Control

The Intel Core i5-14600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 delivers a consistently strong performance profile in Control, with measured frame rates that scale predictably across resolutions and presets. At 1920x1080, the combo produces an average of 193 FPS on Low settings, dropping to 137 FPS on Medium, 122 FPS on High, and 106 FPS on Ultra. The 1440p results show a similar pattern: 146 FPS on Low, 104 FPS on Medium, 92 FPS on High, and 80 FPS on Ultra. At 3840x2160, the average frame rate falls to 98 FPS on Low, 70 FPS on Medium, 62 FPS on High, and 54 FPS on Ultra. The only preset that fails to reach the 60 FPS playable threshold is 4K Ultra, which averages 54 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data reveals a clear hierarchy of performance across the three tested resolutions. At 1920x1080, the frame rate ranges from a minimum of 116 FPS on Medium settings to a maximum of 157 FPS on the same preset, while the Low preset reaches 193 FPS average. High and Ultra settings average 122 FPS and 106 FPS respectively, indicating that even the most demanding preset at 1080p leaves substantial headroom above the 60 FPS threshold. The minimum frame rate recorded at 1080p Medium is 116 FPS, which is nearly double the playable threshold, suggesting the combination handles this resolution with considerable ease.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains robust but shows a predictable step down. The Low preset averages 146 FPS, Medium averages 104 FPS with a minimum of 88 FPS and a maximum of 119 FPS, High averages 92 FPS, and Ultra averages 80 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 66 FPS, which illustrates the impact of graphical fidelity settings on this hardware. The minimum frame rate at 1440p Medium is 88 FPS, still well above the playable threshold.

At 3840x2160, the data shows a more pronounced scaling challenge. The Low preset averages 98 FPS, Medium averages 70 FPS with a minimum of 59 FPS and a maximum of 80 FPS, High averages 62 FPS, and Ultra drops to 54 FPS. The Medium preset’s minimum of 59 FPS is just one frame below the 60 FPS threshold, indicating that this resolution pushes the hardware closer to its limits. The Ultra preset at 4K is the only configuration in the entire dataset that fails to maintain an average above 60 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-14600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 ranks 904th out of 3720 tested combos in Control, placing it in the top 24.3% of all configurations evaluated. This percentile positioning reflects a system that is comfortably above average for this game, though not at the extreme top tier. The rank is determined by the aggregate performance across all tested resolutions and presets, with the 4K Ultra result being the weakest point in an otherwise strong showing.

Benchmark data for the individual components supports this ranking. The CPU scores 32,544 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 4,594 in single-core, with a 90th percentile ranking against all CPUs. The GPU achieves a Passmark G3D score of 26,927 and an 81st percentile against all GPUs. These component-level scores are consistent with the in-game rank, as the system demonstrates high but not absolute performance capabilities.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, which averages 106 FPS. This leaves significant margin for frame rate drops, as the average is 46 FPS above the playable threshold. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset also remains playable, averaging 80 FPS, which is 20 FPS above the threshold. The 1440p Ultra result is particularly notable because it maintains a playable frame rate despite being the most demanding configuration at that resolution.

At 3840x2160, the best playable setting is High, which averages 62 FPS — just 2 FPS above the 60 FPS threshold. The Medium preset at 4K averages 70 FPS but has a minimum of 59 FPS, which falls below the threshold, making High the safest choice for consistent playability. The Ultra preset at 4K averages 54 FPS and is not recommended for maintaining a steady 60 FPS experience.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU’s nearest rivals provide context for alternative processors that would yield similar performance. The AMD Ryzen 9 7900 has an average benchmark score of 49,228, which is 0.3% higher than the Intel Core i5-14600KF’s average of 49,394. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G scores 49,196, a 0.4% difference, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 scores 48,995, a 0.8% difference. The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 scores 49,796, which is 0.8% lower than the i5-14600KF. These deltas are all within one percentage point, indicating that swapping to any of these CPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates in Control.

On the GPU side, the NVIDIA Tesla P4 has an average score of 37,628, which is 0.1% higher than the RTX 4070’s 37,648. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 scores 37,507, a 0.4% difference. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile scores 38,135, which is 1.3% lower, and the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 scores 37,157, a 1.3% difference. The RTX 4070 sits almost exactly in the middle of these rivals, meaning any of these GPUs would deliver within roughly one percentage point of the observed frame rates.

CPU and GPU Roles

The scaling between resolutions and presets reveals which component is more critical for Control at each setting. At 1920x1080, the frame rate drops by 87 FPS from Low to Ultra (193 to 106 FPS), indicating that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at lower resolutions where the CPU has enough headroom to feed frames quickly. The 1080p Low result of 193 FPS shows the CPU can sustain very high frame rates, while the Ultra setting at 106 FPS demonstrates the GPU’s limits under heavier load.

At 2560x1440, the scaling from Low to Ultra produces a 66 FPS drop (146 to 80 FPS). The relative decrease is smaller than at 1080p, suggesting that the GPU becomes more of a limiting factor as resolution increases. The 1440p Ultra result of 80 FPS is significantly below the 1080p Ultra result of 106 FPS, a 26 FPS difference that is primarily attributable to the GPU’s pixel throughput at higher resolution.

At 3840x2160, the scaling from Low to Ultra results in a 44 FPS drop (98 to 54 FPS). The Low preset at 4K averages 98 FPS, which is 48 FPS below the 1080p Low result, showing that even with minimal graphical settings, the GPU is heavily taxed at this resolution. The CPU’s influence diminishes at 4K, as the frame rate is almost entirely determined by the GPU’s ability to render pixels. The 4K Ultra result of 54 FPS is the clearest indicator that the GPU is the bottleneck, as the CPU’s 90th percentile ranking cannot compensate for the rendering workload.

The Verdict

This PC can run Control at playable frame rates in the vast majority of configurations. At 1920x1080, all four presets clear the 60 FPS threshold, with Ultra averaging 106 FPS. At 2560x1440, all four presets also clear the threshold, with Ultra averaging 80 FPS. At 3840x2160, three of the four presets clear the threshold: High averages 62 FPS, Medium averages 70 FPS, and Low averages 98 FPS. The only configuration that fails to reach 60 FPS is 4K Ultra, which averages 54 FPS.

For users prioritizing visual fidelity at the highest resolution, the 4K High preset is the recommended choice, as it averages 62 FPS with a single-frame margin above the threshold. At 1440p and 1080p, the Ultra preset is fully playable, making the system versatile for high-refresh-rate monitors and demanding graphical settings. The data indicates that this combo is well-suited for Control across all common gaming scenarios, with only the absolute maximum settings at 4K requiring a compromise.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest playable preset at 3840x2160?

A: The High preset is the most demanding playable option at 4K, averaging 62 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 54 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Can this system run Control at 2560x1440 on Ultra settings?

A: Yes, the Ultra preset at 1440p averages 80 FPS, which is 20 FPS above the playable threshold of 60 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival in benchmark scores?

A: The Intel Core i5-14600KF has an average benchmark score of 49,394, which is 0.3% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 7900’s 49,228 and 0.4% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G’s 49,196.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1920x1080?

A: The Low preset averages 193 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 106 FPS, a difference of 87 FPS.

Q: Does the 4K Medium preset stay above 60 FPS?

A: The 4K Medium preset averages 70 FPS, but its minimum frame rate is 59 FPS, which falls one frame below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 compare to the Tesla P4 in benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 4070 has an average benchmark score of 37,648, which is 0.1% higher than the NVIDIA Tesla P4’s 37,628.