Control

Control, Remedy’s 2019 action-adventure, is a demanding title that stresses both GPU and CPU depending on how you configure it. The pairing of an Intel Core i5-10400F with an AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX presents a fascinating study in bottleneck dynamics. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS data for this specific combo, interpreting what the numbers reveal about the hardware's respective roles.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data shows a clear and expected trend: as resolution increases, average frame rates drop, but the rate of that drop tells a compelling story about where the performance ceiling lies. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440, the average FPS across all settings decreases by roughly 25-30%. For instance, at High settings, the average drops from 174 FPS to 126 FPS, a 27.6% reduction. This indicates that the GPU is becoming more of a limiting factor, but the CPU is still keeping pace.

The jump from 2560x1440 to 3840x2160 (4K) is where the scaling becomes more severe. At High settings, the average plummets from 126 FPS to 73 FPS, a 42.1% decline. This dramatic drop strongly suggests that at 4K, the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX is now the primary bottleneck. The GPU's workload has increased so much that it can no longer feed frames fast enough to keep the CPU fully occupied. The data implies that at 1080p, the Intel Core i5-10400F is likely the limiting component, holding the powerful GPU back, while at 4K, the tables turn and the GPU becomes the definitive constraint. The scaling pattern is a textbook example of a balanced system shifting to a GPU-limited scenario at higher resolutions.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX is a powerhouse, and its specifications in the fact pack explain why it dominates at 4K. It comes equipped with 24 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 384-bit bus, delivering a massive 960.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This is crucial for Control, a game with heavy texture streaming and particle effects; the high VRAM capacity and bandwidth ensure that the GPU isn't stuttering due to memory limitations, even at 4K Ultra settings where the average FPS is 52. The core clocks are also telling: a base of 1929 MHz, a game clock of 2365 MHz, and a boost clock of 2498 MHz. These high frequencies, combined with 6144 shading units and 192 ROPs, allow the GPU to push an immense amount of pixels, reflected in its 479.6 GPixel/s pixel rate.

However, the benchmark results reveal a curious aspect. Its average benchmark score of 19410 places it in the 64th percentile, and its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3 GB and the NVIDIA TITAN Xp. This is a stark contrast to its real-world performance in Control, where it achieves 73 FPS at 4K High. The GPU's PassMark scores, such as 31238 in G3D and 17689 in compute, are strong, but the rival comparison suggests that in synthetic tests, its lead over older cards is not as massive as its specs would imply. In this game, the data indicates the RX 7900 XTX is more than sufficient, with the CPU becoming the bottleneck at lower resolutions. The 4K results are where the GPU's raw power is finally able to shine.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-10400F and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX achieves a rank of 342 out of 3720 tested combos in this game's database. This places it in the top 9.2% of all configurations, which is a strong showing. This high rank is likely due to the GPU's exceptional performance at higher resolutions, where the system is no longer constrained by the CPU. The fact that this combo outperforms 90.8% of other pairings is significant, especially considering the CPU's more modest standing.

The CPU itself has an average benchmark score of 14185, putting it in the 68th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon 6756E and AMD Ryzen 3 7320C, with performance deltas of just 0.2% and -0.6% respectively. This shows that the i5-10400F is a solid, mid-range processor. The fact that it's paired with a top-tier GPU and still lands in the top 10% of combos suggests that for this specific game, the GPU is the dominant factor in determining overall rank. The data implies that the system's strong rank is more a signal of the RX 7900 XTX's capability than the CPU's, as the CPU is likely a limiting factor in many scenarios.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The provided data offers a detailed look at the combo's performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. Here is the exact breakdown:

• 1920x1080 (1080p): At Low settings, the combo averages 199 FPS. Moving to Medium, the average is 190 FPS, with a minimum of 161 FPS and maximum of 218 FPS. High settings yield an average of 174 FPS, while Ultra drops to 135 FPS. The small gap between Low and Medium (199 vs 190 FPS) suggests the CPU is the limiting factor, as the GPU has plenty of headroom.

• 2560x1440 (1440p): The averages are 174 FPS for Low, 162 FPS for Medium (with a min of 138 and max of 186), 126 FPS for High, and 91 FPS for Ultra. The scaling here is more linear, with each setting step causing a noticeable drop, indicating a more balanced load between CPU and GPU.

• 3840x2160 (4K): Low settings produce an average of 106 FPS. Medium averages 93 FPS (with a min of 79 and max of 107). High averages 73 FPS, and Ultra drops to 52 FPS. The significant gap between Low and Ultra (106 vs 52 FPS) is a clear indicator that the GPU is now the sole bottleneck, as the CPU is likely not being fully utilized at this resolution.

The data shows that at 1080p, the GPU is being held back, with the CPU unable to push frame rates much beyond the 200 FPS mark. At 4K, the tables are turned, and the GPU's performance is the sole determinant of the final frame rate.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-10400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Comet Lake architecture, built on a 14 nm process. It has a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. With 12 MB of shared L3 cache and a dual-channel DDR4 memory interface providing 42.7 GB/s of bandwidth, it's a capable gaming CPU. Its benchmark scores are respectable, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 10283 and a single-core score of 1451. The PassMark single-thread score is 2541, which is decent for gaming.

In Control, the CPU's role is most evident at 1080p. The FPS data shows that the average at Low (199 FPS) and Medium (190 FPS) are very close. This plateau indicates that the CPU is the limiting factor; it cannot process the game's logic and physics fast enough to allow the GPU to render more frames. The CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient to keep up with the game's demands, but it is not powerful enough to unlock the full potential of the RX 7900 XTX at lower resolutions. At 4K, however, the CPU has more breathing room as the GPU takes longer to render each frame, allowing the CPU to keep up with the increased workload. The data suggests that for this game, the i5-10400F is a solid but not exceptional pairing for a high-end GPU, creating a system that is balanced at 1440p but CPU-bound at 1080p and GPU-bound at 4K.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Control with this combo for a high refresh rate experience?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the combo achieves an average of 162 FPS, which is ideal for high refresh rate monitors. For a 1440p high-refresh setup, this is the sweet spot.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the data suggests the CPU is the limiting factor. The average FPS at Low (199) and Medium (190) are very close, indicating the GPU has headroom but the CPU cannot push more frames.

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

A: Yes, it can. At 3840x2160 with High settings, it averages 73 FPS, which is playable. For a more stable 60 FPS experience, Medium settings average 93 FPS, providing a good balance.

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

A: This combo ranks 342nd out of 3720 tested combos, placing it in the top 9.2% of all configurations tested for this game.

Q: Is the RX 7900 XTX's 24 GB of VRAM necessary for Control?

A: The data indicates that even at 4K Ultra, the game runs at an average of 52 FPS. While the 24 GB of VRAM and 960.0 GB/s bandwidth are massive, they ensure no memory-related stuttering, though the 52 FPS average at Ultra suggests other GPU limits are hit first.

Q: What is the performance difference between High and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the average FPS drops from 126 FPS on High to 91 FPS on Ultra. This is a 27.8% performance hit for the higher visual quality.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and refresh rate.

For 4K (3840x2160) gaming, Medium settings offer the best balance, delivering an average of 93 FPS with a minimum of 79 FPS. This ensures a smooth, stable experience above 60 FPS. While High settings look better, the drop to 73 FPS average is a 21.5% decrease, which might be noticeable on a 60 Hz display but risky for 120 Hz panels.

For 1440p (2560x1440) gaming, High settings are the clear recommendation, providing an average of 126 FPS. This is a great experience for 120 Hz monitors. For those with 144 Hz or higher displays, Medium settings at 162 FPS average are a better choice, sacrificing little visual fidelity for a substantial FPS boost.

At 1080p (1920x1080), the CPU becomes the bottleneck. High settings at 174 FPS are a solid choice. While Ultra runs at 135 FPS, the visual difference is less impactful than the FPS loss. Since the CPU limits performance, there is no benefit to using Low settings (199 FPS) over Medium (190 FPS), as the visual quality is much worse for a minimal frame rate gain. The data suggests that High is the best overall preset for this resolution, offering a good balance of visual quality and performance without over-taxing the CPU.