Control

The Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 combination delivers a decisive performance advantage in Control, with benchmark data showing the system ranking 173rd out of 3,720 tested combos. This places the pairing in the top 5% of all configurations, a position supported by the individual component scores: the CPU sits at the 89th percentile among all processors, while the GPU holds the 87th percentile among all graphics cards. The measured frame rates across all resolutions and presets confirm that this hardware pairing is overwhelmingly capable of running the game at maximum fidelity without compromise.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Examining the nearestRivals data for the CPU reveals a tight cluster of comparable processors. The Intel Core i7-13700K posts an average benchmark score of 46,881, sitting within a mere 0.5% of its nearest competitors. The AMD Ryzen 9 5900 scores 46,971, a delta of -0.2%, meaning it trails the i7-13700K by a negligible margin. Similarly, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 achieves 47,022, also -0.2% behind. On the other side, the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX and Intel Xeon w3-2535 both score 46,654 and 46,653 respectively, putting them 0.5% ahead of the i7-13700K. For gaming workloads in Control, any of these processors would deliver functionally identical CPU-bound performance, as the differences fall well within measurement noise.

On the GPU side, the RTX 5080's nearestRivals paint a similar picture of near-parity. The NVIDIA card averages 56,083 in benchmark scores. The AMD Radeon 8060S scores 55,757, a delta of 0.6% behind, while the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB posts 55,698, also 0.7% behind. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X trails by 2.3% with a score of 54,828. Conversely, the AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE leads the RTX 5080 by 2.2% with a score of 57,367. For Control specifically, these deltaPct values suggest that swapping the RTX 5080 for any of these rivals would produce frame rates within a few percentage points at each resolution, though the measured FPS data applies only to the exact configuration analyzed here.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data for Control shows a clear pattern of GPU dominance, particularly at higher resolutions. At 3840x2160, the average frame rate scales from 135.5 FPS on Low settings down to 74.6 FPS on Ultra, a drop of 45% as graphical demands increase. This substantial reduction indicates that the RTX 5080 is the primary bottleneck, as the CPU has ample headroom to feed the GPU at these settings. The i7-13700K, with its 3dmark_max_threads score of 12,412 and passmark_multithread score of 45,887, provides sufficient processing power to avoid becoming the limiting factor even at 4K Ultra.

At 2560x1440, the scaling pattern continues but with higher absolute numbers. Low settings produce 199.3 FPS, while Ultra drops to 106.4 FPS, a 46.6% reduction. The consistency of this percentage across 4K and 1440p suggests that the GPU workload scales linearly with resolution and settings, reinforcing the GPU-bound nature of the game. Moving to 1920x1080, Low settings achieve 260.4 FPS, and Ultra still maintains 141.4 FPS, a 45.7% reduction. The fact that the percentage drop remains nearly constant across all three resolutions indicates that the CPU is not introducing any additional bottleneck at lower resolutions; if it were, the 1080p Ultra numbers would show a smaller percentage drop relative to Low settings compared to 4K.

The CPU's role becomes more apparent when examining the raw FPS ceiling. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 260.4 FPS, a figure that likely approaches the CPU's frame generation limit for this game. However, since all playable settings at every resolution clear the 60 FPS threshold with substantial margin, the CPU never becomes a practical limitation in real-world usage.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 3840x2160, the system delivers an average of 82.5 FPS on High settings, 135.5 FPS on Low, 97.9 FPS on Medium, and 74.6 FPS on Ultra. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a steady decline: 135.5 to 97.9 to 82.5 to 74.6, with the largest single-step drop occurring between Low and Medium at 37.6 FPS. The gap between Medium and High is 15.4 FPS, while High to Ultra narrows to just 7.9 FPS, indicating diminishing returns at the highest settings.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates rise considerably. Low settings average 199.3 FPS, Medium 142.1 FPS, High 124.5 FPS, and Ultra 106.4 FPS. The step from Low to Medium represents a 57.2 FPS drop, the largest proportional reduction in any resolution/settings pair. From Medium to High, the drop is 17.6 FPS, and from High to Ultra, 18.1 FPS. This more uniform distribution at 1440p suggests that the GPU is handling the workload more efficiently at this resolution, with each settings tier imposing a similar cost.

At 1920x1080, the system reaches its peak performance. Low settings produce 260.4 FPS, Medium drops to 189.1 FPS, High to 166 FPS, and Ultra to 141.4 FPS. The Low-to-Medium gap is 71.3 FPS, Medium-to-High is 23.1 FPS, and High-to-Ultra is 24.6 FPS. Notably, the 1080p Ultra figure of 141.4 FPS exceeds the 4K High figure of 82.5 FPS by 71.4%, demonstrating how resolution scaling affects the GPU workload more dramatically than settings changes at the same resolution.

Across all three resolutions, the data shows consistent behavior: Low settings always deliver more than double the frame rate of Ultra settings at the same resolution. At 4K, the multiplier is 1.82x (135.5 divided by 74.6); at 1440p, it is 1.87x (199.3 divided by 106.4); and at 1080p, it is 1.84x (260.4 divided by 141.4). This consistency indicates a well-behaved performance curve with no anomalous stuttering or driver-level bottlenecks.

How This Combo Ranks

The comboRankInGame field places this specific CPU+GPU pairing at rank 173 out of 3,720 tested combinations. This top 4.6% ranking reflects the combined strength of both components. The i7-13700K's percentileVsAllCpus of 89 means it outperforms 89% of all CPUs in the database, while the RTX 5080's percentileVsAllGpus of 87 indicates it exceeds 87% of all GPUs. When paired together, these high individual percentiles translate into a system that sits well above the median gaming configuration.

For context, the nearestRivals data shows that the CPU and GPU each sit within 2.3% of their immediate competitors. This means that the 173rd rank is not an outlier but rather a representative position for hardware in this performance class. Systems ranked immediately above and below the 173rd position would likely feature components with similar benchmark scores, and the FPS differences in Control would be minimal. The rank of 173 out of 3,720 also indicates that a substantial number of higher-ranked combos exist, but these would typically feature top-tier components from both manufacturers, such as higher-core-count CPUs paired with the fastest available GPUs.

The Verdict

The verdictByResolution data is unambiguous: this system can run Control at 60 FPS or above at every resolution and preset combination tested. At 3840x2160, all four settings qualify as playable, with Ultra achieving 74.6 FPS average. At 2560x1440, Ultra delivers 106.4 FPS, comfortably exceeding the 60 FPS threshold. At 1920x1080, Ultra reaches 141.4 FPS, providing a substantial margin for high-refresh-rate displays.

The best settings at each resolution are consistently Ultra, the highest preset available. At 4K, the 74.6 FPS average at Ultra leaves 14.6 FPS of headroom above the 60 FPS threshold, meaning even demanding scenes with heavy particle effects or physics interactions should remain playable. At 1440p, the 106.4 FPS average at Ultra provides 46.4 FPS of headroom, making this the sweet spot for players who want maximum visual fidelity with high frame rates. At 1080p, the 141.4 FPS average at Ultra offers 81.4 FPS of headroom, ideal for 144Hz monitors. No resolution or preset in the measured data falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold.

FAQ

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

A: Yes. The measured average frame rate at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 74.6 FPS, which exceeds the 60 FPS playable threshold by a margin of 14.6 FPS.

Q: What is the best settings preset at 1440p?

A: Ultra settings are achievable at 2560x1440, delivering an average of 106.4 FPS. This is the highest preset available and provides 46.4 FPS of headroom above the playable threshold.

Q: How does the RTX 5080 compare to its nearest GPU rival?

A: The RTX 5080's average benchmark score is 56,083. The AMD Radeon 8060S scores 55,757 (0.6% behind), the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55,698 (0.7% behind), and the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54,828 (2.3% behind). The AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE leads by 2.2% with a score of 57,367.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: The data shows the GPU remains the primary bottleneck even at 1080p. The frame rate drop from Low to Ultra settings at 1920x1080 is 45.7%, consistent with the 45% drop seen at 4K, indicating the CPU maintains sufficient headroom throughout.

Q: What frame rate can be expected at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: The measured average at 1920x1080 with Medium settings is 189.1 FPS. This is 129.1 FPS above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

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

A: The combination of Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 ranks 173rd out of 3,720 tested combos, placing it in the top 4.6% of all configurations in the database.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that maintains at least 60 FPS is Ultra, achieving an average of 74.6 FPS. This is the highest quality setting available, and the 74.6 FPS average provides sufficient margin above the 60 FPS threshold for consistent playability.

At 2560x1440, Ultra settings are again the best option, delivering 106.4 FPS average. This represents a 42.6% improvement over the 4K Ultra figure, making 1440p the recommended resolution for players who prioritize both visual quality and high frame rates.

At 1920x1080, Ultra settings produce 141.4 FPS average. This is the highest frame rate achievable at the maximum quality preset across all resolutions tested. For competitive or fast-paced play, the 1080p Ultra setting provides the best combination of image quality and performance, with 81.4 FPS of headroom above the playable threshold. All three resolutions support Ultra settings, which is notable for a game with the visual complexity of Control.