Control

Control, Remedy’s 2019 action-adventure, presents a demanding workload that stresses both the CPU and GPU depending on resolution and settings. For the combination of the Intel Core i5-11400F and the AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT, the measured data reveals a system capable of smooth 1080p and 1440p gameplay, but one that struggles to maintain playable framerates at 4K. The benchmark results indicate a clear hierarchy in performance scaling, with the GPU becoming the primary bottleneck as resolution increases, while the six-core processor provides a stable foundation for high frame rates at lower resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combo is found at the Medium preset at 2560x1440. This configuration delivers an average of 66 FPS, which is well within the smooth gameplay range for a title like Control. The recorded minimum of 56 FPS and maximum of 76 FPS show a consistent frame pacing with no severe dips, suggesting a stable experience during intense combat sequences. While the High preset at 1440p offers a higher visual fidelity at 58 FPS average, the Medium preset provides a more comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold.

At 1920x1080, the High preset is the recommended choice, yielding an average of 77 FPS. This provides a significant visual upgrade over the Medium preset's 87 FPS while maintaining a frame rate that easily exceeds 60 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1080p drops to 67 FPS average, which is still playable but begins to approach the lower boundary of what is considered ideal for fast-paced action. For users prioritizing maximum smoothness, the Low preset at 1080p achieves 122 FPS, but the visual compromise is substantial.

For 4K resolution, the data shows that Low settings are the only viable option for consistent playability, producing an average of 63 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K falls to 44 FPS average, which is below the standard for a responsive experience, and the High and Ultra presets are effectively unplayable at 39 FPS and 34 FPS respectively. The recommendation is to avoid 4K with this combination unless visual quality is sacrificed to the Low preset, or to use a lower resolution and rely on upscaling if the display supports it. The sweet spot for a balance of visual quality and performance is definitively the Medium preset at 1440p.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Control at 4K resolution?

A: Technically, yes, but only at the Low preset, which achieves an average of 63 FPS. Higher presets at 4K produce unplayable results, with Medium at 44 FPS, High at 39 FPS, and Ultra at 34 FPS.

Q: What is the best preset for a 1440p monitor?

A: The Medium preset at 2560x1440 is the best option, providing an average of 66 FPS with a minimum of 56 FPS. This offers a good balance between visual quality and smooth gameplay, outperforming the High preset's 58 FPS average.

Q: How much performance is gained by lowering settings from Ultra to Low at 1080p?

A: The performance gain is substantial. The average frame rate increases from 67 FPS at Ultra to 122 FPS at Low, a difference of 55 FPS. This indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting factor at this resolution when using high settings.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck for this game?

A: The data suggests the CPU is not a bottleneck at higher resolutions. At 4K, the frame rates are low regardless of settings, indicating a GPU limitation. However, at 1080p Low, the 122 FPS average shows the CPU can feed the GPU sufficient frames.

Q: What is the frame time consistency like at 1440p Medium?

A: The measured minimum of 56 FPS and maximum of 76 FPS against an average of 66 FPS suggests relatively consistent frame times. The variance indicates there are some dips, but they are not severe enough to cause major stuttering.

Q: How does the 4K Low preset compare to the 1080p Ultra preset?

A: The 4K Low preset averages 63 FPS, which is slightly lower than the 1080p Ultra preset's 67 FPS. This shows that the resolution increase has a similar performance cost to the jump from Low to Ultra settings at 1080p.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT is the critical component for determining performance at higher resolutions and settings. The GPU's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 280.3 GB/s, which is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p but becomes a limiting factor at 4K. The benchmark results clearly show the GPU's workload scaling with resolution; the average FPS at Low settings drops from 122 at 1080p to 93 at 1440p and 63 at 4K, illustrating the direct impact of pixel count on the rendering pipeline.

The GPU's clock speeds are also a factor in its performance. With a base clock of 2055 MHz and a boost clock of 2635 MHz, the card is capable of high throughput in compute-heavy scenes. The 2048 shading units and 64 ROPs work together to process the game's visual effects. The measured data shows that the step from Medium to High settings at 1440p costs 8 FPS (66 to 58), while the step from High to Ultra costs another 7 FPS (58 to 51). This non-linear scaling suggests that the GPU's memory bandwidth and raw compute power are being taxed progressively as more complex rendering features are enabled.

The GPU's overall benchmark percentile of 65 places it in the mid-range tier, and its average score of 19765 puts it in close competition with professional workstation cards like the NVIDIA Tesla K40m and AMD FirePro D300, which have deltaPct values of -0.6% and 0.7% respectively. This context reinforces that the RX 6650 XT is a solid performer for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but its architecture is not designed to handle the extreme pixel throughput required for 4K Ultra settings in a demanding title like Control.

How This Combo Ranks

The benchmark data places this combination at rank 2438 out of 3720 tested combos in Control. This ranking, which puts it in the 65th percentile, indicates that this system performs better than the majority of configurations tested for this game, but it is far from the top tier. The rank suggests that while the combo is capable of delivering a good experience at mainstream resolutions, it is outclassed by systems with higher-end components that can maintain high frame rates at 4K.

The ranking is a composite result of the CPU and GPU's individual capabilities. The Intel Core i5-11400F has a percentile rank of 71 among all CPUs, and the RX 6650 XT has a percentile rank of 65 among all GPUs. The combo's rank of 2438 out of 3720 is consistent with these individual standings, showing that the pairing does not introduce any unusual bottlenecks or synergies. The system is a balanced mid-range performer, and its rank reflects that it can handle most games at high settings in 1080p and 1440p, but it will struggle with 4K gaming.

The data shows that this combo is not competitive with high-end systems for 4K gaming, but it provides a strong foundation for 1440p. The performance gap between this combo and a top-tier system is likely to be most pronounced at 4K, where the GPU's limitations become the deciding factor. For users with 1080p or 1440p displays, this rank indicates a system that will deliver a satisfying experience in Control without needing to compromise heavily on visual quality.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a significant performance drop as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At the Low preset, the average frame rate falls from 122 FPS at 1080p to 93 FPS at 1440p, a 24% decrease, and then to 63 FPS at 4K, a further 32% decrease from the 1440p figure. This scaling pattern is typical for a GPU-bound scenario, where the number of pixels being rendered directly impacts the workload.

The trend is consistent across all settings. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 77 at 1080p to 58 at 1440p and 39 at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 19 FPS, and from 1440p to 4K is another 19 FPS. This linear degradation in performance with each resolution step strongly indicates that the AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT is the limiting component. The CPU's workload does not scale with resolution in the same way, so its performance remains constant, but the GPU's rendering load increases dramatically.

The data suggests that the system is well-balanced for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but the GPU is overwhelmed at 4K. The fact that the 4K Low preset (63 FPS) performs worse than the 1080p Ultra preset (67 FPS) highlights the steep cost of resolution. This analysis points to the GPU as the primary bottleneck at 4K, while at 1080p, the CPU is capable of delivering enough frames to keep the GPU saturated, as evidenced by the high frame rates on the Low preset.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete set of measured frame rates provides a detailed look at the system's performance across all resolution and settings combinations.

At 1920x1080, the system performs admirably. The Low preset achieves an average of 122 FPS, indicating a high ceiling for frame rates. The Medium preset averages 87 FPS, with a minimum of 74 and a maximum of 100 FPS, showing a stable experience. The High preset averages 77 FPS, providing a smooth experience with high visual quality. The Ultra preset averages 67 FPS, which is still playable but represents a significant drop from the High preset.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales down as expected. The Low preset averages 93 FPS, which is excellent for this resolution. The Medium preset averages 66 FPS, with a minimum of 56 and a maximum of 76 FPS, making it the recommended setting for a balance of quality and performance. The High preset averages 58 FPS, which is slightly below the 60 FPS target. The Ultra preset averages 51 FPS, which is beginning to feel less smooth.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain playable frame rates. The Low preset is the only option that provides a reasonable experience, averaging 63 FPS. The Medium preset averages 44 FPS, with a minimum of 38 and a maximum of 51 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. The High preset averages 39 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 34 FPS, both of which are not recommended for an enjoyable experience. The data confirms that 4K is outside the comfortable operating range for this hardware.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-11400F provides the processing foundation for this system. Its 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, are well-suited for modern games. The 12 MB of shared L3 cache helps to reduce memory latency, which is important for game logic and physics calculations. The processor's benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14340 and a single-core score of 2024, indicate a solid level of performance.

In the context of Control, the CPU's role is to handle the game's simulation and AI tasks. The benchmark data shows that at 1080p with Low settings, the system can achieve 122 FPS, which suggests the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough data to reach high frame rates. However, as resolution increases, the CPU's workload does not increase proportionally, and the GPU becomes the limiting factor. This is evidenced by the fact that at 4K, the frame rates are low across all settings, including Low, which puts less strain on the CPU.

The CPU's average benchmark score of 17177 places it in the 71st percentile of all CPUs, and its nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 7H12 and the Intel Core i5-12450H, with deltaPct values of 0.3% and -0.4% respectively. This shows that the i5-11400F is a competitive mid-range processor. For this game, the CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient to avoid bottlenecking the RX 6650 XT at 1440p and below, as the measured performance is consistently limited by the GPU's rendering capabilities.