Control

The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 delivers a highly playable Control experience, though the data reveals a distinct performance ceiling. Across the measured resolutions, this combo demonstrates a predictable scaling pattern, with the most significant frame rate degradation occurring at 4K. The benchmark results indicate a clear shift in the limiting factor as resolution increases, moving from a balanced load at 1080p to a heavily GPU-bound scenario at 3840x2160.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a steep drop as resolution scales from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 79 FPS at 1080p to 59 FPS at 1440p, a decline of 20 frames, and then to 40 FPS at 4K, representing a further 19-frame drop. This pattern highlights that the RTX 4060's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 272.0 GB/s bandwidth become increasingly strained at higher pixel counts. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p results in a 25.3% performance reduction, while the transition from 1440p to 4K incurs a 32.2% reduction, indicating that the GPU's rendering capabilities are the primary bottleneck at the highest resolution.

At Ultra settings, the trend is similar but with lower absolute numbers. The average FPS starts at 68 at 1080p, drops to 52 at 1440p, and bottoms out at 35 at 4K. This shows that the most demanding preset exacerbates the GPU limitation, with the 4K Ultra result falling below the 40 FPS threshold often considered the minimum for smooth gameplay. The data suggests that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where the CPU's 16 cores and 32 threads can adequately feed the GPU without becoming the limiting factor.

The resolution scaling behavior indicates that the RTX 4060 is the constraining component at 4K. The Ryzen AI Max+ 395, with its 64 MB of shared L3 cache and 256.0 GB/s quad-channel memory bandwidth, provides ample data throughput for the GPU. However, the GPU's 15.11 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 118.1 GPixel/s pixel rate are insufficient to maintain high frame rates at 4K, especially on higher presets. The performance gap between Low and Ultra settings widens with resolution, going from a 56 FPS difference at 1080p to a 29 FPS difference at 4K, further confirming the GPU's dominant role in determining overall performance.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 achieves a rank of 1738 out of 2888 tested combos in Control. This places the combo in the 39.8th percentile of all tested configurations, indicating that it performs below the median. The ranking reflects the balance between a high-end mobile CPU and a mid-range desktop GPU, with the GPU's performance ceiling limiting the overall result. While the CPU is a top-tier part, ranking in the 95th percentile against all CPUs, the GPU's 61st percentile standing constrains the combo's overall position.

The combo's rank suggests that many other pairings, likely those with more powerful GPUs, will outperform it in this title. The data indicates that the GPU is the primary determinant of the final frame rate in Control, so combinations featuring higher-tier graphics cards would naturally rank higher. This is not a reflection of the CPU's capability but rather a consequence of the performance balance struck by this specific pairing. The results show that for users prioritizing maximum frame rates in Control, a more powerful GPU would be necessary.

However, the rank also demonstrates that this combo is not a poor performer. It sits in the top 60% of all combos, which is a respectable position for a mobile CPU paired with a mainstream desktop GPU. The benchmark results indicate that this pairing is capable of delivering a smooth experience at 1080p and a playable one at 1440p, making it a viable option for gamers with monitors at those resolutions. The combination's effectiveness is heavily dependent on the resolution and settings chosen, as the measured FPS data clearly illustrates.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is the definitive bottleneck in this pairing for Control. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus provides a memory bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s, which is a limiting factor at higher resolutions. The GPU's boost clock of 2460 MHz and base clock of 1830 MHz contribute to its compute throughput of 15.11 TFLOPS. In the context of Control, these specifications translate to the observed performance, where the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth are insufficient to maintain high frame rates at 4K.

The GPU's 24 RT cores and 96 tensor cores support hardware-accelerated ray tracing and DLSS, but the measured data does not include results with these features enabled. The benchmark scores from other tests, such as a Passmark G3D score of 19545 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 2302, provide a general indication of the GPU's compute capability. However, the measured FPS in Control shows that the GPU is most comfortable at 1080p, where it delivers 124 FPS on Low settings and 68 FPS on Ultra. At 1440p, the performance drops to 94 FPS on Low and 52 FPS on Ultra, showing a clear scaling limitation.

The GPU's 48 ROPs and 96 TMUs are responsible for pixel and texture processing, respectively. The measured data suggests that these units are saturated at 4K, leading to the 40 FPS average at High settings. The GPU's 8 GB VRAM capacity is also a concern at 4K, as the game may be using a significant portion of it, potentially causing texture thrashing. The performance difference between Low and Medium settings at 4K is only 19 FPS (64 vs 45), while the difference between Medium and High is 5 FPS, indicating that the GPU is struggling with the increased memory and compute demands of higher presets.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo can achieve in Control?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 124 at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: Is this combo capable of running Control at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: Yes, but only on lower presets. The 4K Low setting delivers an average of 64 FPS, while High and Ultra settings produce 40 FPS and 35 FPS, respectively.

Q: How does the combo perform at 1440p on Medium settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the combo achieves an average FPS of 67, with a minimum of 57 and a maximum of 77.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: The difference is 56 FPS, with Low achieving 124 FPS and Ultra achieving 68 FPS.

Q: How does the combo rank compared to other tested configurations?

A: It ranks 1738 out of 2888 total combos tested in Control, placing it in the 39.8th percentile.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU limit performance more in this game?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary limiting factor, especially at higher resolutions like 3840x2160, where the frame rate drops significantly.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the combo's performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the average frame rates are 124 FPS on Low, 88 FPS on Medium, 79 FPS on High, and 68 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset also shows a minimum of 75 FPS and a maximum of 102 FPS, providing a range for expected variance. These results demonstrate that the combo is fully capable of delivering high refresh rate gameplay at 1080p, with even the Ultra preset remaining above 60 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops as expected. The average FPS values are 94 on Low, 67 on Medium, 59 on High, and 52 on Ultra. The Medium preset at this resolution shows a minimum of 57 FPS and a maximum of 77 FPS. The data reveals that 1440p High is borderline for 60 FPS gameplay, while Ultra falls below that threshold. For a smooth experience at 1440p, users would likely need to select Low or Medium settings, with Medium providing a good balance between visual quality and performance.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's limitations become fully apparent. The average FPS values are 64 on Low, 45 on Medium, 40 on High, and 35 on Ultra. The Medium preset is the only setting with complete min/max data, showing a minimum of 38 FPS and a maximum of 52 FPS. This indicates that even at 4K Low, the combo can achieve playable frame rates in the 60s, but higher settings result in sub-60 FPS performance. The 4K Ultra result of 35 FPS is below the threshold for smooth gameplay, making this resolution best suited for slower-paced or less demanding content.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 plays a crucial, yet secondary role in this combo's performance in Control. With 16 cores and 32 threads based on the Zen 5 architecture, the CPU provides substantial processing power. Its boost clock of 5.10 GHz and base clock of 3.00 GHz, combined with a 64 MB shared L3 cache, ensure that it is not a bottleneck for the GPU in most scenarios. The CPU's benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35314 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2464, highlight its capability to handle the game's physics and AI calculations without issue.

In the context of the measured FPS data, the CPU's role becomes less significant as resolution increases. At 1080p, where the GPU is less stressed, the CPU's performance is sufficient to feed the graphics card, allowing it to reach 124 FPS on Low settings. The data suggests that the CPU is more than capable of keeping up with the GPU's output at all settings, as the frame rate scaling is primarily dictated by the resolution and preset, not by CPU limitations. The CPU's 95th percentile ranking against all CPUs reinforces this, indicating it is a top-tier processor.

However, the CPU's performance is not the limiting factor in this pairing. The benchmark results show that the GPU is the component that determines the final frame rate. Even with the powerful Ryzen AI Max+ 395, the RTX 4060's 8 GB of VRAM and 128-bit memory bus constrain performance at higher resolutions. The CPU's 256.0 GB/s quad-channel memory bandwidth is ample for feeding the GPU's 272.0 GB/s bandwidth, preventing any memory starvation issues. The data indicates that the CPU is a strong partner that does not hold the GPU back, allowing the RTX 4060 to operate at its full potential within its own limits.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the user's resolution and performance priorities. For 1080p, the Ultra preset provides an average of 68 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. This makes Ultra the recommended choice for users with 1080p monitors who want the best visual quality without sacrificing playability. Alternatively, the High preset at 79 FPS offers a slight performance boost with a minor visual fidelity reduction, making it a good choice for those who prefer higher frame rates.

At 1440p, the Medium preset appears to be the sweet spot. It delivers an average of 67 FPS with a minimum of 57 FPS, which is close to the 60 FPS target. The High preset at 59 FPS is borderline, and the Ultra preset at 52 FPS may result in noticeable stuttering in fast-paced scenes. The Medium preset provides a good balance between visual quality and performance, making it the recommended choice for 1440p gaming. For users prioritizing frame rate, the Low preset at 94 FPS offers an excellent experience, though with reduced visual fidelity.

For 4K gaming, the data suggests that only the Low preset provides a consistently smooth experience, with an average of 64 FPS. The Medium preset at 45 FPS may be playable for some, but the minimum FPS of 38 suggests occasional dips below acceptable levels. The High and Ultra presets at 40 FPS and 35 FPS, respectively, are not recommended for action-heavy gameplay. Users with 4K displays should consider lowering the resolution or accepting the Low preset to maintain playable frame rates. The measured data clearly indicates that this combo is best utilized at 1080p or 1440p, where higher settings can be enjoyed without compromising performance.