Control

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is a strong combination for playing Control, delivering playable frame rates at all three tested resolutions. The data shows that the combo ranks in the 904th position out of 3,720 tested combinations, placing it comfortably in the top quarter of all systems. At 1920x1080, the setup averages 106 FPS on Ultra settings, while 2560x1440 yields 80 FPS on Ultra, and even 3840x2160 manages 62 FPS on High settings. This analysis walks through the measured performance data, how the components compare to near-identical alternatives, and what settings users should select for their preferred resolution.

FAQ

Q: What is the best preset for 4K gaming with this combo?

A: At 3840x2160, the High preset is the most demanding setting that stays above 60 FPS, averaging 62 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 54 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS playability threshold.

Q: Can this system run Control at 1440p with maximum settings?

A: Yes. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset averages 80 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold. All four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) are playable at this resolution.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival in benchmark scores?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 has an average benchmark score of 46,062. Its closest rival, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, scores 46,030, a difference of only 0.1%. The Intel Core i9-13900HX scores 46,098, which is 0.1% higher than the Ultra 5 235.

Q: What is the FPS difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 193 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 106 FPS. This represents a 45% reduction in frame rate when moving from Low to Ultra, though both remain far above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Is the RTX 4070 significantly faster than its nearest GPU rival?

A: The RTX 4070 has an average benchmark score of 37,648. Its closest rival, the NVIDIA Tesla P4, scores 37,628, a marginal 0.1% difference. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 scores 37,507, which is 0.4% lower.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for Medium settings at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160 with Medium settings, the minimum FPS is 59, with an average of 70 and a maximum of 80. This minimum dips just below the 60 FPS threshold but the average remains comfortably playable.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 achieves a rank of 904 out of 3,720 tested combinations for Control. This places the system in the 75.7th percentile of all tested combos, meaning it outperforms roughly three-quarters of the systems in the database. The rank reflects a balanced pairing where both components contribute meaningfully to the game's performance.

Breaking down the component contributions, the CPU sits in the 89th percentile among all processors, with an average benchmark score of 46,062. The GPU is in the 81st percentile among all graphics cards, with an average score of 37,648. This alignment — both components in the upper quintile of their respective categories — suggests a well-matched system where neither part is a significant bottleneck for Control.

The ranking becomes more meaningful when examining the FPS distribution across resolutions. At 1080p, the system delivers between 106 and 193 FPS depending on settings, which places it in the upper tier for 1080p gaming. At 1440p, the range is 80 to 146 FPS, still excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors. At 4K, the range narrows to 54 to 98 FPS, with only the Ultra preset failing to reach 60 FPS. This progression shows the system's strength scales well with resolution, though 4K Ultra is the single point where the hardware reaches its limit.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU's nearest rivals provide insight into what other processors would deliver nearly identical performance. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 scores 46,030, which is just 0.1% lower than the Ultra 5 235's 46,062. The Intel Core i9-13900HX scores 46,098, a 0.1% advantage. Both AMD EPYC parts — the 4364P at 45,970 and the 7303 at 45,960 — are within 0.2% of the Ultra 5 235. In practical terms, swapping the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 for any of these four alternatives would produce virtually indistinguishable frame rates in Control.

On the GPU side, the RTX 4070's nearest rivals show similar consistency. The NVIDIA Tesla P4 scores 37,628 versus the 4070's 37,648, a 0.1% difference. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 is 0.4% slower at 37,507. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile is 1.3% faster at 38,135, while the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 is 1.3% slower at 37,157. For Control specifically, these small benchmark differences translate to at most a few frames per second in real-world gameplay.

A user considering a system with the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 instead of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 would see essentially the same performance. Similarly, swapping the RTX 4070 for a Tesla P4 would not meaningfully change the experience. The closest alternative that would provide a noticeable improvement would be pairing the RTX 4070 with the RTX 4080 Mobile, but the 1.3% advantage is unlikely to be perceptible in Control's gameplay.

The Verdict

The benchmark data clearly shows this PC can run Control with playable frame rates at all three tested resolutions, provided users select appropriate settings. At 1920x1080, every preset from Low to Ultra averages above 60 FPS, with Ultra delivering 106 FPS. At 2560x1440, all four presets also clear the 60 FPS threshold, with Ultra averaging 80 FPS. Even at 3840x2160, the system maintains playable performance on Low (98 FPS), Medium (70 FPS), and High (62 FPS) presets.

The only setting that fails the 60 FPS requirement is 4K Ultra, which averages 54 FPS. This means users with 4K displays should stick to High settings for the best visual quality while maintaining smooth gameplay. For 1440p and 1080p displays, the system has sufficient headroom to run at maximum settings without concern.

The verdict by resolution confirms this analysis: 3840x2160 lists High, Low, and Medium as playable settings with High being the best option at 62 FPS; 2560x1440 lists all four settings as playable with Ultra as the best at 80 FPS; 1920x1080 likewise lists all four with Ultra as the best at 106 FPS.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions reveals how the CPU and GPU divide responsibilities in Control. At 1920x1080, the CPU plays a more significant role because the GPU can render frames quickly enough that CPU processing becomes a limiting factor. The jump from Medium (137 FPS) to Low (193 FPS) at 1080p shows a 41% increase, indicating the GPU has substantial headroom when the CPU can feed it data faster.

At 2560x1440, the balance shifts toward the GPU. The same Medium-to-Low comparison shows 104 FPS versus 146 FPS, a 40% increase, but the absolute numbers are lower because the GPU spends more time on each frame. The gap between Ultra (80 FPS) and High (92 FPS) at 1440p is 15%, showing diminishing returns as settings increase.

The 3840x2160 results demonstrate clear GPU dominance. The difference between Medium (70 FPS) and High (62 FPS) is only 11%, while the drop from High to Ultra (54 FPS) is 13%. This compression of frame rates at higher resolutions indicates the GPU is the primary constraint, with the CPU's role diminishing as pixel count increases. The Ultra preset at 4K falls below 60 FPS precisely because the GPU cannot maintain the throughput required for that combination of resolution and settings.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the most demanding option that stays at or above 60 FPS, with an average of 106 FPS. This provides the best visual quality while maintaining excellent frame rates. Users with 144Hz monitors will still experience smooth gameplay, though they could opt for High (122 FPS) or Medium (137 FPS) for higher refresh rates.

At 2560x1440, Ultra remains the best choice, averaging 80 FPS. This is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold and offers maximum visual fidelity. The High preset at 92 FPS is an option for users who prefer higher frame rates for competitive play, but the visual difference between High and Ultra is the trade-off.

For 3840x2160, the High preset is the most demanding option that clears 60 FPS, averaging 62 FPS. This is the recommended setting for 4K displays. The Medium preset at 70 FPS provides additional headroom if users prefer smoother motion over slightly better visuals, while Low at 98 FPS is available for those prioritizing frame rate above all else.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers the following results: Low preset averages 193 FPS; Medium averages 137 FPS with a minimum of 116 and maximum of 157; High averages 122 FPS; Ultra averages 106 FPS. The Medium preset is the only one with recorded minimum and maximum values, showing a variance of 41 FPS between the lowest and highest frames.

At 2560x1440, performance scales as follows: Low averages 146 FPS; Medium averages 104 FPS with a minimum of 88 and maximum of 119; High averages 92 FPS; Ultra averages 80 FPS. The Medium preset shows a variance of 31 FPS, slightly tighter than the 1080p results.

At 3840x2160, the frame rates compress further: Low averages 98 FPS; Medium averages 70 FPS with a minimum of 59 and maximum of 80; High averages 62 FPS; Ultra averages 54 FPS. This is the only resolution where any preset falls below the 60 FPS threshold, with Medium's minimum of 59 FPS just barely missing the mark and Ultra's average of 54 FPS clearly below it.

The overall pattern shows consistent performance scaling: moving from 1080p to 1440p reduces average FPS by approximately 25-30% across settings, while moving from 1440p to 4K reduces it by another 30-35%. The RTX 4070's 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth handle the higher resolutions without memory-related stutters, while the Core Ultra 5 235's 14 cores and 24 MB of L3 cache provide sufficient processing power for the game's physics and AI systems.