Control

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER delivers a decisively GPU-bound experience in Control, where the 16 GB VRAM buffer and high clock speeds ensure that performance scales almost entirely with resolution and preset rather than CPU capability. The data shows this combo ranks in the 82nd percentile (290th of 1636 tested combinations), indicating a strong pairing that consistently delivers playable framerates even at 4K Ultra, though the older six-core processor does cap maximum throughput at lower settings.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Control?*

A: The data indicates 2560x1440 is the sweet spot, with High settings producing 107.5 FPS and Ultra at 95.7 FPS. This resolution balances the GPU's capabilities with the CPU's limitations better than 1080p, where framerates exceed 137 FPS but approach the processor's practical ceiling.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER's VRAM affect 4K performance?

A: With 16 GB of GDDR6X memory and 672.3 GB/s bandwidth, the GPU has ample headroom for 4K textures. The measured results show 4K High at 76 FPS and 4K Ultra at 65.3 FPS, demonstrating that memory capacity is not a bottleneck at any tested setting.

Q: Is the i5-9400 holding back the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER?

A: Partially, but only at 1080p Low settings where the combo reaches 160 FPS. The CPU's six cores and 6 threads with a 4.10 GHz boost clock are sufficient for High and Ultra presets, but the data suggests framerates above 160 FPS would require a more capable processor.

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

A: The measured delta is 51 FPS, with Low at 146.7 FPS and Ultra at 95.7 FPS. This represents a 34.8% performance drop for maximum visual quality, which is a reasonable trade-off for a game like Control that emphasizes visual effects.

Q: How does this combo rank against all other tested combinations?

A: The comboRankInGame places it at 290 out of 1636 total combinations, putting it in the top 17.7% of all tested systems. This is a strong showing, though not elite, reflecting the mid-range CPU paired with a high-end GPU.

Q: Does the game prefer higher clock speeds or more cores?

A: Based on the scaling from 1080p to 4K, Control appears to favor the GPU's resources. The CPU's 2.90 GHz base and 4.10 GHz boost clocks are adequate, but the framerate deltas between settings suggest graphical workload dominates over CPU demands.

GPU Role

The RTX 4070 Ti SUPER's 16 GB VRAM pool is a defining characteristic for Control, as the game's environments and physics effects can consume significant memory at high resolutions. The 256-bit bus and 672.3 GB/s bandwidth ensure that texture streaming and shader data move efficiently, which is visible in the 4K results where the combo still delivers 76 FPS on High settings despite the 3840x2160 pixel count. The GPU's boost clock of 2610 MHz, built on TSMC's 5 nm process, provides the raw compute needed for the game's demanding effects.

The 8448 shading units and 264 texture mapping units process the game's particle-heavy combat sequences, while the 96 ROPs handle the final pixel output. At 1080p, the GPU is never the limiting factor—even Ultra settings yield 126.5 FPS—but as resolution increases, the GPU's workload grows proportionally. The 44.10 TFLOPS FP32 performance is more than sufficient for this 2019 title, yet the data shows diminishing returns above 1440p, where the CPU's six threads begin to influence frame pacing.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern: the GPU's dominance diminishes as resolution decreases, exposing CPU limitations. From 4K Ultra at 65.3 FPS to 1080p Ultra at 126.5 FPS, the scaling is nearly linear, indicating the GPU handles the additional pixel workload without issue. However, at Low settings, the jump from 4K (114.4 FPS) to 1080p (160 FPS) is only 45.6 FPS, suggesting the processor cannot feed the GPU fast enough at lower resolutions.

The most instructive comparison is between Medium and High presets. At 4K, Medium produces 85.1 FPS versus High's 76 FPS—a 9.1 FPS difference—while at 1440p, the gap narrows to 13.8 FPS (121.3 vs 107.5). This indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K, but the CPU begins to assert influence at 1440p. The 1080p results confirm this: High hits 137 FPS, but Low only reaches 160 FPS, a 23 FPS delta that is far smaller than the 4K Low-to-High gap of 38.4 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest framerates. Low settings achieve 160 FPS, Medium drops to 143.7 FPS, High reaches 137 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 126.5 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 33.5 FPS, which is modest and indicates that even the most demanding preset remains playable on high-refresh monitors.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance remains strong but shows expected declines. Low yields 146.7 FPS, Medium 121.3 FPS, High 107.5 FPS, and Ultra 95.7 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra expands to 51 FPS, reflecting increased GPU workload. At 3840x2160, the results are still respectable: Low produces 114.4 FPS, Medium 85.1 FPS, High 76 FPS, and Ultra 65.3 FPS. The Low-to-Ultra delta grows to 49.1 FPS, showing that the GPU's 16 GB buffer is sufficient but the shader workload becomes significant.

Across all resolutions, the pattern is consistent: Medium offers a substantial step up from Low in visual quality with a smaller FPS penalty than the jump to High or Ultra. The data shows no resolution where the combo falls below 60 FPS, making this a viable 4K configuration for Control.

How This Combo Ranks

With a rank of 290 out of 1636 tested combinations, this pairing sits comfortably in the upper tier of systems. The RTX 4070 Ti SUPER's percentileVsAllGpus score of 86 indicates it outperforms the vast majority of GPUs, while the i5-9400's percentileVsAllCpus of 50 places it firmly in the middle of the CPU pack. This mismatch is reflected in the game results: the combo ranks highly because the GPU carries the workload, but it does not reach the top 10% due to CPU constraints.

The GPU's nearest rivals provide context. The NVIDIA CMP 50HX scores 49071 (0.7% higher), while the RTX A2000 scores 47915 (1.6% lower). These small deltas suggest the 4070 Ti SUPER is well-positioned among its peers. The CPU's nearest rivals show similar tight clustering: the i3-10305 scores 2300 (0.2% higher) and the i7-8809G scores 2319 (0.6% lower), indicating the i5-9400 is neither a standout nor a weak link in its class.

Settings Recommendations

For maximum visual fidelity, Ultra at 1440p (95.7 FPS) is the best choice, as it delivers near-4K quality with a framerate that remains well above 60 FPS. At 4K, High settings (76 FPS) provide the optimal balance, as Ultra drops to 65.3 FPS, which is acceptable but leaves less headroom for demanding scenes. If the user prioritizes smoothness, Medium at 4K (85.1 FPS) or High at 1080p (137 FPS) are excellent options.

The data suggests that Low settings are unnecessary for this combo, as even Ultra at 1080p exceeds 120 FPS. The most efficient preset is Medium at 1440p (121.3 FPS), which offers a significant visual upgrade over Low while retaining high framerates. For competitive play or high-refresh displays, High at 1080p (137 FPS) is the recommended choice, balancing detail with speed.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 provides six cores and six threads, a configuration that is adequate but not exceptional for Control. Its 2.90 GHz base clock and 4.10 GHz boost clock allow it to handle the game's single-threaded physics and AI routines, but the lack of hyper-threading means multi-threaded workloads are limited. The 9 MB shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support (42.7 GB/s bandwidth) are sufficient for the game's data needs, though they do not contribute to the high framerates seen at lower resolutions.

The CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 7969 and single-core score of 1125 place it in the 50th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals, like the i3-10305 (avg score 2300, 0.2% higher), demonstrate that the i5-9400 is not holding back the GPU in most scenarios. However, the 1080p Low result of 160 FPS indicates a ceiling: the CPU cannot push framerates beyond this point, regardless of GPU capability. This is a minor limitation for a game like Control, where the visual experience is more important than extreme framerates, but it is worth noting for users with 240 Hz monitors.