Control

The Intel Core i5-14600K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination delivers exceptional performance in Control, clearing the 60 FPS threshold at every tested setting across all three resolutions. The data indicates that this pairing is overqualified for the game, with even the most demanding preset at 4K producing an average of 69 FPS.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU and GPU in this system each sit near a cluster of closely matched rivals, based on aggregate benchmark scores. The Intel Core i5-14600K posts an average benchmark score of 48,618, which places it within a tight band of comparable processors. The Intel Xeon Gold 5318H scores 48,698, a marginal 0.2% advantage, making it effectively indistinguishable in synthetic workloads. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 trails by 0.8% with a score of 48,995, while the AMD EPYC 4345P comes in at 48,470, a 0.3% deficit. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX rounds out the group at 48,287, which is 0.7% behind. For gaming specifically, the Core i5-14600K’s strong single-threaded showing (2,064 in Cinebench R23 single-core) suggests it will behave comparably to these rivals, though the EPYC and Xeon parts target server workloads rather than desktop gaming.

On the graphics side, the RTX 4080 achieves an average benchmark score of 54,247, placing it at the 86th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER, which scores 54,209 — a negligible 0.1% difference, meaning the two cards will produce nearly identical frame rates in Control. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X sits 1.1% higher at 54,828, while the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB and AMD Radeon 8060S are 2.6% and 2.7% ahead respectively, with scores of 55,698 and 55,757. Despite those slightly higher aggregate scores, the RTX 4080’s dedicated ray tracing hardware and DLSS support give it a practical edge in a game like Control, which heavily utilizes both features. For buyers considering alternatives, the RTX 4080 SUPER would be the most direct substitute, while the Radeon options offer comparable rasterization performance but lack the same ray tracing efficiency.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that maintains 60 FPS or higher is Ultra, which delivers an average of 135 FPS. The data shows no reason to reduce settings at this resolution, as even the heaviest load leaves enormous headroom. The Medium preset runs at 175 FPS average, High at 156 FPS, and Low at 246 FPS, but Ultra remains the clear choice for maximum visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness.

Moving to 2560x1440, Ultra again qualifies as the best playable setting, producing an average of 102 FPS. This represents a 24.4% drop from the 1080p Ultra result, which is expected given the 78% increase in pixel count. High settings run at 118 FPS, Medium at 132 FPS, and Low at 186 FPS, but none of these lower presets are necessary to hit the 60 FPS target.

At 3840x2160, Ultra remains the best setting that clears 60 FPS, with an average of 69 FPS. This is the only resolution where the margin above the playability threshold narrows significantly — a 9 FPS cushion. High settings produce 79 FPS, Medium 89 FPS, and Low 126 FPS. The verdict data confirms that all four presets are playable at 4K, but Ultra is the recommended choice since it still comfortably exceeds 60 FPS. For players who prioritize frame rate stability over visual extremes, High would provide a 10 FPS buffer, but the average figures suggest Ultra is viable.

CPU and GPU Roles

The scaling patterns across resolutions reveal how the RTX 4080 and Core i5-14600K share the workload in Control. At 1920x1080, the Low preset hits 246 FPS, which indicates the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU at very high frame rates. The jump from Low to Ultra at 1080p reduces the average to 135 FPS, a 45.1% decline, showing that GPU load scales substantially with settings even at lower resolutions.

The resolution scaling tells a clearer story. From 1080p Ultra to 1440p Ultra, the average drops from 135 FPS to 102 FPS, a 24.4% reduction. From 1440p Ultra to 4K Ultra, the average falls to 69 FPS, another 32.4% drop. These reductions closely track the pixel count increases (78% more pixels from 1080p to 1440p, and 125% more from 1440p to 4K), which indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. The fact that frame rates do not drop proportionally to pixel count suggests that the CPU still contributes meaningfully, particularly at 1080p where the 246 FPS Low result demonstrates strong processor throughput.

At 4K, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor. The RTX 4080’s 16 GB of GDDR6X memory and 716.8 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for Control’s textures, but the raw compute load of 4K Ultra (69 FPS) versus 4K Low (126 FPS) shows a 45.2% performance spread driven entirely by graphics settings. The CPU’s role diminishes at 4K, where its 14 cores and 20 threads are unlikely to become a constraint given the game’s 2019 release date and the processor’s 90th percentile ranking among all CPUs.

The Verdict

This PC can run Control at every tested resolution and setting combination, with no configuration falling below the 60 FPS playability threshold. At 1920x1080, the system achieves 135 FPS on Ultra, which is more than double the target. At 2560x1440, Ultra produces 102 FPS, maintaining a 42 FPS margin. At 3840x2160, Ultra averages 69 FPS, which clears the threshold by 9 FPS. The verdict data confirms that all four settings (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) are playable at all three resolutions.

The only scenario that approaches the limit is 4K Ultra, where the 69 FPS average leaves relatively little room for demanding scenes. However, the game’s minimum frame rate at 4K Medium is 76 FPS, and the average at 4K High is 79 FPS, suggesting that even the heaviest moments on Ultra are unlikely to dip below 60 FPS. Players who want absolute certainty could select High at 4K for a 10 FPS buffer, but the measured averages indicate Ultra is safe.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers the highest average at 246 FPS. Medium produces 175 FPS with a minimum of 149 FPS and a maximum of 201 FPS. High averages 156 FPS, while Ultra averages 135 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 111 FPS, demonstrating the significant cost of the game’s higher-end visual effects, including ray tracing and advanced particle systems.

At 2560x1440, Low averages 186 FPS. Medium runs at 132 FPS with a minimum of 113 FPS and a maximum of 152 FPS. High achieves 118 FPS, and Ultra averages 102 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 84 FPS, which is proportionally similar to the 1080p results when accounting for the higher pixel count. The Medium preset’s 113 FPS minimum confirms that even the lowest frame rates at 1440p remain well above 60 FPS.

At 3840x2160, Low averages 126 FPS. Medium produces 89 FPS with a minimum of 76 FPS and a maximum of 103 FPS. High averages 79 FPS, and Ultra averages 69 FPS. This is the only resolution where the minimum recorded frame rate (76 FPS at Medium) approaches the playability threshold, but it still clears it comfortably. The Ultra preset’s 69 FPS average suggests that occasional dips below 60 FPS are possible in the most intense sequences, though the data does not include a minimum for that setting.

How This Combo Ranks

The Core i5-14600K and RTX 4080 combination ranks 241st out of 3,720 tested configurations for Control, placing it in the top 6.5% of all systems evaluated. This ranking reflects the GPU’s 86th percentile standing among all graphics cards and the CPU’s 90th percentile among all processors. The high rank is unsurprising given that the RTX 4080 is positioned just below the top-tier 40-series cards, and the Core i5-14600K offers strong single-threaded performance that benefits games like Control, which rely on consistent frame pacing rather than extreme multi-core scaling.

The combination’s rank is likely held back by the CPU’s mid-range positioning relative to the GPU. While the RTX 4080 can push well over 200 FPS at 1080p, the Core i5-14600K’s 14 cores and 20 threads are sufficient but not exceptional for high-refresh-rate gaming. Systems with faster processors, such as those with higher single-core scores, would rank higher because they can sustain the GPU’s maximum output at lower resolutions. At 4K, however, the CPU’s influence diminishes, and the rank would be more heavily weighted toward the GPU’s raw compute capabilities, where the RTX 4080 excels with 48.74 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. The 241st place ranking out of 3,720 combos means this system outperforms roughly 93.5% of tested configurations, making it a robust choice for Control at any resolution.