Control

The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti delivers a robust Control experience, but the playable ceiling varies sharply by resolution. At 1920x1080, the combination is overwhelmingly capable, while 2560x1440 remains fully playable at maximum settings, and 3840x2160 requires a significant settings compromise. The measured data provides a clear performance hierarchy across the three resolutions and four quality presets, with no frame time variance data (min/max) recorded for any configuration.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The benchmark results for Control show a consistent pattern: average frame rates scale predictably with resolution and preset. At 1920x1080, the lowest measured performance is 78.8 FPS on the Ultra preset, which is the most demanding configuration. The Low preset at this resolution produces 147.8 FPS, representing the highest average frame rate in the entire dataset. Medium settings yield 101.9 FPS, and High settings produce 91.4 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 69 FPS, indicating that the preset choice has a substantial impact on performance even at the least demanding resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the same qualitative hierarchy appears, but the absolute numbers compress. The Ultra preset drops to exactly 60 FPS, which is the benchmark’s playable threshold. High settings return 70.2 FPS, Medium settings produce 77.5 FPS, and Low settings reach 110.1 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 50.1 FPS, narrower than at 1080p but still significant. Notably, the Ultra preset at 1440p loses 18.8 FPS compared to the same preset at 1080p, a 23.9% reduction that highlights the resolution’s cost.

At 3840x2160, performance falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold for three of the four presets. The High preset averages 47.9 FPS, Medium settings produce 55.7 FPS, and Ultra drops to 44.2 FPS. Only the Low preset clears the threshold, averaging 72.2 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 28 FPS, which is proportionally similar to the 1080p spread but occurs at much lower absolute frame rates. The transition from 1440p to 4K on the Ultra preset costs 15.8 FPS, confirming that 4K imposes a severe GPU load on this combination.

Across all resolutions, the Low preset consistently outperforms High, Medium, and Ultra, which is expected given the reduced rendering workload. However, the data shows no min or max FPS values, so only average performance can be assessed. The lack of frame time data means that stutter or hitches cannot be evaluated, but the average scores provide a reliable baseline for comparing presets and resolutions.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions reveals that the RTX 3060 Ti is the primary bottleneck in this configuration. At 1920x1080, the CPU has ample headroom, as evidenced by the 147.8 FPS Low preset result. However, as resolution increases to 2560x1440 and then 3840x2160, the GPU’s workload grows, and the average frame rates decline proportionally. The data shows a clear pattern: moving from 1080p to 1440p reduces the Ultra preset from 78.8 FPS to 60 FPS, a 23.9% drop, while moving from 1440p to 4K further reduces it to 44.2 FPS, a 26.3% drop. This consistent degradation indicates that the GPU is saturated at higher resolutions.

The CPU’s role is less apparent in the measured FPS, but the Intel Core i7-13700K’s specifications suggest it is not limiting the GPU at any resolution. The processor has 16 cores and 24 threads, with a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, and it scores in the 89th percentile among all tested CPUs. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 30745 and single-core score of 2116 indicate strong all-around performance. In contrast, the RTX 3060 Ti sits in the 59th percentile among GPUs, with a Passmark G3D score of 20349. The GPU’s lower relative standing means that it will hit its limits before the CPU does, especially at 4K.

The scaling between presets at a fixed resolution further supports this interpretation. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 69 FPS, while at 4K, the same preset change yields only a 28 FPS difference. This compression at higher resolutions occurs because the GPU becomes the limiting factor, and preset changes have a smaller absolute impact when the GPU is already near its maximum workload. The CPU’s performance is likely sufficient to feed the GPU at all tested settings, but the data does not include separate CPU utilization metrics, so this inference is based on the FPS scaling pattern alone.

Best Settings per Resolution

For each resolution, the most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS is identifiable from the measured data. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset achieves 78.8 FPS, which is well above the playable threshold. Therefore, the best settings for 1080p are Ultra, as this represents the highest visual quality while still delivering smooth performance. The High preset at 91.4 FPS and Medium at 101.9 FPS are also viable, but Ultra offers the maximum quality without sacrificing the 60 FPS target.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset averages exactly 60 FPS, meeting the playable threshold precisely. This makes Ultra the best settings for 1440p, as it provides the highest quality while remaining at the minimum playable frame rate. The High preset at 70.2 FPS and Medium at 77.5 FPS offer additional headroom, but Ultra is technically playable. It is worth remembering the 60 FPS average leaves no margin for frame time spikes, but the data does not include min or max values to assess this risk.

At 3840x2160, only the Low preset exceeds 60 FPS, averaging 72.2 FPS. The Medium preset at 55.7 FPS, High at 47.9 FPS, and Ultra at 44.2 FPS all fall below the threshold. Consequently, the best settings for 4K are Low, as it is the only preset that achieves playable performance. This represents a significant visual compromise, but it is the only option for maintaining a smooth experience at this resolution.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Control at 1920x1080 with maximum settings?

A: Yes. The Ultra preset at 1920x1080 averages 78.8 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the highest preset that stays at or above 60 FPS at 2560x1440?

A: The Ultra preset averages exactly 60 FPS at 2560x1440, making it the most demanding preset that meets the playable threshold.

Q: Is 3840x2160 playable with this combination?

A: Only at Low settings, which average 72.2 FPS. Medium (55.7 FPS), High (47.9 FPS), and Ultra (44.2 FPS) all fall below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 on High settings?

A: The High preset drops from 91.4 FPS at 1080p to 70.2 FPS at 1440p, a reduction of 21.2 FPS.

Q: Does the RTX 3060 Ti outperform the CPU in relative terms?

A: No. The CPU scores in the 89th percentile among all CPUs, while the GPU scores in the 59th percentile among all GPUs, indicating the GPU is the weaker component.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra at 3840x2160?

A: Low averages 72.2 FPS, while Ultra averages 44.2 FPS, a difference of 28 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-13700K + RTX 3060 Ti combination ranks 1844th out of 3720 tested combos for Control, placing it in the 50.4th percentile of all configurations. This mid-pack ranking reflects the GPU’s modest standing, as the RTX 3060 Ti’s 59th percentile score limits the overall performance. The CPU’s strong 89th percentile ranking does not compensate for the GPU’s relative weakness in this GPU-bound title. The rank suggests that while this combo is far from the fastest, it is also not among the slowest, and it delivers playable performance at 1080p and 1440p, with limited 4K capability.

The combo’s ranking relative to other tested configurations indicates that many alternatives would provide higher frame rates, but the data does not specify which specific combos outperform it. The rank of 1844 out of 3720 means that roughly half of tested systems are faster, which aligns with the GPU’s mid-tier positioning. For a game like Control, which relies heavily on GPU rendering, the CPU’s high percentile does little to boost the combo’s overall rank.

The Verdict

This PC can run Control, but the playable settings depend entirely on the chosen resolution. At 1920x1080, the system clears the 60 FPS threshold on every preset, with Ultra averaging 78.8 FPS and Low reaching 147.8 FPS. At 2560x1440, all four presets are playable, with Ultra averaging exactly 60 FPS and High providing 70.2 FPS. The 1440p experience is fully playable, though the Ultra preset leaves no margin for frame drops. At 3840x2160, only the Low preset is playable, averaging 72.2 FPS; Medium (55.7 FPS), High (47.9 FPS), and Ultra (44.2 FPS) all fall below the threshold. The verdict is straightforward: this combination is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming at high or ultra settings, but 4K users must accept Low settings to maintain a smooth frame rate.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU and GPU have nearby rivals that would produce similar performance in Control. The Intel Core i7-13700K’s nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen 9 5900, which has an average benchmark score 0.2% lower. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 is 0.3% slower, while the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX is 0.5% faster, and the Intel Xeon w3-2535 is also 0.5% faster. These CPUs would deliver nearly identical frame rates in this GPU-bound game, as the RTX 3060 Ti would remain the limiting factor.

For the GPU, the AMD Radeon RX 9060 is 0.7% slower, while the AMD Radeon Pro 5600M is 1.4% faster, and the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT is also 1.4% faster. The AMD Radeon R9 370X is 1.7% slower. Swapping the RTX 3060 Ti for any of these GPUs would result in a negligible change in Control’s average FPS, likely within 1-2 frames per second at any given resolution and preset. The similarity in scores means that users with these alternative components can expect a nearly identical experience, with the same playable settings at each resolution.