Control

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-11400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 ranks 352nd out of 3720 tested combinations in the database for Control. This places the combo in the top 9.5% of all recorded configurations, indicating a high-performance pairing that sits well above the median for this title. The ranking reflects the substantial GPU headroom provided by the RTX 4080, which carries the bulk of the rendering load in this action-adventure title, while the six-core, twelve-thread CPU maintains sufficient throughput to avoid becoming a limiting factor at most settings.

Relative to the broader database, the CPU alone sits at the 71st percentile among all processors, while the GPU achieves the 86th percentile among all graphics cards. The combination of a mid-range CPU with a top-tier GPU skews the system's overall standing toward the upper end of tested combos, as Control's engine scales aggressively with GPU resources. The recorded data shows the pairing outperforms roughly 90% of all tested configurations, a strong result for a machine built around a CPU that was already end-of-life at the time of testing.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, which delivers an average of 69 FPS. This is a notable result, as it means the full visual feature set, including ray tracing and high-resolution textures, remains accessible at 4K without dropping below the playable threshold. The High preset averages 79 FPS, Medium averages 89 FPS, and Low reaches 126 FPS, but the Ultra figure is the headline: 69 FPS at maximum settings on a 4K panel.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset again qualifies, averaging 102 FPS. This represents a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS floor, allowing for high-refresh-rate monitors in the 100 Hz range. High averages 118 FPS, Medium hits 132 FPS, and Low reaches 181 FPS, but the Ultra setting at 102 FPS is the clear recommendation for visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness.

At 1920x1080, Ultra averages 135 FPS, making it the obvious choice for maximum quality on 1080p displays. High sits at 156 FPS, Medium at 175 FPS, and Low at 199 FPS, but the Ultra preset remains far above the playable threshold, leaving substantial headroom for future driver optimizations or additional background processes. In every resolution tested, all four presets clear 60 FPS, meaning the bottleneck is never the hardware but rather the user's preference for frame rate versus visual fidelity.

CPU and GPU Roles

The recorded data shows a clear pattern: the RTX 4080 dominates performance scaling as resolution increases, while the i5-11400F becomes more relevant at lower resolutions and higher frame rates. At 3840x2160, dropping from Ultra to Low raises the average FPS from 69 to 126, a 83% improvement. This large delta indicates that the GPU is the primary constraint at 4K, as reducing pixel shading load directly translates into higher throughput. The CPU's role at this resolution is secondary, as the GPU is busy pushing nearly 8.3 million pixels per frame.

At 2560x1440, the same preset change from Ultra to Low sees average FPS rise from 102 to 181, a 77% gain. The scaling is slightly less dramatic than at 4K, suggesting the CPU begins to exert more influence as the GPU finishes frames faster. At 1920x1080, the Ultra-to-Low jump moves from 135 to 199 FPS, a 48% increase. This compressed scaling indicates that at 1080p, the i5-11400F's six cores begin to approach their limit, capping the GPU's ability to fully stretch its legs. The 199 FPS ceiling at Low settings is likely near the CPU's maximum frame output for this title, regardless of further GPU headroom.

The transition from 1080p to 1440p at Ultra settings shows a drop from 135 to 102 FPS, a 24% reduction, while the 1440p to 4K transition at Ultra drops from 102 to 69 FPS, a 32% reduction. These figures confirm that the GPU's load scales steeply with pixel count, while the CPU's contribution remains relatively flat. For users targeting 4K, the RTX 4080 is the decisive component; for those chasing 240 Hz at 1080p, the i5-11400F's single-thread performance becomes the limiting factor.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the nearest rivals in the database include the AMD EPYC 7H12, which scores 0.3% higher in average benchmarks, and the Intel Core i5-12450H, which sits 0.4% lower. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G is 0.6% below the i5-11400F, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 164U is 0.6% above. These deltas are within measurement noise, meaning any of these processors would deliver near-identical frame rates in Control when paired with the same RTX 4080. The practical takeaway is that the i5-11400F's performance class is well-populated, and users upgrading from any of these chips would see no meaningful difference in this game.

For the GPU, the closest match is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER, which scores just 0.1% higher in average benchmarks. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X trails by 1.1%, while the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB and AMD Radeon 8060S sit 2.6% and 2.7% lower, respectively. These figures suggest that the RTX 4080 SUPER would produce nearly identical FPS numbers in Control, while the AMD alternatives might show a few frames lower at the most demanding 4K Ultra preset. None of these rivals would change the fundamental verdict: this performance tier comfortably handles Control at maximum settings across all tested resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the recorded data includes four presets. Ultra averages 69 FPS with no min or max values recorded. High averages 79 FPS, again without min or max data. Medium averages 89 FPS with a minimum of 76 and a maximum of 103. Low averages 126 FPS, also missing min and max figures. The Medium preset provides the only complete statistical picture at 4K, showing a 27 FPS spread between worst and best cases, which indicates moderate frame-time variance under load.

At 2560x1440, Ultra averages 102 FPS, High averages 118 FPS, and Low averages 181 FPS, all without min or max values. Medium averages 132 FPS with a minimum of 113 and a maximum of 152, a 39 FPS spread. The larger variance at 1440p compared to 4K reflects the higher frame rates, where individual frame times become shorter and more susceptible to transient spikes.

At 1920x1080, Ultra averages 135 FPS, High averages 156 FPS, and Low averages 199 FPS, all without min or max values. Medium averages 175 FPS with a minimum of 149 and a maximum of 201, a 52 FPS spread. This is the widest recorded variance across all resolutions, consistent with the CPU beginning to introduce occasional hitches at extremely high frame rates. The 199 FPS Low average at 1080p is the single highest figure in the entire dataset, confirming that the RTX 4080 has ample headroom at this resolution, while the i5-11400F caps the ceiling just below 200 FPS.

The Verdict

The data answers clearly: yes, this PC can run Control, and it does so with authority at every resolution and preset tested. The verdict by resolution shows all four settings at 3840x2160 are playable, with Ultra averaging 69 FPS. At 2560x1440, Ultra averages 102 FPS, and at 1920x1080, Ultra averages 135 FPS. The minimum playable threshold of 60 FPS is exceeded by every recorded configuration, with the lowest figure being the 4K Ultra average of 69 FPS, which still leaves a 9 FPS margin above the floor.

For 4K users, the recommendation is straightforward: run Ultra settings and enjoy an average of 69 FPS. For 1440p users, Ultra provides 102 FPS, which pairs well with 100 Hz displays. For 1080p users, Ultra delivers 135 FPS, suitable for 144 Hz monitors, though the 199 FPS Low preset remains available for competitive play or extreme refresh rates. The only caveat in the data is the CPU's influence at 1080p Low, where the 199 FPS average suggests a ceiling that would not improve with a stronger GPU alone. Overall, this combination offers a rare level of headroom: the GPU is overqualified for 1080p and 1440p, and even at 4K, it maintains maximum settings above the playable threshold. The i5-11400F, while not a flagship, proves sufficient for Control's demands, making this a balanced pairing for high-resolution, high-fidelity gaming.