Control

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 delivers a solid 1080p and 1440p experience in Control, but the data shows a clear drop-off at 4K. The benchmark results indicate that this combination is well-suited for high-refresh-rate gaming at mainstream resolutions, yet it struggles to maintain a consistent 60 FPS at 3840x2160 with higher presets. The CPU's strong single-thread performance and the GPU's Ampere architecture combine for a balanced setup, though the 8 GB VRAM and 220 W TDP of the GPU become limiting factors at the highest loads.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo performs exceptionally well across all settings. With Low settings, the average frame rate hits 158 FPS, providing a very smooth experience for fast-paced action. Moving to Medium settings, the average drops to 112 FPS, with a minimum of 96 FPS and a maximum of 129 FPS. High settings yield an average of 100 FPS, while Ultra settings still maintain a strong 87 FPS average. All 1080p presets significantly exceed the 60 FPS playability threshold, making this resolution the most comfortable for this hardware.

At 2560x1440, performance remains robust but shows the expected scaling penalty. The Low preset averages 120 FPS, which is excellent for competitive play. Medium settings reduce the average to 85 FPS, with a minimum of 72 FPS and a maximum of 98 FPS. High settings deliver an average of 76 FPS, and Ultra settings stay playable with an average of 66 FPS. Every 1440p preset clears the 60 FPS mark, although the Ultra preset's average has less headroom than at 1080p.

At 3840x2160, the situation changes dramatically. The Low preset is the only one that maintains a comfortable margin, averaging 81 FPS. Medium settings average 57 FPS, with a minimum of 49 FPS and a maximum of 66 FPS, which places it below the 60 FPS target on average. High settings average 51 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 44 FPS. The data clearly shows that 4K gaming with this combo requires significant graphical compromises, as only the lowest preset provides a consistently smooth experience.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Control, this specific pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 ranks 1607th out of 3720 combos. This places it in the upper-middle tier of all tested systems, indicating that it performs better than a majority of configurations but is not at the very top. The CPU itself sits in the 89th percentile when compared to all CPUs, showing that the processor is a strong component. The GPU, however, is in the 61st percentile compared to all GPUs, which is more average and suggests the graphics card is the limiting factor in this pairing.

The benchmark results indicate that this rank is driven largely by the GPU's mid-range standing. While the CPU provides ample headroom, the GPU's performance ceiling prevents the combo from breaking into the higher echelons of the rankings. For a game like Control, which has demanding real-time ray tracing effects, the GPU's 46 RT cores help, but the overall compute throughput is what holds the combo back at higher resolutions.

FAQ

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

A: Only with the Low preset, which averages 81 FPS. The Medium preset averages 57 FPS, and High and Ultra average 51 FPS and 44 FPS respectively, all below the 60 FPS threshold.

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

A: The Ultra preset is the best option, as it maintains an average of 66 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playability threshold. All other 1440p presets also exceed this mark, with High at 76 FPS, Medium at 85 FPS, and Low at 120 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 3070 compare to its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT?

A: The RTX 3070 has an average benchmark score of 17208, while the RX 7600 XT scores 17083. This gives the RTX 3070 a delta of 0.7% higher performance, indicating they are nearly identical in overall compute capability.

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 a strong match for the RTX 3070?

A: The CPU's average benchmark score is 46062, which is 0.2% higher than the AMD EPYC 4364P and 0.1% higher than the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375. Its 89th percentile ranking shows it is a high-performing processor that will not bottleneck the GPU in most scenarios.

Q: What FPS can I expect at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: The average frame rate is 112 FPS, with a minimum of 96 FPS and a maximum of 129 FPS. This provides a very smooth experience with a good balance between visual quality and performance.

Q: Does the combo perform better at 1080p or 1440p?

A: The data shows higher averages at 1080p across all presets. For instance, Ultra settings average 87 FPS at 1080p compared to 66 FPS at 1440p, and High settings average 100 FPS at 1080p versus 76 FPS at 1440p.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the CPU's nearest rivals, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 has an average score of 46030, which is 0.1% lower than the Ultra 5 235. The Intel Core i9-13900HX scores 46098, just 0.1% higher. These processors would deliver nearly identical frame rates in Control, assuming the same GPU is used. The AMD EPYC 4364P and AMD EPYC 7303 also fall within a 0.2% delta, making them functionally equivalent for gaming workloads, despite their server-oriented design.

For the GPU, the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT is the closest match, with a score of 17083 versus the RTX 3070's 17208, a 0.7% difference. This means swapping to the RX 7600 XT would result in very similar performance in Control. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 (17037) and AMD Radeon HD 7970M (17019) are also within 1.1% of the RTX 3070's score, though these are older architectures and may lack modern feature support like DirectX 12 Ultimate. The NVIDIA Tesla K40c scores 17468, which is 1.5% higher, but as a compute-focused card, it would not be suitable for gaming.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, which averages 87 FPS. This provides the highest visual fidelity while maintaining a comfortable margin above the playability threshold.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset also remains the best choice, averaging 66 FPS. This is the highest quality option that still clears the 60 FPS barrier, though the margin is thinner than at 1080p.

At 3840x2160, the only preset that achieves an average above 60 FPS is Low, with an average of 81 FPS. The Medium preset falls to 57 FPS, so it cannot be recommended for a consistent 60 FPS experience.

The Verdict

The benchmark results answer the question clearly: this PC can run Control well at 1080p and 1440p, but 4K requires major compromises. At 1920x1080, all presets from Low to Ultra are playable, with Ultra averaging 87 FPS. At 2560x1440, all presets also clear the 60 FPS threshold, with Ultra averaging 66 FPS. These resolutions provide the best balance of visual quality and smoothness.

At 3840x2160, the verdict changes. Only the Low preset is playable, averaging 81 FPS. The Medium preset's average of 57 FPS falls short of the 60 FPS target, and High and Ultra presets average 51 FPS and 44 FPS, respectively. If you own a 4K monitor, you will need to run the game at low settings to maintain a smooth frame rate. For the best experience with this hardware, sticking to 1440p with Ultra settings is the recommended path, as it delivers a solid 66 FPS average without sacrificing visual quality.