Control

The Intel Core i5-11400F paired with the Intel Arc B580 presents a compelling mid-range configuration for Control, a 2019 Action Adventure title. The measured data shows a system capable of smooth 1080p and respectable 1440p gameplay, but one that clearly struggles to maintain playable frame rates at 4K resolution. This analysis breaks down the benchmark results, focusing on how the CPU and GPU each influence performance and what settings offer the best experience.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and reveals a system that becomes heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 73.3 FPS at 1920x1080 to 56.8 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 16.5 FPS. Pushing further to 3840x2160, the frame rate plummets to 33.8 FPS, which is a 39.5 FPS drop from 1440p and less than half the 1080p performance. This pattern indicates that while the Arc B580 has enough headroom at 1080p, its rendering capabilities become the primary limiting factor as pixel count increases.

The scaling behavior is similar across all quality presets. At Low settings, the frame rate drops from 114.2 FPS at 1080p to 87.4 FPS at 1440p, and then down to 58.3 FPS at 4K. This consistent pattern across presets confirms that resolution, not graphical complexity, is the dominant performance variable. The data suggests that for a 4K display, this configuration is not viable for smooth gameplay, as even the lowest preset fails to reach 60 FPS. Conversely, the 1440p results show a much more usable range, with even High settings achieving 56.8 FPS, suggesting that 1440p is the practical ceiling for this pairing.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-11400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Rocket Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. Its benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14372 and a single-core score of 2029, place it in the 75th percentile among all CPUs. This indicates a solidly capable processor that should not bottleneck a mid-range GPU in most scenarios.

In Control, the CPU's role appears to be supportive rather than limiting. The fact that frame rates drop so significantly at higher resolutions points to the GPU being the bottleneck. At 1080p, where the GPU has an easier time, the CPU's 12 threads and high boost clock are sufficient to feed the Arc B580, as evidenced by the 114.2 FPS result at Low settings. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 5619 and max-thread score of 5652 show that the CPU can handle multi-threaded workloads, which is relevant for a game that can utilize multiple cores for physics and AI. The data indicates that the i5-11400F is not the primary constraint in this configuration, as performance scales inversely with resolution, a classic sign of a GPU-bound system.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B580 is the decisive component in this pairing. Based on the Xe2-HPG architecture and built on a 5 nm process, it features 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 456.0 GB/s. Its core clocks are listed at a base and boost of 2670 MHz, and it has a 190 W TDP. With 2560 shading units and 20 ray tracing cores, it is a modern GPU that sits in the 66th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 23021.

The GPU's memory capacity and bandwidth are significant for Control, a game known for its detailed environments and physics effects. The 12 GB VRAM buffer is ample, and the data shows that the GPU's raw compute power is what determines performance. The benchmark results show a clear ceiling: at 4K Ultra settings, the average FPS is just 34.3, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. Even at 1440p, the Ultra preset only manages 46.5 FPS, indicating that the most demanding settings are too heavy for the B580. The GPU's performance is consistent with its position relative to competitors, as its average score is only 0.7% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, but 1.3% ahead of the RTX 4060 Mobile. This suggests that the B580 is a strong performer in its class, but it has limits that are clearly exposed at higher resolutions and quality settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the configuration's capabilities. At 1920x1080, the system is very playable across all presets. Low settings deliver an average of 114.2 FPS, which is excellent for fast-paced action. Medium settings drop to 79.6 FPS, still very smooth, while High settings yield 73.3 FPS. The Ultra preset brings the average down to 60.5 FPS, which is just on the edge of the ideal range for many players.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance is more varied. Low settings still provide a high 87.4 FPS, making it a great option for competitive play. Medium settings produce 63 FPS, which is acceptable, and High settings are at 56.8 FPS, which is playable but with some dips noticeable. The Ultra preset falls to 46.5 FPS, which is below the smoothness threshold and not recommended.

At 3840x2160, the configuration struggles. Low settings are the only option that approaches playability, with an average of 58.3 FPS. Medium settings drop to 38.9 FPS, High settings to 33.8 FPS, and Ultra to 34.3 FPS. These numbers are all well below 60 FPS, indicating that 4K gaming is not a realistic option for this hardware combination without significant compromises.

FAQ

*Q: Can this system run Control at 1440p with High settings smoothly?*

A: The data shows an average of 56.8 FPS at 2560x1440 with High settings. This is playable, but it is not consistently above 60 FPS, so expect some minor frame drops in intense scenes.

Q: What is the best resolution for this hardware?

A: Based on the measured FPS, 1920x1080 is the best resolution. It delivers 73.3 FPS on High settings and 114.2 FPS on Low, offering a smooth experience across all presets.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck at 4K?

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck at 3840x2160. The frame rate drops dramatically compared to 1440p, while the CPU's performance is consistent, indicating the Arc B580 is the limiting factor.

Q: How does the Arc B580 compare to the RTX 4060 in this game?

A: The average benchmark score for the B580 is 23021, which is 0.7% lower than the RTX 4060's score of 23181. This suggests very similar overall performance, but the measured FPS in Control shows the B580 is capable of 60+ FPS at 1080p High.

Q: Is the Ultra preset usable at 1080p?

A: Yes, the Ultra preset at 1920x1080 yields an average of 60.5 FPS. This is right at the 60 FPS target, so it is viable if you prefer maximum visual quality over a higher frame rate.

Q: What is the most demanding setting for the GPU?

A: The data shows that resolution is the most demanding factor. However, within a fixed resolution, the Ultra preset consistently produces the lowest frame rates, such as 34.3 FPS at 4K and 46.5 FPS at 1440p, indicating it places the most stress on the GPU.

Settings Recommendations

For a balance of visual fidelity and performance, the High preset at 1920x1080 is the recommended starting point, as it delivers an average of 73.3 FPS. This provides a significant visual upgrade over Low settings while maintaining a frame rate well above the 60 FPS target. If you prioritize a higher refresh rate, the Low preset at 1080p offers 114.2 FPS, which is ideal for a 120 Hz or 144 Hz display.

For users with a 1440p monitor, the Medium preset is the most balanced choice, producing 63 FPS. The High preset at 56.8 FPS is also playable, but you may need to accept occasional dips. The Ultra preset should be avoided at this resolution, as the 46.5 FPS average is below the smoothness threshold.

At 4K, only the Low preset is marginally viable, with an average of 58.3 FPS. However, this sacrifices a great deal of visual quality. Given the data, it is more practical to play at 1440p High or Medium for a better overall experience, as the performance at 4K is consistently below 60 FPS on all presets. The measured results indicate that this configuration is best utilized at 1080p for high frame rates or 1440p for high-quality visuals.