Control

The Intel Core i7-14700KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is a combination that lands in the upper-middle tier of tested systems for Control, ranking 2008th out of 3720 combos. This placement, at roughly the 54th percentile, suggests a machine that is competent but not exceptional for this title. The data indicates that the system's overall standing is heavily influenced by the GPU, whose 61st percentile ranking among all GPUs is notably lower than the CPU's 94th percentile ranking among all CPUs. Consequently, the pairing produces a balanced but GPU-limited experience, where the processor's substantial headroom is not fully utilized in most scenarios.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 2008 out of 3720 tested combinations places it slightly above the median for Control. This position is primarily constrained by the graphics card; the RTX 4060's average benchmark score of 17639 and its 61st percentile standing among all GPUs indicates it is a mid-range performer. In contrast, the Core i7-14700KF is a high-end processor, with an average benchmark score of 70163 and a 94th percentile ranking. The disparity in these scores shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this system. Benchmark results for the CPU, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44167 and a single-core score of 6235, demonstrate immense processing power that far exceeds what Control requires. The GPU, however, with a Passmark G3D score of 19545, is the component that defines the system's performance ceiling in this game, pulling the overall combo ranking down from what the CPU alone might suggest.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions and presets clearly illustrates the division of labor between the CPU and GPU in Control. At 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the system achieves an average of 140 FPS on Low settings, which drops to 77 FPS on Ultra. This 45% performance decrease when moving from Low to Ultra at 1080p points to a growing GPU workload, but the frame rates remain high enough that the CPU can still feed the GPU effectively. Moving to 2560x1440, the average FPS on Low falls to 106, and on Ultra it drops to 58. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings shows a 24% reduction in FPS, which is a direct result of the GPU rendering more pixels. At 3840x2160, the trend becomes more pronounced; the system manages 71 FPS on Low but only 39 FPS on Ultra. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is a 45% performance drop, mirroring the 1080p scaling but at a much lower absolute FPS. This data implies that the GPU is the dominant bottleneck at all resolutions, as the CPU's performance is consistent and the frame rate variations align with the GPU's rendering load.

Best Settings per Resolution

For each resolution, the most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS is the optimal choice according to the measured data. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset achieves an average of 77 FPS, making it the best playable setting. The High preset at this resolution also performs well with 88 FPS, but Ultra is the highest quality option that clears the 60 FPS threshold. At 2560x1440, the High preset is the most demanding that stays playable, with an average of 67 FPS. The Medium preset at this resolution is also viable at 75 FPS, but High offers better visual fidelity while still meeting the target. At 3840x2160, only the Low preset remains above 60 FPS, with an average of 71 FPS. The Medium preset falls to 51 FPS, which is below the playable threshold. Therefore, the data suggests that 4K gaming is only feasible with significant visual compromises on this hardware.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for the CPU, the Intel Core i7-14700KF's average benchmark score of 70163 is closely matched by several AMD processors. The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F scores 69996, a mere 0.2% difference, indicating nearly identical synthetic performance. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX is 0.4% slower, and the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X is 0.9% slower. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is the only rival that is faster, with a score 1% higher. For the GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060's average score of 17639 is nearly identical to the AMD Radeon HD 7790, which is a mere 0.2% faster. The AMD Radeon 780M is 0.3% slower, and the AMD Radeon Pro 560 and Pro 460 are 0.5% and 0.7% slower, respectively. These deltaPct values are so small that, in practical gaming terms, these alternatives would produce almost indistinguishable frame rates in Control. A system with any of these CPUs or GPUs would likely yield similar performance to the tested combo, with the GPU alternatives being particularly close in capability.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The detailed FPS measurements provide a comprehensive view of the system's performance across all settings and resolutions. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 140 FPS, with no min or max data recorded. The Medium preset averages 99 FPS, with a minimum of 84 and a maximum of 114 FPS. High averages 88 FPS, and Ultra averages 77 FPS, with no min or max data for the latter two. At 2560x1440, Low averages 106 FPS, Medium averages 75 FPS with a range of 64 to 86 FPS, High averages 67 FPS, and Ultra averages 58 FPS. The 4K data at 3840x2160 shows Low averaging 71 FPS, Medium averaging 51 FPS with a range of 43 to 58 FPS, High averaging 45 FPS, and Ultra averaging 39 FPS. The min and max FPS data for the Medium presets at each resolution show a consistent pattern of about a 20% deviation from the average, indicating stable frame pacing. The lack of min/max data for other presets suggests that only the Medium settings were measured for frame time variance.

The Verdict

The benchmark data clearly answers whether this PC can run Control. At 1920x1080, the system is highly capable, running all four presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—at or above 60 FPS. The Ultra preset achieves 77 FPS, making this resolution fully playable with maximum settings. At 2560x1440, the verdict is positive but with caveats; the High, Medium, and Low presets all clear the 60 FPS threshold, with High averaging 67 FPS. However, the Ultra preset falls to 58 FPS, which is below the playable threshold. At 3840x2160, only the Low preset is playable, with an average of 71 FPS. The Medium, High, and Ultra presets all fail to reach 60 FPS, with averages of 51, 45, and 39 FPS respectively. Therefore, the data shows that this combination is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can deliver high frame rates with high visual quality. 4K gaming is possible only with the lowest settings, and even then, the performance is marginal.

FAQ

*Q: Can this system run Control at 4K resolution?*

A: Yes, but only on Low settings, which achieves an average of 71 FPS. The Medium, High, and Ultra presets at 3840x2160 all fall below the 60 FPS playable threshold, with averages of 51, 45, and 39 FPS respectively.

Q: What is the best quality setting for 1440p gaming?

A: The High preset at 2560x1440 is the most demanding that stays playable, with an average of 67 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 58 FPS, which is below the playable threshold of 60 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700KF has an average benchmark score of 70163. The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F is 0.2% slower, the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX is 0.4% slower, and the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X is 0.9% slower. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is 1% faster.

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

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. The RTX 4060 has a 61st percentile rank among all GPUs, while the CPU has a 94th percentile rank. The frame rates scale significantly with resolution and preset changes, which is characteristic of GPU-bound performance.

Q: What is the frame rate range on Medium settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080 with Medium settings, the system averages 99 FPS, with a minimum of 84 FPS and a maximum of 114 FPS.

Q: Does the system meet the 60 FPS playable threshold at 4K on High settings?

A: No, the High preset at 3840x2160 averages only 45 FPS, which is well below the 60 FPS playable threshold. Only the Low preset at this resolution achieves a playable average of 71 FPS.