Control

Control, Remedy’s 2019 action-adventure, is a demanding title that stresses both the CPU and GPU heavily due to its physics-driven combat and real-time ray tracing. In this analysis, the combination of the Intel Core i5-14400F and the Intel Arc B390 produces results that are heavily skewed by the graphics processor, which sits near the bottom of the performance hierarchy. The benchmark data shows a system that is capable of playable frame rates only at lower resolutions and settings, with the GPU acting as the definitive bottleneck across the board.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i5-14400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. This processor is a strong performer in synthetic benchmarks, sitting at the 83rd percentile against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 32279. Its nearest rivals in CPU performance include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U, which trails by just 0.1%, and the Intel Core i9-11900, which is 0.2% slower, while the AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS is 0.2% faster and the Intel Core i7-12800H is 0.5% faster. These figures indicate that the i5-14400F has ample compute headroom for gaming workloads.

However, the data from Control does not reflect this CPU strength. The measured frame rates are uniformly low, even at 1080p, which suggests that the processor is not the limiting factor. For instance, at 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 65 FPS. This is the highest frame rate recorded for this combo, yet it is still far below what the CPU is capable of pushing in less GPU-bound scenarios. The processor's robust multi-core performance, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21645 and a PassMark multithread score of 25470, is largely irrelevant in this specific pairing. The game is not asking the 10 cores and 16 threads to do heavy lifting; instead, it is waiting on the graphics solution to render each frame.

In this context, the CPU is essentially idle relative to its potential. The data shows that moving from 1080p Low to 4K Low drops the average frame rate from 65 to 33 FPS, a reduction of 32 FPS. This scaling is characteristic of a GPU bottleneck, where the processor is ready to feed frames but the graphics card cannot render them quickly enough. The i5-14400F’s high single-thread performance, with a Geekbench single-core score of 2058 and a PassMark single-thread score of 3701, ensures that it can handle the game's logic and draw calls without stuttering, but it cannot overcome the graphics card's limitations. The conclusion is clear: the CPU is a non-factor in this combo’s low scores, serving only to highlight how severely the GPU holds the system back.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, manufactured on a 3 nm process. It features a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. Crucially, its memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it has no dedicated VRAM of its own; the memory size, type, and bus width are all listed as "System Shared," with bandwidth described as "System Dependent." This is a fundamental limitation for a game like Control, which requires significant memory bandwidth for its high-resolution textures and effects.

The GPU's raw compute specifications are modest. It has 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs, with a pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s. Its FP32 performance is 7.680 TFLOPS, and it supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. Despite these specifications, its performance percentile is exceptionally low, ranking at the 9th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of just 1482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12. Its nearest rivals are legacy NVIDIA parts: the GeForce GT 520MX is 1.3% faster, the GeForce 800M is 1.5% faster, the GeForce GT 625 OEM is 2.5% faster, and the GeForce GT 710 is 2.7% faster. This places the Arc B390 in the same performance tier as integrated graphics solutions from over a decade ago.

In Control, this translates to sub-60 FPS at every resolution and setting combination tested. The highest average frame rate achieved is 65 FPS at 1080p Low, but this drops precipitously as settings increase. At 1080p Ultra, the average falls to 36 FPS. The lack of dedicated VRAM is a critical issue; the "System Shared" memory means the GPU is competing with the CPU for system memory bandwidth, which is a major bottleneck in a game known for its complex particle effects and destructible environments. The GPU's low pixel and texture rates are also directly visible in the frame rates, as the render output units cannot keep up with the demands of higher resolutions. The data shows that the Arc B390 is simply not designed for this workload, and its performance is closer to a basic display adapter than a gaming GPU.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how the system scales with resolution. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo averages 65 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops this to 50 FPS, and at 4K Low, it falls to 33 FPS. This represents a 49% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K. Similarly, at High settings, the average frame rate goes from 41 FPS at 1080p to 31 FPS at 1440p and 21 FPS at 4K. The pattern is consistent across all settings, indicating a linear degradation in performance as pixel count increases.

This scaling behavior is a classic sign of a GPU-bound system. If the CPU were the primary constraint, frame rates would remain relatively flat across resolutions, as the processor would be the limiting factor regardless of the graphical load. Here, the frame rates drop significantly with each step up in resolution, confirming that the Intel Arc B390 is saturated. The GPU is unable to maintain a playable frame rate at 4K, with the best result being 33 FPS on Low settings, which is below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. Even at 1440p, the system only manages 50 FPS on Low, which is acceptable for some players but not ideal for a fast-paced action title.

The data also reveals that the gap between settings narrows at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 29 FPS (65 vs. 36). At 4K, the difference is only 15 FPS (33 vs. 18). This suggests that at lower resolutions, the GPU still has some headroom to process additional visual effects, but at 4K, it is so overwhelmed that the impact of settings is lessened. The limiting component is unequivocally the GPU, as the CPU has more than enough power to handle the draw calls, but the graphics processor cannot render the frames fast enough. This analysis indicates that the combo is only suitable for 1080p gaming, and even then, only at lower quality presets to achieve a playable frame rate.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The performance of this specific combination is quantified by its rank in the benchmark database for Control. The Intel Core i5-14400F + Intel Arc B390 combo ranks 2551 out of 2888 tested combinations. This places it in the bottom 12% of all systems tested for this game. This is a very poor ranking, reflecting the severe GPU limitation discussed earlier. The CPU is in the top 17% of all processors, but the GPU is in the bottom 9% of all graphics cards, and the combined result is dragged down to the lower quartile of overall system performance.

This rank is consistent with the measured FPS data. A system ranking 2551 out of 2888 is expected to struggle with modern titles, particularly ones with heavy graphical demands like Control. The combo is outperformed by the vast majority of other tested configurations, which likely include more balanced pairings with dedicated mid-range or high-end graphics cards. The data shows that while the i5-14400F is a capable processor, its pairing with an integrated GPU like the Arc B390 is a severe mismatch. The processor's potential is entirely wasted, as the system is bottlenecked by the graphics solution. The rank of 2551 serves as a stark warning that this configuration is not suitable for gaming beyond very low settings and resolutions.

In comparison to its component-level rivals, the CPU is competitive, but the GPU is not. The GPU’s nearest rivals are all over a decade old, indicating that the Arc B390 is not a modern gaming solution. The combo's rank is a direct consequence of this GPU performance, showing that no matter how strong the CPU is, the overall system's gaming capability is determined by its weakest link. The data suggests that for a better ranking, the GPU would need to be replaced with a dedicated solution, as the CPU is clearly not the issue.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the only viable way to play Control with this combo is to prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity. The benchmark results show that the system cannot maintain 60 FPS at any setting, so the goal should be to achieve the highest possible average frame rate while avoiding the lowest minimums. The data shows that the Low preset provides the best performance at every resolution.

At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average of 65 FPS. This is the only setting that comes close to a playable frame rate for a fast-paced action game. The Medium preset at 1080p drops to 46 FPS, with a minimum of 40 FPS, which is still playable but not ideal. High and Ultra settings at 1080p yield 41 FPS and 36 FPS, respectively, which are below the threshold for smooth gameplay. Therefore, for the best experience, the Low preset at 1080p is the recommended choice, as it provides the highest frame rate.

At 1440p, the Low preset averages 50 FPS, which is playable but not smooth. Medium drops to 35 FPS, with a minimum of 30 FPS, which is bordering on unplayable. High and Ultra are too slow at 31 FPS and 27 FPS, respectively. At 4K, no settings are recommended, as the best result is 33 FPS on Low, which is not a playable experience for this genre. The data indicates that the combination is not suited for 4K gaming. In summary, the only sensible recommendation is to use the Low preset at 1080p, and perhaps at 1440p if the player is willing to accept a lower frame rate. Higher settings or resolutions should be avoided, as they result in a poor experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The following is a detailed breakdown of the measured average frame rates for the Intel Core i5-14400F + Intel Arc B390 combo in Control.

At 1920x1080, the system produces its best results. With the Low preset, the average frame rate is 65 FPS. The Medium preset averages 46 FPS, with a minimum of 40 FPS and a maximum of 53 FPS. The High preset averages 41 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 36 FPS. This shows a clear degradation in performance as settings increase, with a 29 FPS difference between Low and Ultra.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates drop significantly. The Low preset averages 50 FPS. The Medium preset averages 35 FPS, with a minimum of 30 FPS and a maximum of 40 FPS. The High preset averages 31 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 27 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra narrows to 23 FPS, but all settings are below the 60 FPS target.

At 3840x2160, the system is severely overwhelmed. The Low preset averages 33 FPS. The Medium preset averages 24 FPS, with a minimum of 20 FPS and a maximum of 27 FPS. The High preset averages 21 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 18 FPS. These frame rates are all unplayable for a game like Control, and the data shows that the combo should not be used at this resolution.

The data confirms a consistent pattern: the combination of this CPU and GPU is only capable of marginal performance at 1080p Low, and it degrades rapidly with any increase in resolution or graphical fidelity. The measured numbers show that the i5-14400F is not the limiting factor, as the frame rates are almost entirely dependent on the settings and resolution, which affect the GPU workload. The Intel Arc B390’s performance is the sole determinant of the system's poor showing.