Control

# Control with Intel Core i5-14600KF + NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti

This combination of Intel's 14th-generation flagship i5 processor with NVIDIA's entry-level Pascal-era GPU creates one of the most lopsided pairings in the database. The benchmark results place this combo at rank 1606 out of 1636 tested configurations for Control, meaning it sits in the bottom 2% of all recorded systems. The data reveals a system where the CPU's immense processing power is almost entirely irrelevant, as the GPU becomes the definitive bottleneck across every resolution and setting tested.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 1606 out of 1636 tested combinations places it firmly in the lowest percentile of systems running Control. This is a striking result when considering the CPU's benchmark pedigree. The Intel Core i5-14600KF achieves an average benchmark score of 49367, which puts it in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs tested. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-14600K with an average score of 49166 (a 0.4% delta), the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X at 49062 (0.6% delta), and the AMD EPYC 4345P at 49595 (-0.5% delta). The processor is clearly a top-tier performer in synthetic workloads.

Conversely, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti posts an average benchmark score of 5316, placing it in only the 30th percentile of all GPUs. Its closest competitors are the NVIDIA GeForce 930A at 5317 (0% delta), the NVIDIA GeForce 940M at 5297 (0.4% delta), and the AMD Radeon R7 240 at 5280 (0.7% delta). The GPU's performance class is essentially entry-level mobile or low-end desktop hardware. The enormous gap between the CPU's 93rd percentile standing and the GPU's 30th percentile standing explains why this combo ranks so poorly — the system's overall capability is dictated entirely by its weakest component.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600KF brings substantial processing resources to this pairing. It features 14 cores and 20 threads, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. This Raptor Lake-R architecture processor, built on Intel's 10 nm process node, carries 24 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB of L2 cache per core. Its memory support spans both DDR4 and DDR5, and it connects via PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU.

Given Control's measured frame rates, the CPU's role in this system is almost entirely preparatory — it can feed frames far faster than the GPU can render them. The processor's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32889 and single-core score of 4643 demonstrate exceptional throughput. Geekbench results of 15636 multi-core and 2778 single-core reinforce this assessment. PassMark multi-thread testing yields 38697, with single-thread at 4273.

The data suggests that at no tested resolution or setting does the CPU become a limiting factor. Even at 1080p Low, where the GPU produces its highest average of 46.6 FPS, the processor is unlikely to be challenged. Control is an action-adventure title that typically benefits from strong single-thread performance, and the i5-14600KF's 5.30 GHz boost clock provides ample headroom. The 14-core, 20-thread configuration means background tasks and game logic processing are handled with ease, leaving the GPU as the sole arbiter of playability.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti is the clear performance ceiling for this combo. This Pascal-architecture GPU, built on Samsung's 14 nm process, features 768 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 32 render output units. Its 4 GB of GDDR5 memory operates over a 128-bit bus, delivering 112.1 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's base clock runs at 1291 MHz with a boost clock of 1392 MHz, while memory runs at 1752 MHz (7 Gbps effective).

The GPU's modest specifications translate directly into the measured frame rates. With only 2.138 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, the GTX 1050 Ti struggles with Control's demanding rendering. The card supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, but its raw throughput caps performance well below playable thresholds for most configurations. The 4 GB VRAM capacity becomes a critical constraint at higher resolutions, where texture buffers exceed available memory.

The GPU's benchmark scores tell a consistent story. PassMark G3D yields 6340, while 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 produces only 305. Geekbench Vulkan and OpenCL scores of 19851 and 20638 respectively are competitive for the GPU's class, but all indicators point to a component designed for 1080p gaming at low to medium settings — and even that target proves ambitious for Control.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data reveals a clear pattern of diminishing performance as resolution increases. At 1920x1080, the GTX 1050 Ti produces its best results. Low settings average 46.6 FPS, which approaches playability. Medium settings drop to 33 FPS, High settings to 27.1 FPS, and Ultra to 26.7 FPS. These numbers suggest that 1080p Low is the only configuration where the game approaches smooth gameplay.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance penalty is substantial. Low settings average 35.8 FPS, a 23% reduction from 1080p Low. Medium averages 25.6 FPS, High drops to 24 FPS, and Ultra falls to 21.4 FPS. None of these configurations achieve the 30 FPS threshold that might be considered minimally acceptable for an action-adventure title.

At 3840x2160, the results become nearly unplayable. Low settings manage 25.9 FPS, which is the only 4K configuration above 20 FPS. Medium averages 15.2 FPS, High 14.4 FPS, and Ultra 12.6 FPS. The 4K results demonstrate that the GTX 1050 Ti's 4 GB VRAM and limited compute capacity are wholly insufficient for this resolution in Control.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo achieve 60 FPS in Control at any setting?

A: No. The highest measured average is 46.6 FPS at 1080p Low. All other configurations fall below 40 FPS, with most well under 30 FPS.

Q: What is the most playable configuration for this system?

A: 1080p Low, averaging 46.6 FPS, is the only tested setting that approaches playable frame rates. The next closest is 1440p Low at 35.8 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The i5-14600KF averages 49367 in benchmark scores, sitting 0.4% above the i5-14600K, 0.6% above the Ryzen 9 5950X, and 1.4% above the Xeon Gold 5318H. It trails the EPYC 4345P by 0.5%.

Q: Is the GPU the limiting factor in this system?

A: Yes. The GTX 1050 Ti's 30th percentile GPU ranking versus the CPU's 93rd percentile CPU ranking indicates the GPU is overwhelmingly the performance bottleneck.

Q: What is the GPU's closest performance rival?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce 930A matches the GTX 1050 Ti almost exactly with a 0% delta in average benchmark scores. The GeForce 940M is 0.4% behind.

Q: How severe is the drop from 1080p to 4K at Low settings?

A: The average FPS drops from 46.6 at 1080p to 25.9 at 4K, a reduction of roughly 44% in frame rate.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data presents a clear hierarchy for this combo. Low settings at 1080p provide the best experience, with an average of 46.6 FPS. This is the only configuration that reaches a frame rate where the game's action-adventure mechanics can be reasonably experienced. The jump from Low to Medium at 1080p costs 13.6 FPS (from 46.6 to 33), a 29% reduction that pushes the game into choppier territory.

At 1440p, Low settings at 35.8 FPS might be tolerable for players who prioritize resolution over smoothness, but the compromise is significant. The step from Low to Medium at 1440p drops 10.2 FPS to 25.6, which becomes noticeably stuttery.

Ultra settings provide no meaningful benefit at any resolution. At 1080p, Ultra averages 26.7 FPS versus High's 27.1 FPS — a negligible difference that suggests the GPU is already maxed out before the highest preset is applied. The data indicates that Low settings at 1080p, or at most Medium at 1080p, represent the best balance of visual quality and playability this hardware can achieve in Control.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the GPU-bound nature of this system. At Low settings, the progression is 46.6 FPS at 1080p, 35.8 FPS at 1440p, and 25.9 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p represents a 23% reduction, while 1440p to 4K costs another 28%. This scaling pattern is consistent with a GPU that is compute-limited rather than bandwidth-limited.

At High settings, the numbers tell a similar story: 27.1 FPS at 1080p, 24 FPS at 1440p, and 14.4 FPS at 4K. The 1080p to 1440p drop is only 11%, but 1440p to 4K falls 40%. This steeper decline at higher resolutions suggests that the 4 GB VRAM capacity is being exceeded at 4K, causing additional performance penalties beyond raw compute limits.

The resolution scaling analysis points decisively to the GPU as the limiting component. A CPU-bound system would show relatively flat FPS across resolutions, since the processor's workload doesn't scale significantly with pixel count. Instead, the dramatic FPS drops at higher resolutions indicate that the GTX 1050 Ti's fill rate, memory bandwidth, and VRAM capacity are all being saturated. The i5-14600KF's extraordinary processing power remains almost entirely untapped, waiting for a GPU capable of feeding it frames that match its 93rd-percentile CPU performance.