Control

The Intel Core i5-14600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 is a high-end desktop combination. In Control, this pairing produces measured frame rates that place it at rank 204 out of 3,720 tested combos. The CPU sits in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, and the GPU in the 87th percentile of all GPUs, indicating a strong foundation for this action-adventure title.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 204 out of 3,720 places it in the upper tier of tested systems, though not at the absolute top. The CPU’s 90th percentile standing and the GPU’s 87th percentile standing suggest that both components are well above average, yet the overall ranking reflects how they work together in Control specifically. The measured frame rates are consistent with a system that can handle the game’s demands across all tested settings and resolutions. The rank is derived from actual gameplay data, not synthetic estimates, so it directly reflects how this pairing performs in this title.

When compared to other combinations, this setup outperforms the vast majority, but it is not the single fastest. The gap between the 204th position and the top is not quantified in the data, but the rank itself is a clear indicator of strong performance. For a game like Control, which is known for its physics-heavy combat and destructible environments, this combo’s position suggests it will deliver smooth gameplay at high settings, as the measured FPS confirms.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data reveals how the workload shifts between the CPU and GPU as resolution and preset change. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average frame rate is 255 FPS. Moving to Ultra at the same resolution drops the average to 140 FPS. This 115 FPS spread (using the numbers as given) indicates that the GPU is heavily taxed by the higher preset, but the CPU still has enough headroom to feed it. At 3840x2160, Low yields 130 FPS and Ultra yields 72 FPS, a smaller absolute drop but a larger proportional one. The resolution scaling from 1080p to 4K at a fixed preset shows a significant reduction: for example, at Ultra, 140 FPS at 1080p falls to 106 FPS at 1440p and then to 72 FPS at 4K. This pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario, where the rendering resolution directly impacts the frame rate.

At lower resolutions, the CPU can potentially become a limiting factor, but the high frame rates observed—255 FPS at 1080p Low—indicate that the i5-14600KF is more than capable of keeping up with the RTX 5080. The CPU’s multicore strength, evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 32,544, and its single-core score of 4,594, supports this. The GPU’s raw compute, such as its 56.28 TFLOPS FP32 performance, explains why the frame rates remain high even at 4K. The data suggests that for Control, the GPU is the primary driver of performance at all resolutions, but the CPU’s contribution is sufficient to avoid bottlenecking, especially at 1080p and 1440p where frame rates exceed 100 FPS even on Ultra.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table lists the exact average frame rates for each resolution and preset combination. For Medium settings, the minimum and maximum frame rates are also provided.

| Resolution | Settings | Average FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

|------------|----------|-------------|---------|---------|

| 3840x2160 | High | 82 | — | — |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 130 | — | — |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 93 | 79 | 107 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 72 | — | — |

| 2560x1440 | High | 122 | — | — |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 193 | — | — |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 137 | 117 | 158 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 106 | — | — |

| 1920x1080 | High | 161 | — | — |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 255 | — | — |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 181 | 154 | 209 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 140 | — | — |

At 4K, the average FPS ranges from 72 on Ultra to 130 on Low. The Medium preset shows a minimum of 79 FPS, which is still above the playable threshold. At 1440p, every preset averages above 100 FPS, with Low reaching 193 and Ultra at 106. The Medium preset at 1440p has a minimum of 117 FPS, indicating very stable performance. At 1080p, the averages are exceptionally high, with Low at 255 and Ultra at 140; the Medium preset’s minimum of 154 FPS ensures no dips below 60. These numbers confirm that the combo delivers smooth gameplay across the board.

The Verdict

The data unequivocally shows that this PC can run Control. At every resolution—3840x2160, 2560x1440, and 1920x1080—all four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) produce average frame rates above 60 FPS. The playable threshold is set at 60 FPS, and the lowest average recorded is 72 FPS at 4K Ultra. Therefore, the system clears the threshold with margin at all settings. The best settings per resolution, as identified by the verdict data, are Ultra at each resolution: 72 FPS at 4K, 106 FPS at 1440p, and 140 FPS at 1080p. These are the most demanding presets that still stay at or above 60 FPS, so users can confidently enable maximum visual quality without sacrificing playability.

The measured minimum frame rates, available only for Medium settings, further reinforce this. At 4K Medium, the minimum is 79 FPS; at 1440p Medium, it is 117 FPS; at 1080p Medium, it is 154 FPS. Even the lowest dips stay well above 60 FPS. The lack of min/max data for other presets does not detract from the overall conclusion, as the averages are all comfortably above the threshold. This is a system that can handle Control at its highest settings on any resolution tested.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU’s nearest rivals, based on average benchmark scores, include the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 (delta 0.3%), AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G (0.4%), Intel Core Ultra 5 245 (0.8%), and AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 (-0.8%). These processors perform within a fraction of a percent of the i5-14600KF, so swapping to any of them would yield nearly identical CPU-bound performance in Control. The GPU’s nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon 8060S (0.6%), AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB (0.7%), AMD Radeon Pro W5700X (2.3%), and AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE (-2.2%). The small delta values mean that replacing the RTX 5080 with any of these GPUs would produce very similar frame rates, though the RX 9070 GRE is slightly faster and the others slightly slower.

For a user considering a similar build, pairing the i5-14600KF with any of the listed CPU rivals or the RTX 5080 with any of the GPU rivals would result in comparable Control performance. The largest delta among GPU rivals is 2.3% (the Pro W5700X), which translates to a negligible FPS difference in practice. The data does not include specific frame rates for those rival combinations, but the benchmark score proximity suggests the overall ranking and playability would be nearly unchanged.

FAQ

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

A: Yes. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 Ultra is 72, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the lowest average frame rate recorded across all tested settings?

A: The lowest average is 72 FPS, occurring at 4K Ultra. All other settings produce higher averages.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested systems?

A: It ranks 204 out of 3,720 tested combinations, placing it in the top tier.

Q: Which component is more important for Control performance?

A: The data shows that frame rates scale more with resolution than with preset changes, indicating the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. The CPU still delivers high scores, but the GPU’s workload dominates.

Q: Are there any settings where the frame rate drops below 60 FPS?

A: No. Every measured average FPS is above 60, and the minimum FPS recorded (for Medium presets) is 79 at 4K, 117 at 1440p, and 154 at 1080p.

Q: What is the best setting for a 1440p monitor?

A: Ultra is the best (most demanding) setting that stays at or above 60 FPS, with an average of 106 FPS at 2560x1440.

Best Settings per Resolution

For each resolution, the most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS is Ultra. The exact average FPS at Ultra is as follows:

• 3840x2160: Ultra — 72 FPS
• 2560x1440: Ultra — 106 FPS
• 1920x1080: Ultra — 140 FPS

Since all presets meet the 60 FPS threshold, Ultra is the recommended setting for maximum visual quality at any of these resolutions. The system’s headroom is substantial, with even the heaviest preset leaving a comfortable margin above the playable threshold.