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Best Control settings for the NVIDIA GTX 980 (2026)

On a NVIDIA GTX 980 (paired with a balanced Intel Core i5-8600K-class CPU), Control runs at roughly 74 FPS at 1080p with our optimized settings — up from about 55FPS with everything maxed. Here's the configuration and what each setting costs.

The NVIDIA GTX 980 is a entry-level graphics card with 4GB of VRAM, and Control is a demanding, graphically heavy game. Paired with the Intel Core i5-8600K, it runs well at 1080p — about 74 FPS with FrameCoach's optimized settings, a clear jump from roughly 55 FPS with everything on High.

Across resolutions you can expect around 74 FPS at 1080p and 64 FPS at 1440p, dropping to roughly 40 FPS at 4K. Control offers ray tracing, but the NVIDIA GTX 980 isn't built for it, so we leave it off. With only 4GB of VRAM, keep textures a notch below max in Control at higher resolutions to avoid stutter. The biggest free win is FSR upscaling — set it to Quality for a large FPS boost at little visual cost.

ResolutionAll-High FPSOptimized FPS
1080p5574
1440p3364
4K1940
💡 Control: A flagship ray-tracing showcase - RT is gorgeous but very heavy; pair it with DLSS.
🚀 Biggest free win: enable FSR (Quality) — about +35% FPS for a small sharpness trade.
Recommended settings
Upscaling — FSRQuality+35% FPS
Control (Northlight engine) supports DLSS - a major boost that makes ray tracing far more playable.
Ray TracingOffsaves FPS
Control is a flagship ray-tracing showcase (reflections, indirect lighting, contact shadows, debris). Gorgeous but by far the heaviest option - turn it on only with DLSS and plenty of headroom.
MSAAOffbaseline
Hardware edge smoothing - very heavy in this game. Leave Off and rely on the cheaper filtering AA.
Volumetric LightingMediumbaseline
God rays and dusty light shafts - core to the eerie Oldest House look but a real cost. Medium is a clean trade.
Screen Space ReflectionsMediumbaseline
Reflections on the building's many shiny floors. Medium is plenty without ray tracing.
Shadow QualityMediumbaseline
Shadow resolution and range. Medium is a clean trade.
Global ReflectionsMediumbaseline
Cheaper baked reflections for the whole scene. Medium is plenty.
Ambient OcclusionOnbaseline
Soft contact shadows for depth. Cheap; leave On.
Texture ResolutionHighbaseline
Surface sharpness - cheap if it fits your VRAM.

⚡ Fine-tune this for your exact CPU & target FPS →

🎯 Can the NVIDIA GTX 980 run Control? See the verdict →

Control on other GPUs
Other games on the NVIDIA GTX 980
Frequently asked

What FPS does the NVIDIA GTX 980 get in Control?

With FrameCoach's optimized balanced settings, the NVIDIA GTX 980 averages around 74 FPS at 1080p in Control — up from about 55 FPS with everything on High.

Can the NVIDIA GTX 980 run Control at 1440p?

At 1440p with optimized settings, the NVIDIA GTX 980 averages roughly 64 FPS in Control — a smooth experience.

What are the best Control settings for the NVIDIA GTX 980?

Turn on FSR (Quality), keep ray tracing off for maximum FPS, and ease the heaviest options like MSAA and Volumetric Lighting down a notch. The full per-setting breakdown is above.

FPS figures are estimates from a generalized model (hardware tier × game load × per-setting weights), not live benchmarks — real performance varies by scene, drivers and game version.