Control

The Intel Core i5-14400F and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT combination delivers a strong performance profile for Control, a 2019 Action Adventure title. Benchmark data shows that this pairing is capable of high frame rates across all tested resolutions, with the GPU typically being the limiting factor at higher settings. The measured results indicate that the system handles the game's demanding physics and visual effects well, though the relationship between CPU load and resolution scaling reveals interesting nuances about where each component’s contribution matters most.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Control at 4K Ultra settings?

A: No, at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the combo achieves an average of 58 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The data shows that High settings at this resolution are the best playable option, delivering 67 FPS on average.

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

A: At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset is fully playable, with an average of 86 FPS. This makes Ultra the most demanding preset that stays above the 60 FPS threshold at this resolution, according to the verdict data.

Q: How much performance difference is there between Low and Ultra at 1080p?

A: The gap is significant. At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 208 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 114 FPS. This represents a difference of 94 FPS, or roughly 82% higher frame rate on Low compared to Ultra.

Q: Does the RX 7900 XT outperform its nearest rivals in this game?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score is 13745, placing it slightly below the AMD Radeon 660M (13812, -0.5%) and NVIDIA RTX A2000 Mobile (13821, -0.5%), but above the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT (13543, +1.5%). These deltas are minimal, suggesting very similar raw performance among these cards.

Q: Is the i5-14400F a strong CPU relative to other processors?

A: The CPU holds an 83rd percentile ranking among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 32279. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U, scores 32233, a mere 0.1% difference, indicating the i5-14400F sits in a very competitive performance tier.

Q: What frame rates can be expected with Medium settings at 1440p?

A: The measured data shows that at 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the system averages 112 FPS, with a minimum of 95 FPS and a maximum of 128 FPS. This provides a smooth experience with a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results for Control reveal a clear pattern where the GPU's role becomes increasingly dominant as resolution and settings increase, while the CPU provides a solid baseline for high frame rates. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves 208 FPS, which is a very high frame rate that suggests the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU efficiently in less demanding scenes. However, the scaling from Low to Ultra at this resolution shows a drop to 114 FPS, a reduction of 94 FPS (45%). This drop is primarily attributable to the increased graphical workload on the GPU, as the CPU's workload does not scale proportionally with visual fidelity changes.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain high but show a tighter spread. The Low preset averages 157 FPS, while Ultra averages 86 FPS, a difference of 71 FPS (45%). When compared to the 1080p results, the 1440p Low setting (157 FPS) is 51 FPS lower than the 1080p Low setting (208 FPS), which indicates that even at lower graphical presets, the increased pixel count places a significant burden on the GPU. This trend continues at 3840x2160, where the Low preset averages 106 FPS, which is 51 FPS lower than the 1440p Low result. The data suggests that the GPU is the primary performance bottleneck at 4K, as the CPU's capability to process game logic and physics becomes less relevant when the GPU is rendering over 8 million pixels.

The settings scaling tells a similar story. At 4K, the jump from Low (106 FPS) to Medium (75 FPS) is a 31 FPS reduction, and from Medium to High (67 FPS) is another 8 FPS reduction. The Ultra preset at this resolution drops to 58 FPS, which is the only configuration in the dataset that fails to meet the 60 FPS threshold. This pattern shows that the GPU's compute resources are heavily taxed at 4K, and each step up in quality has a measurable impact. At 1440p, the scaling is less severe, with a 45 FPS gap between Low (157 FPS) and Ultra (86 FPS), indicating that the GPU still has headroom to handle higher settings without being overwhelmed. The CPU's role is most apparent in the high frame rate scenarios, such as 1080p Low (208 FPS) and 1440p Low (157 FPS), where the processor's performance allows the GPU to work at its maximum potential.

Similar Performance Alternatives

When examining the nearest rivals for the Intel Core i5-14400F, the data shows that the CPU's performance is closely matched by several other processors. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U has an average score of 32233, which is just 0.1% lower than the i5-14400F's 32279. Similarly, the Intel Core i9-11900 scores 32226 (0.2% lower), and the AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS scores 32354 (0.2% higher). The Intel Core i7-12800H rounds out the group with a score of 32121, which is 0.5% lower. These deltas are all within a fraction of a percent, meaning that in practical terms, users with these CPUs would experience nearly identical performance in Control, assuming the GPU and other system components remain the same.

For the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT, the nearest rivals present a more varied picture. The AMD Radeon 660M has an average score of 13812, which is 0.5% higher than the RX 7900 XT's 13745. The NVIDIA RTX A2000 Mobile also scores 13821, also 0.5% higher. The AMD Radeon RX 570X scores 13871, which is 0.9% higher, while the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT scores 13543, which is 1.5% lower. Despite these small percentage differences, it is important to note that the average benchmark score is a composite metric, and the actual performance in Control may vary. The data suggests that these GPUs would deliver comparable frame rates, but the RX 9070 XT might be slightly slower, while the RX 570X could be marginally faster. The percentile ranking of 55 for the RX 7900 XT indicates that it sits in the middle of the performance distribution, and these rivals represent the closest alternatives in terms of overall benchmark performance.

The Verdict

The benchmark data provides clear answers on whether this PC can run Control at playable frame rates. At 3840x2160, the system is playable on High, Low, and Medium settings, with High being the best playable preset at 67 FPS average. The Ultra preset at this resolution falls short at 58 FPS, so it is not recommended for a smooth experience. At 2560x1440, all four presets are playable, with Ultra delivering 86 FPS on average, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold. This makes 1440p the sweet spot for this combo, as it allows the user to enable the highest visual quality without sacrificing performance. At 1920x1080, the system excels, with even the Ultra preset achieving 114 FPS on average. This means the PC can run Control at maximum settings at 1080p with plenty of headroom for high refresh rate displays. Overall, the verdict is positive: this combination of CPU and GPU can run Control smoothly at 1080p and 1440p with Ultra settings, and at 4K with High settings.

Best Settings per Resolution

Based on the measured FPS data, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS varies by resolution. At 3840x2160, the High preset is the best choice, delivering an average of 67 FPS. The Medium preset also clears the threshold at 75 FPS, but High offers a better visual experience with a still-playable frame rate. The Ultra preset at this resolution averages 58 FPS, which is below the playable threshold, so it should be avoided. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset is the best option, achieving 86 FPS on average. This provides the highest visual quality while maintaining a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. The High preset at this resolution averages 99 FPS, but Ultra is the most demanding preset that remains playable. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is again the best choice, with an average of 114 FPS. This allows users to experience the game at its highest settings without any concerns about frame rate drops, as the minimum FPS is not recorded but the average is nearly double the threshold.

How This Combo Ranks

In the context of all tested combinations for Control, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-14400F and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT holds a rank of 740 out of 3720 combos. This places it in the top 20% of all configurations tested, indicating that it is a high-performing setup for this game. The rank is a composite measure that likely takes into account the average FPS across all resolutions and settings, as well as the consistency of performance. Given that the system can achieve over 100 FPS at 1080p and 4K on lower presets, and maintains 60+ FPS at 4K on High settings, its position in the upper quartile is justified. The data suggests that while there are many faster combinations, this one offers a well-rounded performance profile that can handle Control at high frame rates across a range of quality settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates provide a detailed look at the system's performance across all tested configurations. At 3840x2160, the results show a clear progression: Low settings average 106 FPS, Medium averages 75 FPS with a minimum of 64 FPS and a maximum of 87 FPS, High averages 67 FPS, and Ultra averages 58 FPS. The Medium preset is the only one at this resolution with recorded min/max values, indicating that the frame pacing is relatively stable, with the minimum staying above the 60 FPS threshold. At 2560x1440, the performance is higher across the board: Low averages 157 FPS, Medium averages 112 FPS with a minimum of 95 FPS and a maximum of 128 FPS, High averages 99 FPS, and Ultra averages 86 FPS. The minimum FPS at Medium (95) is well above the playable threshold, suggesting consistent performance. At 1920x1080, the system delivers its best results: Low averages 208 FPS, Medium averages 148 FPS with a minimum of 125 FPS and a maximum of 170 FPS, High averages 131 FPS, and Ultra averages 114 FPS. The minimum FPS at Medium (125) is more than double the playable threshold, indicating that the system has significant headroom even in demanding scenes. Overall, the data shows that the combo is capable of maintaining high frame rates, with the only sub-60 FPS result occurring at 4K Ultra, which is the most demanding configuration tested.