Control

The Intel Core i7-14700F and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 combination delivers a highly variable experience in Control, depending heavily on the resolution and quality preset selected. At 4K, the system struggles to maintain playable frame rates, while at 1080p it offers a solid, smooth experience at high settings. The data reveals a clear pattern: this aging GPU, paired with a modern high-end CPU, is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The recorded data for Control shows a distinct performance hierarchy across the three tested resolutions. At 3840x2160 (4K), the average frame rates are consistently below the 60 FPS playable threshold. With Low settings, the system achieves an average of 49 FPS. Moving up to Medium settings drops the average to 35 FPS, with a recorded minimum of 30 FPS and a maximum of 40 FPS. High settings yield an average of 31 FPS, while the Ultra preset brings performance down to an average of 27 FPS. None of these 4K presets approach a playable level.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), performance improves noticeably. The Low preset delivers an average of 73 FPS, which is the only 1440p setting that clears the 60 FPS threshold. Medium settings produce an average of 52 FPS, with a minimum of 44 FPS and a maximum of 60 FPS. High settings average 46 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to an average of 40 FPS. The jump from 4K to 1440p provides a substantial boost, particularly at Low settings, where the average frame rate increases by 24 FPS.

The most comfortable experience is found at 1920x1080 (1080p). The Low preset achieves an impressive average of 97 FPS. Medium settings average 69 FPS, with a recorded range of 58 to 79 FPS. High settings average 61 FPS, which is just above the playable threshold. The Ultra preset averages 53 FPS, making it the only 1080p setting that fails to reach 60 FPS. The scaling from 1440p to 1080p is significant, with the High preset gaining 15 FPS on average.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance data makes it clear that the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 is the limiting factor in this configuration for Control. The Intel Core i7-14700F is a high-end processor with a 91st percentile ranking among all CPUs, while the GTX 1070 sits at the 47th percentile among all GPUs. This massive disparity in relative performance means the GPU is saturated long before the CPU can become a bottleneck.

The evidence is visible in the frame rate scaling between resolutions. When moving from 1080p to 1440p, the average FPS drops by roughly 20 to 25 percent across most presets. The drop from 1440p to 4K is even more severe, often cutting frame rates by a third or more. This steep decline with increasing pixel count is a classic sign of GPU-bound performance. The CPU's capability is demonstrated by the fact that even at 1080p Low, the system reaches 97 FPS, showing the processor can feed the GPU adequately at lower resolutions.

The CPU's strength matters more for maintaining consistent frame pacing and avoiding stutters in CPU-intensive scenes. With 20 cores and 28 threads, the i7-14700F has substantial processing headroom. However, in this specific game and GPU pairing, the recorded data shows no scenario where the CPU limits performance. At 4K Ultra, the 27 FPS average is purely a function of the GPU struggling with the rendering load, not the CPU failing to keep up.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Control at 4K?

A: No. The recorded data shows no playable settings at 3840x2160. Even the Low preset only reaches an average of 49 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages just 27 FPS.

Q: What is the best 1080p setting for this PC?

A: The High preset is the most demanding setting that stays at or above 60 FPS, with an average of 61 FPS. The Ultra preset falls short with a 53 FPS average.

Q: Is 1440p gaming possible with this hardware?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings. The Low preset at 2560x1440 achieves an average of 73 FPS. Medium settings drop to 52 FPS, which is below the playable threshold.

Q: How much performance does the Ultra preset cost compared to High?

A: At 1080p, the Ultra preset averages 53 FPS versus 61 FPS for High, a reduction of 8 FPS. At 1440p, Ultra averages 40 FPS versus 46 FPS for High, also a 6 FPS reduction.

Q: Does the CPU hold back the GPU in this game?

A: The data indicates no. The GPU's performance percentile is far below the CPU's, and the frame rates scale dramatically with resolution, which points to the GPU as the primary bottleneck.

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

A: The highest average is 97 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with the Low preset.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the Intel Core i7-14700F has an average benchmark score of 53620. Its nearest rivals in the database are extremely close in performance. The Intel Xeon 6505P scores 53701, which is only 0.2 percent higher. The Intel Xeon Phi 7290 scores 53469, 0.3 percent lower. The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X scores 53288, 0.6 percent lower, and the AMD EPYC 7313P scores 53206, 0.8 percent lower. Any of these processors would deliver nearly identical CPU-side performance in Control, meaning the game's frame rates would remain unchanged in GPU-bound scenarios.

On the GPU side, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 has an average benchmark score of 9780. Its nearest rivals are also tightly clustered. The AMD FirePro W5000 scores 9803, just 0.2 percent higher. The NVIDIA Quadro M2000M scores 9832, 0.5 percent higher. The NVIDIA Tesla M10 scores 9724, 0.6 percent lower, and the NVIDIA Tesla C2070 scores 9716, 0.7 percent lower. Users with any of these GPUs would see essentially the same frame rates in Control at the tested settings. The performance differences among these rivals are so small that they would not produce a noticeable change in gameplay smoothness.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS is High, with an average of 61 FPS. This provides a good balance of visual quality and performance, though it leaves only 1 FPS of headroom above the playable threshold. For a more comfortable margin, Medium settings deliver 69 FPS with a minimum of 58 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the only playable option is the Low preset, which averages 73 FPS. This is the sole 1440p setting that clears the 60 FPS bar. Medium settings at 52 FPS, High at 46 FPS, and Ultra at 40 FPS all fall short of playable performance.

At 3840x2160, there are no playable settings. The best option, Low, only reaches an average of 49 FPS. Every 4K preset fails to meet the 60 FPS threshold, so no recommendation can be made for a smooth experience at this resolution.

The Verdict

This PC can run Control, but the experience depends entirely on the resolution target. At 1920x1080, the system is capable of a solid performance. The verdict data lists High, Low, and Medium as playable settings, with High being the best at 61 FPS average. This is a comfortable 1080p experience for most players.

At 2560x1440, the system barely qualifies as playable. The verdict data lists only Low as a playable setting, with an average of 73 FPS. This is a viable option for users who prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity. However, the lack of headroom means any more demanding preset will drop below 60 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the system is not playable. The verdict data lists no playable settings for this resolution. Even the lowest preset fails to hit 60 FPS, making 4K a non-option for this hardware combination. Overall, the GTX 1070 is simply too weak for Control's demands at high resolutions, but the CPU ensures that 1080p gaming remains a strong experience.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i7-14700F and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 ranks 3083 out of 3720 tested combinations in Control. This places it in the lower 17 percent of all recorded system configurations. The ranking reflects the significant bottleneck created by the GPU. While the CPU is in the top 9 percent of all processors, the GPU's 47th percentile ranking drags the overall system performance down.

The high rank number (3083) relative to the total (3720) indicates that most other tested combos deliver better frame rates in Control. This is unsurprising given the age and performance tier of the GTX 1070. The system's performance is defined by its weakest link, and in this game, that link is clearly the graphics card. For users considering upgrades, the data strongly suggests that replacing the GPU would yield far greater performance gains than replacing the CPU.