Control

The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination delivers a compelling 1080p and 1440p experience in Control, with 4K Ultra remaining a demanding target. This analysis breaks down the measured performance data, focusing on how the CPU and GPU each contribute to the frame rates observed across three resolutions and four quality presets.

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

The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 is a 16-core, 32-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture, built on a 4 nm process. Its base clock of 3.00 GHz can boost up to 5.10 GHz, providing substantial headroom for single-threaded workloads. The processor features a 64 MB shared L3 cache and 1 MB of L2 cache per core, alongside 80 KB of L1 per core. This configuration, with a 55 W TDP, is designed for mobile platforms, using the AMD Socket FP11 and supporting LPDDR5X memory across a quad-channel bus, offering 256.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth.

In the context of Control, the CPU's role is primarily to feed the GPU with draw calls and manage the game's physics and AI systems. Given the game is from 2019, its threading model is not as demanding as modern titles, but the Ryzen AI Max+ 395's high core count ensures no bottleneck at any tested setting. The data reinforces this: at 1080p Low, the system achieves 177 FPS, which is well beyond typical display refresh rates. Even at 1080p Ultra, the system manages 97 FPS, indicating that the CPU is not the limiting factor at this resolution. The processor's strong single-core performance, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2044, ensures that the game's primary thread is handled efficiently. Its multi-core capability, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35314, provides ample headroom for background tasks and any game engine threads that scale. The processor holds a 95th percentile ranking against all CPUs, and its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i9-14900K, which scores 1.7% higher on average, and the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX, which scores 2% lower. This shows the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 is in the top tier of processors, making it a suitable match for a high-end GPU like the RTX 4080.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Selecting the optimal settings for Control depends on the target resolution and desired frame rate. The measured data provides clear guidance for each tier. At 1920x1080, all settings are playable, but the High preset at 112 FPS offers an excellent balance of visual fidelity and smoothness. The Ultra preset at 97 FPS is also viable for those with 100 Hz or lower refresh rate monitors, while the Low preset at 177 FPS is ideal for competitive play or high-refresh-rate displays.

At 2560x1440, the High preset is the standout choice, delivering an average of 84 FPS. This is a significant drop from the 112 FPS seen at 1080p, but it remains comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold for a smooth experience. The Medium preset at 95 FPS is also a strong option for those prioritizing frame rate over visual detail. The Ultra preset at 73 FPS is playable but requires a VRR display to avoid screen tearing, as the frame rate is below the 75 Hz refresh rate of some monitors. The Low preset at 134 FPS is unnecessary unless chasing maximum frame rates.

At 3840x2160, the situation changes. The High preset produces an average of 57 FPS, which is borderline for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset, with an average of 64 FPS and a minimum of 55 FPS, provides a more consistent experience, making it the recommended setting for 4K. The Ultra preset drops to 50 FPS, which may be acceptable for slower-paced exploration but is not ideal for combat scenarios. The Low preset at 90 FPS is the only setting that provides a truly smooth 4K experience, but it sacrifices significant visual quality. For the best overall experience at 4K, the Medium preset offers the best compromise between visual fidelity and performance, with its 64 FPS average being the only 4K setting with documented minimum and maximum frame rates (55 and 74 FPS, respectively), indicating stable performance.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The performance scaling across resolutions clearly identifies the GPU as the primary limiting component for this combination in Control. Examining the High preset, the frame rate drops from 112 FPS at 1080p to 84 FPS at 1440p, a 25% reduction, and then to 57 FPS at 4K, a further 32% reduction. This pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario, where the rendering load increases exponentially with pixel count. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see a smaller frame rate difference between 1080p and 1440p, as the CPU workload would remain relatively constant.

The scaling from 1440p to 4K is particularly telling. The 4K resolution has 2.25 times the pixels of 1440p, yet the frame rate does not drop proportionally. This is because the RTX 4080's 16 GB of GDDR6X memory and 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth are sufficient to handle the increased memory pressure, and the GPU's compute units are being utilized more efficiently at higher resolutions. The same pattern is observed across all settings: at Low, the drop is from 177 FPS (1080p) to 134 FPS (1440p) to 90 FPS (4K); at Medium, it goes from 126 to 95 to 64 FPS; and at Ultra, from 97 to 73 to 50 FPS. The consistent ~30-35% drop between each resolution step underscores the GPU's dominant role. The CPU's 16 cores and high boost clock are more than sufficient to keep up with the GPU's demands at all tested settings, ensuring that the frame rates are solely dictated by the graphics card's rendering capabilities.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

*Q: What is the best resolution to play Control with this hardware for a consistent 60+ FPS experience?*

A: Based on the measured data, 2560x1440 with the High preset provides an average of 84 FPS, comfortably exceeding the 60 FPS target. While 1080p offers higher frame rates, 1440p High provides a better visual experience without sacrificing smoothness.

*Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Control?*

A: Yes, but with compromises. At 4K, the Medium preset achieves an average of 64 FPS with a documented minimum of 55 FPS, making it the recommended setting for a playable experience. The High preset averages 57 FPS, while Ultra drops to 50 FPS, both of which may be less desirable.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 compare to its closest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER?

A: The benchmark data shows the RTX 4080 has an average score of 54247, which is a 0.1% delta compared to the RTX 4080 SUPER's average score of 54209. This indicates they are virtually identical in overall performance.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck for the GPU in this game?

A: No. The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K shows a consistent drop that aligns with GPU load, indicating the RTX 4080 is the limiting component. The Ryzen AI Max+ 395's high multi-core and single-core scores ensure it can feed the GPU adequately.

Q: What is the difference in performance between the Low and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 134 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 73 FPS. This represents an 83% performance uplift for the Low preset, but at the cost of significant visual quality reductions.

Q: How much of a frame rate increase is seen when dropping from Ultra to Medium at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset averages 97 FPS, while the Medium preset averages 126 FPS. This is a 30% increase in average frame rate, making Medium a good choice for players with high refresh rate monitors.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is a high-end graphics card based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, built on a 5 nm process. It features 9728 shading units, 304 texture mapping units, and 112 raster operation pipelines. The GPU is equipped with 76 ray tracing cores and 304 tensor cores, supporting DirectX 12 Ultimate. Its memory subsystem consists of 16 GB of GDDR6X on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 716.8 GB/s. The card's base clock is 2205 MHz, with a boost clock of 2505 MHz, and its memory runs at an effective speed of 22.4 Gbps.

In Control, the RTX 4080's role is paramount, as the game is known for its physics-based destruction and visual effects. The GPU's raw compute power, rated at 48.74 TFLOPS for FP32 operations, directly translates to the high frame rates observed. The 16 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for the game's textures at all settings, even at 4K Ultra, where the memory footprint is highest. The card's 86th percentile ranking among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 54247, places it in the upper echelon of graphics cards. Its nearest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER, has a delta of 0.1%, showing that the 4080 is essentially on par with its successor in performance. The GPU's performance in Control is demonstrated by the fact that it can push 90 FPS at 4K Low, proof of its high fill rate and memory bandwidth. The card's 320 W TDP and triple-slot design indicate it is a power-hungry component, but the performance it delivers in this title justifies its specifications.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance. At 1920x1080, the results are as follows: Low settings yield an average of 177 FPS; Medium settings produce an average of 126 FPS, with a minimum of 107 FPS and a maximum of 144 FPS; High settings deliver 112 FPS; and Ultra settings result in 97 FPS. This shows that the High preset offers a significant visual upgrade over Medium for a modest 12% frame rate cost.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales down as expected: Low settings average 134 FPS; Medium settings average 95 FPS, with a minimum of 81 FPS and a maximum of 109 FPS; High settings average 84 FPS; and Ultra settings average 73 FPS. The 1440p High setting is the sweet spot for this resolution, providing a 60+ FPS experience with high visual fidelity.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is heavily taxed: Low settings average 90 FPS; Medium settings average 64 FPS, with a documented minimum of 55 FPS and a maximum of 74 FPS; High settings average 57 FPS; and Ultra settings drop to 50 FPS. The 4K Medium setting is the only one that maintains an average above 60 FPS, making it the recommended choice for 4K displays. The data shows that the RTX 4080 is capable of handling 4K, but it requires a reduction in settings from Ultra to Medium to achieve a consistently smooth frame rate.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination ranks 879th out of 2888 tested combos for Control. This ranking places it in the top 30% of all tested systems, which is a solid result given the vast number of possible hardware configurations. The ranking reflects the balance between the high-end CPU and GPU, where neither component is a significant bottleneck for this specific title.

This rank of 879 out of 2888 indicates that while this is a powerful combination, there are many other systems that achieve higher average frame rates. These would likely include configurations with even higher-end GPUs, such as the RTX 4090, or those with CPUs that have slightly higher single-core performance. However, the data shows that this combo is well above the median performance level, making it a capable system for playing Control at high settings. The ranking is a holistic measure, taking into account all tested resolutions and settings, which means that the combo's performance is consistent across the board. For a player with a 1440p or 4K monitor, this hardware will deliver a very good experience, as evidenced by the 84 FPS average at 1440p High and the 64 FPS average at 4K Medium. The combo's rank suggests it will be able to handle the game with ease at mainstream resolutions, while still offering a playable experience at the most demanding settings.