Control

The Intel Core i5-14600K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT delivers a playable but demanding experience in Control, with performance scaling heavily on resolution and preset. At 1080p, the combination provides smooth frame rates across most settings, but 4K Ultra proves too demanding, dropping below 35 FPS. The data indicates a GPU-bound system at higher resolutions, while the powerful 14-core CPU ensures the game never becomes processor-limited.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU and GPU combo in Control?*

A: Based on the measured data, 1920x1080 is the most viable resolution. It is the only resolution where every preset, including Ultra, maintains an average above 60 FPS, with Low hitting 119 FPS.

Q: How does the RX 5700 XT perform relative to its closest rivals?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score of 24731 places it nearly even with the NVIDIA RTX A5000 Mobile, which scores 24763 (0.1% higher). It is also comparable to the Intel Arc A350M, which scores 24647, a 0.3% difference.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-14600K a strong performer compared to other CPUs?

A: Yes. The processor sits in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs tested, with an average benchmark score of 49166. This puts it roughly on par with the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X, which scores 49062, a negligible 0.2% difference.

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

A: The highest recorded average FPS is 119, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low preset. This is a significant jump from the 85.6 FPS average at Medium settings.

*Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Control?*

A: Only at the Low preset, where it averages 58.9 FPS. At Medium and High, the average drops to 40.8 FPS and 38 FPS respectively, while Ultra falls to a stutter-prone 34.4 FPS.

*Q: How does this specific combo rank among all tested systems for Control?*

A: This configuration ranks 1234th out of 1636 total tested combos. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the database, indicating that while playable, many other systems offer higher performance.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT is the primary determinant of frame rates in this pairing, especially at higher resolutions. With 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, the card provides a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s, which is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p but becomes a limiting factor at 4K. The GPU's boost clock of 1905 MHz and game clock of 1755 MHz are the key drivers of its compute performance, which is rated at 9.754 TFLOPS.

The data shows a clear GPU bottleneck when moving up in resolution. At 1080p High, the combo achieves 71.3 FPS, but this drops to 55.2 FPS at 1440p and 38 FPS at 4K—a performance decline of 22.6% and 46.7%, respectively. This scaling pattern is typical of a GPU that is being pushed to its limits. The card's 68th percentile ranking among all GPUs, with an average score of 24731, confirms its mid-range positioning. While it is competitive with the NVIDIA RTX A5000 Mobile (scoring 24763), it does not have the headroom required for demanding 4K Ultra settings in Control, where it falls to 34.4 FPS.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600K provides a robust foundation that prevents processor-related bottlenecks in Control. With 14 cores (a mix of performance and efficiency cores) and 20 threads, the CPU has substantial multi-threading capability. Its boost clock of 5.30 GHz is particularly relevant for gaming, as Control benefits from high single-thread performance. The processor's Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4642 and multi-core score of 32881 demonstrate its strength in both areas.

The data suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is more than capable of feeding the GPU. The jump from 71.3 FPS at High to 119 FPS at Low indicates that the CPU can handle high frame rates without becoming the limiting factor. Even at 4K, where the GPU is clearly strained, the CPU maintains its role without introducing instability. The i5-14600K's 93rd percentile ranking, with an average score of 49166, places it nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X (which scores 49062, a 0.2% difference). This performance headroom means that for this game, the CPU is never the primary constraint; the GPU dictates the playable settings.

Settings Recommendations

For the best balance of visual quality and performance, the Medium preset at 1920x1080 is the recommended starting point. It delivers an average of 85.6 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, while offering a significant visual upgrade over the Low preset. Players seeking maximum fluidity can opt for the Low preset, which achieves 119 FPS, but this sacrifices visual fidelity.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset remains the sweet spot, producing 63.1 FPS. This is a playable average, though it represents a 26.3% drop from the 1080p Medium result. The High preset at 1440p drops to 55.2 FPS, which may be acceptable for some, but the data shows that Medium is the more consistent choice. For 4K gaming, the Low preset is the only reasonable option, yielding 58.9 FPS. The Ultra preset is not recommended at any resolution, as it only achieves 64.9 FPS at 1080p, which is the lowest average among the 1080p presets and falls below 60 FPS at 1440p (48 FPS) and 4K (34.4 FPS).

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core i5-14600K and AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT ranks 1234th out of 1636 tested combos for Control. This places it in the 24th percentile of all tested systems, indicating that a significant majority of other hardware configurations deliver higher average frame rates. The ranking is heavily influenced by the GPU, as the RX 5700 XT is an older, end-of-life product (released in 2019) that is outclassed by newer generations.

In the context of the database, this combo is positioned below the median. The CPU is a top-tier performer, but the GPU's 68th percentile standing pulls the overall ranking down. While the system can play Control at 1080p with high frame rates, its performance at 1440p and 4K is limited, which is a decisive factor in its lower rank. The data shows that this is a balanced pairing for 1080p gaming, but it would benefit significantly from a more powerful GPU to improve its standing.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data reveals a clear performance hierarchy across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best results: Low preset averages 119 FPS, Medium averages 85.6 FPS, High averages 71.3 FPS, and Ultra averages 64.9 FPS. This is the only resolution where all presets exceed the 60 FPS threshold.

At 2560x1440, performance drops noticeably. The Low preset is the only option to remain above 60 FPS, averaging 90 FPS. Medium follows at 63.1 FPS, High at 55.2 FPS, and Ultra at 48 FPS. The transition from 1080p to 1440p results in a 24.4% performance loss at High settings (from 71.3 to 55.2 FPS).

At 3840x2160, the GPU is severely challenged. The Low preset averages 58.9 FPS, which is just under the 60 FPS target. Medium drops to 40.8 FPS, High to 38 FPS, and Ultra to a barely playable 34.4 FPS. The gap between 1440p and 4K is significant; for example, at Medium settings, performance falls by 35.3% (from 63.1 to 40.8 FPS). These numbers clearly indicate that 4K gaming is only viable with the lowest visual settings.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K demonstrates a typical GPU-bound workload. Comparing the High preset, the average FPS drops from 71.3 at 1080p to 55.2 at 1440p (a 22.6% decrease) and then to 38 at 4K (a 46.7% decrease from 1080p). This steep decline is a direct result of the GPU's limited pixel throughput and memory bandwidth, as the 8 GB VRAM buffer becomes a constraint at higher resolutions.

The scaling pattern indicates that the system is almost entirely GPU-limited in Control. The CPU's strong performance (with a boost clock of 5.30 GHz and a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32881) means it can keep up with the GPU's demands at all resolutions. The fact that the 1080p Low preset reaches 119 FPS suggests the CPU can handle even higher frame rates, but the GPU's compute capacity (9.754 TFLOPS) caps the output. The most efficient resolution for this combo is 1080p, where the GPU can operate closer to its full potential. At 4K, the GPU is overwhelmed, resulting in sub-60 FPS averages across all presets except Low. The data confirms that this is a 1080p-centric system for Control, with 1440p being feasible only at Medium settings or lower.