Control

Control, Remedy’s 2019 action-adventure, presents a demanding workload that scales predictably with resolution. For the combination of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and the AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT, the measured frame rates reveal a configuration that is firmly GPU-limited at higher resolutions, while showcasing the CPU's capacity to push high frame rates at 1080p. The data indicates a system capable of smooth gameplay at 1440p with adjusted settings, but one that requires significant compromises to maintain playability at 4K.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and significant performance drop as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At the "High" settings preset, the average frame rate falls from 94 FPS at 1080p to 71 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 48 FPS at 4K. This represents a 24.5% decrease in performance when moving from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 32.4% decrease when moving from 1440p to 4K. The total drop from 1080p to 4K is 48.9%, indicating that the rendering workload at 4K is nearly double that of 1080p.

This scaling pattern is a classic indicator of a GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p, the RX 6750 XT is able to produce 94 FPS on High, but as the pixel count increases, the GPU's shading units and memory bandwidth become the limiting factor. The 4K results, with an average of 48 FPS on High, suggest that the GPU is nearing its limit, as the frame rate does not scale linearly with the pixel count increase. The transition from Medium to Ultra settings at each resolution further reinforces this, showing a consistent penalty for higher graphical fidelity.

The data suggests that the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is not the bottleneck in this configuration at resolutions above 1080p. The CPU's substantial processing power is sufficient to feed the GPU at 1440p and 4K, as evidenced by the fact that the frame rate drops are directly proportional to the increase in rendering resolution. At 1080p, the system achieves high frame rates, but the scaling still points to the GPU being the primary constraint, as even the jump from 1080p to 1440p results in a significant frame rate penalty.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture, built on a 3 nm process by TSMC. It features a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz. In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU achieves a multi-core score of 51,731 in Cinebench R23 and a single-core score of 7,303 in the same test. Its Passmark multithread score is 60,860, and it holds a 96th percentile ranking among all CPUs tested.

In the context of Control, the CPU's role is to handle game logic, physics, and draw calls. The benchmark results show that at 1080p with "Low" settings, the CPU is able to drive the GPU to 148 FPS. This is a strong indicator of the CPU's capability, as it is providing enough data for the GPU to operate at a high utilization level. The fact that the frame rate drops to 94 FPS at 1080p High settings suggests that the GPU is still the limiting factor, as the increase in graphical load has a direct impact on performance.

The Core Ultra 9 290K Plus's performance is in line with its nearest rivals. The data shows it is 0.2% faster than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, 1.1% faster than the AMD EPYC 4584PX, and 1.2% faster than the AMD EPYC 9135. It is 1.3% slower than the AMD EPYC 7F72. These deltas are minimal, indicating that for a game like Control, the specific choice among these high-end processors would have little impact on the final frame rate, especially at higher resolutions where the GPU is the bottleneck.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT is built on the RDNA 2.0 architecture, featuring 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. It has a base clock of 2150 MHz and a boost clock of 2600 MHz. The card is equipped with 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 432.0 GB/s. Its FP32 compute performance is rated at 13.31 TFLOPS. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 20,700 in Passmark G3D and holds a 71st percentile ranking among all GPUs.

The GPU's role in Control is paramount, as the game's visual effects, including ray-traced reflections and particle physics, place a heavy load on the graphics processor. The measured data shows that the RX 6750 XT can handle 1080p at High settings with an average of 94 FPS, which is a respectable result. However, at 4K, the card struggles, with the average frame rate dropping to 48 FPS on High and 42 FPS on Ultra. This indicates that the 12 GB of VRAM and the 432.0 GB/s of bandwidth are sufficient for the game's assets, but the raw compute power is not enough for a smooth 4K experience.

The GPU's performance relative to its nearest rivals in the database is notable. It is 0.5% faster than the AMD Radeon R9 M395X, 0.6% faster than the AMD FirePro W7100, and 0.7% faster than the AMD FirePro D700. It is 1.1% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Mobile. These are all very close scores, but it's important to note that the RX 6750 XT is a desktop part, while some of its listed rivals are mobile or workstation components. The data confirms that the RX 6750 XT is a solid mid-range performer, but it is not designed for 4K gaming at high settings in a demanding title like Control.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combination depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1080p, the "High" preset delivers an average of 94 FPS, which is well within the range of smooth gameplay. The "Ultra" preset still achieves 81 FPS, offering a high-fidelity experience without significant compromise. For players with high-refresh-rate monitors, the "Low" preset at 1080p yields 148 FPS, which is excellent for competitive play, though it sacrifices visual quality.

At 1440p, the "High" preset provides an average of 71 FPS, which is a good balance between visual fidelity and performance. The "Medium" preset offers 80 FPS, which could be a safer choice for maintaining a consistent frame rate in demanding scenes. The "Ultra" preset at 1440p drops to 62 FPS, which is playable but may exhibit occasional stutters. The "Low" preset at 1440p achieves 112 FPS, making it a viable option for those prioritizing frame rate over visuals.

At 4K, the situation becomes more restrictive. The "High" preset yields an average of 48 FPS, which is on the edge of playability. The "Medium" preset, with an average of 54 FPS and a minimum of 46 FPS, is the recommended choice for a playable experience. The "Ultra" preset at 42 FPS is not recommended for a smooth experience. The "Low" preset at 76 FPS is surprisingly playable, suggesting that if visual fidelity is not a priority, a smooth 4K experience is achievable. For the best experience, the data suggests using the "Medium" preset at 4K or the "High" preset at 1440p, as these offer the best balance of quality and performance.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT rank 1267th out of 2888 combos for Control. This places the combination in the upper-middle tier of all tested systems, with a percentile ranking of approximately 56.1%. This ranking reflects the fact that while the CPU is a high-end part, the GPU is a mid-range performer, and the combination is not optimized for the most demanding 4K scenarios.

The ranking is heavily influenced by the GPU's performance, as the game is clearly GPU-bound at higher resolutions. The CPU's high percentile ranking (96th) does not translate into a top-tier combo ranking because the GPU cannot fully utilize the CPU's capabilities at 4K. At 1080p, the combination performs well, but the overall ranking is pulled down by the 4K results. This indicates that for Control, the GPU is the more critical component for achieving high frame rates, and the data suggests that pairing this CPU with a more powerful GPU would yield a significantly better combo rank.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact measured average FPS for each resolution and settings preset, along with the minimum and maximum FPS where available.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

|---|---|---|---|---|

| 1920x1080 | Low | 148 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 105 | 90 | 121 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 94 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 81 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 112 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 80 | 68 | 92 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 71 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 62 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 76 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 54 | 46 | 62 |

| 3840x2160 | High | 48 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 42 | - | - |

At 1080p, the frame rate drops from 148 FPS on Low to 81 FPS on Ultra, a 45.3% reduction. The Medium preset shows a minimum of 90 FPS and a maximum of 121 FPS, indicating some variability. At 1440p, the frame rate ranges from 112 FPS on Low to 62 FPS on Ultra, a 44.6% reduction. The Medium preset shows a minimum of 68 FPS and a maximum of 92 FPS. At 4K, the frame rate ranges from 76 FPS on Low to 42 FPS on Ultra, a 44.7% reduction. The Medium preset shows a minimum of 46 FPS and a maximum of 62 FPS, which is the only preset at 4K with recorded minimum and maximum values, highlighting the performance variability at this resolution.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1080p with High settings?

A: The average frame rate at 1920x1080 with High settings is 94 FPS.

Q: Can this combination run Control smoothly at 4K resolution?

A: At 3840x2160, the High preset achieves 48 FPS on average, which is on the edge of playability. The Medium preset achieves 54 FPS with a minimum of 46 FPS, making it the recommended choice for a playable 4K experience.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has an average benchmark score that is 0.2% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking among all tested GPUs?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT holds a 71st percentile ranking among all GPUs in the database.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded at 1440p with Medium settings?

A: The minimum FPS recorded at 2560x1440 with Medium settings is 68 FPS.

Q: How many total combinations does this setup rank against for Control?

A: This combination ranks 1267th out of 2888 total tested combinations for Control.