Control

The Intel Core i7-14700KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is a high-end desktop combination that handles Control with confidence at 1080p and 1440p, and remains playable at 4K up to High settings. The only configuration that falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold is 4K Ultra, which averages 55.6 FPS. This analysis draws on measured FPS data, component benchmark scores, and nearest-rival comparisons to interpret what the numbers mean for players.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The Intel Core i7-14700KF sits in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 70163. Its nearest rivals, based on aggregate benchmark scores, are the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F (69996, 0.2% lower), the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX (69875, 0.4% lower), the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (69515, 0.9% lower), and the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K (70879, 1% higher). For a player using any of these CPUs, the overall system performance in Control would be effectively indistinguishable from the i7-14700KF—differences of less than 1% are well within run-to-run variance. The i7-14700KF’s own Cinebench R23 scores (44167 multi-core, 6235 single-core) and Geekbench results (21462 multi-core, 2578 single-core) reinforce that it is a top-tier processor, but the nearest rivals confirm that a 0.2%–0.9% margin means no practical advantage in this title.

On the GPU side, the RTX 4070 holds the 81st percentile among all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 37648. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA Tesla P4 (37628, 0.1% lower), the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 (37507, 0.4% lower), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile (38135, 1.3% higher), and the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 (37157, 1.3% lower). Again, these deltas are small enough that a system using any of these GPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates in Control. The RTX 4070’s own 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 3854, and its PassMark G3D score is 26927, placing it well within the same performance band as those rivals.

CPU and GPU Roles

The measured FPS data shows a clear pattern: the RTX 4070 is the primary driver of frame rate at higher resolutions, while the i7-14700KF provides ample headroom to avoid becoming a limiting factor. At 1080p Low, the combination reaches 190.3 FPS. At 1440p Low, it drops to 143.7 FPS, and at 4K Low it falls to 97.4 FPS. This scaling—a 46.6 FPS drop from 1080p to 1440p and another 46.3 FPS drop from 1440p to 4K—is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario, where increasing pixel count directly reduces output. The CPU’s single-thread performance, measured at 6235 in Cinebench R23, is more than sufficient to feed the GPU even at 190.3 FPS, which is far above the 60 FPS target.

At Ultra settings, the same pattern holds: 1080p Ultra yields 108.4 FPS, 1440p Ultra 81.4 FPS, and 4K Ultra 55.6 FPS. The 4K Ultra result is the only configuration that dips below the playable threshold. This indicates that the GPU’s raw compute capacity is the deciding factor at 4K, especially with the heavier shading and ray-tracing demands of the Ultra preset. The CPU’s 20 cores and 28 threads (with a boost clock of 5.60 GHz) provide more than enough parallel and single-thread power for Control’s physics and AI workloads, as evidenced by the high FPS at lower resolutions where CPU overhead would surface if it were a bottleneck. In short, players should expect the RTX 4070 to be the limiting component at 4K, while the i7-14700KF will not constrain performance at any resolution tested.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table lists all measured average FPS values across three resolutions and four quality presets. Minimum and maximum FPS were not recorded, so averages are the only available frame-rate data.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS |

|------------|----------|---------|

| 3840x2160 | High | 65.1 |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 97.4 |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 70.6 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 55.6 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 92.7 |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 143.7 |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 105.3 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 81.4 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 122.1 |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 190.3 |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 138.3 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 108.4 |

The spread between Low and Ultra at each resolution is instructive: at 1080p the gap is 81.9 FPS (190.3 vs 108.4), at 1440p it is 62.3 FPS (143.7 vs 81.4), and at 4K it is 41.8 FPS (97.4 vs 55.6). This narrowing gap as resolution increases reflects the GPU becoming more saturated, so preset differences matter less relative to absolute resolution load. At 4K, the Ultra preset pushes the RTX 4070 below the 60 FPS line, while Medium and High remain playable. All 1080p and 1440p presets comfortably exceed 60 FPS.

The Verdict

This PC can run Control. At 1920x1080, every preset—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—averages above 60 FPS, with Ultra at 108.4 FPS and Low at 190.3 FPS. At 2560x1440, the same four presets all remain above 60 FPS, with Ultra at 81.4 FPS and Medium at 105.3 FPS. At 3840x2160, three of the four presets are playable: High (65.1 FPS), Medium (70.6 FPS), and Low (97.4 FPS). The only setting that falls short is Ultra at 4K, which averages 55.6 FPS—just below the 60 FPS threshold. Therefore, the system is fully capable of running Control at 4K with High or Medium settings, and at 1080p or 1440p with any preset. The data indicates that a 60 FPS experience is achievable at all resolutions except 4K Ultra.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest setting that maintains 60 FPS at 4K?

A: High, which averages 65.1 FPS. Ultra at 4K falls to 55.6 FPS, below the threshold.

Q: Can this system run Control at 1440p Ultra?

A: Yes, 1440p Ultra averages 81.4 FPS, well above 60.

Q: How does the i7-14700KF compare to its closest rivals?

A: Its average benchmark score (70163) is within 0.2% of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F (69996) and 0.9% of the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (69515). The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is 1% higher at 71064.

Q: What FPS does the system achieve at 1080p Low?

A: 190.3 FPS, which is the highest measured value across all configurations.

Q: Is 4K Ultra playable?

A: No, it averages 55.6 FPS, below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The next higher preset, Medium, reaches 70.6 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 4070’s performance compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 4070’s average benchmark score (37648) is within 1.3% of the RTX 4080 Mobile (38135) and 1.3% of the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 (37157). The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 is 0.4% lower (37507).

Best Settings per Resolution

• 3840x2160: The most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is High, with an average of 65.1 FPS. Ultra is not playable (55.6 FPS).
• 2560x1440: All four presets clear 60 FPS. The best is Ultra, averaging 81.4 FPS.
• 1920x1080: All presets are playable. The best is Ultra, averaging 108.4 FPS.

These settings maximize visual quality while ensuring the frame rate stays above the playable threshold. Players who prefer a smoother experience can drop to Medium at 4K (70.6 FPS) or Low (97.4 FPS) if they want extra headroom.