Control

The Intel Core i7-14700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 delivers a decisive performance profile for Control, with the benchmark data showing that 60 FPS is achievable at every resolution tested, though the margin of safety varies significantly with settings. The combo ranks in the top third of all tested systems, and the scaling patterns reveal a CPU-bound scenario at lower resolutions that transitions to GPU dominance at 4K.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the Intel Core i7-14700K sits at the center of a tight cluster of high-end processors. Its average benchmark score of 69,355 is nearly indistinguishable from its nearest rivals, with the AMD EPYC 9115 trailing by just 0.1% at 69,288. The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X edges ahead by 0.2% with a score of 69,515, while the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX and AMD Ryzen 7 9700F lead by 0.7% and 0.9% respectively, scoring 69,875 and 69,996. In practical terms, these deltaPct values are so small that users would be unlikely to perceive any difference in Control; all four alternatives would deliver effectively identical frame rates in CPU-limited scenarios. The i7-14700K’s 94th percentile ranking among all CPUs reinforces that this is firmly flagship-tier processing power, with the nearest rivals representing alternatives from AMD’s EPYC and Ryzen lines that fall within a single percentage point of performance.

On the GPU side, the situation is more peculiar. The RTX 3080’s average benchmark score of 23,172 places it at the 68th percentile of all GPUs, but its nearest rivals are a disparate group. The NVIDIA P106-100 scores 23,249 (0.3% higher), the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 16 scores 23,250 (0.3% higher), the AMD Radeon RX 6600M scores 23,273 (0.4% higher), and the AMD Radeon R9 M290X scores 23,276 (0.4% higher). These deltaPct values are all within half a percentage point, meaning that in synthetic benchmarks, these four alternatives would behave nearly identically to the RTX 3080. However, the data does not include gaming-specific scores for these rivals, so while their aggregate compute performance is similar, actual Control frame rates could diverge due to driver optimizations and architecture-specific features like the RTX 3080’s dedicated ray tracing cores. For users seeking a like-for-like experience, the P106-100 is technically a workstation card, while the RX 6600M is a mobile GPU, making the Radeon Pro Vega 16 the closest desktop equivalent in terms of raw score.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data reveals a clear division of labor between the CPU and GPU across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system is heavily CPU-bound. The frame rate spread across settings is enormous: Low settings produce 185.4 FPS, Medium drops to 133.1 FPS, High yields 119.3 FPS, and Ultra still manages 102.7 FPS. The fact that even Ultra settings clear 100 FPS suggests the i7-14700K is feeding the RTX 3080 more than enough data, and the GPU is the limiting factor even at this resolution. The scaling from Low to Ultra represents a 44.6% reduction in frame rate, which is entirely attributable to GPU workload increases, but the absolute numbers indicate the CPU has ample headroom.

At 2560x1440, the balance shifts slightly toward the GPU. Low settings produce 141.6 FPS, Medium drops to 100.4 FPS, High yields 90.7 FPS, and Ultra delivers 77.4 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra here is 45.3%, which is proportionally similar to 1080p, but the overall lower frame rates indicate the GPU is now working harder. The CPU still has enough bandwidth to keep the RTX 3080 saturated, as evidenced by the fact that even Ultra settings remain above 75 FPS.

The role reversal becomes stark at 3840x2160. Here, the GPU is the overwhelming bottleneck. Low settings produce 93.5 FPS, Medium drops to 66.6 FPS, High falls to 59.6 FPS, and Ultra sinks to 52 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra represents a 44.4% reduction, but the absolute numbers tell the story: the RTX 3080 simply cannot maintain 60 FPS at High or Ultra settings at this resolution. The CPU’s role is now secondary; even the most powerful processor would not meaningfully improve these results because the GPU is maxed out. The data indicates that at 4K, users must trade visual fidelity for frame rate, with Medium being the highest playable preset.

FAQ

*Q: Can this PC run Control at 60 FPS on a 4K monitor?*

A: Yes, but only at Medium settings or lower. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 is 66.6 on Medium and 93.5 on Low, while High settings drop to 59.6 FPS and Ultra falls to 52 FPS. The verdict data lists Low and Medium as the playable settings at this resolution, with Medium being the best option at 66.6 FPS.

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

A: Ultra settings are fully playable at this resolution. The measured average FPS for Ultra is 77.4, which clears the 60 FPS threshold by a comfortable margin. All four presets—Low (141.6 FPS), Medium (100.4 FPS), High (90.7 FPS), and Ultra (77.4 FPS)—are above 60 FPS.

Q: How does the system perform at 1920x1080 with maximum settings?

A: The combo delivers 102.7 FPS on Ultra at 1080p, making it more than capable of high-refresh-rate gaming. Even the most demanding preset leaves significant headroom above the 60 FPS threshold, and Low settings reach 185.4 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor for this game?

A: The limiting factor depends heavily on resolution. At 1080p and 1440p, the CPU has enough headroom to keep the GPU busy, and frame rates scale primarily with GPU workload. At 4K, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck, as evidenced by the 52 FPS result on Ultra versus 93.5 FPS on Low, which is a GPU-bound performance curve.

*Q: How does this combo rank compared to all tested systems for Control?*

A: The combination ranks 1052nd out of 3720 tested combos, placing it in the 72nd percentile of all systems. This is a strong result, indicating that the i7-14700K and RTX 3080 together outperform roughly three-quarters of the hardware configurations tested for this game.

Q: What is the performance difference between High and Ultra settings at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, High settings average 59.6 FPS, while Ultra averages 52 FPS—a difference of 7.6 FPS, or a 12.7% reduction in frame rate. Both presets fall below the 60 FPS threshold, so the visual upgrade from High to Ultra comes at a cost that pushes the experience into sub-60 territory.

The Verdict

This PC can absolutely run Control, and it does so with authority at most resolution and preset combinations. The verdict by resolution is unambiguous: at 1920x1080, every preset from Low to Ultra clears 60 FPS, with the lowest result being 102.7 FPS on Ultra. At 2560x1440, the same holds true—Ultra settings produce 77.4 FPS, and all other presets are even higher. The only caveat appears at 3840x2160, where High settings dip to 59.6 FPS and Ultra falls to 52 FPS, both below the 60 FPS threshold. However, Medium settings at 4K deliver 66.6 FPS, which is playable, and Low settings reach 93.5 FPS for users who prioritize frame rate above all else.

The data shows that this system is best suited for 1440p gaming, where it can max out the game’s visual quality while maintaining a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. At 1080p, the RTX 3080 is somewhat underutilized, as even Ultra settings leave 42.7 FPS of headroom above the playable threshold. For 4K users, the recommendation is to stick with Medium settings for a balanced experience, as the jump to High incurs a 7 FPS loss that pushes the average below 60.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-14700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 combination ranks 1052nd out of 3,720 tested combos for Control. This places the system in the 72nd percentile of all configurations, meaning it outperforms approximately 72% of the tested hardware combinations. The rank reflects a strong pairing: the CPU’s 94th percentile standing among all processors compensates for the GPU’s more modest 68th percentile ranking. The result is a system that is clearly above average for this title, though not at the very top tier—those spots are likely reserved for combinations featuring newer flagship GPUs. The data indicates that the RTX 3080 is the limiting factor in this pairing, as the i7-14700K has demonstrated it can drive even more powerful graphics cards without becoming a bottleneck.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, with a measured average of 102.7 FPS. This gives users maximum visual fidelity with a substantial frame rate cushion, making it the obvious choice for this resolution.

At 2560x1440, Ultra settings are again the best option, delivering 77.4 FPS. This is the sweet spot for the system, as it provides the full visual experience while maintaining frame rates well above the 60 FPS threshold.

At 3840x2160, the best playable setting is Medium, which averages 66.6 FPS. High settings fall just short at 59.6 FPS, so Medium is the highest preset that reliably clears 60 FPS. Users who insist on High or Ultra at 4K will need to accept frame rates in the 52-60 FPS range, which may be acceptable for slower-paced sections but will be noticeable during combat sequences.