Control

Control, the 2019 action-adventure from Remedy Entertainment, is a demanding title that stresses both the CPU and GPU, and the measured performance of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT reveals a system that is heavily balanced toward the graphics card across all tested settings. The data shows a clear and consistent scaling pattern from 1080p to 4K, with the frame rate dropping by roughly half at the highest resolution, which strongly indicates that the Radeon RX 9070 XT is the primary limiting factor in this configuration. This combination, ranked 670th out of 2888 tested combos in this game, demonstrates strong performance, particularly at lower resolutions where the processor's capabilities are more fully utilized.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate data for this combo shows a predictable and steep decline as resolution increases, which is the classic signature of a GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p with High settings, the system produces an average of 122 FPS, but moving to 1440p drops that to 92 FPS, and at 4K, the average falls to 62 FPS. This represents a 49% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K at High settings, which is a substantial penalty that points directly at the graphics card struggling to fill the increasing number of pixels.

The scaling pattern becomes even more telling when examining the Low settings preset. Here, the 1080p average is 193 FPS, which drops to 146 FPS at 1440p and then to 98 FPS at 4K. The absolute frame rates are higher because the graphics load is lower, but the percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is still around 49%. This consistency across different settings presets is a strong indicator that the GPU is the bottleneck, as reducing the graphical load does not change the fundamental relationship between resolution and performance; it simply shifts the entire curve downward.

At the Ultra preset, the system averages 106 FPS at 1080p, 80 FPS at 1440p, and 54 FPS at 4K. The fact that 4K Ultra is just barely above 60 FPS, while 1080p Ultra is well over 100 FPS, suggests that the Radeon RX 9070 XT is being pushed to its absolute limits at the highest resolution and quality settings. The data indicates that this is not a case where the CPU is holding back performance; if it were, we would expect to see a smaller difference between 1080p and 1440p, as the CPU's workload remains relatively constant while the GPU's workload increases. Instead, the consistent roughly 50% drop from 1080p to 4K across all presets clearly shows that the limiting component is the graphics card.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz. In this game, its role appears to be one of providing ample headroom, as the benchmark results show that it is never the limiting factor. The CPU's single-thread performance, as measured by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 7303, is exceptionally high, and its multi-threaded score of 51731 indicates it can handle any level of background tasks or game logic without breaking a sweat.

Given that the frame rate scaling is so heavily tied to resolution, the data suggests that Control is not heavily dependent on the CPU's multi-core capabilities for its core rendering loop. Instead, the game seems to benefit more from the high single-core performance of the Ultra 9 290K Plus, which is a common trait for action-adventure titles that rely on a primary game thread for physics and AI calculations. The CPU's 36 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR5 memory support with 115.2 GB/s of bandwidth provide a robust platform for feeding the GPU, but the measured FPS data does not show any signs of a CPU-related bottleneck, even at 1080p where the GPU load is lowest.

The processor's nearest rivals in terms of overall average benchmark score include the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K with a delta of 0.2% and the AMD EPYC 4584PX with a delta of 1.1%. This indicates that the 290K Plus is at the top of the desktop processor hierarchy, but this raw compute power does not translate into a frame rate advantage in Control because the GPU is the deciding factor. In essence, the CPU is doing its job efficiently, providing a stable and fast platform, but the game's performance is ultimately capped by the graphics card's rendering capabilities.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1440p with High settings?

A: The measured average frame rate for this combo at 2560x1440 with High settings is 92 FPS.

Q: How does the frame rate at 4K Ultra compare to 1080p Ultra?

A: At 4K Ultra, the system achieves an average of 54 FPS, which is roughly half of the 106 FPS average seen at 1080p Ultra.

Q: Is the processor or the graphics card the bottleneck in this game?

A: The data indicates the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is the limiting component, as frame rates drop by approximately 50% from 1080p to 4K across all settings presets, which is a classic sign of GPU-bound performance.

Q: What is the best performance you can get at 1080p?

A: The highest measured average frame rate at 1920x1080 is 193 FPS, which is achieved with the Low settings preset.

Q: Does the combo maintain a playable frame rate at 4K?

A: Yes, at 4K with Medium settings, the average is 70 FPS with a minimum of 59 FPS. At High settings, the average is 62 FPS, but at Ultra settings, it drops to 54 FPS.

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

A: This specific CPU and GPU combination is ranked 670th out of 2888 total tested combos for this game.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured performance data provides a complete picture of this combo's capabilities across three resolutions and four quality presets. Starting at 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates. With Low settings, the average FPS is 193, which is exceptionally high and suggests the game is well within the GPU's comfort zone. Moving to Medium settings, the average drops to 137 FPS, with a minimum of 116 FPS and a maximum of 157 FPS. High settings yield an average of 122 FPS, and the Ultra preset, which is the most demanding, still produces a very smooth 106 FPS average.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales down as expected. The Low preset delivers an average of 146 FPS, which remains very high and indicates the system is still not being pushed to its limits. The Medium preset shows an average of 103 FPS, with a minimum of 88 FPS and a maximum of 119 FPS, which is a solid result for a high-refresh-rate 1440p monitor. High settings produce an average of 92 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to an 80 FPS average. These numbers suggest that 1440p is a sweet spot for this combo, as even the most demanding settings remain well within the range of high refresh rate gaming.

Moving to 3840x2160, the strain on the GPU becomes evident. The Low preset still manages a respectable 98 FPS average, showing that the RDNA 4.0 architecture can handle the pixel count when the graphical load is light. The Medium preset drops to a 70 FPS average, with a minimum of 59 FPS and a maximum of 80 FPS, which is a playable experience but begins to show signs of the GPU's limits. The High preset averages 62 FPS, which is right at the edge of the 60 FPS target for many gamers. Finally, the Ultra preset at 4K produces a 54 FPS average, which is the lowest measured score and indicates that this combo cannot fully max out the game at 4K without compromising on smoothness.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of tested hardware combinations for Control, this pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT holds the 670th position out of 2888 total combos. This places it in the top 23% of all tested systems, which is a strong showing that reflects the high-end nature of both components. However, the ranking also reveals an interesting nuance: the CPU is one of the most powerful on the market, yet the combo's rank is not higher, which again points to the GPU as the performance ceiling.

The CPU itself has a percentile rank of 96 against all CPUs, meaning it outperforms 96% of all processors in the benchmark database. Its average benchmark score is 84003, which is nearly identical to its closest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, which scores 83807 and is only 0.2% behind. In contrast, the GPU has a percentile rank of only 55 against all GPUs, and its average benchmark score of 13543 is remarkably close to much older cards like the AMD Radeon HD 7770M (0.1% delta) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 (0.2% delta). This massive discrepancy in the relative standing of the CPU and GPU is the defining characteristic of this combo in Control; the processor is a top-tier part, but the graphics card, while modern, does not have the same elite standing relative to its peers, and that is what ultimately limits the game's performance.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the ideal settings preset depends entirely on the user's display resolution and performance targets. For 1080p gaming, the Ultra preset is the clear recommendation, as it delivers a 106 FPS average, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay and leaves plenty of headroom for a high refresh rate display. There is no reason to compromise on visual quality at this resolution, as the system has ample performance to spare.

At 1440p, the High preset appears to be the optimal balance. It produces a 92 FPS average, which is excellent for a 1440p monitor, and the jump to Ultra only costs 12 FPS (80 FPS average), but High still provides a very smooth experience. The Medium preset at 1440p offers a 103 FPS average, which is also a strong option for those who prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity. However, the data suggests that High is the sweet spot, as it maintains a high frame rate while providing better visual details than Medium.

For 4K gaming, the situation is more delicate. The Ultra preset drops to 54 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target and may be noticeable to some players. The High preset yields a 62 FPS average, which is just above the 60 FPS line and is the best choice for a standard 60 Hz 4K display. The Medium preset offers a 70 FPS average with a minimum of 59 FPS, which is a safer option for maintaining a consistent frame rate and could be preferable if the user values stability over maximum visual detail. Given the data, the High preset at 4K provides the best overall experience, as it achieves a playable frame rate without sacrificing too much graphical quality.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is the definitive bottleneck in this system when playing Control. The GPU is based on the RDNA 4.0 architecture and features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 644.6 GB/s. With a boost clock of 2970 MHz and 4096 shading units, it is a capable modern graphics card, but the 4K performance data shows that its raw compute power is the limiting factor. The fact that the frame rate scales almost perfectly with the resolution change is a direct consequence of the GPU's fill rate and pixel processing capabilities.

The GPU's average benchmark score is 13543, and its percentile rank of 55 indicates that it sits in the middle of the pack compared to all other graphics cards in the database. This is a surprising result for a card with such a high boost clock and large memory pool, but it is the data that matters. The GPU's nearest rivals in terms of average score are the AMD Radeon HD 7770M and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570, which are both much older parts, and their delta percentages are less than 1%. This suggests that while the RX 9070 XT is a modern card, its relative performance in the database's aggregate benchmarks does not place it in the upper echelon, and this is reflected in its inability to maintain high frame rates at 4K Ultra in Control. The GPU's role is to render the complex scenes and effects of the game, and the data clearly shows that it is working at its maximum capacity at 4K, which is why the frame rates are lower than what the powerful CPU would otherwise allow.