Control

Control is an Action Adventure title from 2019 that stresses both CPU and GPU, but the benchmark results for this specific combination—Intel Core i5-9400 paired with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090—show a clear division of labor. The CPU provides six cores and six threads, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost of 4.10 GHz, built on the Coffee Lake architecture with 9 MB of shared L3 cache. The GPU, meanwhile, is a Blackwell 2.0 part with 32 GB of GDDR7 memory and a 512-bit bus, delivering 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth. The measured FPS data reveals that this pairing is far more GPU-bound at higher resolutions, while the CPU’s older architecture becomes a limiting factor at 1080p. The data is measured, not estimated, and the combo ranks 183rd out of 1,636 tested combinations, placing it in the top 11% of all pairings tested for this game.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 contributes six physical cores and six threads, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. In Cinebench R23, it scores 7,969 in multi-core and 1,125 in single-core, placing it at the 50th percentile among all CPUs. Its nearest rivals in average benchmark score include the Intel Core i3-10305 (2,300, deltaPct 0.2) and the Intel Xeon E-2134 (2,295, deltaPct 0.4), while the Intel Core i7-8809G is slightly ahead at 2,319 (deltaPct -0.6). For Control, this CPU’s role is to feed the RTX 5090 with draw calls and physics data; at 1920x1080, the CPU becomes a bottleneck, as shown by the FPS gap between Low and Ultra settings being smaller than at higher resolutions. The CPU’s memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s over dual-channel DDR4 is modest by modern standards, but the game’s 2019 release date means it does not demand excessive memory throughput. The data indicates that while the CPU is capable of sustaining frame rates above 130 FPS at 1080p Low, it cannot push beyond 159.7 FPS, which is the ceiling for this combo at that resolution. The CPU’s 65 W TDP and end-of-life production status suggest it was a mainstream part, and its 14 nm process node limits its efficiency compared to newer designs. In Control, the CPU’s six threads are sufficient to avoid stutter, but they do not provide headroom for high-refresh-rate 1080p gaming, as evidenced by the 133.2 FPS Ultra result being only 20% higher than the 115.9 FPS at 1440p Ultra, showing diminishing returns at lower resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

This combo ranks 183rd out of 1,636 tested combinations, which places it in the 88.8th percentile of all combos—meaning it outperforms the vast majority of tested pairings. The ranking reflects the GPU’s dominance in this pairing; the RTX 5090 is a top-tier part, with a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 14,411 and a Passmark G3D score of 39,650, placing it at the 94th percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest GPU rivals are the RTX 5090 D (84,241 avg, deltaPct 0.1) and the RTX 5050 Mobile (84,171, deltaPct 0.2), showing that the 5090 is at the very top of the stack. The combo rank of 183 suggests that while the GPU is exceptional, the CPU holds back the overall performance; had a faster CPU been paired, the combo would likely rank higher. In practical terms, this combo outperforms 1,453 other tested combinations, but it trails 182 of them, which are presumably built around newer CPUs with higher single-thread performance. The deltaPct to the nearest CPU rival (Intel Core i7-8809G at 2,319, deltaPct -0.6) is small, indicating that the CPU’s performance is tightly clustered with its peers, but the GPU’s massive score advantage does not fully compensate for CPU limitations in a game like Control.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 2560x1440 at High settings delivers 123 FPS, which is a balance of visual quality and performance. At 3840x2160, High settings drop to 92.7 FPS, which is still playable but shows the GPU is being pushed harder.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival in multi-core performance?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400 has a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 7,969, while its nearest rival, the Intel Core i3-10305, has an average benchmark score of 2,300 with a deltaPct of 0.2%, meaning they perform nearly identically.

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

A: At 1920x1080, Low settings produce 159.7 FPS, while Ultra produces 133.2 FPS, a difference of 26.5 FPS. This indicates the CPU is the limiting factor, as the GPU can handle the higher settings without a proportional drop.

Q: Is the GPU the bottleneck at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, at 3840x2160, the FPS ranges from 78 (Ultra) to 130.6 (Low), showing a 52.6 FPS spread between the lowest and highest settings. This wide gap confirms that the GPU is the primary constraint at this resolution.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations?

A: It ranks 183rd out of 1,636 combos, placing it in the top 11% of all tested pairings for Control.

Q: What is the GPU’s memory bandwidth and how does it affect performance?

A: The RTX 5090 has 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth across a 512-bit bus. This high bandwidth is why the GPU performs well at 4K, where texture data demands are high, but it does not overcome CPU limits at 1080p.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured FPS shows a narrow range across settings: Low produces 159.7 FPS, Medium 140 FPS, High 137.5 FPS, and Ultra 133.2 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is only 26.5 FPS, indicating that the CPU is the limiting factor at this resolution. The 1080p results are all above 130 FPS, but the incremental gains from lowering settings are modest—dropping from High to Low only yields a 22.2 FPS improvement. At 2560x1440, the results are more varied: Low delivers 144.8 FPS, Medium 131.6 FPS, High 123 FPS, and Ultra 115.9 FPS. The spread here is 28.9 FPS, similar to 1080p, but the absolute numbers are lower, showing the GPU is starting to take on more load. The 1440p results are still highly playable, with even Ultra settings maintaining over 115 FPS. At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck: Low yields 130.6 FPS, Medium 104.7 FPS, High 92.7 FPS, and Ultra 78 FPS. The spread is now 52.6 FPS, more than double the gap seen at lower resolutions. The 4K results show that from Low to High, the FPS drops by 37.9 FPS, and from High to Ultra, another 14.7 FPS is lost. This pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario, where higher settings increase the shading and texture load, directly reducing frame rates. The data also shows that the step from Medium to High at 4K costs 12 FPS, while the step from High to Ultra costs 14.7 FPS, indicating that High is the sweet spot for 4K if aiming for 90 FPS or above.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is the dominant component in this combo, with a 32 GB GDDR7 memory pool, a 512-bit bus, and 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth. Its boost clock is 2407 MHz, and it has 21,760 shading units, 680 texture mapping units, and 176 ROPs. The GPU’s FP32 performance is 104.8 TFLOPS, and it has 170 RT cores and 680 tensor cores, making it exceptionally well-suited for modern rendering workloads. In Control, the GPU’s role is to handle the game’s physics-based destruction and particle effects, which are demanding at high resolutions. The benchmark data shows that at 3840x2160, the GPU is the limiting factor, with FPS dropping from 130.6 at Low to 78 at Ultra, a 40% reduction. The GPU’s 94th percentile ranking among all GPUs is reflected in its Passmark G3D score of 39,650, which is nearly double that of many mid-range parts. However, the GPU’s performance is constrained by the CPU at 1080p, where the FPS peaks at 159.7 (Low) and never exceeds 160 FPS, regardless of settings. The RTX 5090’s nearest rival, the RTX 5090 D, has a deltaPct of 0.1%, indicating that the 5090 is at the very top of the performance hierarchy. In practical terms for Control, the GPU ensures that 4K gaming is viable, but the CPU prevents the system from achieving the ultra-high refresh rates possible with the GPU alone.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 3840x2160, the High preset delivers 92.7 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay and close to the 90 FPS mark that many players consider ideal for action titles. Ultra at 4K drops to 78 FPS, which is still playable but sacrifices 14.7 FPS for marginal visual gains. For players prioritizing higher frame rates at 4K, the Medium preset at 104.7 FPS offers a 12 FPS boost over High, making it a strong choice for competitive play. At 2560x1440, the High preset at 123 FPS is the best balance of visual fidelity and performance, as it stays above 120 FPS while providing richer detail than Medium (131.6 FPS) or Low (144.8 FPS). Ultra at 1440p yields 115.9 FPS, which is still smooth, but the 7.1 FPS loss from High is not justified by the visual improvements. At 1920x1080, all settings produce over 130 FPS, so the recommendation is to use Ultra at 133.2 FPS, as the CPU is the bottleneck and lowering settings only adds minimal FPS gains—Ultra to Low only increases FPS by 26.5. For players with high-refresh-rate 1080p monitors, the Low preset at 159.7 FPS may be preferable, but the visual downgrade is significant. Overall, the data suggests that High settings at 1440p provide the best experience for this combo, balancing the GPU’s strengths with the CPU’s limitations, while 4K High is viable for those prioritizing resolution over frame rate.