Control

Control, Remedy’s 2019 action-adventure title, places substantial demands on both the CPU and GPU, particularly when ray tracing and high-resolution rendering are enabled. This analysis evaluates the specific combination of the Intel Core i7-14700F and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060, using measured frame rate data to determine optimal settings and overall playability. The data indicates a system with significant headroom at mainstream resolutions, but one that requires specific compromises at 4K to maintain a smooth experience.

Best Settings per Resolution

The most demanding preset that maintains an average frame rate at or above 60 FPS varies significantly across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system demonstrates substantial performance headroom, allowing for the maximum visual quality preset. The data shows that the Ultra preset achieves an average of 83.9 FPS, which is the highest quality setting that clears the 60 FPS threshold. This provides a comfortable margin for demanding scenes.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance cost of higher resolution becomes apparent. The Ultra preset still manages to stay above the playable threshold, but with a reduced average of 61.4 FPS. This is the most demanding setting that remains playable, though the margin above 60 FPS is slim. The High preset at this resolution offers a more comfortable 69.9 FPS average, but the Ultra preset technically qualifies as the "best" playable setting.

At 3840x2160, the performance landscape changes dramatically. The demands of 4K rendering are too great for the higher quality presets. The data shows that the Low preset is the only setting that achieves an average frame rate above 60 FPS, hitting 74.6 FPS. All other presets—Medium at 51.8 FPS, High at 47.4 FPS, and Ultra at 42.8 FPS—fall below the playable threshold. This necessitates a significant reduction in visual fidelity to achieve smooth gameplay at this resolution.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results reveal how the balance between CPU and GPU workload shifts across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the GPU is capable of rendering frames very quickly, with the Low preset reaching 148 FPS. This suggests that the Intel Core i7-14700F, with its 20 cores and 28 threads, is more than sufficient to feed the RTX 5060 at this resolution. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p shows a drop from 148 FPS to 83.9 FPS, a reduction of approximately 43%, which is primarily attributed to the increased graphical workload on the GPU.

The GPU's role becomes more dominant as resolution increases. At 2560x1440, the performance gap between presets narrows in percentage terms compared to 1080p, with the Low preset at 110.1 FPS and Ultra at 61.4 FPS. This indicates that the GPU is becoming the primary bottleneck, as the higher pixel count demands more from the rendering pipeline. The 78.3 FPS average for Medium and 69.9 FPS for High at this resolution further illustrate the GPU-bound nature of the workload.

At 3840x2160, the system is overwhelmingly GPU-limited. The difference between Low (74.6 FPS) and Ultra (42.8 FPS) represents a 43% performance penalty, but even the Low preset cannot reach the high frame rates seen at lower resolutions. The data suggests that the CPU's role is minimal at 4K, as the RTX 5060's rendering capabilities are the sole limiting factor. The consistent frame rate drops across all presets at 4K point to a pure pixel-throughput bottleneck.

Measured FPS Breakdown

1920x1080:

• Low: 148 FPS average
• Medium: 105.2 FPS average
• High: 93.6 FPS average
• Ultra: 83.9 FPS average

The 1080p results show a clear tiered performance structure. The jump from Low to Medium represents a 29% performance decrease, while the step from Medium to High is a 11% decrease, and from High to Ultra a further 10% decrease. This diminishing returns curve is typical for GPU-bound scenarios, where each higher preset adds incremental visual features that cost progressively more in terms of frame rate.

2560x1440:

• Low: 110.1 FPS average
• Medium: 78.3 FPS average
• High: 69.9 FPS average
• Ultra: 61.4 FPS average

At 1440p, the same tiered structure is present, but the absolute numbers are lower. The performance cost of moving from Low to Medium is a 29% drop, nearly identical to the 1080p scaling. However, the gap between High and Ultra narrows to 12%, suggesting that the Ultra preset's additional features have a slightly lower relative cost at this resolution.

3840x2160:

• Low: 74.6 FPS average
• Medium: 51.8 FPS average
• High: 47.4 FPS average
• Ultra: 42.8 FPS average

The 4K data shows a compressed range of performance. The difference between Low and Ultra is 31.8 FPS, compared to 64.1 FPS at 1080p and 48.7 FPS at 1440p. This compression indicates that at 4K, the GPU is so heavily loaded that even the lowest preset cannot escape the resolution's inherent demands. The Medium preset's 51.8 FPS average is notably close to the High preset's 47.4 FPS, suggesting that some settings have a muted impact at this resolution.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The Intel Core i7-14700F's nearest rivals, based on average benchmark scores, provide context for its CPU performance. The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X is 0.6% slower, while the AMD EPYC 7313P is 0.8% slower. The Intel Xeon 6505P is 0.2% faster, and the Intel Xeon Phi 7290 is 0.3% faster. These deltas are all within a single percentage point, meaning that in a game like Control, the choice between these processors would result in virtually identical frame rates, with the GPU being the definitive performance limiter.

On the GPU side, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060's nearest rivals show similar performance clustering. The AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT is 1.2% faster, while the AMD Radeon 860M and NVIDIA GeForce MX550 are both 0.3% slower. The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary is 0.8% slower. These differences are negligible in real-world gaming, meaning that users with any of these GPUs paired with a comparable CPU would see similar frame rates in Control. The RTX 5060's 8 GB of GDDR7 memory and 128-bit bus, however, may influence performance differently in other titles.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core i7-14700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 ranks 1827 out of 3720 tested combos for Control. This places it in the 49th percentile of all tested systems, meaning it outperforms roughly half of the configurations in the database. Given that the RTX 5060 sits in the 72nd percentile among all GPUs and the i7-14700F in the 91st percentile among all CPUs, this ranking suggests that the pairing is well-balanced, but that the GPU's mid-range positioning holds the combo back from higher overall ranks.

The ranking implies that many systems with more powerful GPUs but weaker CPUs still outperform this combo in Control, highlighting the game's sensitivity to raw GPU throughput at higher resolutions. Conversely, the strong CPU ensures that there is no bottleneck at lower resolutions, allowing the GPU to reach its full potential.

The Verdict

This PC can run Control effectively, but the experience varies significantly by resolution. At 1920x1080, the system excels, with all presets clearing the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset at 83.9 FPS is the recommended choice, providing the best visual quality with ample performance headroom.

At 2560x1440, the system remains fully playable, with all four presets reaching above 60 FPS. The Ultra preset at 61.4 FPS is technically playable, but users who prioritize smoother frame rates may prefer the High preset at 69.9 FPS for a more consistent experience. The data shows that the Ultra preset's 61.4 FPS average leaves little margin for demanding scenes.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain playability at higher settings. Only the Low preset, at 74.6 FPS, clears the 60 FPS threshold. The Medium, High, and Ultra presets all fall below playable levels, with averages of 51.8, 47.4, and 42.8 FPS respectively. For 4K gaming, users must accept significantly reduced visual quality to achieve a smooth experience.

FAQ

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

A: No. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average frame rate is 42.8 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. Only the Low preset achieves a playable average frame rate of 74.6 FPS at this resolution.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1440p gaming?

A: The Ultra preset at 2560x1440 achieves an average of 61.4 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold. This is the highest quality setting that remains playable at this resolution, though the High preset at 69.9 FPS offers more performance headroom.

Q: How much performance is gained by lowering settings from Ultra to Low at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves 148 FPS average, while the Ultra preset achieves 83.9 FPS. This represents a performance increase of approximately 76% when using the Low preset.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 4K resolution?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the definitive bottleneck at 3840x2160. The frame rates across all presets are closely grouped (42.8 to 74.6 FPS), and the system is unable to maintain high frame rates even at Low settings, pointing to pure pixel-throughput limitations of the RTX 5060.

Q: How does this combination rank compared to other tested systems?

A: This combo ranks 1827 out of 3720 tested combinations for Control, placing it in the 49th percentile. This is consistent with a mid-range GPU paired with a high-end CPU.

Q: What GPU performs similarly to the RTX 5060?

A: According to average benchmark scores, the AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT is 1.2% faster, while the AMD Radeon 860M and NVIDIA GeForce MX550 are 0.3% slower, and the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary is 0.8% slower. These differences are within a negligible margin for gaming performance.