Control

Measured FPS Breakdown

The recorded measurements for Control with the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K and Intel Arc B370 cover three resolutions and four settings presets, though not every cell includes min and max values. The database captured average FPS for all twelve combinations, with frame time variance data (min and max) available only for the Medium preset at each resolution.

At 3840x2160, the results are consistently low. The Low preset averages 30 FPS, which is the highest average recorded at this resolution. Medium drops to 21 FPS, with a recorded range of 18 to 25 FPS. High manages only 19 FPS on average, and Ultra falls to 17 FPS. None of these figures approach the 60 FPS playable threshold, and even the best case, Low at 30 FPS, represents only half of the target frame rate.

Moving to 2560x1440, the pattern repeats with a modest improvement. Low averages 45 FPS, making it the only preset at this resolution to exceed 40 FPS. Medium averages 32 FPS, with a range of 27 to 37 FPS. High drops to 28 FPS, and Ultra sits at 25 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium is 13 FPS, which is the largest jump between adjacent presets at this resolution. Even the strongest result, Low at 45 FPS, remains 15 FPS short of the playable threshold.

At 1920x1080, the best results appear. Low averages 59 FPS, which is within one frame of the 60 FPS target. Medium averages 42 FPS, with a range of 36 to 48 FPS. High averages 37 FPS, and Ultra averages 32 FPS. The scaling from Low to Medium costs 17 FPS, while the step from Medium to High costs 5 FPS, and High to Ultra costs another 5 FPS. The minimum recorded frame rate across all tested configurations is 18 FPS, observed at 4K Medium, while the maximum is 48 FPS, observed at 1080p Medium.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data shows a system that is heavily constrained by the graphics processor. The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated-class part with a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184, placing it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs in the database. Its nearest rivals include the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, ATI Radeon HD 5770, and AMD Radeon HD 7650M, all of which are older or lower-tier parts. The GPU's average benchmark score of 1184 is the only graphics benchmark recorded for this part, and it is far below what modern discrete GPUs typically achieve.

The CPU presents a stark contrast. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K sits in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 70879. It delivers 35850 points in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2020 points in single-core, with a Geekbench multi-core score of 23085 and single-core score of 2713. This is a high-end desktop processor with 20 cores and 20 threads, boosted by a 5.50 GHz maximum clock. The CPU is not the bottleneck in this pairing.

The resolution scaling confirms this analysis. At 4K, the Low preset averages 30 FPS, while at 1440p it reaches 45 FPS, and at 1080p it reaches 59 FPS. This near-linear improvement as resolution decreases indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor. If the CPU were the constraint, the frame rates would remain relatively flat across resolutions, since the CPU workload for game logic does not scale strongly with resolution. Instead, the data shows a 29 FPS difference between 4K Low and 1080p Low, which is a 97% improvement from lowering resolution alone.

The preset scaling within each resolution also points to GPU limitation. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 27 FPS, from 59 down to 32 FPS. At 1440p, the same spread is 20 FPS, from 45 down to 25 FPS. At 4K, the spread is 13 FPS, from 30 down to 17 FPS. The shrinking absolute difference at higher resolutions suggests that the GPU is already saturated and additional graphical load has diminishing impact on frame rate. The CPU's high single-thread performance, evidenced by the 2020 Cinebench R23 single-core score, is more than sufficient for Control's demands, but it cannot compensate for the GPU's limited throughput.

Best Settings per Resolution

The verdict data in the database lists no playable settings at any resolution, which means no preset at any tested resolution maintained an average of 60 FPS or higher. However, the measured FPS data allows for an assessment of which settings come closest to the target.

At 3840x2160, no preset clears 60 FPS, and none come particularly close. The best option is Low, which averages 30 FPS. That is the most demanding preset that stays at or above 30 FPS, but it is far below the playable threshold. Medium averages 21 FPS, High averages 19 FPS, and Ultra averages 17 FPS. For users who insist on 4K, Low is the only practical choice, and even then, the experience will be well below the 60 FPS standard.

At 2560x1440, the same conclusion applies. Low averages 45 FPS, which is the highest result at this resolution. Medium averages 32 FPS, High averages 28 FPS, and Ultra averages 25 FPS. The 45 FPS at Low is 15 FPS short of the target, so no preset at 1440p is playable by the 60 FPS standard. Low is the recommended setting for anyone prioritizing frame rate over visual quality at this resolution.

At 1920x1080, Low averages 59 FPS, which is the closest any configuration comes to the 60 FPS threshold in the entire dataset. It is one frame short, which in practice may feel smooth in many scenes, but the recorded average does not meet the strict playable threshold. Medium averages 42 FPS, High averages 37 FPS, and Ultra averages 32 FPS. For the best balance of visual fidelity and frame rate, Low is the only preset at 1080p that approaches playable performance. The database does not record any configuration that achieves 60 FPS or higher, so the best settings per resolution are all Low presets, with 1080p Low being the most viable overall.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K and Intel Arc B370 ranks 3436 out of 3720 tested combos in Control. This places it in the bottom 8% of all combinations in the database. The rank reflects the GPU's severe limitation: a system with a top-tier CPU but a bottom-tier graphics solution will struggle with any modern game, and Control is no exception.

The percentile data reinforces this. The CPU alone ranks in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, meaning it outperforms 94% of processors in the database. The GPU ranks in the 5th percentile, meaning it outperforms only 5% of GPUs. This extreme mismatch between the two components results in a combined rank that is dragged down almost entirely by the GPU. The CPU's strength is effectively wasted in this pairing for gaming purposes, as the GPU cannot translate the CPU's headroom into higher frame rates.

The combo rank of 3436 out of 3720 means that 3435 other combinations delivered better performance in Control. This places the system in the lower tail of the distribution, and the measured FPS data confirms why: no preset at any resolution reaches 60 FPS, and the best case is 59 FPS at 1080p Low. A user with this exact configuration would experience Control at frame rates well below what the playable threshold demands.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest CPU rivals to the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K provide context for how much headroom the processor has. The Intel Xeon 6511P scores 71051 on average, which is 0.2% lower than the Core Ultra 7 265K. The Intel Xeon Platinum 8270 scores 71370, 0.7% lower. The Intel Core i7-14700KF scores 70163, 1% higher. The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F scores 69996, 1.3% higher. These deltas are all within a couple of percent, meaning any of these CPUs would deliver effectively identical gaming performance when paired with the same GPU. The choice of CPU is not the deciding factor in this system's performance.

The GPU rivals tell a different story. The Intel Arc B370's nearest rival is the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, which scores 1186, just 0.2% higher. The ATI Radeon HD 5770 scores 1190, 0.5% higher. The AMD Radeon HD 7650M scores 1192, 0.7% higher. The AMD FirePro M2000 scores 1168, 1.4% lower. These are all legacy or low-end parts, and the deltas are tiny. Swapping the Arc B370 for any of these rivals would produce nearly identical frame rates in Control, because the GPU performance ceiling is essentially the same across this group.

For a user considering alternatives, the data suggests that upgrading the CPU would yield no measurable benefit in Control, since the GPU is the bottleneck. Upgrading the GPU, on the other hand, would be the only meaningful path to higher frame rates. The nearest GPU rivals are all similarly weak, so a meaningful improvement would require a jump to a completely different performance tier, which is outside the scope of the nearest rival data.

The Verdict

The question of whether this PC can run Control depends on the definition of "run." The database sets a playable threshold of 60 FPS, and the verdict data lists no playable settings at any resolution. At 3840x2160, no preset reaches 60 FPS, and the best average is 30 FPS at Low. At 2560x1440, no preset reaches 60 FPS, and the best average is 45 FPS at Low. At 1920x1080, no preset reaches 60 FPS, and the best average is 59 FPS at Low.

The system cannot run Control at 60 FPS under any tested configuration. The closest it comes is 1080p Low at 59 FPS, which is one frame short of the threshold. At higher resolutions, the frame rates drop significantly. The GPU's 5th percentile standing and its benchmark score of 1184 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 are consistent with these results. The CPU's 94th percentile standing does not help, because the GPU cannot keep up.

Users with this configuration should expect to play Control at 1080p with Low settings for the best possible frame rate, and even then, the average will hover just below the playable threshold. Higher settings at any resolution will result in averages in the 17 to 45 FPS range, which will be noticeably stuttery in action-heavy scenes. The system is not suitable for Control at 60 FPS, and the verdict data confirms that no preset at any resolution meets the playable standard.

FAQ

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

A: The highest recorded average is 59 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: Can this system run Control at 60 FPS at 1080p?

A: No. The best result at 1080p is 59 FPS at Low settings, which is one frame below the playable threshold of 60 FPS. No preset at any resolution reaches 60 FPS.

Q: How does this system rank compared to other tested combinations?

A: It ranks 3436 out of 3720 tested combos in Control, placing it in the bottom 8% of all combinations.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this system?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor. The Intel Arc B370 ranks in the 5th percentile of all GPUs, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K ranks in the 94th percentile of all CPUs. Frame rates improve significantly as resolution decreases, which indicates GPU constraint.

Q: What settings should I use at 1440p for the best frame rate?

A: Low settings at 2560x1440 produce the highest average at that resolution, at 45 FPS. This is 15 FPS below the playable threshold.

Q: Are there any settings at 4K that maintain a playable frame rate?

A: No. The best 4K result is 30 FPS at Low settings, which is half of the 60 FPS playable threshold. Medium averages 21 FPS, High averages 19 FPS, and Ultra averages 17 FPS.