Control

The Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER delivers a robust Full HD and capable Quad HD experience in Control, but 4K gaming requires significant graphical compromises. The recorded data shows a clear performance hierarchy across the three resolutions tested, with the combo landing in the 2148th position out of 3720 tested combinations in the database.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combination demonstrates strong headroom across all presets. The Low preset produces an average of 128.9 FPS, which is the highest recorded figure for this combo. Moving up the quality ladder, the Medium preset averages 91.5 FPS, while High delivers 80.3 FPS. The most demanding Ultra preset still maintains an average of 72.6 FPS, keeping the experience comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold.

At 2560x1440, performance scales down predictably but remains solid for most settings. The Low preset averages 100.5 FPS, representing a 22% drop from the 1080p Low figure. Medium averages 71.1 FPS, which is a 22% reduction from the corresponding 1080p result. High averages 62.4 FPS, just above the playable threshold. The Ultra preset falls to 52.9 FPS, dipping below the 60 FPS line.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 2070 SUPER starts to struggle with the heavier presets. The Low preset averages 64.6 FPS, the only 4K setting that clears the playable threshold. Medium averages 45.6 FPS, High averages 43.9 FPS, and Ultra averages 36.6 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 28 FPS, illustrating the steep cost of the game's visual effects at this resolution.

The database records no minimum or maximum FPS values for any of the tested settings, so the analysis relies solely on average frame rates.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, with an average of 72.6 FPS. This is the highest quality setting available in the test suite, meaning the combo can run the game at maximum settings at Full HD with room to spare.

At 2560x1440, the best playable setting is High, which averages 62.4 FPS. While this clears the 60 FPS threshold, the margin is slim, and any demanding scene could push the frame rate lower. Medium averages 71.1 FPS and offers a more comfortable buffer, but High is the highest preset that remains technically playable.

At 3840x2160, only the Low preset is viable, averaging 64.6 FPS. The jump from Low to Medium costs 19 FPS, bringing the average down to 45.6 FPS, which is well below the playable threshold. Ultra at 4K is not a practical option, as the 36.6 FPS average indicates a slideshow-like experience.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo ranks 2148th out of 3720 tested configurations in the database for Control. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the overall distribution, roughly in the 42nd percentile of all tested combos. The ranking reflects the age of the RTX 2070 SUPER, which sits at the 65th percentile among all GPUs in the database, while the Core i5-14400F is far stronger, ranking at the 83rd percentile among all CPUs.

The GPU's nearest rivals in the database include the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M, which scores 20480 in average benchmark performance, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile at 20534, the Intel Arc B570 at 20556, and the Intel Arc A750 at 20582. The RTX 2070 SUPER's average benchmark score is 20282, meaning it trails the Quadro M4000M by 1%, the RTX 3070 Mobile by 1.2%, the Arc B570 by 1.3%, and the Arc A750 by 1.5%. These small deltas indicate the GPU is competitive with these alternatives, though all of them edge it out slightly.

The CPU's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U with an average score of 32233, the Intel Core i9-11900 at 32226, the AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS at 32354, and the Intel Core i7-12800H at 32121. The Core i5-14400F's average benchmark score of 32279 places it 0.1% ahead of the Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U, 0.2% ahead of the Core i9-11900, 0.2% behind the Ryzen 7 6800HS, and 0.5% ahead of the Core i7-12800H. This clustering shows the CPU is well-matched against these mobile and older desktop parts.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Control at 1920x1080 with maximum settings?

A: Yes. The Ultra preset at 1080p averages 72.6 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold. All four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) clear 60 FPS at this resolution.

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

A: The High preset averages 62.4 FPS, making it the highest quality setting that stays at or above 60 FPS. Medium averages 71.1 FPS and offers more headroom, but High is the most demanding playable option.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this combination?

A: Only at the Low preset, which averages 64.6 FPS. Medium drops to 45.6 FPS, High to 43.9 FPS, and Ultra to 36.6 FPS, all of which fall below the playable threshold.

Q: How does the RTX 2070 SUPER compare to its nearest rivals in the database?

A: The GPU scores 20282 on average, trailing the Quadro M4000M by 1%, the RTX 3070 Mobile by 1.2%, the Intel Arc B570 by 1.3%, and the Intel Arc A750 by 1.5%. The differences are minimal, making these parts roughly equivalent in raw performance.

Q: How does the Core i5-14400F compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The CPU scores 32279 on average, placing it 0.1% ahead of the Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U, 0.2% ahead of the Core i9-11900, 0.2% behind the Ryzen 7 6800HS, and 0.5% ahead of the Core i7-12800H. It is effectively tied with all four rivals.

Q: What is the combo's overall ranking for this game?

A: The combo ranks 2148th out of 3720 tested configurations, placing it in the lower-middle range of the database for Control.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions reveals that the GPU is the primary bottleneck for this game. At 1920x1080, the CPU has ample headroom, and the frame rates are driven almost entirely by the RTX 2070 SUPER's fill rate and shading power. The jump from 1080p Low (128.9 FPS) to 1440p Low (100.5 FPS) represents a 22% drop, which aligns closely with the increase in pixel count from 2.07 million to 3.69 million pixels, a 78% increase. The frame rate does not scale linearly with pixel count, indicating some CPU involvement, but the GPU remains the dominant factor.

The gap between Low and Ultra presets widens as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 56.3 FPS (128.9 vs 72.6). At 1440p, the gap narrows to 47.6 FPS (100.5 vs 52.9). At 4K, the gap shrinks further to 28 FPS (64.6 vs 36.6). This pattern suggests that at lower resolutions, the CPU can feed the GPU fast enough, and the quality settings directly impact the GPU workload. At 4K, the GPU becomes so saturated that even reducing settings from Ultra to Low only recovers 28 FPS, indicating the pixel fill rate is the hard limit.

The Core i5-14400F, with its 10 cores and 16 threads, is never the limiting factor in these tests. Its benchmark scores, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21645 and a single-core score of 3055, place it well above the demands of Control, an Action Adventure title from 2019. The game's engine is not heavily threaded, and the CPU's strong single-thread performance ensures consistent frame delivery. The recorded data shows no scenario where the CPU holds back the GPU, as the frame rates scale consistently with resolution and preset changes.

The Verdict

The verdict by resolution is clear. At 1920x1080, this PC runs Control flawlessly, with all presets including Ultra staying above 60 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 72.6 FPS, giving the user a fully maxed-out experience with no compromises.

At 2560x1440, the combo is playable but requires some settings adjustment. The High preset averages 62.4 FPS, just above the threshold. Users who prefer a smoother experience should consider Medium at 71.1 FPS, while Ultra at 52.9 FPS is not recommended for sustained play.

At 3840x2160, only the Low preset is playable, averaging 64.6 FPS. The Medium, High, and Ultra presets all fall below 60 FPS, with Ultra dropping to a barely interactive 36.6 FPS. The data indicates that 4K gaming on this combo is limited to the lowest settings, and even then, the margin above 60 FPS is thin. This system is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K reserved for users willing to accept substantial visual compromises.