Control

The Intel Core i7-14700F and AMD Radeon RX 9060 combination delivers a distinctly resolution-dependent experience in Control. At 1920x1080, the pairing is overwhelmingly capable, posting an average of 130 FPS on Low settings and never dropping below 78 FPS even at Medium. The 1440p results show a step down, but the combo still manages 62 FPS at High settings. 4K is where the limits become apparent: only the Low preset clears the 60 FPS threshold, with an average of 66 FPS. The data indicates a system that is excellent for 1080p and strong for 1440p, but one that requires significant settings compromises for 4K gaming.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for Control reveals a clear performance hierarchy across the three tested resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system shows no signs of struggle. The Low preset delivers an average of 130 FPS, while the Medium preset averages 92 FPS with a minimum of 78 and a maximum of 106 FPS. High settings average 82 FPS, and even the demanding Ultra preset holds an average of 71 FPS. This indicates that at 1080p, the CPU-GPU combo has ample headroom, and the frame rates are consistently well above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales down predictably but remains respectable. The Low preset averages 98 FPS, which is still a very high frame rate. Medium settings produce an average of 70 FPS, with a minimum of 59 and a maximum of 80 FPS, showing that the system stays just at the edge of the playable threshold even during dips. The High preset averages 62 FPS, which is playable but leaves little margin for error in demanding scenes. The Ultra preset, however, falls below the threshold, averaging 54 FPS. This resolution marks the point where the user must start making a trade-off between visual fidelity and frame rate smoothness.

At 3840x2160, the RX 9060's 8 GB memory buffer and 128-bit bus become limiting factors. The Low preset is the only playable option, averaging 66 FPS. The Medium preset drops to an average of 47 FPS, with a minimum of 40 and a maximum of 54 FPS, which is a significant step down. High settings average just 42 FPS, and Ultra settings drop further to 36 FPS. The data shows a steep performance cliff between Low and Medium at 4K, suggesting that the memory bandwidth or capacity is saturated when higher-resolution textures are loaded.

The frame time consistency, where measured, follows the average FPS trends. At 1080p Medium, the gap between the 78 FPS minimum and 106 FPS maximum shows a variance of 28 FPS, which is noticeable but not jarring. At 1440p Medium, the variance is tighter, with a 21 FPS spread between the 59 FPS minimum and 80 FPS maximum. At 4K Medium, the spread is 14 FPS, but the overall average is too low for smooth gameplay. The lack of min/max data for other settings means the analysis must rely on the average FPS figures, which still clearly demonstrate the system's capability at each resolution.

FAQ

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

A: Yes, but only with significant settings reductions. The benchmark data shows that at 3840x2160, only the Low preset achieves a playable average of 66 FPS. Medium, High, and Ultra presets all fall below the 60 FPS threshold, with averages of 47, 42, and 36 FPS respectively.

Q: What is the best quality setting for 1440p gaming?

A: The High preset is the most demanding setting that maintains an average of 62 FPS at 2560x1440. While the Ultra preset averages 54 FPS, it is below the playable threshold. The Medium preset runs smoother at 70 FPS, but High offers better visuals while still clearing the 60 FPS mark.

Q: Is the Ultra preset playable at 1080p?

A: Yes, the data shows that at 1920x1080, the Ultra preset averages 71 FPS. This is above the 60 FPS playable threshold, making it a viable option for users who prioritize maximum visual quality over higher frame rates.

Q: How does the RX 9060 compare to its nearest rivals in terms of raw GPU score?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 9060 has an average benchmark score of 16014. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, scores 16129, which is 0.7% higher. The AMD Radeon R9 370X and AMD Radeon RX 7700 score 15862 and 15852, respectively, putting them 1% lower.

Q: What is the performance gap between the CPU and its closest competitor?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700F has an average benchmark score of 53620. The closest rival, the Intel Xeon 6505P, scores 53701, which is 0.2% higher. The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X scores 53288, which is 0.6% lower, and the AMD EPYC 7313P scores 53206, which is 0.8% lower.

Q: Does the system maintain 60 FPS in all 1080p presets?

A: Yes, all four tested presets at 1920x1080—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—produce average frame rates above 60 FPS. The lowest average is 71 FPS on Ultra, and the highest is 130 FPS on Low.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Based on the nearestRivals data, several other hardware combinations would yield similar performance in Control. For the CPU, the Intel Core i7-14700F sits in a tight cluster of processors. The Intel Xeon 6505P is virtually identical, with an average score just 0.2% higher. The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X and AMD EPYC 7313P are also close, trailing by 0.6% and 0.8% respectively. In practical terms, any of these CPUs paired with the same GPU would produce nearly indistinguishable frame rates in this game, as the CPU is unlikely to be the bottleneck at the tested settings.

On the GPU side, the AMD Radeon RX 9060 aligns closely with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, which has an average score 0.7% higher. This means a system with an RTX 3060 Ti would perform within a rounding error of the RX 9060 in Control. The AMD Radeon R9 370X and AMD Radeon RX 7700 are also within 1% of the RX 9060's score, suggesting that a PC built with any of these graphics cards would deliver very similar FPS numbers. The Radeon Pro W5500 is slightly further behind at 2.1% lower performance, but still represents a comparable tier.

For builders looking at alternative configurations, swapping the i7-14700F for a Ryzen 9 7900X would maintain the same general performance envelope, as would swapping the RX 9060 for an RTX 3060 Ti. The data suggests that the system's performance in Control is defined by this performance tier rather than by any specific brand advantage. The 1080p results would remain smooth, the 1440p High preset would remain playable, and 4K would still be limited to Low settings.

The Verdict

The benchmark results give a clear verdict on this PC's ability to run Control. At 1920x1080, the system clears the 60 FPS playable threshold on every preset, from Low at 130 FPS to Ultra at 71 FPS. This resolution offers the most flexibility, allowing users to prioritize either maximum frame rates or maximum visual quality without compromise.

At 2560x1440, the system remains capable but with more constraints. The High preset is the best visual option that still averages 62 FPS, just above the 60 FPS line. Medium and Low presets also clear the threshold, with averages of 70 and 98 FPS respectively. The Ultra preset falls short at 54 FPS, making it unsuitable for smooth play.

At 3840x2160, the verdict is less favorable. Only the Low preset achieves a playable average of 66 FPS. Every other preset—Medium, High, and Ultra—falls below 60 FPS, with averages ranging from 36 to 47 FPS. The system can run the game at 4K, but only with the lowest quality settings, which may not be acceptable for users with high-resolution displays.

The data confirms that this combination is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming. For 4K, users would need to make substantial visual sacrifices or consider a more powerful GPU. The CPU is not the limiting factor; the GPU's memory configuration and bandwidth appear to be the primary constraints at higher resolutions.

Best Settings per Resolution

The optimal settings for this system are determined by the highest quality preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS at each resolution.

At 3840x2160, the most demanding playable preset is Low, which achieves an average of 66 FPS. While this is above the threshold, the visual quality will be noticeably reduced. The Medium preset, at 47 FPS, is not viable for smooth gameplay, so users at 4K are limited to Low settings.

At 2560x1440, the best playable preset is High, with an average of 62 FPS. This provides a good balance of visual fidelity and performance. The Ultra preset falls below the threshold at 54 FPS, so High represents the maximum quality available. Users who prefer higher frame rates can opt for Medium at 70 FPS or Low at 98 FPS.

At 1920x1080, the most demanding playable preset is Ultra, which averages 71 FPS. This allows users to enable all visual effects at maximum quality while still maintaining smooth gameplay. For those seeking higher refresh rates, the Low preset offers 130 FPS, Medium offers 92 FPS, and High offers 82 FPS, all of which provide ample performance.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-14700F and AMD Radeon RX 9060 combination ranks 2152nd out of 3720 tested combos for Control. This places it in the 58th percentile of all tested systems, meaning it outperforms roughly 58% of the configurations in the database. The percentile ranking for the CPU alone is higher, at 91st percentile versus all CPUs, while the GPU sits at the 59th percentile versus all GPUs.

The discrepancy between the CPU's high percentile and the GPU's mid-range percentile explains the overall ranking. The i7-14700F is a top-tier processor by benchmark scores, but the RX 9060 is a mid-range graphics card. In a GPU-bound game like Control, the graphics card ultimately determines the frame rates, which pulls the overall combo ranking down from what the CPU alone might suggest.

This ranking indicates that while the system is capable of running Control well at 1080p and 1440p, there are many other tested combinations that offer higher performance, particularly at higher resolutions. The combo's strength lies in its 1080p and 1440p performance, where it comfortably exceeds the playable threshold. For users with 4K displays, the ranking reflects the GPU's limitations, and they would need to look at higher-tier graphics cards to achieve better results in this title.