Control

The Intel Core i7-14700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is an exceptionally powerful combination for running Control, delivering playable frame rates at every preset across all tested resolutions. The benchmark data confirms that this system not only clears the 60 FPS playable threshold but does so with significant headroom, making it capable of maxing out the game's Ultra settings at 4K, 1440p, and 1080p without compromise.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160 (4K), the system demonstrates its raw strength. With Ultra settings, the average frame rate sits at 75.7 FPS, which is comfortably above the 60 FPS playable threshold. Dropping to High settings yields a substantial improvement, reaching an average of 87.3 FPS. The Medium preset produces an average of 99.5 FPS, and the Low preset pushes performance to 138.9 FPS. The scaling from Ultra to Low at 4K represents a significant 63.2 FPS increase, indicating that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at this resolution, though even the most demanding setting remains highly playable.

Moving to 2560x1440 (1440p), the performance headroom expands considerably. The Ultra preset averages 112.7 FPS, while High settings reach 133.1 FPS. Medium delivers 149.8 FPS, and the Low preset hits an impressive 204.8 FPS. The gap between Ultra and Low here is 92.1 FPS, showing that the system has ample processing power to spare at this resolution. The 1440p results are particularly notable because the Ultra preset maintains a frame rate that is nearly double the 60 FPS threshold, making this resolution ideal for high-refresh-rate displays.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the system's performance becomes almost excessive for the game's demands. Ultra settings average 151.5 FPS, High settings reach 174.1 FPS, Medium produces 194.2 FPS, and Low settings achieve a staggering 275.6 FPS. The delta between the lowest and highest settings at 1080p is 124.1 FPS, which underscores how CPU-bound the system becomes at this resolution. The data shows that even at the most demanding preset, the frame rate is more than 2.5 times the playable threshold, ensuring a silky-smooth experience on any monitor.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, which achieves an average of 75.7 FPS. This is a remarkable result, as it means the system can run the game at maximum visual fidelity at 4K while still maintaining a comfortable margin above the playable threshold. Players who prioritize visual quality over raw frame rates can confidently select Ultra at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the best settings are also Ultra, with an average frame rate of 112.7 FPS. This is more than sufficient for smooth gameplay and leaves ample room for future driver optimizations or additional background tasks. The 1440p Ultra experience is ideal for users with high-refresh-rate monitors, as the frame rate is high enough to take advantage of 120Hz or even 144Hz displays.

For 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is again the best choice, delivering an average of 151.5 FPS. At this resolution, the system is so powerful that there is no practical reason to lower any settings. The frame rate at Ultra is high enough to support the fastest gaming monitors currently available, and the visual quality remains uncompromised. In all three resolutions, the system's verdict is clear: Ultra settings are always the recommended choice.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results reveal a clear shift in bottleneck behavior as resolution changes. At 3840x2160, the GPU is the dominant factor. The frame rate drops from 138.9 FPS at Low settings to 75.7 FPS at Ultra, a reduction of 45.5%. This significant scaling with settings indicates that the RTX 4090 is being pushed to its limits at 4K, while the i7-14700K has enough headroom to feed it consistently.

At 2560x1440, the balance begins to shift. The frame rate at Low settings jumps to 204.8 FPS, while Ultra maintains 112.7 FPS. The percentage drop from Low to Ultra is slightly less pronounced than at 4K, suggesting that the CPU is starting to play a more substantial role. The system is no longer purely GPU-limited; the CPU's 20 cores and 28 threads are becoming more relevant as the GPU has more capacity to spare.

At 1920x1080, the CPU becomes the primary limiting factor. The Low preset reaches 275.6 FPS, which is a massive number, but the scaling from Low to Ultra (a 124.1 FPS drop) is driven more by the CPU's ability to feed the GPU than by the GPU's raw compute power. The i7-14700K, with its boost clock of 5.60 GHz, is clearly capable of high frame rates, but at 1080p the game's engine becomes increasingly CPU-bound. The data shows that the RTX 4090 has significant untapped potential at this resolution, as the frame rate at Low settings is nearly double what it is at Ultra, indicating that the CPU is the bottleneck in this scenario.

The Verdict

The data is unequivocal: this PC can absolutely run Control at maximum settings across all tested resolutions. According to the verdict by resolution, every single setting preset at every resolution is playable. At 3840x2160, the playable settings include High, Low, Medium, and Ultra, with the best settings being Ultra at an average of 75.7 FPS. The system clears the 60 FPS threshold at 4K Ultra with a 15.7 FPS margin, which is excellent for a game of this visual complexity.

At 2560x1440, all presets are also playable, with Ultra leading at 112.7 FPS. This is more than enough for a high-refresh-rate experience, and the margin above the playable threshold is substantial. At 1920x1080, the system is overwhelmingly powerful, with Ultra hitting 151.5 FPS and all presets far exceeding 60 FPS. The verdict is simple: users can max out Control at any resolution without worrying about performance dips. The only consideration is that at 4K Ultra, the frame rate is closer to the threshold, but it still never drops below it in the measured data.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for the CPU, the Intel Core i7-14700K has an average benchmark score of 69355, placing it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs. The AMD EPYC 9115 is nearly identical in performance, with an average score of 69288, a delta of just 0.1%. This means users with an EPYC 9115 can expect essentially the same CPU-bound behavior in Control. The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X scores 69515, which is 0.2% higher, offering a negligible performance advantage. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX is 0.7% faster at 69875, and the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F is 0.9% faster at 69996. In all cases, the differences are within 1%, so any of these CPUs would deliver virtually identical frame rates in this game.

For the GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has an average benchmark score of 60347, placing it in the 88th percentile of all GPUs. The nearest rival is the Intel Arc Pro A60, which scores 60326, a delta of 0%. This is a remarkable result, as it suggests the Arc Pro A60 would produce nearly identical frame rates in Control. The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 is 0.3% slower at 60140, while the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M is 2.5% faster at 61896. The AMD Radeon PRO V710 is 2.9% slower at 58657. Given these small deltas, any of these GPUs would offer a similar experience, though the RTX 4090's 24 GB of GDDR6X memory and 1.01 TB/s bandwidth provide a distinct advantage in other workloads.

FAQ

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

A: Yes. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the system achieves an average of 75.7 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the highest frame rate this system can achieve in Control?

A: The highest measured average frame rate is 275.6 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: Which component is more important at 1080p for this game?

A: At 1920x1080, the CPU becomes the primary limiting factor. The frame rate drops from 275.6 FPS at Low to 151.5 FPS at Ultra, indicating the CPU's role in feeding the GPU at lower resolutions.

Q: Is the RTX 4090's performance close to any other GPU in this game?

A: Yes, the Intel Arc Pro A60 has an average benchmark score that is 0% different from the RTX 4090, meaning it would likely produce nearly identical frame rates in Control.

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

A: The Ultra preset at 2560x1440 delivers an average of 112.7 FPS, making it the best choice for visual quality while maintaining high frame rates.

Q: How much headroom is there above the 60 FPS threshold at 4K Ultra?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the system averages 75.7 FPS, providing a headroom of 15.7 FPS above the playable threshold.