Control

Control, the 2019 action-adventure title, presents a demanding supernatural world that stresses both the processor and the graphics card. The database contains measured frame rates for the Intel Core i5-11400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, offering a clear picture of what this combination can deliver across common resolutions. The recorded data shows a system that handles 1080p and 1440p gaming with confidence, while 4K remains out of reach for smooth play. This analysis examines the measured FPS, the balance between CPU and GPU load, optimal settings, and how this specific hardware pairing compares to other tested combinations in the database.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, this combo delivers its strongest results. The average frame rates across the four tested presets are as follows: Low settings produce 116.3 FPS, Medium settings produce 87.1 FPS, High settings produce 72.5 FPS, and Ultra settings produce 66.6 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is substantial, a difference of roughly 49.7 FPS, which indicates that the visual presets have a significant impact on performance at this resolution. Even at Ultra, the system maintains an average above the 60 FPS playability threshold, leaving headroom for demanding scenes.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops are noticeable but not catastrophic. The Low preset averages 91.7 FPS, which is still excellent for competitive or high-refresh-rate play. Medium settings average 61.6 FPS, just above the playability threshold. High settings fall to 53.7 FPS, and Ultra dips further to 50.9 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a clear cost, with each preset losing between 15 and 25 FPS on average. The High and Ultra presets at this resolution no longer clear the 60 FPS bar, making them less desirable for smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 3060 Ti is clearly overextended. The Low preset averages 58.5 FPS, which is just shy of the 60 FPS threshold. Medium averages 44.1 FPS, High averages 39.2 FPS, and Ultra averages 35.8 FPS. None of these presets reach the playable threshold. The drop from Low to Medium is 14.4 FPS, and the drop from High to Ultra is only 3.4 FPS, suggesting diminishing returns in performance cost as settings increase at this resolution. The data shows that 4K is not a viable option for this hardware pairing in Control.

The measured data does not include minimum or maximum frame rates, so the analysis relies solely on average FPS. The average figures, however, reveal a consistent trend: the system scales predictably with resolution and settings, with the largest performance penalties occurring when moving from 1080p to 1440p and from Medium to High presets.

CPU and GPU Roles

The Intel Core i5-11400F, a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Rocket Lake architecture, has a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. It sits in the 71st percentile of all CPUs in the database, indicating solid mainstream performance. The RTX 3060 Ti, based on the Ampere architecture with 4864 shading units and 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, sits in the 59th percentile of all GPUs. The balance between these two components is key to understanding the frame rates.

The scaling between resolutions reveals which component becomes the limiting factor. At 1920x1080, the CPU is more likely to influence performance, as lower resolutions reduce the GPU's workload. The jump from 1080p Ultra at 66.6 FPS to 1440p Ultra at 50.9 FPS is a drop of 15.7 FPS, a 23.6% reduction. This indicates that the GPU is taking on significantly more work as resolution increases, while the CPU load remains relatively constant. The i5-11400F's 12 threads provide enough headroom to feed the RTX 3060 Ti at 1080p, as evidenced by the high frame rates at Low and Medium presets.

At 2560x1440, the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck. The difference between the Low preset at 91.7 FPS and the Medium preset at 61.6 FPS is 30.1 FPS, a 32.8% reduction. This large gap shows how much the GPU struggles with increased graphical complexity at this resolution. The CPU, meanwhile, continues to deliver consistent performance, as the frame rates remain high enough to rule out a CPU limitation.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is overwhelmingly the limiting factor. The RTX 3060 Ti's 8 GB of memory and 256-bit bus are taxed heavily, resulting in average frame rates below 60 FPS even at Low settings. The CPU's role diminishes further, as the GPU cannot produce enough frames to stress the i5-11400F. The data suggests that this CPU and GPU pairing is well matched at 1080p, with the CPU providing enough single-thread performance to avoid bottlenecking, while the GPU takes over as the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the best settings are Ultra, with an average FPS of 66.6. This is the most demanding preset that stays at or above the 60 FPS threshold. The system has enough performance to run the game at maximum visual quality while maintaining smooth play. The headroom is modest, about 6.6 FPS above the threshold, so demanding scenes may cause dips, but the average remains playable.

At 2560x1440, the best settings are Medium, with an average FPS of 61.6. This is the only preset besides Low that clears the 60 FPS bar. High settings at 53.7 FPS and Ultra at 50.9 FPS are not playable by the database's standard. Choosing Medium allows for a solid balance between visual quality and performance, with just 1.6 FPS of headroom above the threshold. This is a tight margin, and players seeking a more stable experience may prefer Low at 91.7 FPS.

At 3840x2160, there are no playable settings. The highest average FPS at this resolution is 58.5 on Low, which falls short of the 60 FPS threshold. Medium at 44.1 FPS, High at 39.2 FPS, and Ultra at 35.8 FPS are all well below the playable threshold. The database records no best settings for 4K, as no preset achieves the required frame rate.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU's nearest rivals in the database provide context for its performance. The Intel Core i5-11400F has an average benchmark score of 17177. The AMD EPYC 7H12 scores 17120, a delta of 0.3%, making it essentially equivalent in overall performance. The Intel Core i5-12450H scores 17239, a delta of -0.4%, also close. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G scores 17278, a delta of -0.6%, and the Intel Core Ultra 7 164U scores 17074, a delta of 0.6%. These processors would likely produce similar frame rates in Control, assuming the GPU remains the same, as their average scores are within 1% of the i5-11400F.

The GPU's nearest rivals are similarly informative. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti has an average benchmark score of 16129. The AMD Radeon RX 9060 scores 16014, a delta of 0.7%, making it a very close match. The AMD Radeon Pro 5600M scores 16351, a delta of -1.4%, and the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT scores 16361, a delta of -1.4%. The AMD Radeon R9 370X scores 15862, a delta of 1.7%. A system with the i5-11400F and any of these GPUs would likely deliver frame rates within a few percent of the measured results, though the R9 370X is an older architecture and may behave differently in specific titles.

The data implies that swapping the CPU for one of its nearest rivals would have a negligible impact on Control's frame rates, as the differences in average scores are under 1%. Swapping the GPU for a rival like the RX 5700 XT, which is only 1.4% slower in average score, would also produce similar results. This combination of CPU and GPU sits in a performance tier where small benchmark differences translate to only a few frames per second in real-world gaming.

The Verdict

Can this PC run Control? The answer depends on the resolution. At 1920x1080, the answer is a clear yes. All four presets, Low at 116.3 FPS, Medium at 87.1 FPS, High at 72.5 FPS, and Ultra at 66.6 FPS, clear the 60 FPS threshold. The system can run the game at maximum settings with an average frame rate above the playable mark, making it a strong choice for 1080p gaming.

At 2560x1440, the answer is a qualified yes. The Low and Medium presets clear the threshold, with average frame rates of 91.7 FPS and 61.6 FPS respectively. High and Ultra do not, with 53.7 FPS and 50.9 FPS. Players at this resolution will need to compromise on visual quality to maintain smooth performance, but the game is playable.

At 3840x2160, the answer is no. No preset reaches the 60 FPS threshold, with the best result being Low at 58.5 FPS. The RTX 3060 Ti does not have enough performance for 4K gaming in Control, and players with 4K displays will need to lower their resolution or upgrade their GPU. The verdict by resolution is clear: 1080p is fully playable, 1440p is playable with reduced settings, and 4K is not playable.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings?

A: The average FPS is 66.6, which is above the 60 FPS playability threshold.

Q: Can this system run Control at 2560x1440 with High settings?

A: No, the average FPS at 2560x1440 with High settings is 53.7, which is below the 60 FPS threshold. Medium settings at 61.6 FPS are the best playable option at this resolution.

Q: Is 4K gaming possible with the Intel Core i5-11400F and RTX 3060 Ti?

A: No, the highest average FPS at 3840x2160 is 58.5 on Low settings, which falls short of the 60 FPS playability threshold. No 4K preset is playable.

Q: How does the RTX 3060 Ti compare to the RX 5700 XT in benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 3060 Ti has an average benchmark score of 16129, while the RX 5700 XT scores 16361, a delta of -1.4%. The RX 5700 XT is slightly faster in average score.

Q: What is the best playable preset at 1920x1080?

A: Ultra is the best playable preset at 1920x1080, with an average FPS of 66.6.

Q: What is the best playable preset at 2560x1440?

A: Medium is the best playable preset at 2560x1440, with an average FPS of 61.6. Low also clears the threshold at 91.7 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

The database ranks this combination at position 2570 out of 3720 tested combos for Control. This places the Intel Core i5-11400F and RTX 3060 Ti pairing in the lower half of all tested systems. The rank reflects the hardware's overall standing relative to other CPUs, GPUs, and pairings in the database for this specific game. The 2570 out of 3720 means roughly 69% of tested combos outperform it in terms of Control performance. The CPU's 71st percentile ranking among all CPUs and the GPU's 59th percentile ranking among all GPUs provide context for this rank, showing that while the individual components are above average, the combination does not reach the top tier for this demanding title. The measured frame rates, which are strong at 1080p and moderate at 1440p, align with this mid-pack ranking, indicating that Control is a demanding game that requires higher-tier hardware to achieve the highest levels of playability.