Control

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is a formidable combination for Control, a game that clearly rewards both strong CPU throughput and robust GPU rasterization. Benchmark data shows this pairing handles the game with significant headroom at most settings, though the most demanding 4K preset requires a slight compromise. The CPU, with its 24 cores and 24 threads, sits in the 96th percentile among all tested processors, while the GPU, based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, holds the 81st percentile among all GPUs. Together, they place this specific combo at rank 904 out of 3720 tested configurations, which puts it comfortably in the top quarter of all systems tested for this title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rate data for this combination covers three resolutions and four quality presets, providing a clear picture of performance scaling. At 1920x1080, the system delivers exceptional performance across the board. The Low preset produces an average of 193 FPS, which is the highest figure recorded for this pairing. Moving up to Medium, the average drops to 137 FPS, with a minimum of 116 FPS and a maximum of 157 FPS. The High preset maintains a strong 122 FPS average. Even the most demanding Ultra preset at 1080p clears the 60 FPS threshold with substantial room to spare, averaging 106 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains very high, though the scaling from 1080p shows a predictable decline. The Low preset averages 146 FPS, which is still an excellent result for a 1440p resolution. The Medium preset delivers an average of 104 FPS, with a minimum of 88 FPS and a maximum of 119 FPS. High settings produce an average of 92 FPS. The Ultra preset at this resolution averages 80 FPS, indicating that the system is still well within playable territory even at the highest quality settings.

The most demanding scenario is 3840x2160, where the system begins to show its limits. At 4K, the Low preset still manages a very playable 98 FPS average. Medium settings yield an average of 70 FPS, with a minimum of 59 FPS and a maximum of 80 FPS, placing it just at the edge of the playable threshold. The High preset averages 62 FPS, which is still above the 60 FPS playability mark. However, the Ultra preset at 4K falls to an average of 54 FPS, which is below the playable threshold and indicates that this setting is not suitable for a consistent 60 FPS experience at this resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the benchmark database, this specific CPU and GPU combination achieves a rank of 904 out of 3720 tested combos for Control. This places it in the top 24.3 percent of all tested systems, which is a strong showing for a mid-to-high-end pairing. The CPU component, the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus, is a high performer in its own right, with an average benchmark score of 84003 and a percentile rank of 96 among all CPUs. This indicates that the processor is not a bottleneck for this game.

The GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, has an average benchmark score of 37648 and holds the 81st percentile among all GPUs. This suggests that while the graphics card is capable, it is the more likely limiting factor in this pairing, particularly at higher resolutions. The rank of 904 out of 3720 reflects the overall balance of the system, but it also reflects that there are many faster configurations available. The data shows that the combo is significantly more powerful than the average system tested, but it is not at the very top tier of performance for this game.

Best Settings per Resolution

For a consistent 60 FPS experience, the benchmark data identifies the most demanding preset that remains playable at each resolution. At 1920x1080, the system can run the Ultra preset with an average of 106 FPS. This is the best possible setting at this resolution, and the data shows no need to compromise on quality. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset also remains playable, with an average of 80 FPS. This allows for maximum visual fidelity at 1440p without sacrificing smoothness.

The situation changes at 3840x2160. The data shows that the Ultra preset at 4K averages only 54 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold. Therefore, the best playable setting at 4K is the High preset, which averages 62 FPS. This means users with a 4K display will need to step down from Ultra to High to maintain a smooth experience. The High preset at 4K still provides a playable average, but the minimum frame rate is not recorded for this preset, so there may be occasional dips. The Medium preset at 4K also clears the threshold with a 70 FPS average and a 59 FPS minimum, offering another viable option if High is too demanding for specific scenes.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for both components provides context on what other hardware would perform similarly. For the CPU, the closest competitor is the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, which has an average benchmark score of 83807, a mere 0.2 percent behind the 290K Plus. This means that in Control, the 285K would deliver virtually identical frame rates. The AMD EPYC 4584PX scores 83090, which is 1.1 percent lower, and the AMD EPYC 9135 scores 82980, 1.2 percent lower. The AMD EPYC 7F72 is slightly ahead with a score of 85072, representing a 1.3 percent advantage over the 290K Plus. These differences are minor and would not produce a noticeable change in gameplay.

On the GPU side, the nearest rival is the NVIDIA Tesla P4, which has an average score of 37628, just 0.1 percent behind the RTX 4070. This is a professional-grade card and not a typical consumer alternative. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 scores 37507, which is 0.4 percent lower, and would deliver nearly identical performance in Control. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile is 1.3 percent faster with a score of 38135, while the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 is 1.3 percent slower at 37157. For a consumer looking for similar frame rates, the RX Vega 56 is the most practical comparable option, though it lacks features like DLSS that the RTX 4070 supports.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results indicate a clear shift in component importance depending on the resolution. At 1920x1080, the system is heavily CPU-bound. The difference between the Low and Ultra presets is 87 FPS (from 193 to 106), but the absolute numbers are so high that the GPU is rarely the limiting factor. The CPU's strong single-thread performance, evidenced by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 7303, ensures that the game logic and physics are handled without issue, allowing the GPU to render frames as fast as it can.

At 2560x1440, the balance shifts toward the GPU, but the CPU still provides enough headroom to keep frame rates high. The scaling from Low to Ultra shows a 66 FPS drop (from 146 to 80), which is a more significant percentage reduction than at 1080p. This indicates that the GPU is starting to become more of a bottleneck as pixel count increases. The RTX 4070's 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth are sufficient for this resolution, but the rendering load is clearly higher.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the dominant factor. The frame rate drop from Low to Ultra is 44 FPS (from 98 to 54), and the Ultra preset falls below the playable threshold. This is a clear sign that the RTX 4070 is the limiting component at 4K. The CPU's performance is largely irrelevant at this point, as the GPU is struggling to keep up with the pixel throughput. The data suggests that users with a 4K display should prioritize GPU performance over CPU when considering upgrades, as the CPU has ample headroom for this game.

The Verdict

This system can absolutely run Control with excellent performance at most settings. The verdict by resolution is clear: at 1920x1080, all four presets, including Ultra, are playable, with the Ultra preset averaging 106 FPS. At 2560x1440, all presets are also playable, with Ultra averaging 80 FPS. At 3840x2160, the High, Medium, and Low presets all clear the 60 FPS threshold, with High averaging 62 FPS and Medium averaging 70 FPS.

The only configuration that fails to meet the playable standard is the Ultra preset at 4K, which averages 54 FPS. For a 4K experience, users should select the High preset for the best visual quality while maintaining a playable frame rate, or drop to Medium for a more comfortable margin above 60 FPS. The data shows that this is a well-balanced system for the game, with the CPU providing more than enough power for all resolutions and the GPU serving as the primary constraint only at the most demanding 4K settings. For the vast majority of players on 1080p or 1440p displays, this combination delivers a flawless experience with maximum settings.