Control

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

The measured frame rates show a steep, predictable decline as resolution climbs, but the pattern reveals that Control is heavily GPU-bound at higher settings on this pairing. At 1080p Low, the combo delivers 121.4 FPS, which drops to 90.3 FPS at 1440p Low (a 25.6% reduction) and then to 59.6 FPS at 4K Low (a 34% further drop from 1440p). This scaling is characteristic of a system where the AMD Radeon RX 7600's 8 GB frame buffer and 128-bit memory interface become the primary constraint as pixel count rises.

Moving from 1080p to 1440p at High settings, the average FPS falls from 77.1 to 57.9, a 24.9% decline. From 1440p to 4K at High, the drop is sharper: 57.9 FPS down to 39.3 FPS, a 32.1% reduction. The increasing percentage loss at each step indicates that the GPU is not just working harder but is also hitting memory bandwidth limits — the RX 7600's 288.0 GB/s bandwidth is fixed, and 4K resolution demands proportionally more data throughput.

The Ultra preset tells a similar story but with lower absolute numbers. At 1080p Ultra, the combo manages 69.2 FPS; at 1440p Ultra, 48.9 FPS (a 29.3% drop); and at 4K Ultra, 35.4 FPS (a 27.6% drop from 1440p). The relative consistency of these percentage drops — roughly 25-32% per resolution step — suggests that the CPU is not the bottleneck here. The Intel Core i5-14600K with its 14 cores and 20 threads has ample headroom; if the processor were limiting, the FPS gap between 1080p and 4K would compress significantly.

The data points to a clear conclusion: this combo's performance ceiling at 4K is set by the GPU. The RX 7600 ranks in the 63rd percentile among all GPUs, and its 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming but becomes strained at 4K, where the difference between Low (59.6 FPS) and Medium (41.9 FPS) is a massive 17.7 FPS — a 42.2% penalty for one preset step up.

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

The Intel Core i5-14600K brings 14 cores (6 performance and 8 efficiency) and 20 threads, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. In Control, a game that benefits from strong single-thread performance but does not scale linearly with core counts, this processor provides a solid foundation. The benchmark data shows that even at 1080p Low — the most CPU-sensitive scenario in this test set — the combo reaches 121.4 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and indicates the CPU is not holding back the GPU.

The CPU's Raptor Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process, delivers a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32881 and a single-core score of 4642. These figures place the i5-14600K in the 93rd percentile among all CPUs, with its average benchmark score of 49166 sitting just 0.2% above the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X (49062) and 0.4% below the Intel Core i5-14600KF (49367). For Control specifically, the single-core strength matters more than raw multi-threaded throughput, and the 4642 single-core score in Cinebench R23 suggests the CPU can feed the GPU efficiently at all tested resolutions.

The 24 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache help reduce memory latency, which is beneficial for a game like Control that relies on frequent draw calls and physics calculations. The CPU's memory support for both DDR4 and DDR5, with a dual-channel bus, provides flexibility, though the measured FPS numbers do not differentiate between memory types. At 4K Ultra, the combo still manages 35.4 FPS, and the fact that this is only 29.3% lower than the 1440p Ultra result (48.9 FPS) confirms that the CPU maintains consistent frame delivery even when the GPU is saturated.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 7600 is the decisive component in this pairing. Built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with the Navi 33 chip (codenamed Hotpink Bonefish), this GPU features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The base clock runs at 1720 MHz, with a boost clock of 2655 MHz and a game clock of 2250 MHz. These specifications place the RX 7600 in the 63rd percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 20258 — just 0.6% below the RX 7600 XT (20146) and 1.3% above the GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (20534).

In Control, the GPU's 8 GB VRAM capacity is the key constraint at higher resolutions. At 4K, the difference between Low and Medium settings is 17.7 FPS (59.6 vs 41.9), which is disproportionately large compared to the 1080p gap of 33.4 FPS between Low (121.4) and Medium (88). This suggests that at 4K, the GPU is not only rendering more pixels but also struggling with memory allocation — the 8 GB buffer fills up quickly, forcing the GPU to manage textures less efficiently. The 64 ROPs and 128 TMUs provide adequate pixel and texture throughput for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, the 169.9 GPixel/s pixel rate becomes a limiting factor.

The RX 7600's fp32 performance of 21.75 TFLOPS is respectable for a mid-range card, but Control's heavy use of post-processing effects and volumetric lighting means the GPU's compute units are taxed significantly at Ultra presets. The measured data shows that at 1080p Ultra, the combo achieves 69.2 FPS, which drops to 48.9 FPS at 1440p Ultra and 35.4 FPS at 4K Ultra. These numbers indicate that the GPU is the sole bottleneck — the CPU's 5.30 GHz boost clock and 20 threads provide more than enough processing power for the game's logic, but the GPU's 2048 shading units cannot keep up with the rendering demands at higher resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-14600K with the AMD Radeon RX 7600 ranks 1083 out of 1636 tested combos in Control. This places it in the lower-middle tier of the database, which is consistent with the GPU's 63rd percentile standing. The rank reflects the fact that while the CPU is a top-tier performer (93rd percentile), the GPU is a mid-range part, and Control's GPU-bound nature means the overall combo performance is dragged down by the graphics card.

The combo's rank of 1083 means that 553 other tested configurations deliver higher average FPS in this game. This is not surprising given that the RX 7600's nearest rivals include the RX 7600 XT (which scores 0.6% higher) and the Intel Arc B570 (which scores 1.5% higher). The CPU's nearest rivals — the Ryzen 9 5950X (0.2% higher), the i5-14600KF (0.4% lower), and the EPYC 4345P (0.9% lower) — show that the processor is competitive with other high-end parts, but the GPU's mid-range positioning is the defining factor.

In practical terms, this rank means the combo is suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it achieves playable frame rates across all settings. At 1080p Ultra, the 69.2 FPS average is smooth, and at 1440p High, the 57.9 FPS is acceptable for most players. However, at 4K, even the Low preset (59.6 FPS) barely crosses the 60 FPS threshold, and Ultra (35.4 FPS) is not a viable option. The rank of 1083 out of 1636 reflects this reality: the combo is not a top contender for 4K gaming, but it performs admirably at lower resolutions.

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

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1080p, the Medium preset (88 FPS) offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, as the jump from Medium to High (77.1 FPS) yields only a 10.9 FPS improvement, while High to Ultra (69.2 FPS) costs an additional 7.9 FPS for marginal visual gains. For players prioritizing maximum smoothness, the Low preset at 121.4 FPS is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors, but the visual compromise is significant.

At 1440p, the High preset (57.9 FPS) is the sweet spot. The Medium preset (64.6 FPS) provides a 6.7 FPS advantage, but the visual fidelity drop is noticeable in a game like Control, which relies heavily on atmospheric lighting and particle effects. The Ultra preset (48.9 FPS) is playable but sits below the 50 FPS threshold, making it a less attractive option. For those who prefer consistent 60+ FPS, the Low preset (90.3 FPS) delivers excellent performance with acceptable visuals.

At 4K, the situation is more constrained. The Low preset (59.6 FPS) is the only option that approaches 60 FPS, and it is the recommended choice for 4K gaming. The Medium preset (41.9 FPS) is playable but noticeably less smooth, and the High (39.3 FPS) and Ultra (35.4 FPS) presets are not recommended for action sequences where frame timing matters. The data shows that the 4K Low preset is the most sensible choice for this combo, as it provides a playable experience without the severe performance penalties of higher settings.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Control at 60 FPS in 4K?

A: Only at the Low preset, which averages 59.6 FPS. Medium (41.9 FPS), High (39.3 FPS), and Ultra (35.4 FPS) all fall short of 60 FPS.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Control?

A: 1080p offers the most consistent performance, with all presets exceeding 69 FPS. 1440p is also viable, with Medium (64.6 FPS) and High (57.9 FPS) being playable.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU in this game?

A: No. The i5-14600K's 14 cores and 20 threads provide ample headroom, as evidenced by the consistent FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K. The GPU is the limiting factor.

Q: How does the RX 7600 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RX 7600 scores 0.6% lower than the RX 7600 XT, 0.8% lower than the RX 460, and 1.3% higher than the RTX 3070 Mobile in average benchmark scores.

Q: Is 8 GB of VRAM enough for Control at 4K?

A: The data suggests it is barely sufficient. The large FPS drop between Low (59.6) and Medium (41.9) at 4K indicates VRAM pressure, but the Low preset remains playable.

Q: What settings should I use for 1440p gaming?

A: The High preset (57.9 FPS) offers the best visual quality, while the Medium preset (64.6 FPS) provides a smoother experience. Ultra (48.9 FPS) is playable but not recommended for fast-paced combat.

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

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 121.4 FPS average
• Medium: 88 FPS average
• High: 77.1 FPS average
• Ultra: 69.2 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 90.3 FPS average
• Medium: 64.6 FPS average
• High: 57.9 FPS average
• Ultra: 48.9 FPS average

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 59.6 FPS average
• Medium: 41.9 FPS average
• High: 39.3 FPS average
• Ultra: 35.4 FPS average

The full dataset shows a consistent pattern: the Low preset always provides the highest FPS, followed by Medium, High, and Ultra in that order. At 1080p, the spread between Low and Ultra is 52.2 FPS (121.4 vs 69.2), which narrows to 41.4 FPS at 1440p (90.3 vs 48.9) and 24.2 FPS at 4K (59.6 vs 35.4). This narrowing spread at higher resolutions confirms that the GPU becomes increasingly dominant as the bottleneck, with the CPU's influence on frame rates diminishing as pixel count rises. The measured data is definitive: this combo is a 1080p and 1440p performer, with 4K viable only at the lowest settings.