Control

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 delivers a robust experience in Control, with benchmark results showing this combination ranking in the 70th percentile of all tested system configurations. The data indicates that the CPU, with its 16 cores and 32 threads based on the Zen 5 architecture, provides ample processing headroom, while the RTX 3080’s 10 GB of GDDR6X memory and Ampere architecture handle the game’s rendering demands effectively. This analysis breaks down the measured performance across resolutions and settings, providing a clear picture of what users can expect from this hardware pairing.

FAQ

Q: How does the Ryzen 9 9950X3D compare to its nearest CPU rivals in overall benchmark scores?

A: The Ryzen 9 9950X3D has an average benchmark score of 71660, which places it 0.9% ahead of the Intel Xeon Platinum 8270 and 1.8% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X. It also leads the Intel Core i7-14700KF by 2.2%, but trails the Intel Xeon 6517P by 1.9%.

Q: What is the RTX 3080’s standing relative to other GPUs in the benchmark database?

A: The RTX 3080 scores in the 80th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 35787. Its closest rivals are the AMD Radeon Pro Duo, which is 0.2% slower, and the AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE, which is 0.9% faster. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Mobile is 1% slower.

Q: What are the key specifications of the CPU that influence gaming performance?

A: The Ryzen 9 9950X3D features a base clock of 4.30 GHz and a boost clock of 5.70 GHz, with 128 MB of shared L3 cache. It supports DDR5 memory on a dual-channel bus with a bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, and it has a TDP of 170 W.

Q: What memory configuration does the RTX 3080 use, and how does it affect performance?

A: The RTX 3080 is equipped with 10 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 320-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 760.3 GB/s. The memory clock is listed as 1188 MHz, with an effective data rate of 19 Gbps.

*Q: What is the combo’s overall rank among tested system configurations for Control?*

A: The combination of the Ryzen 9 9950X3D and RTX 3080 ranks 494th out of 1636 tested combos in Control, placing it in the upper portion of the database.

Q: What is the best average FPS achieved at 1080p with this hardware?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 184.9 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. At Ultra settings, the average drops to 101.4 FPS.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is the primary driver of frame rates in Control, and its specifications directly correlate with the measured results. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1440 MHz and a boost clock of 1710 MHz, with a pixel rate of 164.2 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 465.1 GTexel/s. These figures, combined with the 8704 shading units and 272 texture mapping units, indicate a high level of raw rasterization throughput that is well-suited for the game’s action-adventure environments.

The 10 GB frame buffer of GDDR6X memory is a critical factor at higher resolutions. With a bandwidth of 760.3 GB/s on a 320-bit bus, the memory subsystem provides sufficient data throughput for the game’s assets, but the capacity becomes a limiting factor at 4K. The data shows that at 3840x2160, the average FPS drops to 58 on High settings and 49.4 on Ultra, suggesting that the VRAM capacity is being saturated at these resolutions and settings. The performance scaling from Medium to Low at 4K (68.7 to 96.3 FPS) further supports this, as lower settings reduce the memory footprint and alleviate pressure on the 10 GB buffer.

The GPU’s compute capabilities, including 68 RT cores and 272 tensor cores, contribute to its overall score in the 80th percentile of all GPUs. However, the benchmark data for Control does not isolate ray tracing or DLSS performance, so the analysis focuses on the standard rasterization metrics. The GPU’s FP32 performance of 29.77 TFLOPS provides a theoretical ceiling that, when paired with the CPU’s strong single-thread score of 1292 in 3DMark, results in the measured frame rates. The GPU’s launch MSRP is 699 USD.

How This Combo Ranks

In the context of all 1636 tested hardware combinations for Control, this pairing of the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 achieves a rank of 494. This places it in the upper 30% of all configurations, indicating that it is a high-performing setup for this specific title, though not at the absolute top tier. The rank reflects a balance between the CPU’s exceptional multi-threaded capabilities and the GPU’s strong but not flagship-level performance.

The CPU’s benchmark scores provide context for its contribution. With a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 59712 and a single-core score of 8430, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D ensures that the system does not become CPU-bound in Control. The Geekbench multi-core score of 22515 and single-core score of 3401 further underscore its capability. The GPU’s Passmark G3D score of 25086 and 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 4407 are consistent with its 80th percentile ranking.

Compared to the CPU’s nearest rivals, the combo’s rank is influenced by the GPU. The CPU is 1.8% faster than the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X, but the overall system performance in Control is capped by the RTX 3080. The rank of 494 out of 1636 suggests that while the CPU is among the best available, the GPU holds the system back from reaching the top 10% of combos. The data indicates that this is a well-matched pair for high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming, but at 4K, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck, as evidenced by the FPS figures.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed view of performance across three resolutions and four settings levels. At 1920x1080, the system delivers high frame rates suitable for competitive or high-refresh displays. Low settings produce an average of 184.9 FPS, Medium settings yield 131.5 FPS, High settings reach 116.2 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 101.4 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p is smooth, with a 45% reduction in frame rate at the highest settings, indicating that the GPU is fully utilized without severe bottlenecking.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong. Low settings average 142.7 FPS, Medium settings achieve 101.9 FPS, High settings deliver 87 FPS, and Ultra settings produce 76.6 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is wider than at 1080p, with a 46% drop, reflecting increased GPU load. The RTX 3080’s 10 GB of memory is sufficient at this resolution, as the frame rates remain above 60 FPS even at Ultra.

At 3840x2160, the system begins to struggle with the highest settings. Low settings average 96.3 FPS, which is still playable, but Medium settings drop to 68.7 FPS, High settings to 58 FPS, and Ultra settings to 49.4 FPS. The data shows a clear threshold at 4K: the step from Low to Medium incurs a 29% performance penalty, and from Medium to Ultra, a 28% penalty. This suggests that the 10 GB VRAM capacity is the primary constraint at 4K, as the frame rates fall below the 60 FPS target at High and Ultra settings. The scaling at 4K is less linear than at lower resolutions, indicating that memory bandwidth and capacity are limiting factors rather than raw compute power.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this hardware depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For a 60 FPS experience, the data shows that at 3840x2160, users must select Medium settings (68.7 FPS) or lower, as High settings dip to 58 FPS. For a 100+ FPS target, 1440p is the sweet spot, with High settings delivering 87 FPS and Ultra producing 76.6 FPS, both of which are above the 60 FPS threshold. At 1080p, all settings levels exceed 100 FPS, with Ultra at 101.4 FPS and Low at 184.9 FPS, making it viable for high-refresh monitors.

For the optimal balance between visual fidelity and performance, the data suggests that 2560x1440 with High settings is the most compelling choice. It provides an average of 87 FPS, which is smooth for most users, while maintaining the visual enhancements of High settings. The jump from High to Ultra at 1440p costs only 10.4 FPS (from 87 to 76.6), but the latter still remains above 60 FPS. Conversely, at 4K, the recommendation is to avoid Ultra settings, as the 49.4 FPS average is below the standard 60 FPS target; Medium settings at 68.7 FPS offer a better balance.

For users prioritizing frame rate over visuals, 1080p Low settings offer the highest possible performance at 184.9 FPS, which is ideal for esports or high-refresh displays. However, given the CPU’s capability, the system is not CPU-limited at any resolution, as evidenced by the consistent scaling across settings. The data indicates that the GPU is the sole limiting factor, so users should adjust settings based on their resolution to achieve their preferred frame rate target. The 1440p High preset is the recommended default for this combo, offering a strong balance of quality and speed, while 4K users should stick to Medium for a playable experience.