Control

The Intel Core i5-14600K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D delivers a striking performance profile in Control, one that shifts decisively based on resolution and preset. The data shows a combo that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at lower settings, yet reveals a more balanced dynamic as graphical loads increase. This analysis breaks down the measured frames, contextualizes the hardware's role, and interprets how this pairing ranks among the extensive tested database.

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

The Intel Core i5-14600K is a 14-core, 20-thread processor built on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. Its 24 MB of shared L3 cache and support for both DDR4 and DDR5 memory position it as a high-end desktop part, and its benchmark scores confirm strong single-threaded and multi-threaded capability. For a game like Control, which relies heavily on physics and asynchronous compute, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with enough data to avoid stalling the render pipeline.

In this specific combo, the CPU's influence is most apparent at 1080p and Low settings, where the average frame rate reaches 285 FPS. This figure is so high that it approaches the practical limit of what the CPU can sustain in game logic and draw-call processing. The i5-14600K's single-core performance, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2064, is sufficient to drive these high frame rates without becoming a bottleneck. However, the data suggests that at 1080p Low, the CPU is likely the primary limiter, as the GPU has ample headroom to render frames faster than the CPU can issue them.

As resolution increases to 1440p and 2160p, the frame rates drop substantially, shifting the bottleneck to the GPU. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS falls to 83, a figure that is far below what the CPU can theoretically support. This indicates that the i5-14600K's processing power is more than adequate for Control's demands; the GPU is the constraining factor at higher resolutions. The processor's 125 W TDP and 10 nm process node are relevant for sustained performance, but the benchmark results show that even at 4K, the CPU is not struggling to keep up.

The CPU's nearest rivals in the database—such as the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H and the AMD EPYC 4345P—have average scores within 0.8% of the i5-14600K. This places the CPU in a highly competitive tier, but the measured FPS in Control is less about raw CPU score and more about how the 14 cores and 20 threads handle the game's engine. The data indicates that the i5-14600K is a robust partner for the RTX 5090 D, providing enough throughput to avoid limiting performance until frame rates reach extreme levels.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the highest average frame rate recorded for this combo?

A: The highest average frame rate is 285 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is the only measured setting that exceeds 280 FPS, and it represents the peak performance of this pairing.

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

A: The combo ranks 19th out of 2888 tested combinations in Control. This top-1% placement indicates that this hardware pairing is among the elite for this title, though not the absolute fastest.

Q: What is the difference in average FPS between 1080p Ultra and 4K Ultra?

A: At 1920x1080 Ultra, the average FPS is 163. At 3840x2160 Ultra, the average FPS drops to 83. This represents a 49% reduction in frame rate when moving from 1080p to 4K at the same settings.

Q: Are there any settings where the minimum FPS is clearly lower than the average?

A: Yes, at 3840x2160 Medium, the average FPS is 108, but the minimum FPS is 92. This indicates some frame time variance, though the minimum is still well above playable thresholds.

Q: Does the CPU's benchmark score relative to rivals suggest any bottleneck at 4K?

A: The CPU's closest rival, the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H, has an average score that is 0.2% higher, while the AMD EPYC 4345P is 0.3% lower. Given that the 4K scores are much lower than 1080p, the data suggests the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K, not the CPU.

Q: What is the average FPS at 1440p High, and how does it compare to 1080p High?

A: At 2560x1440 High, the average FPS is 142. This is 46 FPS lower than the 188 FPS recorded at 1920x1080 High, showing a clear performance penalty for the higher resolution.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and predictable scaling pattern across resolutions. At 1080p High, the combo produces 188 FPS. Moving to 1440p High reduces this to 142 FPS, a 24.5% decrease. Stepping up to 4K High further drops the average to 96 FPS, a 32.4% reduction from 1440p. This progressive decline is the classic signature of a GPU-bound scenario, where each pixel increase adds significant work for the graphics card.

At Low settings, the scaling is even more pronounced. The jump from 1080p Low (285 FPS) to 1440p Low (225 FPS) is a 21.1% drop, and then to 4K Low (152 FPS) is another 32.4% decrease. The fact that 4K Low still achieves 152 FPS—higher than 1080p Ultra's 163 FPS but close—indicates that the GPU is still the dominant factor even at the lowest preset. If the CPU were the limiting component, we would expect to see frame rates plateau or decrease much more modestly as resolution increases, because the CPU's workload would remain constant.

The data strongly suggests that the RTX 5090 D is the performance limiter across all resolutions and settings, except perhaps at 1080p Low where the CPU may start to cap the frame rate. The GPU's raw compute power, measured at 104.8 TFLOPS FP32 and 1.79 TB/s of memory bandwidth, is being fully utilized as resolution climbs. The 32 GB of GDDR7 memory is more than sufficient for Control's needs, so the drop in FPS is purely a function of pixel fill rate and shading complexity.

This scaling behavior is typical for a high-end GPU paired with a strong CPU. The i5-14600K's boost clock of 5.30 GHz and its high single-thread scores ensure that it can keep up with the GPU's demands, but it cannot compensate for the increased pixel workload at higher resolutions. The result is a combo that excels at 1080p and 1440p, delivering very high frame rates, but is still capable of maintaining smooth performance at 4K, albeit at lower numbers.

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

1920x1080: At Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 285 FPS. This is the highest recorded frame rate for the entire dataset. Medium settings produce an average of 211 FPS, with a minimum of 180 FPS and a maximum of 243 FPS. High settings lower the average to 188 FPS, and Ultra further reduces it to 163 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 122 FPS, showing that settings have a massive impact at this resolution.

2560x1440: Low settings at 1440p yield an average of 225 FPS. Medium settings drop to 160 FPS, with a minimum of 136 FPS and a maximum of 184 FPS. High settings record an average of 142 FPS, while Ultra brings the average down to 124 FPS. The step from Medium to High is 18 FPS, and from High to Ultra is another 18 FPS, indicating a consistent cost for each quality tier.

3840x2160: At 4K, Low settings average 152 FPS. Medium settings average 108 FPS, with a minimum of 92 FPS and a maximum of 124 FPS. High settings reduce the average to 96 FPS, and Ultra drops it further to 83 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 69 FPS, which is a smaller absolute gap than at 1080p, but the percentage difference is similar.

Across all resolutions, the Medium preset is the only one with min/max data, showing a consistent pattern of roughly 15-20% variance between minimum and maximum frames. The average frame rates are all well above 60 FPS, even at 4K Ultra, which indicates that this combo can handle Control at its highest settings with ease. The data shows that the most significant performance jump occurs when moving from Low to Medium, suggesting that the GPU has ample headroom for the initial quality increase.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combo holds the 19th position out of 2888 tested combinations in Control. This places it in the top 0.66% of all hardware pairings, which is an exceptional result. The rank reflects the combined strength of the i5-14600K and RTX 5090 D, but it is important to contextualize this within the GPU's own benchmark standing.

The RTX 5090 D has a percentile rank of 92 among all GPUs, and its average benchmark score of 77712 is close to rivals like the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT, which scores 78940 (a 1.6% difference). This suggests that while the GPU is extremely fast, it is not the absolute fastest in the database, which explains why the combo does not achieve the top rank. The CPU's percentile rank of 90 is similarly high but not perfect, meaning there are faster processors available that could pair with the GPU to achieve a higher rank.

Achieving rank 19 out of 2888 reflects the balance of this pairing. The i5-14600K's strong single-thread performance, as seen in its Geekbench single-core score of 2491, ensures that it does not hold back the GPU in a game like Control. The data indicates that the combo is likely limited by the GPU in most scenarios, and a faster CPU would only yield marginal gains. The rank also benefits from the game's optimization, as Control is known to scale well with both CPU and GPU resources.

Comparatively, the CPU's nearest rivals have average scores that are within 1% of the i5-14600K, meaning that swapping to a different high-end CPU would likely result in a similar rank. The GPU's nearest rivals, such as the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT, are within 1.1% in score, but the RTX 5090 D's larger memory pool and higher bandwidth likely contribute to its performance in this specific title. The 19th rank is a strong indicator that this is a top-tier combo, though there is room for improvement with even more powerful components.

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 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers 285 FPS, which is far beyond what any display can show, making High (188 FPS) or Ultra (163 FPS) more sensible choices for visual quality. The Ultra preset at 1080p still achieves 163 FPS, which is above the 144 Hz refresh rate of many monitors, so it is recommended for users with high-refresh displays.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset averages 124 FPS, which is ideal for 120 Hz or 144 Hz monitors. The High preset at 142 FPS is also excellent, and it offers a 12.7% improvement over Ultra while likely having minor visual differences. The Medium preset at 160 FPS is the best choice for users who prioritize frame rate above all else, as it provides a significant boost over High without the extreme quality drop of Low.

At 3840x2160, the High preset averages 96 FPS, which is playable on 60 Hz displays but not ideal for high-refresh gaming. The Ultra preset at 83 FPS is still above 60 FPS, but the Medium preset at 108 FPS offers a much smoother experience. The data suggests that Medium at 4K is the sweet spot, as it provides a 12.5% improvement over High and a 30.1% improvement over Ultra, while the visual difference between Medium and High is often subtle in fast-paced action.

For the best overall experience, the Medium preset at 1440p or 4K is recommended. It offers a balanced frame rate with only a slight reduction in visual fidelity. At 1080p, Ultra is the recommended preset due to the high frame rates available. In all cases, the minimum FPS at Medium settings remains well above 90 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay without stutters.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is a monstrous GPU, built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with a 5 nm process node. It features 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing a massive 1.79 TB/s of memory bandwidth. The base clock is 2017 MHz, and the boost clock is 2407 MHz, with the memory running at 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective). The GPU's 21760 shading units and 176 ROPs are directly responsible for the high pixel throughput, and its 104.8 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power enables complex shading and physics calculations.

In Control, the GPU's role is paramount. The game's use of ray tracing and particle effects places a heavy load on the GPU's compute units. The RTX 5090 D's 170 RT cores are specifically designed for this workload, and the measured FPS data reflects their efficiency. At 1080p Low, the GPU is so fast that it is likely idle waiting for the CPU, but at 4K Ultra, it is fully saturated, as evidenced by the 83 FPS average.

The 32 GB of VRAM is more than enough for Control at any resolution, as the game's textures and effects do not require more than a fraction of this capacity. This means that the GPU is not memory-limited, and the drop in FPS from 1080p to 4K is purely due to the increased number of pixels being rendered. The GPU's clock speeds are high, but they are not the primary factor in performance; rather, it is the sheer number of cores and the memory bandwidth that allow it to maintain high frame rates.

The GPU's percentile rank of 92 and its average benchmark score of 77712 place it in the top tier, but its nearest rivals show that it is not the undisputed leader. The AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT, for example, has a 1.6% higher average score, yet the RTX 5090 D's performance in Control is still exceptional. The data confirms that the GPU is the driving force behind this combo's high rank, and its capabilities are well-matched to the demands of this game.