Control

The Intel Core i5-13400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT presents a compelling mid-range configuration for running Control, and the measured data reveals a system that scales predictably with resolution and graphical fidelity. At 1920x1080, this combination delivers a thoroughly playable experience across all presets, while 2560x1440 remains highly capable with only the Ultra preset dipping below the 60 FPS threshold. The 3840x2160 resolution proves demanding, with only the Low preset maintaining playable frame rates, indicating that this pairing is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming in this title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The benchmark results for Control show a clear progression of performance across the three tested resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system demonstrates strong headroom, starting with an average of 124.3 FPS on Low settings. This drops to 90.2 FPS on Medium, then 77.1 FPS on High, and finally 70.3 FPS on Ultra. The delta between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 54 FPS, indicating that the GPU has substantial overhead even at maximum quality. The frame rate curve is smooth, with the step from Medium to High costing 13.1 FPS and the step from High to Ultra costing only 6.8 FPS, suggesting that the Ultra preset is not disproportionately punishing relative to High.

Moving to 2560x1440, the average frame rates compress significantly. Low settings produce 91.7 FPS, which falls to 67 FPS on Medium and 61.2 FPS on High. The Ultra preset drops to 51.8 FPS, falling below the 60 FPS playability threshold. The performance gap between resolutions is notable: at High settings, the move from 1080p to 1440p reduces the average from 77.1 FPS to 61.2 FPS, a 20.6% decrease. Similarly, at Low settings, the same resolution jump reduces performance from 124.3 FPS to 91.7 FPS, a 26.2% decrease, showing that pixel count heavily influences the GPU workload.

At 3840x2160, the RX 6650 XT begins to struggle with higher presets. Low settings yield an average of 62.4 FPS, barely clearing the 60 FPS threshold. Medium settings drop to 42.9 FPS, High to 41.5 FPS, and Ultra to 35.4 FPS. The reduction from 1440p to 2160p at Medium settings is stark: from 67 FPS to 42.9 FPS, a 36% loss in performance. This indicates that 4K gaming with this combo is only viable at the lowest visual quality, and even then, the margin above 60 FPS is slim at just 2.4 FPS. The data shows no min or max FPS values recorded, so the analysis relies solely on average frame rates, but the trend is consistent across all settings levels.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU benchmarks place the Intel Core i5-13400F in close proximity to several rivals. Its average benchmark score of 25292 is virtually identical to the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS, which scores 25284 with a deltaPct of 0. The Intel Core 5 120 scores 25362, a 0.3% difference, and the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D scores 25365, also 0.3% higher. The AMD Ryzen 7 6800H trails slightly with 25201, a 0.4% margin. These deltas are negligible, meaning that in CPU-bound scenarios, Control would perform nearly identically with any of these processors. The i5-13400F holds a percentile rank of 77 among all CPUs, indicating it outperforms the majority of tested processors in general compute tasks.

For the GPU, the AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT has an average benchmark score of 19765, with its nearest rivals showing similar performance characteristics. The NVIDIA Tesla K40m scores 19885, which is 0.6% higher, while the AMD FirePro D300 scores 19637, 0.7% lower. The AMD FirePro W7000 scores 19905, 0.7% higher, and the NVIDIA Quadro K5200 scores 19602, 0.8% lower. These workstation-class GPUs are not typical gaming counterparts, but the data indicates that the RX 6650 XT sits in a narrow performance band where none of these alternatives would provide a meaningful FPS difference in Control. The GPU's percentile rank of 65 among all GPUs reinforces its position as a capable mid-range part, though not a top-tier performer.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data suggests that the GPU is the dominant constraint in Control at higher resolutions, while the CPU provides ample headroom even at 1080p. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p and 2160p shows consistent frame rate drops that align with pixel count increases, which is characteristic of GPU-bound workloads. At 1920x1080 Ultra, the system achieves 70.3 FPS, which is 10.3 FPS above the 60 FPS threshold, indicating that the CPU can feed the GPU sufficiently even at maximum settings. The i5-13400F's multi-threaded benchmark scores, such as 22604 in Cinebench R23, provide strong single and multi-core performance that prevents CPU bottlenecks in this title.

The resolution scaling tells a clear story. At Low settings, going from 1080p to 1440p reduces FPS by 26.2%, and from 1440p to 2160p reduces FPS by 32%. This progressive degradation is consistent with the GPU's pixel throughput limits rather than CPU limitations. Conversely, at a fixed resolution like 1440p, the drop from Low to Ultra is 43.6%, which reflects the GPU's shading and texture workload scaling. The CPU's role becomes less relevant as resolution increases, as the frame rate differences between settings at 4K are primarily driven by GPU fill rate and memory bandwidth (280.3 GB/s on the RX 6650 XT). The data shows no indication of CPU-bound behavior, as even the lowest FPS values (35.4 at 4K Ultra) are far above what would indicate a processor stall.

The Verdict

Based on the measured FPS data and the 60 FPS playability threshold, this PC can run Control effectively at 1080p and 1440p, with limitations at 4K. At 1920x1080, all four presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—clear the 60 FPS requirement, with Ultra achieving 70.3 FPS. This means users can enjoy the game at maximum visual quality without sacrificing smoothness. At 2560x1440, the system maintains playable frame rates on Low (91.7 FPS), Medium (67 FPS), and High (61.2 FPS), but Ultra drops to 51.8 FPS, which is below the threshold. For 1440p gaming, High settings are the ceiling for a consistent 60 FPS experience.

At 3840x2160, the verdict is more restrictive. Only the Low preset achieves a playable average of 62.4 FPS, while Medium (42.9 FPS), High (41.5 FPS), and Ultra (35.4 FPS) all fall significantly short. The data confirms that 4K gaming is possible only with substantial visual compromises, and even then, the 2.4 FPS margin above 60 FPS leaves little room for frametime spikes. This combo is best described as a 1080p ultra and 1440p high machine for Control, with 4K reserved for players who prioritize frame rate over fidelity.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, which delivers an average of 70.3 FPS. This is the recommended setting for this resolution, as it provides the highest visual quality while maintaining a comfortable margin above the playability threshold. The 10.3 FPS buffer ensures that most scenes will remain smooth, though demanding sequences could theoretically cause dips.

At 2560x1440, the best playable setting is High, with an average of 61.2 FPS. This preset barely clears the 60 FPS threshold, leaving only a 1.2 FPS margin. While playable, users should be aware that the headroom is minimal, and Medium (67 FPS) offers a safer margin with a modest visual compromise. For those prioritizing stability over maximum quality, Medium is the more robust choice, but High is technically the best preset that meets the criteria.

For 3840x2160, the only playable option is Low, which achieves 62.4 FPS. This setting requires significant visual sacrifices, but it is the sole preset that maintains an average above 60 FPS. The 2.4 FPS margin is tight, and players may experience occasional drops below the threshold in intense combat or particle-heavy scenes. There is no higher preset available that meets the 60 FPS requirement at this resolution.

FAQ

*Q: Can this PC run Control at 4K with high settings?*

A: No. At 3840x2160 with High settings, the average frame rate is 41.5 FPS, which is well below the 60 FPS playability threshold. Only the Low preset at 4K achieves playable performance, with an average of 62.4 FPS.

Q: What is the best preset for 1440p gaming?

A: The High preset at 2560x1440 delivers an average of 61.2 FPS, making it the most demanding option that stays at or above 60 FPS. The Medium preset offers a higher margin at 67 FPS, but High provides better visual quality.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Core i5-13400F has an average benchmark score of 25292, which is within 0.4% of the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS (25284), Intel Core 5 120 (25362), AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D (25365), and AMD Ryzen 7 6800H (25201). These differences are negligible for gaming performance.

Q: Is the GPU the bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the GPU is the primary constraint even at 1080p, as frame rates scale significantly with settings changes. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 70.3 FPS, indicating the CPU can keep up, but the GPU limits maximum output.

Q: What kind of frame rate can I expect at 1080p Medium?

A: At 1920x1080 with Medium settings, the average frame rate is 90.2 FPS, which provides a smooth experience with substantial headroom above the 60 FPS threshold.

*Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations for Control?*

A: This combo ranks 2275th out of 3720 tested configurations, placing it in the 61st percentile. This indicates it performs better than the majority of systems tested for this game.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-13400F and AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT combination ranks 2275 out of 3720 tested combos for Control, which places it in the upper-middle tier of systems. This ranking reflects the GPU's position at the 65th percentile among all GPUs, balanced against the CPU's 77th percentile standing. The rank suggests that while this combo is not a top-tier performer, it outperforms roughly 61% of tested configurations in this game. The data indicates that the system is well-matched for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with the 4K performance being the primary weakness. The ranking also implies that users seeking higher 4K performance would need to consider more powerful GPUs, as the RX 6650 XT's 8 GB of VRAM and 280.3 GB/s bandwidth are limiting factors at that resolution. Overall, this combo delivers a solid, if not exceptional, Control experience, with the best value proposition at 1080p Ultra and 1440p High.