Control

The Intel Core i7-14700K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6600 is a combination that puts a very strong CPU in front of a mid-range GPU. In Control, this pairing yields a performance profile that is heavily dictated by the graphics card, particularly at higher resolutions where the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck. The data shows that this system is capable of delivering smooth gameplay at 1080p and 1440p, but falls short of the 60 FPS threshold at 4K. The CPU's high benchmark scores do not translate into high frame rates at 4K, making the RX 6600 the limiting factor in this specific game.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Based on aggregate benchmark scores, the Intel Core i7-14700K performs nearly identically to several other high-end processors. Its average benchmark score is 69355, placing it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs. The closest rival is the AMD EPYC 9115, with an average score of 69288, a delta of just 0.1%. This means that in CPU-bound scenarios, swapping between these two processors would yield virtually indistinguishable results in Control. The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X is also a direct competitor, scoring 69515, which is a -0.2% delta from the i7-14700K. Similarly, the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX (score 69875, delta -0.7%) and the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F (score 69996, delta -0.9%) are all within a single percentage point of the i7-14700K's performance. When playing Control at lower resolutions and settings where the CPU matters more, any of these processors would deliver a nearly identical experience.

On the graphics side, the AMD Radeon RX 6600 has an average benchmark score of 19036, placing it in the 63rd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA Quadro K6000, which has an average score of 19030 and a delta of 0%. This suggests that the RX 6600 and the K6000 would offer comparable raw compute performance, though the gaming-specific features would differ. Other close competitors include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile (score 19049, delta -0.1%) and the NVIDIA Tesla K20m (score 19089, delta -0.3%). The NVIDIA RTX 2000 Ada Generation scores 18954, a 0.4% delta, meaning it is slightly slower on average. For gamers, the RTX 4050 Mobile is the most relevant comparison, as it suggests that a laptop with that GPU would perform at a similar level to the RX 6600 in Control.

FAQ

Q: What is the best settings preset at 1920x1080 that keeps the game at or above 60 FPS?

A: The High preset at 1920x1080 achieves an average FPS of 67.1, which is the most demanding preset that clears the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset drops to 57 FPS, which falls below the playable threshold.

Q: Can this system run Control at 2560x1440 with smooth performance?

A: Yes, the data indicates that the Medium preset at 2560x1440 achieves an average FPS of 60.4, which is just above the 60 FPS playable threshold. The Low preset runs at 81.1 FPS, but the High preset at 53.4 FPS and Ultra at 44.2 FPS are not playable.

Q: Is 4K resolution playable with this hardware combination?

A: No. According to the verdictByResolution data, there are no playable settings at 3840x2160. The highest average FPS at this resolution is 57.3 on the Low preset, which falls short of the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700K has an average benchmark score of 69355, which is effectively tied with the AMD EPYC 9115 (69288, 0.1% delta) and the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (69515, -0.2% delta). All rivals are within a -0.9% to 0.1% range, meaning there is no meaningful performance difference.

Q: What is the GPU's performance percentile compared to other graphics cards?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6600 is in the 63rd percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19036. Its closest rival, the NVIDIA Quadro K6000, scores 19030, resulting in a 0% delta.

Q: What is the most demanding settings preset that runs above 60 FPS at 1920x1080?

A: The High preset is the most demanding that stays above 60 FPS, with an average of 67.1 FPS. The Medium preset runs at 76 FPS, and the Low preset at 107.7 FPS, but High offers better visual quality while still meeting the performance target.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that maintains an average FPS at or above 60 is High, which delivers an average of 67.1 FPS. This provides a solid balance between visual fidelity and performance.

At 2560x1440, the best playable preset is Medium, with an average FPS of 60.4. This is the only settings level that clears the 60 FPS threshold at this resolution, as High and Ultra both fall short.

At 3840x2160, there is no playable settings preset. The data shows that even the Low preset only reaches an average of 57.3 FPS, which is below the required 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

The Verdict

This PC can run Control, but the playable experience depends heavily on the chosen resolution. At 1920x1080, the system is fully capable, with the High preset averaging 67.1 FPS and the Low preset hitting 107.7 FPS, making it a smooth experience across most settings. At 2560x1440, the system is still playable, but with less headroom; the Medium preset averages 60.4 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold, while High and Ultra are too demanding. At 3840x2160, the system fails to meet the 60 FPS target at any settings level, with the best result being 57.3 FPS on Low. The verdictByResolution data confirms that 1080p and 1440p offer playable settings, but 4K does not.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers the following average frame rates across the four settings presets:

• Low: 107.7 FPS
• Medium: 76 FPS
• High: 67.1 FPS
• Ultra: 57 FPS

This shows a clear progression where each step up in visual quality costs roughly 10-30 FPS, with the jump from Low to Medium being the most significant. At 2560x1440, the performance scales down considerably:

• Low: 81.1 FPS
• Medium: 60.4 FPS
• High: 53.4 FPS
• Ultra: 44.2 FPS

The 1440p results indicate that the GPU is becoming the primary bottleneck, as the frame rate drops are more pronounced compared to 1080p. At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain playable frame rates:

• Low: 57.3 FPS
• Medium: 39.4 FPS
• High: 36.2 FPS
• Ultra: 31.7 FPS

The 4K data reveals a steep performance cliff, where even the Low preset cannot reach 60 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is over 25 FPS, highlighting the GPU's limitations at this resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested hardware combinations for Control, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i7-14700K and AMD Radeon RX 6600 ranks 2882 out of 3720 tested combos. This places it in the lower portion of the ranking, which is expected given that the GPU is a mid-range part. The rank reflects that while the CPU is in the 94th percentile of all processors, the GPU is only in the 63rd percentile, and in Control, the GPU's performance is the dominant factor for frame rates. The 1080p results show that the system is capable of a good experience, but the ranking suggests that many other GPU and CPU combinations will outperform it, particularly at higher resolutions. The data confirms that the i7-14700K is not the limiting factor; instead, the RX 6600 holds the system back from achieving higher frame rates in this title.