Control

The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 ranks 121st out of 3,720 tested combinations for Control, placing it in the top 3.3% of all tested combos. This is a high-end pairing that delivers exceptional performance across all resolutions and presets, with the data showing every single tested configuration clears the 60 FPS playable threshold by a wide margin. The benchmark results paint a clear picture: this system is overqualified for Control, offering headroom that would allow for future-proofing or higher refresh rate displays.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 121 out of 3,720 tested combinations places this system firmly in the upper echelon of tested hardware pairings. This means roughly 96.7% of tested combos perform at or below this level, making it a top-tier configuration. The RTX 4090 alone sits at the 88th percentile among all GPUs, while the Core i7-13700K ranks at the 89th percentile among all CPUs, so both components are near the top of their respective hierarchies. The combination of two high-percentile parts explains the strong overall position. The CPU’s average benchmark score of 46,881 is nearly identical to its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 5900, which scores 46,971 with a delta of -0.2%, meaning the two are effectively tied in synthetic testing. The RTX 4090’s average score of 60,347 is also closely matched by the Intel Arc Pro A60 at 60,326 with a 0% delta, showing that in pure compute terms these GPUs are statistical equals, though gaming performance in Control will differ substantially due to driver optimizations and architecture differences.

CPU and GPU Roles

Scaling between resolutions reveals that the GPU is the dominant factor in Control, with CPU overhead becoming less relevant as resolution increases. At 1080p Low, the system produces 272 FPS average, while at 4K Low it drops to 139 FPS — a 48.9% reduction that is almost entirely GPU-bound. The CPU’s 16 cores and 24 threads are more than sufficient to feed the RTX 4090 at any resolution; the data shows no CPU bottleneck even at 1080p where CPU load is typically highest. Moving from 1080p Ultra (149 FPS) to 1440p Ultra (113 FPS) represents a 24.2% drop, while 1440p Ultra to 4K Ultra (76 FPS) is a 32.7% drop. These scaling patterns are consistent with GPU-limited performance. The CPU’s single-thread score of 1,136 in 3DMark single-thread and multi-thread score of 12,412 in 3DMark max threads are strong, but Control’s engine scales well across multiple cores, so the 24-thread configuration provides ample headroom. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 10,717 suggests the CPU can handle heavy multi-threaded workloads without becoming a limiting factor.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers extraordinary frame rates. Low settings produce 272 FPS average, Medium yields 194 FPS average with a minimum of 165 FPS and maximum of 223 FPS. High settings show 172 FPS average, while Ultra settings still maintain 149 FPS average. All 1080p configurations far exceed the 60 FPS playable threshold, with even the most demanding Ultra preset providing more than double the required frame rate. The spread between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 123 FPS, indicating that settings have a significant impact but the hardware has enough headroom to absorb the difference.

At 2560x1440, performance remains exceptionally high. Low settings produce 206 FPS average, Medium delivers 146 FPS average (minimum 124 FPS, maximum 168 FPS), High shows 130 FPS average, and Ultra maintains 113 FPS average. The gap between Low and Ultra narrows to 93 FPS compared to 1080p, as the GPU begins to take on more work. Every 1440p preset clears the 60 FPS threshold by at least 53 FPS, meaning even the most visually demanding settings run at nearly double the playable frame rate.

At 3840x2160, the system still delivers excellent performance. Low settings produce 139 FPS average, Medium yields 99 FPS average with a minimum of 84 FPS and maximum of 114 FPS, High shows 88 FPS average, and Ultra produces 76 FPS average. The 4K Ultra setting is the only configuration that approaches the 60 FPS threshold, but it still clears it by 16 FPS. The minimum FPS recorded at 4K Medium is 84 FPS, which is well above the playable threshold, suggesting that frame pacing remains stable even during demanding scenes. The scaling from 1080p to 4K at Ultra settings shows a 49% performance reduction, consistent with the GPU’s increasing workload at higher pixel counts.

The Verdict

This PC can run Control at every tested resolution and preset with substantial headroom above the 60 FPS playable threshold. At 3840x2160, the verdict is unequivocal: all four presets — Low (139 FPS), Medium (99 FPS), High (88 FPS), and Ultra (76 FPS) — are playable, with Ultra being the recommended best setting at an average of 76 FPS. At 2560x1440, all presets are playable, with Ultra delivering 113 FPS average, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. At 1920x1080, all presets are playable, with Ultra producing 149 FPS average, making it suitable for 144Hz displays. The data shows no configuration falls below 76 FPS average, meaning the system never dips near the playable threshold. For users with 4K displays, the Ultra preset at 76 FPS offers the best visual quality while staying comfortably above 60 FPS. For competitive play at 1080p, the Low preset at 272 FPS provides maximum frame rates, though even Ultra at 149 FPS is more than adequate for fast-paced action sequences.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU’s nearest rivals based on average benchmark scores include the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 (46,971, 0.2% higher), AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 (47,022, 0.3% higher), AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX (46,654, 0.5% lower), and Intel Xeon w3-2535 (46,653, 0.5% lower). These processors would deliver nearly identical CPU-bound performance in Control, as their benchmark scores are within 0.5% of the Core i7-13700K. The AMD Ryzen 9 5900 and AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 are marginally faster on average, while the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX and Intel Xeon w3-2535 are marginally slower. In practice, these differences are negligible for gaming, as Control is GPU-bound at the tested settings.

The GPU’s nearest rivals include the Intel Arc Pro A60 (60,326, 0% delta), AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 (60,140, 0.3% higher), AMD Radeon Pro W6600M (61,896, 2.5% higher), and AMD Radeon PRO V710 (58,657, 2.9% lower). The AMD Radeon Pro W6600M is the closest in raw compute performance, being 2.5% faster on average, while the AMD Radeon PRO V710 is 2.9% slower. However, these are workstation-class GPUs with different driver optimizations for gaming, so actual Control performance may vary from the synthetic benchmark deltas. The Intel Arc Pro A60 matches the RTX 4090’s average score almost exactly, though the RTX 4090’s dedicated ray tracing cores and DLSS support give it advantages in certain game workloads.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, which delivers 76 FPS average. This is the clear choice for maximum visual quality at 4K, as it provides the full visual experience while maintaining a 16 FPS margin above the playable threshold. At 2560x1440, Ultra is also the best setting, producing 113 FPS average. This provides a 53 FPS buffer above 60 FPS, making it ideal for high-refresh-rate 1440p monitors. At 1920x1080, Ultra delivers 149 FPS average, which is the best setting for this resolution. The 89 FPS margin above the playable threshold means users can enable all graphical features without concern for performance. In all three resolutions, Ultra is the recommended setting, as the system has sufficient performance headroom to run the game at maximum quality. The data shows that even at 4K Ultra, the system maintains 76 FPS average, which is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold.

FAQ

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

A: Yes, the data shows 76 FPS average at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, which is 16 FPS above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the highest frame rate achievable at 1080p?

A: The highest average frame rate at 1920x1080 is 272 FPS with Low settings, while Ultra settings still deliver 149 FPS average.

Q: How does the RTX 4090 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 4090’s average benchmark score of 60,347 is within 2.5% of its nearest rivals, with the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M being 2.5% faster and the AMD Radeon PRO V710 being 2.9% slower.

Q: Is the Core i7-13700K a bottleneck for the RTX 4090 in Control?

A: No, the data shows the system achieves 272 FPS at 1080p Low, indicating the CPU can feed the GPU effectively even at lower resolutions where CPU load is highest.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded across all tested configurations?

A: The minimum FPS recorded is 84 FPS at 3840x2160 with Medium settings (minimum), which is well above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

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

A: This combo ranks 121st out of 3,720 tested combinations, placing it in the top 3.3% of all tested hardware pairings for Control.