Control

Control, Remedy’s 2019 action-adventure, presents a demanding environment for the Intel Core i5-13400F paired with the Intel Arc B390. The measured data reveals a configuration that is heavily constrained by its graphics solution, resulting in a frame rate profile that scales predictably with resolution and settings. This analysis examines the benchmark results, placing the combo’s performance in context against its measured peers.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data shows a severe and linear penalty as resolution increases, which is the hallmark of a GPU-bound scenario. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo delivers 41 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 drops the average to 31 FPS, a reduction of 10 frames, and at 3840x2160 the average falls to 21 FPS, another 10-frame drop. This consistent ~24% decrease in frame rate for each step up in resolution indicates that the Intel Arc B390’s rendering throughput is the primary limiting factor, not the CPU.

The pattern holds across all settings presets. With Low settings, the 1080p average of 65 FPS falls to 50 FPS at 1440p and then to 33 FPS at 4K. This scaling behavior is indicative of a GPU that is saturated at even the lowest graphical load, leaving the i5-13400F with ample headroom. The data suggests that the CPU is not the bottleneck; if it were, we would expect to see a plateau in FPS at lower resolutions where the GPU could render frames faster than the CPU could feed it. Instead, the FPS continues to climb as resolution drops, confirming the GPU is the sole constraint.

The delta between Low and Ultra settings at the same resolution further supports this. At 1080p, the spread is 29 FPS (65 to 36), while at 4K, the spread narrows to 15 FPS (33 to 18). This compression of the settings gap at higher resolutions is a classic sign of a GPU that is running out of pixel-pushing capability. The data implies that for this combo, resolution is the master variable; reducing it yields predictable and significant gains, whereas reducing settings offers diminishing returns as the pixel count becomes the dominant cost.

FAQ

Q: What is the best average frame rate this combo achieves in Control?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 65, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is the only configuration in the data that reaches a frame rate suitable for smooth, high-refresh gameplay.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K resolution?

A: The data shows 4K performance is marginal. At 3840x2160, the average FPS is 33 on Low, 24 on Medium, 21 on High, and 18 on Ultra. All of these are below the threshold for comfortable playable frame rates.

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

A: Benchmark results indicate the GPU is the bottleneck. The Intel Arc B390’s average benchmark score of 1482 places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710. The CPU’s performance is comparatively strong, sitting in the 77th percentile of all CPUs.

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

A: At 2560x1440, the Medium preset yields an average of 35 FPS, while High yields 31 FPS. This is a 4 FPS difference, indicating that the jump from Medium to High has a minor impact on the average frame rate at this resolution.

Q: Does lowering settings from Ultra to Low provide a significant FPS boost at 1080p?

A: Yes. At 1920x1080, the move from Ultra (36 FPS) to Low (65 FPS) results in a 29 FPS increase, nearly doubling the average frame rate. This shows that settings have a substantial impact when the resolution is not the primary constraint.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations in this game?

A: The combo ranks 2551 out of 2888 tested combinations, placing it in the lower 12% of all configurations tested for Control. This rank reflects the GPU’s low overall performance level.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the dominant factor in this combo’s performance. Its measured 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, a position that aligns with its nearest rivals: the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (score 1463, 1.3% slower), GeForce 800M (1460, 1.5% slower), GeForce GT 625 OEM (1446, 2.5% slower), and GeForce GT 710 (1443, 2.7% slower). This context makes it clear that the Arc B390 is positioned at the entry-level, and the Control data reflects this.

The GPU’s specifications corroborate the benchmark results. It features 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs, with a boost clock of 2500 MHz. Its FP32 compute is rated at 7.680 TFLOPS. These are modest figures for a modern graphics processor, and the game’s engine appears to leverage them to a predictable degree. The GPU’s memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it relies on the system’s main memory, with bandwidth listed as "System Dependent." This architecture can introduce additional latency and bandwidth constraints, which may be a contributing factor to the low absolute frame rates, particularly at higher resolutions where memory pressure increases.

The fact that the GPU is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with a TDP of 80 W and no power connectors further defines its role. It is not designed for high-end gaming, and the data shows a consistent struggle to maintain playable frame rates in Control. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 4K (33 to 18 FPS) illustrates that even reducing the graphical workload does not lift performance into a comfortable range, as the sheer pixel count overwhelms the GPU’s capabilities.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at the combo’s performance across a matrix of resolutions and settings.

At 1920x1080, the results show a clear progression:

• Low: 65 FPS average.
• Medium: 46 FPS average, with a minimum of 40 and a maximum of 53.
• High: 41 FPS average.
• Ultra: 36 FPS average.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops significantly:

• Low: 50 FPS average.
• Medium: 35 FPS average, with a minimum of 30 and a maximum of 40.
• High: 31 FPS average.
• Ultra: 27 FPS average.

At 3840x2160, the frame rates fall below playable levels:

• Low: 33 FPS average.
• Medium: 24 FPS average, with a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 27.
• High: 21 FPS average.
• Ultra: 18 FPS average.

The data reveals that the only configuration consistently above 60 FPS is 1080p Low. At 1080p Medium, the average of 46 FPS is playable but not smooth. At 1440p, only the Low preset (50 FPS) approaches a target of 60 FPS, while all other settings are below 40 FPS. At 4K, every preset averages below 34 FPS, making the game effectively unplayable at this resolution for a smooth experience. The minimum FPS readings for Medium settings at all resolutions (40 at 1080p, 30 at 1440p, 20 at 4K) suggest that there are moments of significant frame drops, leading to potential stutter, which is an important consideration for a game with fast-paced combat.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Control, this Intel Core i5-13400F + Intel Arc B390 configuration ranks 2551 out of 2888 combos. This places it in the bottom 12% of all tested systems, a position that is almost entirely attributable to the GPU. The CPU’s own percentile rank of 77% shows it is a capable processor, but it is paired with a GPU that sits in the 9th percentile, creating a massive imbalance.

The combo’s rank implies that while the CPU could support significantly higher frame rates, the GPU prevents it from doing so. This is a clear case of a system being held back by its weakest link. The rank of 2551 suggests that the vast majority of tested systems, likely including those with mid-range or even older high-end GPUs, will outperform this configuration in Control. The data indicates that for this game, the Arc B390 is a severe bottleneck, and the overall experience is dictated by its limited graphics processing power.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-13400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor from the Raptor Lake generation, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. Its benchmark scores are solid, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 22604 and a single-core score of 3191. Its average benchmark score of 25292 places it in the 77th percentile of all CPUs, with nearest rivals including the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS (score 25284, 0% delta), Intel Core 5 120 (25362, -0.3%), and AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D (25365, -0.3%). This indicates the CPU is a strong performer for its class.

However, in the context of this combo and Control, the CPU’s role is largely passive. The measured FPS data shows no signs of a CPU bottleneck. If the CPU were limiting performance, we would expect to see similar frame rates across different resolutions, as the CPU would be the constant constraint. Instead, the FPS drops consistently with increasing resolution, which is the definitive signature of a GPU bottleneck. The CPU is likely providing more than enough frames for the GPU to render, but the GPU cannot keep up.

The CPU’s high thread count and boost clock ensure that it is not the source of any stuttering or frame pacing issues; the data instead points to the GPU’s shared memory architecture and low computational throughput as the source of performance limits. The i5-13400F is effectively waiting on the Arc B390, meaning the CPU’s potential is left untapped in this configuration.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal experience for this combo in Control is at 1920x1080 with the Low preset, which yields an average of 65 FPS. This is the only setting that allows the game to run at a frame rate that is comfortably smooth, providing a responsive experience suitable for the game’s action sequences. While the Ultra preset at 1080p offers 36 FPS, the jump to Low nearly doubles the frame rate, making the visual sacrifice worthwhile for playability.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset is the only viable option, producing an average of 50 FPS. This is playable, but the frame rate is below 60 FPS, meaning there may be occasional dips. The Medium preset at 1440p drops to 35 FPS, which is on the edge of playability for a game like Control that requires precise aiming and timing. For a more stable experience at 1440p, sticking with Low is recommended.

At 3840x2160, the data does not support a playable experience. All presets average below 34 FPS, with Ultra at just 18 FPS. Even the Low preset at 33 FPS is too low for a smooth experience. The recommendation is to avoid 4K resolution with this combo, as the GPU lacks the necessary rendering power to provide a playable frame rate. The best path to a higher-quality visual experience would be to maintain 1080p and attempt to increase the preset from Low to Medium, which yields 46 FPS, a compromise between visual fidelity and smoothness.