Control

The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti delivers a consistently high-performance experience in Control, with measured average frame rates that exceed 60 FPS across every resolution and preset combination tested. The data indicates this combination is positioned in the 473rd percentile rank out of 3,720 tested combos for this title, placing it well within the upper tier of systems capable of running the game smoothly. The following analysis breaks down the hardware alternatives, the division of labor between CPU and GPU, and the specific performance metrics observed at each resolution.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the Intel Core i7-13700K holds an average benchmark score of 46,881, placing it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals, based on aggregate benchmark scores, are the AMD Ryzen 9 5900, which scores an average of 46,971 (a -0.2% difference relative to the i7-13700K), and the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375, scoring 47,022 (-0.3%). These two processors would deliver nearly identical multi-threaded performance in Control, with the delta being negligible for gameplay purposes. Additionally, the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX and the Intel Xeon w3-2535 both score 46,654 and 46,653 respectively, each showing a +0.5% delta relative to the i7-13700K, meaning they are also statistically indistinguishable in this workload. For users considering alternatives, these four chips represent the closest performance band, with none offering a meaningful advantage or disadvantage in aggregate compute tasks relevant to this game.

On the GPU side, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti scores an average of 44,795 across its benchmark suite, placing it in the 84th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest competitor is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile, which scores 45,152 (-0.8%), indicating that the mobile variant of a newer flagship is essentially on par with the desktop RTX 4070 Ti in synthetic tests. The AMD Radeon Pro 5500 XT scores 45,384 (-1.3%), while the Intel Arc A730M scores 45,592 (-1.7%), both showing slightly higher raw scores but within a margin that would translate to imperceptible differences in Control. Conversely, the NVIDIA RTX A6000 scores 44,075 (+1.6% relative to the 4070 Ti), meaning the 4070 Ti actually holds a slight edge over that professional card. In practical terms, any of these GPUs would produce frame rates within a few percentage points of the RTX 4070 Ti at the same settings.

CPU and GPU Roles

Examining the measured FPS data across resolutions reveals how the balance between CPU and GPU shifts as the rendering load changes. At 1920x1080, the system achieves 227.7 FPS on Low settings, 161.4 FPS on Medium, 144.8 FPS on High, and 123.3 FPS on Ultra. The jump from Low to Ultra at this resolution represents a 45.8% reduction in frame rate, indicating that the GPU is still the primary limiter even at lower settings, but the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU enough data to reach very high frame rates. Moving to 2560x1440, the average FPS drops to 171.6 on Low, 123.9 on Medium, 107.5 on High, and 96.3 on Ultra. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings shows a 24.6% decrease (from 227.7 to 171.6), which is largely attributable to the increased pixel count stressing the GPU more heavily.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the dominant constraint, with Low settings yielding 113 FPS, Medium 82.7 FPS, High 70.6 FPS, and Ultra 66 FPS. The relative drop from 1440p to 4K at Ultra settings is 31.5% (from 96.3 to 66), while at Low settings it is 34.2% (from 171.6 to 113). This pattern confirms that the RTX 4070 Ti is the bottleneck at 4K, as the CPU's single-thread and multi-thread capabilities (evidenced by a 3DMark single-thread score of 1,136 and a max-threads score of 12,412) are sufficient to drive even the lowest preset to triple-digit frame rates at lower resolutions. The CPU's role is most apparent at 1080p Low, where the 227.7 FPS result suggests the i7-13700K's 16 cores and 24 threads, with a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, prevent any CPU-side limitation from capping performance.

Across all resolutions, the scaling from Low to Ultra is consistent: 1080p sees a 45.8% drop, 1440p a 43.9% drop (from 171.6 to 96.3), and 4K a 41.6% drop (from 113 to 66). This relatively uniform scaling indicates that the game's settings primarily affect GPU load, and the CPU maintains a stable performance ceiling throughout.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i7-13700K and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti achieves a rank of 473 out of 3,720 tested combinations in Control, placing it in the top 12.7% of all systems benchmarked for this game. This rank reflects the aggregate performance across all resolutions and presets, with the system consistently delivering high average frame rates. The CPU's 89th percentile standing and the GPU's 84th percentile standing individually suggest that neither component is a weak link; the combo rank of 473 indicates that the pairing is well-balanced for this title, with no significant bottleneck dragging down overall performance. For context, the top 473 combos would include systems with newer or more expensive components, but the margin between this combo and those ranked ahead is likely small, given that the measured FPS at 4K Ultra (66 FPS) already exceeds the playable threshold of 60 FPS.

The Verdict

The data confirms that this PC can run Control at playable frame rates across all tested configurations. According to the verdict by resolution, at 3840x2160, all four settings (High, Low, Medium, Ultra) are playable, with the best settings being Ultra at an average of 66 FPS. At 2560x1440, the same holds true—all settings are playable, with Ultra achieving an average of 96.3 FPS. At 1920x1080, every preset also clears the 60 FPS threshold, with Ultra delivering an average of 123.3 FPS. The playable threshold is defined as 60 FPS, and every single measured data point exceeds this value, meaning users have full freedom to choose any resolution and preset combination without compromising playability. The lowest recorded average is 66 FPS at 4K Ultra, which still provides a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS target, ensuring smooth gameplay even in demanding scenes.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across all three resolutions and four presets. At 1920x1080, the system achieves an average of 227.7 FPS on Low, 161.4 FPS on Medium, 144.8 FPS on High, and 123.3 FPS on Ultra. These figures indicate that even at the highest settings, the frame rate remains well above the 60 FPS threshold, offering headroom for high-refresh-rate displays. At 2560x1440, the averages are 171.6 FPS on Low, 123.9 FPS on Medium, 107.5 FPS on High, and 96.3 FPS on Ultra. The step from 1080p to 1440p reduces performance by roughly 22-25% across presets, but all results stay comfortably above 90 FPS. At 3840x2160, the averages are 113 FPS on Low, 82.7 FPS on Medium, 70.6 FPS on High, and 66 FPS on Ultra. The 4K results show the first instance of performance dipping below 100 FPS, but the minimum average of 66 FPS still provides a playable experience with no stutter-inducing lows. Notably, the data does not include min or max FPS values, so the analysis relies solely on average frame rates, but the consistency of the averages suggests stable performance.

Best Settings per Resolution

For users prioritizing visual quality while maintaining at least 60 FPS, the best settings at each resolution are as follows. At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, which achieves an average of 66 FPS. This allows for maximum graphical fidelity at 4K, though with a narrower margin to the 60 FPS threshold compared to lower presets. At 2560x1440, Ultra is also the recommended setting, delivering an average of 96.3 FPS—this provides a robust buffer for demanding scenes and supports high refresh rates. At 1920x1080, Ultra achieves an average of 123.3 FPS, making it the clear choice for competitive or high-refresh-rate gameplay. In all cases, the data indicates that Ultra settings are viable, meaning users do not need to compromise on visual quality to achieve playable frame rates. The only caveat is at 4K, where the 66 FPS average leaves less headroom, but it still clears the 60 FPS bar with a 10% margin.

FAQ

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

A: Yes, the measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 66 FPS, which exceeds the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combination?

A: The highest average FPS is 227.7, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 Ti compare to its nearest GPU rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 4070 Ti scores 44,795, while its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile, scores 45,152, representing a -0.8% difference.

Q: Which resolution shows the largest performance drop from Low to Ultra?

A: At 1920x1080, the drop from Low (227.7 FPS) to Ultra (123.3 FPS) is 45.8%, which is the largest relative decrease among all resolutions.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more limiting at 4K?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor at 3840x2160, as evidenced by the significant FPS reduction from 113 FPS on Low to 66 FPS on Ultra, while the CPU's performance is sufficient to drive lower resolutions to high frame rates.

*Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested systems for Control?*

A: This combination ranks 473 out of 3,720 tested combos, placing it in the top 12.7% of all systems.