Control

Control pairs a six-core Coffee Lake CPU with an Ada Lovelace GPU, and the measured frame rates show a system that leans heavily on the graphics card. The Intel Core i5-9400 operates at a 2.90 GHz base clock and a 4.10 GHz boost clock, with 6 threads and a 9 MB shared L3 cache. In contrast, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 brings 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, with a boost clock of 2475 MHz and a 504.2 GB/s memory bandwidth. The benchmark data indicates that the GPU handles the rendering load across all tested resolutions, while the CPU provides sufficient throughput to avoid bottlenecking at lower settings, though its mid-pack percentile ranking suggests it is not the primary driver of performance in this title.

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

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a 6-core, 6-thread processor from the Coffee Lake Refresh generation, built on Intel's 14 nm process. Its base clock of 2.90 GHz and boost clock of 4.10 GHz are modest by modern standards, and the processor's benchmark results reflect this positioning. The processor scores 668 in Cinebench R15 multi-core, 2784 in Cinebench R20 multi-core, and 6629 in Cinebench R23 multi-core. Single-core scores are 94, 392, and 935 in the same respective tests. In Geekbench, it achieves 5141 multi-core and 1389 single-core. These figures place the i5-9400 at the 47th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 2254.

The nearest rivals in the CPU benchmark database are tightly clustered. The Intel Core i7-1068NG7 scores 2259 (a -0.2% delta), the Intel Core i7-10710U scores 2248 (a 0.3% delta), and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 2246 (a 0.4% delta). The Intel Core i3-10305 scores 2264 (a -0.4% delta). This indicates the i5-9400 is essentially performance-equivalent to these parts in synthetic tests, with deltas under one percent. For Control, which is an Action Adventure title from 2019, this level of CPU performance is adequate. The game's physics and AI calculations do not appear to stress the processor heavily, as evidenced by the measured FPS scaling across resolutions.

At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 162 FPS average. This high frame rate suggests the CPU can feed the GPU efficiently at lower resolutions where the rendering load is lighter. However, the 6-thread configuration means there is no hyper-threading headroom. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 54, which is a GPU-bound scenario. The CPU's role becomes less critical as resolution increases, because the GPU takes longer to render each frame. The i5-9400's 65 W TDP and dual-channel DDR4 memory support at 42.7 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for this workload, but the processor's 47th percentile ranking implies that many other CPUs would deliver similar or slightly better frame pacing in CPU-light scenes.

The boost clock of 4.10 GHz is the key factor for single-threaded performance in this game. Control's engine uses multiple threads, but the primary game logic often relies on a few high-frequency cores. The i5-9400's single-core score of 935 in Cinebench R23 is modest, yet the measured results show it does not hinder the RTX 4070 at 1080p Low, where the 162 FPS average indicates the GPU is still the limiting factor. The lack of a launch MSRP in the data prevents price-based analysis, but the performance data clearly shows that the CPU is a supporting player rather than the star in this combination.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is the dominant component in this pairing. Built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process at TSMC, this GPU contains 35,800 million transistors on a 294 mm² die. It features 5888 shading units, 184 texture mapping units, and 64 raster operation pipelines. The GPU's boost clock is 2475 MHz, with a base clock of 1920 MHz. Memory is 12 GB of GDDR6X running at 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective), delivering 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth across a 192-bit interface. The RTX 4070 also includes 46 ray tracing cores and 184 tensor cores, which are relevant for games that support these features, though Control's implementation of ray tracing is not directly measured here.

The GPU's synthetic benchmark scores place it at the 81st percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 37648. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA Tesla P4 (37628, 0.1% delta), the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 (37507, 0.4% delta), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile (38135, -1.3% delta), and the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 (37157, 1.3% delta). These deltas are small, indicating that the RTX 4070's rasterization performance is comparable to these parts, despite generational differences. In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, it scores 3854, and in Geekbench it achieves 154858 in OpenCL and 174152 in Vulkan. Passmark results include a G3D score of 26927 and a GPU compute score of 14720.

The GPU's 12 GB VRAM is ample for Control at all tested settings. The measured FPS at 4K High is 62 FPS average, which is playable, and at 4K Low it jumps to 98 FPS. These numbers show that the RTX 4070 has enough memory bandwidth and compute power to handle 4K resolution, even with Ultra settings dropping to 54 FPS average. The GPU's TDP of 200 W and suggested PSU of 550 W are consistent with its performance class. The data shows that the RTX 4070 is the primary determinant of frame rates in this combo, as evidenced by the significant FPS variations across settings at the same resolution. For example, at 1440p, the difference between Low (146 FPS) and Ultra (80 FPS) is 66 FPS, which is a GPU-driven change.

The RTX 4070's boost clock of 2475 MHz is high, and its 29.15 TFLOPS FP32 performance allows it to brute-force many scenes. The pixel rate of 158.4 GPixel/s and texture rate of 455.4 GTexel/s further support high-resolution rendering. In Control, which features complex visual effects and destructible environments, the GPU's rasterization power is the key to maintaining high frame rates. The 12 GB VRAM also prevents any memory-related stuttering at 4K Ultra, where the 54 FPS average and lack of a reported minimum FPS suggest consistent frame times. Overall, the GPU is the clear bottleneck in this system, and its performance dictates the playability across all settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with High settings for this combo?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings is 122 FPS. This indicates a smooth experience for most players, with the RTX 4070 providing ample headroom above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the CPU's benchmark score compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2254. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, scores 2259, which is a -0.2% delta. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 2246, a 0.4% delta, showing performance within a fraction of a percent.

Q: Does the GPU have enough VRAM for 4K gaming in Control?

A: Yes, the RTX 4070 has 12 GB of GDDR6X memory. At 3840x2160 with Medium settings, the combo achieves 70 FPS average with a minimum of 59 FPS, showing no VRAM-related limitations at 4K.

Q: What is the maximum average FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The highest average FPS is 162 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This shows the GPU's raw power when rendering load is minimized, though the CPU is still able to keep up.

Q: How does the GPU's benchmark percentile compare to the CPU's?

A: The RTX 4070 is at the 81st percentile among all GPUs, while the i5-9400 is at the 47th percentile among all CPUs. This stark difference confirms that the GPU is the stronger component in this pairing.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded in the measured data?

A: The lowest average FPS is 54 FPS, recorded at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings. This is still technically playable, but it shows the limits of the combo at maximum resolution and quality.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 ranks 1045 out of 3720 tested combos in Control. This places it in the upper third of all configurations, which is a strong result given the CPU's mid-pack percentile. The rank indicates that while the CPU is not a high-end part, the GPU's performance pulls the overall combo into a respectable position. Specifically, the 1045th rank out of 3720 means that roughly 28% of tested combos perform better, while 72% perform worse. This is a favorable position for a system with a 6-core CPU from 2018 and a GPU from 2023.

The rank is heavily influenced by the GPU's 81st percentile standing. The RTX 4070's strong rasterization performance compensates for the i5-9400's 47th percentile ranking. In Control, which is not a CPU-intensive game based on the measured FPS scaling, the GPU's dominance is expected. The 1045 rank suggests that this combo is well-suited for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p and 1440p, and it can handle 4K at reduced settings. The data shows that the combo outperforms many others that might have stronger CPUs but weaker GPUs, as the game's frame rates are primarily GPU-limited.

Compared to other combos in the database, this pairing benefits from the RTX 4070's DLSS and ray tracing capabilities, though these are not directly measured in the FPS data. The rank of 1045 out of 3720 also indicates that there is room for improvement by pairing the RTX 4070 with a faster CPU, but the current setup delivers a balanced experience for Control. The performance is consistent across resolutions, with the GPU being the clear bottleneck at 4K, which is typical for modern titles. Overall, this combo ranks well because the GPU's high percentile compensates for the CPU's average performance, resulting in a system that is capable of delivering high frame rates in this Action Adventure title.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear trend as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the average FPS is 122. Moving to 2560x1440 with the same settings, the average drops to 92 FPS, a reduction of 30 FPS or roughly 24.6%. At 3840x2160 with High settings, the average further drops to 62 FPS, which is 60 FPS lower than 1080p, representing a 49.2% decrease. This scaling pattern indicates that the GPU is the limiting component, as the frame rate drops proportionally to the increase in pixel count. The 1080p to 1440p transition reduces FPS by 24.6%, while 1440p to 4K reduces FPS by 32.6%, showing a steeper drop at higher resolutions.

The Low settings data reinforces this conclusion. At 1080p Low, the average is 162 FPS. At 1440p Low, it drops to 146 FPS, a 9.9% decrease. At 4K Low, it drops to 98 FPS, a 32.9% decrease from 1440p and a 39.5% decrease from 1080p. This pattern shows that at lower settings, the CPU has more headroom, but the GPU still becomes the bottleneck at 4K. The Medium settings data provides the most granular view, with minimum and maximum FPS recorded. At 1080p Medium, the average is 137 FPS with a minimum of 116 and maximum of 157. At 1440p Medium, the average is 104 FPS with a minimum of 88 and maximum of 119. At 4K Medium, the average is 70 FPS with a minimum of 59 and maximum of 80.

The Ultra settings data shows the most significant drop. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 106 FPS. At 1440p Ultra, it drops to 80 FPS, a 24.5% decrease. At 4K Ultra, it drops to 54 FPS, a 32.5% decrease from 1440p and a 49.1% decrease from 1080p. These numbers indicate that the GPU's rendering load increases dramatically at 4K, and the RTX 4070's 12 GB VRAM and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient but not overkill. The scaling suggests that for 4K gaming, players should use Medium settings to maintain a 70 FPS average, or High settings for 62 FPS. The CPU's role in this scaling is minimal, as the FPS drops are consistent with GPU-bound behavior, confirming that the RTX 4070 is the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest frame rates. With Low settings, the average FPS is 162. Medium settings produce an average of 137 FPS, with a minimum of 116 and maximum of 157. High settings yield an average of 122 FPS. Ultra settings drop the average to 106 FPS. This demonstrates that even at maximum quality, the system maintains over 100 FPS at 1080p, making it ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. The difference between Low and Ultra is 56 FPS, showing the GPU's performance scaling with settings.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain respectable. Low settings achieve an average of 146 FPS. Medium settings produce an average of 104 FPS, with a minimum of 88 and maximum of 119. High settings yield an average of 92 FPS. Ultra settings drop the average to 80 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 66 FPS, indicating that the GPU is working harder at this resolution. The minimum FPS of 88 at Medium settings suggests that the system can maintain smooth gameplay, even during demanding scenes.

At 3840x2160, the frame rates become more modest. Low settings achieve an average of 98 FPS. Medium settings produce an average of 70 FPS, with a minimum of 59 and maximum of 80. High settings yield an average of 62 FPS. Ultra settings drop the average to 54 FPS. This shows that 4K gaming is possible but requires settings compromises. The Low to Ultra difference is 44 FPS, which is smaller than at lower resolutions, indicating that the GPU is becoming the absolute bottleneck. The minimum FPS of 59 at Medium settings is close to the 60 FPS target, making it the recommended setting for 4K play. The data across all resolutions shows a consistent pattern: the RTX 4070 scales well with settings, but the CPU's performance is sufficient to avoid being the primary constraint in any scenario.