Control

The Intel Core i7-14700F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT delivers a commanding performance in Control, a 2019 Action Adventure title. The benchmark data shows this combination handles the game with substantial headroom across all tested resolutions and settings, with the only point of concern being the absolute highest preset at 4K, which still manages to clear the 60 FPS playable threshold. This analysis breaks down the measured frame rates, explains how the combo ranks against other tested systems, and provides a clear verdict on what settings to use for a smooth experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo posts triple-digit average frame rates across the board. With Low settings, the average FPS reaches 207.6, providing an extremely high refresh rate experience. Moving to Medium drops the average to 150.8 FPS, while High settings still deliver a very strong 133.9 FPS average. Even at the most demanding Ultra preset, the average remains at 111.5 FPS, indicating that the CPU and GPU combination is far from being stressed at this resolution. The gap between Low and Ultra is substantial, with the Ultra preset being roughly 46% slower than Low, but the absolute numbers are so high that this difference is largely academic for most users.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales down predictably but remains exceptional. The Low preset yields an average of 155.2 FPS, which is still well above what most high-refresh monitors can display. Medium settings produce an average of 114.7 FPS, and High settings drop slightly to 101 FPS. The Ultra preset, while being the most demanding, still maintains an average of 85.3 FPS, which is comfortably above the 60 FPS playable threshold. This resolution represents a sweet spot for the combo, offering both high fidelity and high frame rates without any compromises.

At 3840x2160, the performance begins to show the strain of 4K rendering, but the results are still playable at every setting. The Low preset achieves an average of 107.1 FPS, which is a significant drop from the 1440p Low result but still very smooth. Medium delivers 73.7 FPS, and High comes in at 70 FPS. The most demanding Ultra preset drops to an average of 60.2 FPS, which is just barely above the playable threshold. This indicates that while the RX 7900 XT can handle 4K in Control, the Ultra preset leaves very little headroom for demanding scenes or future updates. The scaling from 1440p to 4K shows an average FPS reduction of roughly 30-35% across settings, which is typical for a game that is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

In the benchmark database, this specific combination of the Intel Core i7-14700F and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT is ranked 700th out of 3720 tested combos for Control. This places it in the top 19% of all systems tested, indicating a high-performing configuration. The rank is a composite measure that considers the average FPS across all tested settings and resolutions, and this combo's ability to maintain high frame rates at 4K Ultra contributes significantly to its strong position.

The CPU, Intel Core i7-14700F, sits at the 91st percentile among all CPUs in the database, with an average benchmark score of 53620. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon 6505P (avg score 53701, -0.2% delta), the Intel Xeon Phi 7290 (avg score 53469, 0.3% delta), the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X (avg score 53288, 0.6% delta), and the AMD EPYC 7313P (avg score 53206, 0.8% delta). This puts the i7-14700F in elite company, with its performance nearly identical to the Ryzen 9 7900X, differing by less than a single percentage point.

The GPU, AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT, sits at the 55th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 13745. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon 660M (avg score 13812, -0.5% delta), the NVIDIA RTX A2000 Mobile (avg score 13821, -0.5% delta), the AMD Radeon RX 570X (avg score 13871, -0.9% delta), and the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT (avg score 13543, 1.5% delta). The RX 7900 XT's percentile ranking is notably lower than the CPU's, which is interesting given its strong performance in this specific game. This suggests that while the GPU is a solid performer, its overall benchmark average is dragged down by other workloads, whereas in Control specifically, it excels. The nearest rival list includes the RX 9070 XT, which scores 1.5% higher on average, indicating that newer GPUs in the same family are marginally faster in general compute but the 7900 XT remains competitive in this title.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Control at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, the data shows playable frame rates at all four settings presets in 3840x2160. The Ultra preset averages 60.2 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS playable threshold, while High, Medium, and Low all exceed 70 FPS.

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

A: The Ultra preset at 2560x1440 averages 85.3 FPS, which is well above the playable threshold. This means you can use the most demanding settings at this resolution without worrying about frame rate drops.

Q: How much of a performance difference is there between Low and Ultra at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 207.6 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 111.5 FPS. This represents a 96.1 FPS difference, meaning Ultra is approximately 46% slower than Low, but both are far above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: Which resolution provides the best balance of visual quality and performance?

A: Based on the data, 2560x1440 with Ultra settings offers an 85.3 FPS average, which leaves a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold while providing higher visual fidelity than 1080p. The 4K Ultra setting at 60.2 FPS is playable but leaves almost no headroom.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more of a bottleneck for this game?

A: The data shows that frame rates drop by roughly 30-35% when moving from 1440p to 4K across all settings, indicating that the GPU is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions. The CPU, which ranks at the 91st percentile, is likely not a bottleneck at any of the tested settings.

Q: How does this combo compare to the top-ranked systems?

A: This combo ranks 700th out of 3720 tested combos, placing it in the top 19% of all systems. While it is not at the very top, its ability to maintain above 60 FPS at 4K Ultra demonstrates that it is a high-end configuration.

The Verdict

The benchmark results are unequivocal: this PC can run Control at every resolution and preset combination tested, clearing the 60 FPS playable threshold in all cases. The verdict by resolution confirms that all four settings presets are playable at 3840x2160, 2560x1440, and 1920x1080. The most demanding scenario, 4K Ultra, achieves an average of 60.2 FPS, which is a marginal pass but still a pass. For a smoother experience with more headroom, the High preset at 4K delivers 70 FPS, while Medium delivers 73.7 FPS.

At 1440p, the system has significantly more room to breathe. The Ultra preset runs at 85.3 FPS, which is a comfortable 42% above the playable threshold. This makes 1440p Ultra the recommended configuration for those who want maximum visual quality without any concern about frame drops. At 1080p, the performance is so high that the system is essentially overkill, with even the Ultra preset hitting 111.5 FPS. The data clearly indicates that this configuration is more than capable of handling Control at its highest settings, with the only caveat being that 4K Ultra leaves little margin for error in particularly demanding scenes.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data reveals a clear division of labor between the Intel Core i7-14700F and the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra settings is significant, with the average FPS dropping from 207.6 to 111.5. This 96.1 FPS gap is primarily driven by GPU load, as higher settings increase pixel shading and texture work. However, even at Low settings, the CPU is not the limiting factor, as the system is capable of over 200 FPS, indicating that the i7-14700F's 20 cores and 28 threads are more than sufficient for Control's physics and game logic.

As resolution increases to 1440p and then to 4K, the GPU becomes increasingly dominant in determining performance. The scaling from 1440p to 4K shows a consistent drop of roughly 30-35% across all settings, which is a classic sign of GPU-bound rendering. For instance, the High preset drops from 101 FPS at 1440p to 70 FPS at 4K, a reduction of 30.7%. Similarly, the Low preset drops from 155.2 FPS to 107.1 FPS, a reduction of 31%. This consistent scaling indicates that the RX 7900 XT is the primary driver of performance at higher resolutions, while the CPU's role remains static and non-limiting.

The data also shows that the CPU's high single-thread performance, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4958, is sufficient to feed the GPU at all tested settings. There is no scenario in the data where the CPU appears to bottleneck the GPU, as frame rates scale predictably with resolution and settings. For users looking to upgrade, the data suggests that improving the GPU would yield the most benefit for 4K gaming, while the CPU is already well-positioned for this title.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, with an average FPS of 111.5. This is far above the playable threshold, so users can max out all settings without any concern. The data shows that even the most demanding configuration at this resolution leaves substantial headroom, making Ultra the clear choice for visual quality.

At 2560x1440, the best settings are also Ultra, with an average FPS of 85.3. This is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold, allowing for full visual fidelity at a high frame rate. The 25.3 FPS margin above the playable threshold provides a buffer for any demanding scenes or combat effects that might cause temporary dips.

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, with an average FPS of 60.2. This is a marginal pass, with only 0.2 FPS of headroom above the playable threshold. While technically playable, this setting leaves no room for error, and users who prioritize a consistent experience might prefer the High preset, which averages 70 FPS and provides a more comfortable 10 FPS buffer. The Medium preset at 73.7 FPS offers an even larger margin while still maintaining high visual quality. For the best balance of fidelity and stability at 4K, the data suggests that High is the safer choice, though Ultra is technically playable.