Control

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 delivers a decisive performance envelope for Control, with measured data indicating that every preset tested at every resolution clears the 60 FPS playability threshold. The combination of the 20-core Arrow Lake processor and the Ada Lovelace GPU produces a wide range of frame rates, from a 69 FPS average at 4K Ultra to a 246 FPS average at 1080p Low. The benchmark results show a system that is not merely playable but has substantial headroom across the board.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this configuration covers three resolutions and four quality presets, providing a complete picture of performance scaling. At 1920x1080, the system produces exceptional frame rates. The Low preset yields an average of 246 FPS, while the Medium preset delivers an average of 175 FPS with a minimum of 149 FPS and a maximum of 201 FPS. The High preset achieves 156 FPS average, and the Ultra preset maintains a 135 FPS average. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the GPU is rarely the limiting factor, and the system is capable of driving high-refresh-rate displays with ease.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains robust but shows the expected scaling pressure. The Low preset records an average of 186 FPS. The Medium preset produces an average of 132 FPS, with the only complete min/max data set in this resolution showing a minimum of 113 FPS and a maximum of 152 FPS. High settings yield 118 FPS average, and the Ultra preset drops to a 102 FPS average. The delta between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 84 FPS, indicating that the quality settings have a significant impact on the rendering load.

At 3840x2160, the system demonstrates that it can handle 4K gaming with authority. The Low preset still produces a 126 FPS average. Medium settings deliver an 89 FPS average with a minimum of 76 FPS and a maximum of 103 FPS. High settings achieve 79 FPS average, and the Ultra preset maintains a 69 FPS average. The minimum recorded FPS across all tested configurations is 76 FPS at 4K Medium, which remains well above the 60 FPS playability threshold. The data shows a consistent scaling pattern: moving from 1080p to 4K at the same preset reduces the average frame rate by roughly 44-49%, while moving from Low to Ultra at the same resolution reduces performance by approximately 45-48%.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling between resolutions reveals a clear distribution of workload between the processor and graphics card. At 1920x1080, the CPU plays a more prominent role in determining the final frame rate. The jump from Low to Ultra at this resolution costs 111 FPS, which is the largest absolute drop across any resolution. This suggests that at lower pixel counts, the CPU must feed frames faster, and the graphics settings become the primary lever for performance adjustment.

At 2560x1440, the balance shifts toward the GPU. The difference between Low and Ultra is 84 FPS, which is a smaller absolute reduction than at 1080p but still substantial. The system maintains a 102 FPS average at Ultra settings, indicating that the CPU is still capable of keeping up with the GPU's output at this resolution. The 186 FPS Low preset result shows that the processor can push very high frame rates when the GPU is not heavily loaded.

The 3840x2160 results demonstrate a GPU-bound scenario. The Low preset produces 126 FPS, while the Ultra preset produces 69 FPS, a difference of 57 FPS. The pixel throughput required at 4K places the primary burden on the RTX 4080's 9728 shading units and 112 ROPs. The CPU's 5.30 GHz boost clock and 30 MB of L3 cache provide sufficient headroom to avoid bottlenecking even at the lower resolutions. The data indicates that while the GPU becomes the dominant factor at 4K, the CPU remains a capable partner throughout the entire resolution range, never preventing the system from exceeding the playability threshold.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the CPU and GPU provide context for how other hardware might perform in this configuration. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265's closest competitor is the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F, which has an average benchmark score 0.3% higher. This means the 265F would likely produce nearly identical frame rates in Control. The AMD EPYC 4464P scores 0.3% lower, and the AMD EPYC 9124 scores 0.7% lower. The AMD EPYC 7343 scores 0.7% higher. These differences are negligible in gaming scenarios, so swapping the CPU for any of these alternatives would result in virtually indistinguishable performance.

On the GPU side, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is the closest rival, with an average score 0.1% higher. This places it within the margin of error for the same gaming performance. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 1.1% lower, while the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 2.6% lower and the AMD Radeon 8060S scores 2.7% lower. The latter two alternatives would produce slightly lower frame rates, but the delta is small enough that they would still likely maintain playable performance in this game. A system with any of these GPU alternatives paired with the Core Ultra 7 265 would behave similarly, with the RTX 4080 SUPER being the closest match in output.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 ranks 241st out of 3720 tested combinations in Control. This places the configuration in the top 6.5% of all tested systems. The ranking reflects the strong synergy between the 20-core processor and the high-end graphics card. The CPU's 93rd percentile standing among all CPUs and the GPU's 86th percentile among all GPUs combine to produce a system that outperforms the vast majority of tested hardware. The rank of 241 indicates that while there are 240 combinations that deliver higher frame rates in this game, this setup is firmly in the upper echelon of performance. The measured FPS data supports this ranking, as the system clears 60 FPS at every tested setting and resolution, with the lowest average being 69 FPS at 4K Ultra.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS this system achieves in Control?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 246 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: Can this system maintain 60 FPS at 4K with maximum settings?

A: Yes, at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the system produces an average of 69 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: What is the lowest minimum FPS recorded across all tests?

A: The lowest minimum FPS is 76 FPS, recorded at 3840x2160 with Medium settings.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 compare to the RTX 4080 SUPER in this context?

A: The RTX 4080 SUPER has an average benchmark score 0.1% higher than the RTX 4080, making the performance difference negligible in gaming.

Q: Which resolution shows the largest performance drop between Low and Ultra settings?

A: 1920x1080 shows the largest absolute drop of 111 FPS between Low and Ultra, from 246 FPS to 135 FPS.

Q: What is the best preset to use at 2560x1440?

A: Ultra settings at 2560x1440 produce a 102 FPS average, which is the highest quality preset that remains well above 60 FPS.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the most demanding option tested, and it produces a 135 FPS average. This is the recommended setting for this resolution, as it provides the highest visual quality while maintaining a frame rate more than double the playability threshold.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset delivers a 102 FPS average. This is the optimal choice, offering the full visual experience while keeping the frame rate comfortably above 60 FPS. The Medium preset at this resolution produces 132 FPS average, but the Ultra preset's 102 FPS is still high enough to warrant the visual upgrade.

At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset achieves a 69 FPS average. This is the best setting for 4K, as it remains above the 60 FPS threshold despite being the most demanding configuration tested. The High preset produces 79 FPS average, but the Ultra preset's 69 FPS is still a strong result that justifies the maximum quality settings.

The Verdict

The data confirms that the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination can run Control without any playability concerns. The verdict by resolution is clear: at 3840x2160, all four settings — Low, Medium, High, and Ultra — are playable, with the Ultra preset averaging 69 FPS. At 2560x1440, all settings are playable, with Ultra averaging 102 FPS. At 1920x1080, all settings are playable, with Ultra averaging 135 FPS. The system clears the 60 FPS threshold at every measured configuration, with the lowest average being 69 FPS at 4K Ultra. This indicates a robust performance margin that allows users to select the highest quality presets at any resolution without sacrificing smooth gameplay. The benchmark results show a system that is not just capable of running Control, but one that excels at it, providing a high-fidelity experience across the board.