Control

FAQ

Q: What is the comboRankInGame for this configuration?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 ranks 72nd out of 3,720 tested combos in Control, placing it in the top 2% of all measured configurations.

Q: How much VRAM does the RTX 5090 have, and what memory type does it use?

A: The GPU features 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, delivering 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth. This is more than sufficient for Control’s demands at any resolution.

Q: What is the CPU’s core and thread configuration?

A: The Ryzen 9 9950X3D has 16 cores and 32 threads, based on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge), with a base clock of 4.30 GHz and a boost clock of 5.70 GHz.

Q: What are the best and worst average FPS results at 1920x1080?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers 279 FPS average, while the Ultra preset drops to 153 FPS average. The Medium preset yields 198 FPS with a minimum of 168 FPS and maximum of 228 FPS.

Q: What is the GPU’s boost clock?

A: The RTX 5090 has a base clock of 2017 MHz and a boost clock of 2407 MHz, with memory clocked at 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective).

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival in average benchmark score?

A: The Ryzen 9 9950X3D scores 75,779 on average, just 0.1% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755 (75,738) and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755X3D (75,716), and 0.4% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 9 285 (75,488).

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is the dominant factor in Control’s frame rates, and the data confirms this. With 32 GB of GDDR7 memory and 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth, the GPU has ample headroom for texture streaming and asset loading at high resolutions. The 512-bit memory bus ensures that even at 3840x2160, memory bandwidth is not a limiter.

The GPU’s clock behavior matters here. The boost clock of 2407 MHz is the ceiling under load, and the measured FPS values reflect that the card sustains high performance across all settings. At 3840x2160 Ultra, the average drops to 78 FPS, which is likely due to the rendering workload rather than memory constraints—the VRAM capacity of 32 GB exceeds what Control requires even at maximum settings.

The RTX 5090’s architectural advantages, including 21,760 shading units and 170 RT cores, contribute to its strong showing. In Control, which uses ray-traced reflections and indirect lighting, the RT core count directly influences frame rates. The data shows a clear scaling pattern: from Low to Ultra at 2560x1440, average FPS falls from 211 to 116, a 45% reduction. This indicates that the GPU is compute-bound at higher presets, not memory-bound.

The GPU’s percentile ranking of 92 vs all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 79,842, places it among the top tier. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB, scores 79,605 (0.3% lower), but that is a data-center part not designed for gaming. The AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT trails by 1.1%, while the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64X is 1.4% ahead—though that delta is within noise and irrelevant for gaming.

In practice, the RTX 5090 delivers playable frame rates at every resolution tested. Even at 4K Ultra, 78 FPS average is above the 60 FPS threshold, and at 4K High, the 90 FPS average provides a smoother experience. The GPU’s 104.8 TFLOPS FP32 throughput and 1,636.8 GTexel/s texture rate ensure that pixel fill and shading are not bottlenecks in this title.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 achieves a rank of 72 out of 3,720 tested combinations in Control. This puts the configuration in the 98th percentile, meaning only 71 other combos produce higher average FPS in this game. The rank reflects the synergy between the CPU’s high single-thread performance and the GPU’s raw rasterization power.

The CPU’s benchmark scores support this ranking. In 3DMark, the processor scores 1,292 in single-thread and 17,184 in max-thread tests. These numbers are competitive, but the CPU’s percentile of 95 vs all CPUs indicates it is not the limiting factor—the GPU is. The nearest CPU rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755 (0.1% lower average score), would likely produce similar results in Control because the game is GPU-bound at most settings.

The combo’s rank is also evidence of the GPU’s performance. The RTX 5090’s PassMark G3D score of 39,650 and its 92nd percentile ranking mean it outpaces the vast majority of GPUs. However, the rank of 72 suggests that some other combos with even faster GPUs (or better-optimized CPUs) edge out this configuration. The data does not list those superior combos, but the rank alone tells us that the 9950X3D + RTX 5090 is a top-tier pairing, not an absolute champion.

At 4K Ultra, the combo produces 78 FPS average; at 1080p Low, it reaches 279 FPS. This wide range shows that the configuration scales well with resolution, maintaining high frame rates even when the GPU is stressed. The rank of 72 is consistent with the measured FPS: it is a high performer, but not the absolute fastest in every scenario.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for optimal settings. At 3840x2160, the Medium preset delivers 101 FPS average with a minimum of 86 FPS and maximum of 116 FPS. This is the sweet spot for 4K: it offers a comfortable margin above 60 FPS and remains fluid during action sequences. The High preset at 4K drops to 90 FPS average, which is still playable, but the Medium preset’s higher minimum (86 FPS vs. no min reported for High) suggests better frame pacing.

At 2560x1440, the High preset provides 133 FPS average, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Ultra preset at 1440p yields 116 FPS, which is also smooth but offers diminishing returns over High. The Medium preset at 1440p (150 FPS) is excessive for most displays, so High is recommended for visual quality without sacrificing performance.

At 1920x1080, the High preset (176 FPS) is the best choice for competitive play, as it exceeds 144 Hz refresh rates. The Ultra preset (153 FPS) is still above 144 FPS, but the visual difference between High and Ultra in Control is minimal. The Low preset (279 FPS) is unnecessary unless targeting 240 Hz or higher.

For maximum visual fidelity with playable performance, the Ultra preset at 1440p (116 FPS) is the best balance. At 4K, the Medium preset (101 FPS) is recommended over Ultra (78 FPS) to maintain a higher frame rate floor. The data shows that the step from Medium to High at 4K costs 11 FPS, while High to Ultra costs another 12 FPS—these are significant drops for marginal visual gains.

Measured FPS Breakdown

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: 142 FPS average
• Medium: 101 FPS average, 86 FPS minimum, 116 FPS maximum
• High: 90 FPS average
• Ultra: 78 FPS average

The 4K results show a linear progression: each preset step down from Low to Ultra reduces average FPS by roughly 20-25%. The Medium preset’s minimum of 86 FPS ensures that even in heavy scenes, the frame rate stays above 60 FPS. The Ultra preset at 78 FPS is borderline for 60 Hz displays but not for 120 Hz panels.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: 211 FPS average
• Medium: 150 FPS average, 127 FPS minimum, 172 FPS maximum
• High: 133 FPS average
• Ultra: 116 FPS average

At 1440p, the Low preset hits 211 FPS, which is impressive but not practical for most monitors. The Medium preset’s minimum of 127 FPS is above 120 Hz, making it viable for high-refresh gaming. The gap between High (133 FPS) and Ultra (116 FPS) is 17 FPS, suggesting the Ultra preset adds significant load without proportional visual gains.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: 279 FPS average
• Medium: 198 FPS average, 168 FPS minimum, 228 FPS maximum
• High: 176 FPS average
• Ultra: 153 FPS average

At 1080p, the CPU becomes more relevant, but the RTX 5090 still dominates. The Low preset’s 279 FPS average is exceptional, while the Medium preset’s minimum of 168 FPS ensures smooth gameplay on 144 Hz displays. The Ultra preset’s 153 FPS average is still high, but the drop from High to Ultra (23 FPS) indicates that Control’s Ultra settings are heavy on the GPU.

Across all resolutions, the Medium preset consistently offers the best balance of average FPS and minimum FPS, making it the safest choice for consistent performance.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D provides the computational backbone for this combo. With 16 cores and 32 threads, it has ample parallelism for Control’s physics and AI systems. The 128 MB L3 cache is particularly relevant: Control’s open-world environments benefit from large cache sizes, reducing memory latency and improving frame times.

The CPU’s clock speeds are high: 4.30 GHz base and 5.70 GHz boost. These clocks are crucial for single-threaded tasks, and the benchmark data confirms strong performance. In Cinebench R23, the CPU scores 42,018 in multicore and 2,259 in single-core. The single-core score is 95th percentile, which means it handles Control’s main thread efficiently.

The 3DMark results show scalability: 2,549 for 2 threads, 4,963 for 4 threads, 9,259 for 8 threads, and 17,184 for max threads. This indicates that the CPU scales well with thread count, which helps in Control’s multi-threaded rendering pipeline. However, in this game, the GPU is the bottleneck at most settings, so the CPU’s role is to feed the RTX 5090 with enough draw calls and physics updates.

The CPU’s average benchmark score of 75,779 places it 95th percentile vs all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755, scores 75,738 (0.1% lower), meaning the 9950X3D is essentially tied with that part. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 trails by 0.4%. These small deltas suggest that in a GPU-bound game like Control, the CPU choice has minimal impact on final FPS.

The CPU’s memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s (dual-channel DDR5) is sufficient for the game’s data demands. The 4 nm process node (TSMC) and 16,630 million transistors indicate a modern, efficient design. The 170 W TDP is higher than typical desktop CPUs, but the performance justifies the power draw.

In summary, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D is a high-end CPU that does not bottleneck the RTX 5090 in Control. Its strong single-thread performance and large cache ensure that frame rates are GPU-limited, allowing the RTX 5090 to deliver the high FPS numbers seen in the measured data.