem is struggling. The 160-bit bus width is narrow compared to higher-tier cards, and the 380.0 GB/s bandwidth becomes a limiting factor when rendering 4K textures and effects. This is evidenced by the 4K Medium result, which yields 36 FPS with a minimum of 31 FPS and a maximum of 42 FPS. The tight frame pacing at 4K Medium indicates the GPU is working at its absolute limit, likely swapping data in and out of the 10 GB frame buffer.

In the context of its rivals, the Arc B570's synthetic benchmark scores position it close to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile, with a deltaPct of 0.1% (the Intel card is effectively tied). It also sits within 0.1% of the Intel Arc A750. These comparisons suggest that the B570 is a competent 1080p and 1440p card, but its 65th percentile ranking among all GPUs confirms that it is not designed for 4K dominance. The GPU's PassMark G3D score of 14195 and its average benchmark score of 20556 align with this mid-range positioning. For Control specifically, the GPU's role is to provide solid 1080p performance and acceptable 1440p performance, but it cannot sustain high settings at 4K.

Settings Recommendations

The measured rows offer clear guidance on the optimal settings for this combo, prioritizing a stable frame rate over visual fidelity. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers 101 FPS, which is excellent for competitive play or high-refresh-rate monitors. However, the Medium preset at 71 FPS provides a significant visual upgrade while still maintaining a smooth experience, and it is the recommended starting point for most users. The High preset at 63 FPS is also viable, but the 8 FPS difference between High and Medium does not justify the potential visual jump for those seeking maximum smoothness. The Ultra preset at 55 FPS is the least desirable 1080p option, as it dips below the 60 FPS threshold.

For 2560x1440, the recommendation shifts to Low or Medium. The Low preset achieves 76 FPS, which is playable, but the Medium preset at 54 FPS is the sweet spot for visual quality and performance balance. The High preset at 48 FPS is borderline, and the Ultra preset at 42 FPS is likely too choppy for a game that requires precise aiming and spatial awareness. At 3840x2160, the only viable option is the Low preset, which yields 51 FPS. The Medium preset at 36 FPS and High at 32 FPS are not recommended for a smooth experience, and the Ultra preset at 28 FPS should be avoided entirely.

The data suggests that users should treat this combo as a 1080p High/Medium and 1440p Medium/Low machine. Pushing beyond these settings will result in diminishing returns and sub-optimal frame rates. The 4K resolution should be reserved for static scenes or screenshot purposes, as the interactive frame rates are too low for comfortable gameplay.

How This Combo Ranks

In the comprehensive database of tested combos for Control, this pairing of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and Intel Arc B570 ranks 2307 out of 2888 combinations. This places it in the 20th percentile of all tested systems, indicating that it is a below-average performer for this specific game. The low ranking is almost entirely attributable to the GPU, as the CPU is a top-tier part with a 91st percentile ranking among all CPUs.

The combo's rank of 2307 suggests that while it can run the game, most other tested combinations deliver higher frame rates. This is a critical insight for potential buyers: the Ryzen 9 9900X3D is a high-end processor, but pairing it with the Arc B570 creates a significant imbalance. The data implies that the CPU is severely underutilized in this configuration, as the GPU cannot keep up with the CPU's frame generation potential. For users who already own the 9900X3D, the Arc B570 is a bottleneck that prevents the system from reaching its full gaming potential in Control.

Conversely, for users considering the Arc B570, this ranking indicates that it is best paired with a less powerful CPU to avoid a wasteful mismatch. The 2307th rank out of 2888 combos means that roughly 80% of other tested systems outperform this pairing. This is a clear signal that the GPU is the limiting factor and that the system's overall gaming performance is anchored by the Arc B570's capabilities.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture. It has a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. The CPU features a substantial 128 MB of L3 cache, which is typical of the X3D series and beneficial for gaming. However, in this specific Control benchmark, the CPU's role is largely to feed the GPU without becoming a bottleneck, and the data shows it succeeds in this task at 1080p but is irrelevant at 4K.

The CPU's synthetic benchmark scores are impressive. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 47737 and single-core score of 6739 indicate a high level of processing power. Its Geekbench multicore score of 22884 and single-core score of 3041 further reinforce this. The CPU's PassMark multithread score of 56154 and single-thread score of 4646 are also strong. These numbers suggest that the 9900X3D can handle any game's CPU demands, including physics calculations and AI routines.

In Control, the CPU's impact is visible when comparing 1080p Low and 1080p Ultra. The 1080p Low result of 101 FPS shows the CPU can push high frame rates, but the 4K Ultra result of 28 FPS is purely a GPU limitation. The data indicates that the CPU is not the bottleneck at any resolution, as the frame rate scaling with resolution follows a GPU-bound pattern. The CPU's 24 threads and high clock speeds ensure that even the most complex scenes in Control do not cause a CPU-side frame drop. The CPU's nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF, show an average score delta of -0.6%, meaning the 9900X3D is marginally slower in synthetic benchmarks, but this has no practical impact on the gaming results, which are GPU-limited.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table and analysis break down the exact measured FPS values for this combo across all tested settings and resolutions.

1920x1080 (Full HD)

• Low: 101 FPS average. This is the highest FPS recorded at any resolution, indicating the CPU and GPU have ample headroom at this load.
• Medium: 71 FPS average, with a minimum of 61 FPS and a maximum of 82 FPS. The frame pacing is consistent, with the minimum staying above 60 FPS.
• High: 63 FPS average. This is a solid result for High settings, though it is 8 FPS lower than Medium.
• Ultra: 55 FPS average. This is the only 1080p setting that falls below the 60 FPS threshold, indicating that Ultra settings tax the GPU significantly.

2560x1440 (Quad HD)

• Low: 76 FPS average. A significant drop from 1080p Low, but still a very playable frame rate.
• Medium: 54 FPS average, with a minimum of 46 FPS and a maximum of 62 FPS. The minimum FPS is below 50, which may be noticeable in intense combat.
• High: 48 FPS average. This is a 15 FPS drop from the 1080p High result, showing the impact of the resolution increase.
• Ultra: 42 FPS average. This is a playable but not ideal frame rate, and it indicates the GPU is starting to struggle.

3840x2160 (4K Ultra HD)

• Low: 51 FPS average. This is the only 4K setting that approaches playability, though it is still below 60 FPS.
• Medium: 36 FPS average, with a minimum of 31 FPS and a maximum of 42 FPS. The frame rate is inconsistent, with the minimum dipping into the low 30s.
• High: 32 FPS average. This is a significant drop from 1440p High, and it is not recommended for gameplay.
• Ultra: 28 FPS average. This is the lowest measured score, and it is effectively unplayable for a game like Control, which requires quick reactions.

The data across all resolutions shows a clear trend: the combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can achieve high frame rates on Medium and High settings. At 1440p, it is a 60 FPS-class machine on Low settings. At 4K, it is only capable of Low settings at approximately 50 FPS. These measured results align with the GPU's 65th percentile ranking and its position relative to rivals like the RTX 3070 Mobile, confirming that the Arc B570 is the limiting factor in this pairing.