Control

The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 delivers a solid, if not spectacular, experience in Control, with benchmark data showing the combo ranks 1756th out of 3720 tested configurations. This places it in the 47th percentile of all tested combos, meaning the hardware is capable but far from the top of the performance charts. The data reveals a system that is clearly playable at mainstream resolutions, though 4K demands significant settings compromises, and the overall ranking suggests that other configurations offer better raw performance for those chasing maxed-out visuals.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 1756 out of 3720 puts this pairing just below the halfway point of all tested hardware combinations. This is a mid-field position, indicating that while the system is competent, it is not a high-end enthusiast rig. The ranking makes sense given the GPU's position in the market; the Radeon RX 7700 sits at the 58th percentile among all GPUs, which is a solidly mainstream placement. The CPU is far stronger, with the Core i7-13700K ranking in the 89th percentile among all CPUs, but in gaming, the GPU typically limits the final frame rate. The data implies that in Control, this system is held back significantly by the graphics card, not the processor, which is a common dynamic for a game released in 2019-08-26.

The average benchmark scores reinforce this split. The CPU's average benchmark score is 46881, which is a very high number, while the GPU's average benchmark score is 15852. The gap between these numbers is substantial, and it strongly suggests that the GPU is the primary bottleneck in this pairing. When interpreting the rank, it is important to consider that the list includes CPUs and GPUs from many generations, so a mid-pack rank is not a failure, but rather a sign that this is a balanced mid-range gaming rig rather than a top-tier one.

CPU and GPU Roles

The measured FPS data clearly shows a pattern of scaling that is typical for a GPU-bound game like Control. At 1920x1080 resolution, the average FPS at High settings is 93, and at Low settings it jumps to 148. This 55 FPS increase when dropping from High to Low is a strong indicator that the GPU is the limiting factor, as reducing the load on the GPU directly translates to higher frame rates. The CPU, with its 16 cores and 24 threads, is clearly not struggling, as even a demanding game like Control does not heavily utilize all of the i7-13700K's resources.

As resolution increases to 2560x1440, the GPU load grows, and the frame rates scale down. The High preset drops to 71 FPS, and Low to 112 FPS. The scaling is nearly linear, showing that the GPU is still the primary constraint. When moving to 3840x2160, the GPU is fully saturated. The High preset manages only 48 FPS, and even Low settings only reach 76 FPS, which is a significant drop from the 148 FPS seen at 1080p Low settings. The data shows that the CPU's role is to feed the GPU, and it does that effectively, but the GPU's raw compute power determines the final output.

The difference in scaling between resolutions is telling. The jump from 1080p to 1440p costs roughly 22% performance at High settings (93 to 71 FPS). The jump from 1440p to 4K costs roughly 32% (71 to 48 FPS). This suggests that the GPU's memory bandwidth and compute power are being fully taxed as resolution increases. The CPU's role is almost certainly negligible in these changes, as the i7-13700K is so powerful that it can easily keep up with the GPU's demands.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The data provides a clear picture of performance at each resolution and preset. At 1920x1080, the system is very capable. The Low preset averages 148 FPS, Medium averages 105 FPS with a minimum of 89 and a maximum of 121, High averages 93 FPS, and Ultra averages 81 FPS. All settings are well above the 60 FPS playable threshold, making this resolution a smooth experience on any preset.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance is still strong. The Low preset averages 112 FPS, Medium averages 80 FPS (min 68, max 92), High averages 71 FPS, and Ultra averages 61 FPS. The Ultra setting is the only one that comes close to the 60 FPS threshold, and it clears it, but with less headroom than the lower presets. The minimum FPS of 68 on Medium indicates a generally stable experience, though the max FPS of 92 shows some variance.

At 3840x2160, the experience becomes more challenging. The Low preset averages 76 FPS, which is playable. Medium averages 54 FPS (min 46, max 62), High averages 48 FPS, and Ultra averages 41 FPS. The data shows that at this resolution, only the Low preset offers a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum of 46 FPS hints at potential stutter, and the High and Ultra settings are simply too demanding for the GPU to maintain a fluid frame rate. The average FPS values of 48, 54, and 41 for High, Medium, and Ultra, respectively, clearly show that the GPU is overburdened at 4K.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU's nearest rivals show that the i7-13700K is tightly clustered with other high-end processors. The AMD Ryzen 9 5900 is just 0.2% behind, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 is 0.3% behind, the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX is 0.5% ahead, and the Intel Xeon w3-2535 is 0.5% ahead. These deltas are negligible for gaming, meaning any of these CPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates in Control when paired with the same GPU.

The GPU's rivals are more interesting because the performance deltas are larger. The AMD Radeon R9 370X is 0.1% behind, which is a negligible difference. The AMD Radeon RX 9060 is 1% behind, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is 1.7% behind. The AMD Radeon Pro W5500 is 1.1% ahead. This means that the RX 7700 is essentially on par with these cards. A user with an RTX 3060 Ti, for example, would see just a 1.7% difference in average benchmark score, which would translate to a difference of 1-2 FPS in Control. This makes them all viable equivalents for this game.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Control at 1080p with the Ultra preset?

A: Yes. The data shows an average of 81 FPS at 1080p Ultra, and the verdict confirms that Ultra is the best settings at this resolution, clearing the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the most comfortable resolution, with all presets averaging above 80 FPS. The verdict also lists 2560x1440 as fully playable, but 1080p offers a higher margin above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Is the CPU or the GPU more important for this game?

A: The data suggests the GPU is the primary factor. The FPS drops significantly as resolution and settings increase, which are GPU-bound tasks. The CPU is ranked in the 89th percentile, so it is unlikely to be a bottleneck.

Q: How does the RX 7700 compare to the RTX 3060 Ti?

A: The benchmark data shows the RX 7700 is 1.7% behind the RTX 3060 Ti in average score. This is a negligible difference, and the two cards would perform nearly identically in Control.

Q: What is the best setting for 4K?

A: The only setting that averages above 60 FPS at 3840x2160 is Low, which achieves 76 FPS. Medium, High, and Ultra all fall below the 60 FPS threshold. The verdict confirms that Low is the best settings at 4K.

Q: What is the minimum FPS at 1440p Medium settings?

A: The data shows a minimum FPS of 68 at 1440p Medium settings. This is still above the 60 FPS threshold, indicating a generally smooth experience.

The Verdict

The data indicates that this PC can run Control well. At 1920x1080, it clears the 60 FPS threshold on all presets, with the lowest average being 81 FPS on Ultra. At 2560x1440, it also clears 60 FPS on all presets, though Ultra is the most demanding at 61 FPS, leaving little headroom. The story is very different at 3840x2160, where the system only remains above 60 FPS on the Low preset, which hits an average of 76 FPS. The verdictByResolution data confirms this, listing all presets as playable at 1080p and 1440p, but only Low as playable at 4K.

Thus, the system is fully capable of delivering a smooth experience at both 1080p and 1440p, with the latter offering a near-ultra experience. At 4K, the user will need to make significant visual compromises to maintain a playable frame rate, and even then, the experience will not be as fluid as it is at lower resolutions. The data is clear: this is not a 4K gaming machine for this title, but it is a very solid 1440p machine.

Best Settings per Resolution

The following are the best settings (the most demanding presets) that stay at or above 60 FPS, according to the measured FPS data.

• 1920x1080: Ultra settings, with an average FPS of 81.
• 2560x1440: Ultra settings, with an average FPS of 61.
• 3840x2160: Low settings, with an average FPS of 76.