Control

# Best Settings per Resolution

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti delivers playable performance across every tested resolution and preset combination for Control. The playable threshold is 60 frames per second, and the data shows that even the most demanding preset clears that mark at all three resolutions.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset runs at 124 FPS average. This is the highest visual quality setting available in the test suite, and it maintains a substantial margin above the 60 FPS threshold. The Medium preset reaches 142 FPS, High runs at 137 FPS, and Low tops out at 162 FPS. Since Ultra stays well above the playable threshold, it is the recommended setting for 1080p displays.

Moving to 2560x1440, the Ultra preset still delivers 94 FPS average. The gap between Ultra and the lower presets narrows slightly compared to 1080p, but the margin remains comfortable. Medium runs at 121 FPS, High at 108 FPS, and Low at 147 FPS. The Ultra setting is again the best choice, as it provides the full visual experience without sacrificing smoothness.

At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset drops to 63 FPS average. This is still above the 60 FPS threshold, but the margin is slim. The High preset runs at 73 FPS, Medium at 82 FPS, and Low at 115 FPS. For 4K displays, Ultra remains the best setting that stays at or above 60 FPS, though the 3 FPS headroom means any demanding scene could push it lower. Players who prefer a safety buffer might choose High, which offers 10 additional FPS, but the recorded data confirms Ultra is technically playable at this resolution.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all presets: performance drops as resolution increases, but the RTX 4070 Ti has enough headroom to keep every setting viable at every resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

The database places this combination at rank 708 out of 3,720 tested combos for Control. That puts it in the top 19 percent of all tested configurations, which is a strong showing for a mid-range CPU paired with a high-end GPU.

The CPU itself, the Intel Core i5-9400, sits at the 47th percentile when compared against all CPUs in the database. Its average benchmark score is 2,254, which places it near several comparable processors. The nearest rivals in the CPU benchmark data are the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 with a score of 2,259 (0.2 percent higher), the Intel Core i7-10710U at 2,248 (0.3 percent lower), the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 at 2,246 (0.4 percent lower), and the Intel Core i3-10305 at 2,264 (0.4 percent higher). These deltas are negligible, meaning the i5-9400 performs essentially on par with these alternatives in general compute workloads.

The GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti, sits at the 84th percentile among all GPUs in the database. Its average benchmark score is 44,795. The nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile at 45,152 (0.8 percent higher), the AMD Radeon Pro 5500 XT at 45,384 (1.3 percent higher), the NVIDIA RTX A6000 at 44,075 (1.6 percent lower), and the Intel Arc A730M at 45,592 (1.7 percent higher). The RTX 4070 Ti is essentially in the same performance band as these four products, with differences that would be imperceptible in real-world gaming.

The combination rank of 708 out of 3,720 reflects the synergy between these two components for this specific title. The CPU does not bottleneck the GPU at any tested resolution, as evidenced by the consistent 60-plus FPS results across all settings. The rank suggests that this combo outperforms the majority of tested systems in Control, though it is not at the very top of the leaderboard where higher-tier CPUs and flagship GPUs would reside.

FAQ

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

A: Yes. The recorded data shows 63 FPS average at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, which clears the 60 FPS playable threshold. The margin is small, but the Ultra preset is listed as playable at this resolution.

Q: What is the best setting for 1440p gaming?

A: Ultra is the best setting at 2560x1440, delivering 94 FPS average. This is well above the playable threshold and provides the highest visual quality available in the test suite.

Q: How much performance drops when moving from 1080p to 4K?

A: At Ultra settings, the average FPS drops from 124 at 1920x1080 to 63 at 3840x2160. That is a reduction of 61 FPS, or roughly half the 1080p performance, when moving up two resolution steps.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to limit performance in this game?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary performance driver. At 1080p, where CPU load is typically higher relative to GPU load, the system still achieves 124 FPS at Ultra. At 4K, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck, with FPS dropping to 63 at Ultra. The CPU does not appear to constrain performance at any resolution.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 Ti compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 4070 Ti's average benchmark score is 44,795. Its closest rival, the NVIDIA RTX 5090 Mobile, scores 45,152, which is 0.8 percent higher. The AMD Radeon Pro 5500 XT scores 45,384 (1.3 percent higher), while the NVIDIA RTX A6000 scores 44,075 (1.6 percent lower). These differences are minor, indicating similar overall GPU performance.

Q: What frame rates can I expect at Medium settings across all resolutions?

A: At 1920x1080, Medium runs at 142 FPS. At 2560x1440, Medium runs at 121 FPS. At 3840x2160, Medium runs at 82 FPS. All three exceed the 60 FPS playable threshold comfortably.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU and GPU each have nearby rivals that would produce similar in-game performance for Control.

For the Intel Core i5-9400, the closest alternatives are the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, Intel Core i7-10710U, AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500, and Intel Core i3-10305. Their benchmark scores differ from the i5-9400 by less than 0.5 percent in either direction. In practical terms, any of these CPUs paired with the RTX 4070 Ti would yield nearly identical frame rates in Control, since the game is not heavily CPU-bound at the tested resolutions. The i7-1068NG7 and i3-10305 score slightly higher, while the i7-10710U and Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 score slightly lower, but all four sit within the same performance envelope.

For the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti, the nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile, AMD Radeon Pro 5500 XT, NVIDIA RTX A6000, and Intel Arc A730M. The RTX 5090 Mobile and Radeon Pro 5500 XT score about 1 percent higher on average, while the RTX A6000 scores 1.6 percent lower and the Arc A730M scores 1.7 percent higher. These differences are within the margin of run-to-run variance, so any of these GPUs paired with a comparable CPU would deliver similar frame rates in Control. The RTX A6000 is the weakest of the group, but its 1.6 percent deficit translates to roughly 1 to 2 FPS in practice, which is imperceptible.

When considering a system swap, the GPU matters far more than the CPU for this title. Swapping the i5-9400 for any of its rivals would change performance by less than 1 percent. Swapping the RTX 4070 Ti for one of its rivals would change performance by at most 1.7 percent. Either change would keep the system well above the 60 FPS threshold at all resolutions and presets.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results for Control reveal a clear division of labor between the Intel Core i5-9400 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti. The GPU dominates performance scaling across resolutions, while the CPU provides sufficient headroom to avoid becoming a limiting factor.

Looking at the Ultra preset, performance drops from 124 FPS at 1920x1080 to 94 FPS at 2560x1440, then to 63 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 24 percent reduction from 1080p to 1440p, and a 49 percent reduction from 1080p to 4K. The pattern holds across all presets: Low goes from 162 to 147 to 115 FPS, Medium from 142 to 121 to 82 FPS, and High from 137 to 108 to 73 FPS. The consistent scaling with resolution indicates that the GPU is the performance bottleneck, as CPU load does not increase proportionally with pixel count.

The CPU's role is most visible at lower resolutions where frame rates are highest. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 162 FPS, which is a high enough frame rate that CPU overhead could become relevant. However, the i5-9400's six cores and six threads appear to handle this workload without issue, as the frame rate continues to scale upward when settings are reduced. The CPU's 47th percentile ranking among all CPUs suggests it is mid-pack, but for this particular game, it does not constrain the RTX 4070 Ti.

At 4K, the GPU is unquestionably the dominant factor. The RTX 4070 Ti's 84th percentile ranking and 44,795 average benchmark score indicate strong absolute performance, yet Ultra settings still push it to just 63 FPS. The CPU's contribution at this resolution is negligible, as the workload is almost entirely GPU-bound. Even a significantly weaker CPU would likely produce similar frame rates at 4K, while a stronger GPU would show immediate gains.

The presets also highlight the GPU's role. At any given resolution, dropping from Ultra to Low increases FPS substantially: at 1080p, from 124 to 162; at 1440p, from 94 to 147; at 4K, from 63 to 115. These gains are driven by reduced GPU load, not CPU changes. The CPU's workload stays roughly constant across presets, so the FPS differences are purely a function of GPU rendering demands.

In summary, the RTX 4070 Ti is the component that determines playable settings in Control. The i5-9400 is sufficient to feed the GPU at all tested resolutions, but it is not the reason this system performs well. The GPU's strong 84th percentile standing is what carries the combination to its 708 rank out of 3,720 tested combos.

The Verdict

This system can absolutely run Control. The verdict by resolution is unambiguous: every resolution and every preset combination clears the 60 FPS playable threshold.

At 1920x1080, the best settings are Ultra with 124 FPS average. This is the highest quality preset available, and it runs at more than double the playable threshold. Even the most demanding scenes should remain smooth, given the 64 FPS headroom above the 60 FPS minimum.

At 2560x1440, Ultra is again the best setting, delivering 94 FPS average. The margin above the playable threshold is 34 FPS, which provides a comfortable cushion for action-heavy sequences. This is the sweet spot for the RTX 4070 Ti, offering high visual fidelity without compromising frame rate.

At 3840x2160, Ultra remains playable at 63 FPS average. The 3 FPS margin is thin, and players sensitive to frame drops might prefer High at 73 FPS for extra headroom. However, the recorded data confirms that Ultra clears the 60 FPS bar at 4K, making this the most demanding preset that maintains playability.

The combination of the Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti ranks 708th out of 3,720 tested configurations for Control, placing it in the top 19 percent. The GPU, with its 84th percentile standing, is the primary driver of this strong performance. The CPU, while only 47th percentile overall, does not bottleneck the system in this title.

For anyone using a 1080p or 1440p display, this system provides excellent performance with all settings maxed out. For 4K users, it delivers playable Ultra settings with a slim margin, or High settings with more comfort. The data shows that this PC can run Control at its highest visual quality at any resolution, making it a capable configuration for this game.