Control

The Intel Core i5-14600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is a formidable combination for Control, a 2019 action-adventure title. Benchmark data shows this system handles the game with significant headroom across most configurations. At 4K, the GPU is the primary driver, while at 1080p and 1440p, the balance shifts, but the overall experience remains smooth. The data indicates this pairing ranks in the 84th percentile of all tested combos for this game, placing it 684th out of 3720. The following analysis breaks down the optimal settings, component roles, and expected performance metrics.

Best Settings per Resolution

The data reveals that this PC can achieve a smooth 60 FPS experience at all three tested resolutions, with the most demanding preset varying by resolution.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is High, which delivers an average of 69.1 FPS. Pushing to Ultra drops the average to 57.9 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold. This is the only resolution where the system cannot max out the game's settings while maintaining a locked 60 FPS experience.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the system has enough headroom to run the game at its maximum Ultra preset, achieving an average of 88.7 FPS. This is comfortably above the 60 FPS target, providing a smooth and visually rich experience. The gap between Medium and Ultra is 25.2 FPS, suggesting that the visual fidelity upgrade is attainable without sacrificing playability.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the most demanding preset, Ultra, runs at an average of 113.2 FPS. This provides a significant performance buffer, making it ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. The data shows a clear linear scaling from Low to Ultra, with the system never coming close to the 60 FPS threshold.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results indicate a clear shift in bottleneck behavior depending on the resolution. At 1080p, the system is heavily CPU-bound. The average FPS at Ultra settings is 113.2, which is 24.5 FPS higher than the 88.7 FPS seen at 1440p Ultra. This suggests that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU more frames than the GPU can render at lower resolutions, but the GPU becomes the limiting factor as resolution increases.

The scaling between 1440p and 4K is more pronounced. At Ultra settings, the average FPS drops from 88.7 at 1440p to 57.9 at 4K, a 30.8 FPS decrease. This steep drop confirms that the RTX 5070 is the primary constraint at 4K, as the increased pixel count demands more from the GPU's shading units and memory bandwidth.

At 1080p, the CPU's role is more significant. The i5-14600KF, with its 14 cores and 20 threads, is well-equipped to handle the game's physics and AI calculations. The performance gap between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 92.6 FPS (205.8 vs 113.2), which is a substantial range that is typical of a CPU-bound scenario where GPU load is not the sole factor. In contrast, at 4K, the range between Low and Ultra is 50 FPS (107.9 vs 57.9), indicating that the GPU's raw throughput is the main determinant of performance.

For players targeting high refresh rates at 1080p, the CPU is the more critical component. At 1440p, the balance is more even, with both components contributing significantly. At 4K, the GPU is unequivocally the deciding factor, and the CPU's performance headroom is largely irrelevant.

FAQ

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

A: No. At 3840x2160 with the Ultra preset, the average FPS is 57.9, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The highest playable preset at 4K is High, which averages 69.1 FPS.

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

A: The Ultra preset is fully playable at 2560x1440, delivering an average of 88.7 FPS. This is the most demanding preset and still provides a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS target.

Q: How much faster is the system at 1080p compared to 1440p on Ultra settings?

A: At 1920x1080 Ultra, the average FPS is 113.2, which is 24.5 FPS higher than the 88.7 FPS at 2560x1440 Ultra. This represents a 27.6% performance uplift when dropping from 1440p to 1080p.

Q: Is the RTX 5070 or the i5-14600KF the bottleneck at 4K?

A: The GPU is the bottleneck at 4K. The performance drop from 1440p Ultra (88.7 FPS) to 4K Ultra (57.9 FPS) is a 30.8 FPS decrease, which aligns with the GPU's rendering load increasing with resolution. The CPU has sufficient headroom to feed the GPU at this resolution.

Q: What is the lowest playable settings preset at 4K?

A: The Low preset at 3840x2160 averages 107.9 FPS, making it the fastest playable option. The Medium preset averages 77.1 FPS, and the High preset averages 69.1 FPS. All three are above the 60 FPS threshold, with Ultra being the only non-playable preset.

Q: Does the system maintain a consistent frame rate above 60 FPS at 1440p?

A: Yes. All four presets at 2560x1440—Low (158.6 FPS), Medium (113.9 FPS), High (100.5 FPS), and Ultra (88.7 FPS)—are well above the 60 FPS threshold, ensuring a smooth experience regardless of visual settings.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The benchmark data provides a list of hardware that performs within a close margin of the components in this system. For the Intel Core i5-14600KF, the nearest rivals are all within a 1% performance delta in average benchmark scores.

The AMD Ryzen 9 7900 is the closest match, with an average score of 49228, a mere 0.3% behind the i5-14600KF's 49394. This means a system with a Ryzen 9 7900 would likely produce nearly identical frame rates in Control. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G is also very close, at 0.4% slower. For a slightly faster alternative, the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 is 0.8% ahead. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is 0.8% behind, making it a slightly slower but comparable option.

For the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070, the nearest rivals are a mix of professional and mobile GPUs, which is notable. The AMD Radeon Pro 580 is essentially identical, with a delta of 0.1% (a score of 40318 vs the RTX 5070's 40377). The AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 is 0.8% slower, while the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 is 1.2% faster. The NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile is 2% slower. In practical terms, these alternatives would deliver near-identical performance in Control, though the professional-oriented drivers and thermal profiles may differ.

For a gaming-centric perspective, the RTX 5070's nearest rivals are not typical consumer gaming cards, which indicates its performance sits in a unique tier. However, the data suggests that any of these alternatives would provide a very similar gaming experience in this title at the tested resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact average FPS measurements for each combination of resolution and settings. No minimum or maximum frame rate data was recorded in the fact pack.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS |

| :--------- | :------- | ------: |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 107.9 |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 77.1 |

| 3840x2160 | High | 69.1 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 57.9 |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 158.6 |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 113.9 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 100.5 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 88.7 |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 205.8 |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 152.2 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 133.8 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 113.2 |

The data shows a consistent pattern: dropping from Low to Ultra at any resolution causes a substantial FPS loss. The largest absolute drop is at 1080p, from 205.8 to 113.2 FPS (a 92.6 FPS reduction). At 1440p, the drop is from 158.6 to 88.7 FPS (a 69.9 FPS reduction). At 4K, the drop is from 107.9 to 57.9 FPS (a 50 FPS reduction). This diminishing absolute loss at higher resolutions further confirms the GPU's increasing role as the primary performance limiter.

The Verdict

This system can absolutely run Control. The benchmark data confirms that it clears the 60 FPS threshold at every resolution with the majority of presets. Specifically, the verdict by resolution is as follows:

• 3840x2160: The system is playable. The High preset is the best option, averaging 69.1 FPS. Low (107.9 FPS) and Medium (77.1 FPS) are also playable. The Ultra preset, at 57.9 FPS, is the only configuration that fails to meet the 60 FPS target.
• 2560x1440: The system is fully playable at all settings. The Ultra preset averages 88.7 FPS, providing an excellent balance of visual quality and performance.
• 1920x1080: The system is fully playable at all settings. The Ultra preset averages 113.2 FPS, making it suitable for high-refresh-rate displays.

In summary, the i5-14600KF and RTX 5070 combination is a strong match for Control. Players can expect a fluid experience at 1440p and 1080p with maximum settings. At 4K, a slight reduction from Ultra to High is necessary to maintain a consistent 60 FPS, which is a minor compromise given the demanding nature of 4K rendering. The data indicates that this is a well-balanced pairing for this title, with the GPU becoming the limiting factor only at the highest resolution.