Control

The Intel Core i7-14700KF paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT delivers a strong performance profile in Control, with measured frame rates that scale predictably across resolutions and presets. The data indicates that this combination is well-suited for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1440p and 1080p, while 4K requires a slight settings adjustment to maintain a smooth experience. The following analysis breaks down the measured performance, component roles, and how this specific hardware pairing compares to other tested configurations.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS is High, which produces an average frame rate of 65.8 FPS. The Ultra preset dips below the 60 FPS threshold with an average of 56.8 FPS, making it unsuitable for a consistently smooth experience at this resolution. The data shows that High is the optimal balance for 4K, as it clears the playable threshold while providing a significant visual upgrade over Medium (77.2 FPS) and Low (108.3 FPS).

For 2560x1440, the system can handle the maximum Ultra preset while keeping the average frame rate at 86.4 FPS. This is comfortably above the 60 FPS playable threshold, with a substantial margin that suggests headroom for demanding scenes. The progression from Low (158.3 FPS) to Medium (113.1 FPS) to High (98.2 FPS) shows a steady decrease, but even the most demanding setting stays well within playable territory.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is fully playable with an average of 114.4 FPS. This is the highest preset available, and the frame rate remains far above the 60 FPS threshold. The measured data shows a clear range from Low (205.3 FPS) to High (129.6 FPS), with Ultra being the only setting that drops below 120 FPS, though it still provides a very smooth experience for high-refresh-rate monitors.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions reveals that the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck as resolution increases, while the CPU has ample headroom even at 1080p. The Intel Core i7-14700KF, with its 20 cores and 28 threads, demonstrates strong single-thread performance with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6235 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2578. This is more than sufficient for Control's demands, as evidenced by the high frame rates at 1920x1080 where CPU overhead is typically most pronounced.

At 1920x1080, the difference between Low (205.3 FPS) and Ultra (114.4 FPS) settings shows a 79% performance gap, indicating that the GPU's workload scales heavily with visual fidelity. The CPU is not the limiting factor here, as even the most demanding preset produces frame rates well above what a mid-range processor could sustain.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates drop by approximately 25% on average compared to 1080p across all presets. For example, Ultra goes from 114.4 FPS to 86.4 FPS, a decrease of 28 FPS. This scaling is consistent with GPU-bound behavior, where the additional pixel count increases the rendering load on the RX 7900 XT without significantly taxing the CPU.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's role becomes even more dominant. The Ultra preset drops to 56.8 FPS, falling below the playable threshold, while High maintains 65.8 FPS. The gap between Low (108.3 FPS) and Ultra (56.8 FPS) at 4K is 91%, showing that the RX 7900 XT's compute resources are the deciding factor. The CPU's performance, including its Passmark multi-thread score of 52425, remains largely irrelevant at this resolution, as the frame rate is dictated by the GPU's fill rate and shader throughput.

Measured FPS Breakdown

3840x2160:

• Low: 108.3 FPS average
• Medium: 77.2 FPS average
• High: 65.8 FPS average
• Ultra: 56.8 FPS average

The 4K data shows a clear step-down pattern, with each settings tier reducing the average frame rate by roughly 10-15 FPS. The jump from Low to Medium is 31.1 FPS, while the drop from High to Ultra is 9 FPS, indicating diminishing returns at the highest settings.

2560x1440:

• Low: 158.3 FPS average
• Medium: 113.1 FPS average
• High: 98.2 FPS average
• Ultra: 86.4 FPS average

At 1440p, the performance spread is wider, with Low providing nearly double the frame rate of Ultra. The difference between Medium and High is 14.9 FPS, while High to Ultra is 11.8 FPS, showing a consistent decline that tracks with increased shading and texture complexity.

1920x1080:

• Low: 205.3 FPS average
• Medium: 147.7 FPS average
• High: 129.6 FPS average
• Ultra: 114.4 FPS average

1080p results show the highest absolute frame rates, with Low exceeding 200 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium is 57.6 FPS, the largest single-step difference in the entire dataset, while the difference between High and Ultra is a more modest 15.2 FPS. All settings at this resolution remain far above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

The Verdict

This combination can definitively run Control across all tested resolutions, but the optimal settings vary by target resolution. At 3840x2160, the system is playable on Low, Medium, and High presets, with High being the best choice at 65.8 FPS. The Ultra preset at 56.8 FPS falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold, so it should be avoided for a consistently smooth experience.

At 2560x1440, all four presets clear the 60 FPS bar, with Ultra delivering 86.4 FPS. This is the recommended resolution for this hardware, as it offers the full visual experience without compromising frame rate. The margin above the threshold is 26.4 FPS, providing enough headroom for scene complexity variations.

At 1920x1080, every preset is playable, with Ultra achieving 114.4 FPS. The lowest recorded average across all settings is still 114.4 FPS, which is well above the threshold. This resolution is ideal for competitive play or high-refresh-rate displays, as even the most demanding settings provide a smooth experience.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU's nearest rivals, based on average benchmark scores, include the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F, which scores 69996 with a 0.2% delta, and the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX at 69875 with a 0.4% delta. These processors would deliver nearly identical CPU-bound performance in Control, meaning the frame rates at 1080p would be indistinguishable. The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X scores 69515 with a 0.9% delta, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K scores 70879 with a -1% delta, indicating it is slightly faster on average.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals present a more varied picture. The AMD Radeon 660M scores 13812 with a -0.5% delta, while the NVIDIA RTX A2000 Mobile scores 13821 with a -0.5% delta. These are lower-tier mobile parts that would not match the RX 7900 XT in gaming workloads. The AMD Radeon RX 570X scores 13871 with a -0.9% delta, and the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT scores 13543 with a 1.5% delta, meaning it is slightly faster on average but would yield similar in-game performance for Control.

How This Combo Ranks

Among all tested combinations in the benchmark database, this pairing of the Intel Core i7-14700KF and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT ranks 739th out of 3720 combinations. This places it in the top 20% of all tested systems, confirming that it is a high-performance configuration. The rank reflects the combined capabilities of both components, with the CPU's 94th percentile ranking among all CPUs and the GPU's 55th percentile among all GPUs. The CPU's strong single-thread and multi-thread scores contribute significantly to this overall ranking, even though the GPU's percentile is more modest.

FAQ

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

A: No, the Ultra preset at 3840x2160 produces an average of 56.8 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The highest playable setting at 4K is High, which averages 65.8 FPS.

Q: What is the best resolution for this hardware?

A: The data shows that 2560x1440 with Ultra settings delivers 86.4 FPS, providing a large margin above the playable threshold while still offering the full visual feature set. This is the resolution where the system maximizes both quality and performance.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rivals?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700KF scores 70163 on average, which is within 0.2% of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F (69996) and 0.4% of the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX (69875). The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is 1% faster with a score of 70879.

Q: Is the GPU's performance percentile a concern?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT ranks in the 55th percentile among all GPUs, which is below the CPU's 94th percentile. However, the measured frame rates in Control remain high across all resolutions, indicating that this percentile does not translate to playability issues in this specific game.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1080p with High settings?

A: The measured average at 1920x1080 with High settings is 129.6 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and suitable for high-refresh-rate displays.

Q: Does the system maintain 60 FPS at 1440p on any preset?

A: Yes, all four presets at 2560x1440 clear the 60 FPS threshold. The lowest is Ultra at 86.4 FPS, while Low reaches 158.3 FPS. The system has significant headroom at this resolution.