Control

The Intel Core i5-10400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER delivers a remarkably consistent and high-performance experience in Control, with the data showing that the Ultra preset is the most demanding but ultimately the most rewarding setting for this combination. Across all tested resolutions, the jump from High to Ultra incurs a significant performance cost, yet the system maintains playable frame rates even at 4K. The benchmark results indicate that this pairing is well-balanced, though the CPU’s older architecture becomes a notable factor at lower resolutions where the GPU has more headroom.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data for this combo in Control reveals a clear hierarchy across the four available presets, and the choice of which to use depends heavily on the target resolution and the user's preference for visual fidelity versus raw frame rate. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 170 FPS, which is the highest score recorded for this configuration. However, this comes at the cost of visual quality. The Medium preset offers a substantial upgrade in visuals while still achieving an average of 150 FPS, with a minimum of 127 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay even in intense scenes. The High preset at 135 FPS average is also excellent, but the data suggests that Medium provides a better balance of fidelity and performance headroom at this resolution.

For users targeting 2560x1440, the High preset emerges as the optimal choice. The data shows an average of 102 FPS, which is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth play. While the Medium preset at 115 FPS is faster, the High preset’s visual improvements are substantial enough to justify the 13 FPS drop. The Ultra preset at 89 FPS is still very playable, but the diminishing returns in visual quality compared to the performance loss make High the more sensible option for most scenarios. The Low preset at 155 FPS is only relevant for competitive play where maximum frame rate is paramount.

At the demanding 3840x2160 resolution, the situation changes. The High preset produces an average of 69 FPS, which is just enough for a smooth experience on a standard 60Hz display. The Medium preset at 78 FPS offers a slight performance advantage, but the High preset’s improved shadows, textures, and reflections are worth the minor reduction in frame rate. The Ultra preset at 60 FPS is technically playable, but it sits right at the edge of the playability threshold, and any demanding scene could cause noticeable dips. The Low preset at 110 FPS is a viable option for those who prioritize frame rate over everything else, but it severely compromises the game's atmospheric visuals.

The overall recommendation is to use the High preset for the best balance of performance and visual quality. The data shows that this preset provides an average of 135 FPS at 1080p, 102 FPS at 1440p, and 69 FPS at 4K. This makes it the only preset that delivers a consistently smooth experience across all three resolutions. The Medium preset is a strong fallback for 4K users who want a higher frame rate margin, while the Ultra preset is best reserved for 1080p and 1440p users with high-refresh-rate monitors who can tolerate the performance hit.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER, built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process node, is the dominant component in this pairing. The data shows that the GPU’s performance scales predictably with resolution, indicating that it is the primary driver of frame rates in Control. With 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s, the card has ample resources to handle the game’s textures and effects at all tested settings. The memory clock of 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective) ensures that data transfer is not a bottleneck.

The GPU’s boost clock of 2475 MHz, up from a base of 1980 MHz, allows it to maintain high performance under load. The benchmark results for the GPU show a Passmark G3D score of 29995, which places it in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals, such as the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB, have an average score of 43262, a delta of -0.1%, indicating that the RTX 4070 SUPER is performing as expected for its class. The GPU’s compute capabilities, with an FP32 rating of 35.48 TFLOPS, are more than sufficient for the physics and particle effects present in Control.

The data illustrates that the GPU’s role becomes more critical as resolution increases. At 1080p, the frame rates are high across all presets, suggesting that the CPU can keep up with the GPU’s output. However, at 4K, the average frame rates drop significantly, from 170 FPS at Low to 60 FPS at Ultra. This drop is primarily due to the GPU’s rendering load increasing with pixel count, not due to any CPU limitation. The 220 W TDP and the suggested 550 W PSU indicate that this card is power-hungry, but the performance it delivers in this game justifies the requirement.

Resolution Scaling

The data reveals a clear and expected trend in how frame rates scale with resolution. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440, the average FPS drops by roughly 25% across most presets. For example, on the High preset, the frame rate falls from 135 FPS to 102 FPS. This is a significant reduction, but the resulting frame rates remain highly playable. The transition from 2560x1440 to 3840x2160 is even more punishing, with the High preset dropping from 102 FPS to 69 FPS, a further 32% reduction. This indicates that the limiting component at these higher resolutions is the GPU.

At 1080p, the CPU plays a more substantial role. The difference between the Low and Ultra presets is 52 FPS (170 to 118), which is a large gap. However, the absolute frame rates are so high that the CPU’s influence is masked. The data suggests that the Intel Core i5-10400F, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, is sufficient to feed the RTX 4070 SUPER at this resolution, but it may be preventing the GPU from reaching its absolute maximum potential. The benchmark results for the CPU show a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 10283 and a single-core score of 1451, which are modest figures, but they are enough for this game.

The scaling from 1440p to 4K is where the GPU’s limitations become apparent. The average frame rate on the High preset drops from 102 to 69 FPS, a loss of 33 FPS. This is a heavy toll, but it is consistent with the increased pixel count. The data indicates that the RTX 4070 SUPER is the bottleneck at 4K, as the frame rates are primarily determined by the GPU’s fill rate and memory bandwidth. The 12 GB of VRAM is sufficient, as the game does not appear to be exceeding this limit at the tested settings, but the sheer number of pixels is what drives the performance down.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achievable with this combo?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 170 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with the Low preset. This is followed by 155 FPS at 2560x1440 with the Low preset, and 110 FPS at 3840x2160 with the Low preset.

Q: Is the Ultra preset playable at 4K resolution?

A: The data shows that the Ultra preset at 3840x2160 yields an average of 60 FPS. This is technically playable, but it leaves no headroom for demanding scenes. The High preset at 69 FPS is a safer choice for a smoother experience.

Q: How does the CPU affect performance at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the CPU has a more noticeable impact. The frame rate difference between the Low and Ultra presets is 52 FPS, indicating that the GPU is not always the sole limiting factor. The Intel Core i5-10400F’s 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient, but its older architecture may cap the maximum frame rate.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Medium and High presets at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Medium preset averages 115 FPS, while the High preset averages 102 FPS. This is a 13 FPS difference, which is a small price to pay for the improved visual quality offered by the High preset.

Q: Does the GPU have enough VRAM for this game?

A: The RTX 4070 SUPER has 12 GB of GDDR6X memory. The data does not indicate any VRAM-related performance issues, as the frame rates are consistent with the GPU’s expected performance. The memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s is sufficient for the game’s requirements.

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

A: In the database for Control, this combo ranks 778 out of 3720 tested combinations. This places it in the top 21% of all tested systems, indicating a strong performance level.

How This Combo Ranks

The benchmark data places this specific combination of the Intel Core i5-10400F and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER at rank 778 out of 3720 tested combos for Control. This ranking, which places the system in the top 21% of all tested configurations, is a strong indicator of its overall capability. The high rank is largely driven by the GPU’s exceptional performance, as the RTX 4070 SUPER is a top-tier component, sitting in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs. The GPU’s Passmark G3D score of 29995 puts it in the same league as the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB, which has an average score of 43262 and a delta of -0.1%.

The CPU’s contribution to this ranking is more modest. The Intel Core i5-10400F is in the 68th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 14185. Its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Xeon 6756E and the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C, have very similar average scores, with deltas of 0.2% and -0.6%, respectively. This shows that the CPU is a mid-range performer, but it does not bottleneck the GPU in this game to a significant degree. The combo’s rank of 778 suggests that while many systems with more powerful CPUs or GPUs exist, this pairing delivers a well-rounded experience that is better than the vast majority of tested systems.

The data indicates that the GPU is the primary reason for the high ranking. The RTX 4070 SUPER’s performance in Control is excellent, as evidenced by the high frame rates at all resolutions. The CPU, while not a top-tier performer, is adequate for the task, ensuring that the system does not suffer from major frame rate drops due to processor limitations. This combination reflects the fact that a balanced system with a strong GPU and a capable mid-range CPU can achieve a high ranking in a demanding game like Control.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-10400F, a Comet Lake processor on the Intel Socket 1200 platform, plays a supporting but crucial role in this configuration. With 6 cores and 12 threads, it offers a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. The data shows that this CPU is capable of keeping up with the RTX 4070 SUPER in Control, but its influence is most apparent at lower resolutions. The CPU’s 12 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support with a bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s are adequate for the game’s data streaming needs.

The benchmark results for the CPU show a mixed picture. Its multi-threaded performance is respectable, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 10283 and a Passmark multithread score of 12115. However, its single-thread performance is less impressive, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1451 and a Passmark single-thread score of 2541. This indicates that while the CPU can handle multiple tasks, its per-core performance is not exceptional. In Control, which is a game that relies heavily on single-threaded performance for game logic and physics, this could be a limiting factor.

The data on frame rates suggests that the CPU is not a major bottleneck at 1440p and 4K, as the GPU is clearly the limiting component. However, at 1080p, the CPU’s limitations become more visible. The frame rate difference between the Low and Ultra presets is 52 FPS, which is a large gap. This suggests that the GPU has enough headroom at 1080p to be held back by the CPU’s processing capabilities. In other words, a more powerful CPU might be able to push the frame rates even higher at 1080p, but the current setup still delivers a very smooth experience with an average of 118 FPS on the Ultra preset. The CPU’s 65 W TDP and 14 nm process node are modest, but they are sufficient for this workload, and the data confirms that the i5-10400F does not prevent the system from achieving high frame rates in Control.