Control

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-14600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 ranks 1363rd out of 1636 tested combos in Control. This places the configuration in the lower third of all tested systems, a position that reflects the GPU's age and tier more than the CPU's capability. The data shows a combination where a top-tier processor is held back by a mid-range graphics card from an earlier generation.

The 1363rd rank out of 1636 combos indicates that most other hardware pairings deliver higher average frame rates in this title. Benchmark results suggest this is not a configuration built for high-refresh-rate competitive play at demanding settings, but rather one that can achieve playable performance with appropriate settings adjustments. The CPU component, however, is a different story. The i5-14600KF sits in the 93rd percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 49367. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-14600K (0.4% ahead), the AMD EPYC 4345P (0.5% behind), and the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X (0.6% ahead). These margins are negligible, meaning the processor is performing exactly as expected for its class.

The GPU, by contrast, sits in the 58th percentile among all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 16074. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon RX 7600S (0.5% ahead), the AMD Radeon Pro 5600M (1.7% ahead), and the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 (1.8% behind). The RTX 2060 is an end-of-life product, and the data shows it operating near the middle of the GPU performance distribution. The overall combo rank is dragged down by this GPU limitation, as the processor's 14 cores and 20 threads are vastly underutilized in a game like Control.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 brings 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 336.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The memory clock runs at 1750 MHz with 14 Gbps effective speed, while the GPU core operates at a base clock of 1365 MHz and a boost clock of 1680 MHz. This memory configuration is adequate for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but the 6 GB capacity becomes a limiting factor at 4K resolution in Control.

The GPU's architecture is Turing, built on a 12 nm process at TSMC, with 10,800 million transistors on a 445 mm² die. The 1920 shading units, 120 texture mapping units, and 48 ROPs define its raw rasterization capabilities. The FP32 performance of 6.451 TFLOPS, combined with a pixel rate of 80.64 GPixel/s and texture rate of 201.6 GTexel/s, explains the frame rates observed in the measured data. The RTX 2060 also includes 30 RT cores and 240 tensor cores, though Control's implementation of ray tracing and DLSS is not reflected in these specific benchmark rows.

In Control, the GPU is the primary bottleneck across all tested resolutions. The measured FPS data shows a clear pattern: at 1080p Ultra, the combo averages 57.6 FPS, while at 4K Ultra, it drops to 28.1 FPS. This scaling is consistent with a GPU that is being pushed to its limits. The RTX 2060's DirectX 12 Ultimate support (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4 API compatibility ensure it can run the game's modern rendering features, but the performance headroom is limited. The GPU's passmark DirectX 11 score of 110 and DirectX 12 score of 53 provide context for its gaming capabilities relative to other cards.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600KF is a 14-core, 20-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, manufactured on Intel's 10 nm process. It operates at a base clock of 3.50 GHz and can boost up to 5.30 GHz. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. This processor supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory over a dual-channel bus, and it connects via PCIe Gen 5 with 16 CPU lanes.

The CPU's benchmark results demonstrate substantial compute capability. In Cinebench R23, it scores 32889 in multicore and 4643 in single-core tests. Geekbench results show a multicore score of 15636 and a single-core score of 2778. PassMark tests reveal strengths in integer math (125982), floating point math (93048), and multithreaded performance (38697). The processor's 93rd percentile ranking among all CPUs confirms it is a high-end part. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-14600K, scores 49166 on average, a mere 0.4% difference.

In Control, the CPU's 14 cores and 20 threads are far more than the game requires. The measured frame rates at 1080p Low (106.4 FPS average) show the CPU can feed the GPU adequately at lower settings, but the i5-14600KF is never the limiting factor in this configuration. The processor's single-core performance, as evidenced by the 4643 Cinebench R23 single-core score, is sufficient for the game's physics and AI calculations. The data indicates that swapping the RTX 2060 for a more powerful GPU would yield significant frame rate improvements at all resolutions, while upgrading the CPU would produce negligible gains in Control.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-14600KF a bottleneck for the RTX 2060 in Control?

A: No. The CPU scores in the 93rd percentile among all CPUs, and the measured frame rates at 1080p Low (106.4 FPS average) show the processor can push far beyond what the GPU can render. The GPU is the limiting component in every tested configuration.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 compare to its closest rivals in raw benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 2060 has an average benchmark score of 16074. The AMD Radeon RX 7600S is 0.5% ahead, the AMD Radeon Pro 5600M is 1.7% ahead, and the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 is 1.8% behind. These are all closely matched parts.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Control based on the measured data?

A: At 1080p with High settings, the combo averages 69.5 FPS, which is smooth gameplay. At 1440p High, the average drops to 52.6 FPS. The data suggests 1080p is the sweet spot for consistent frame rates.

Q: Does the 6 GB VRAM on the RTX 2060 impact performance at higher resolutions?

A: The measured data shows a substantial frame rate drop from 1080p Ultra (57.6 FPS) to 4K Ultra (28.1 FPS). While resolution scaling is a factor, the 6 GB capacity and 336.0 GB/s bandwidth are limiting at 4K, where the game demands more memory and bandwidth.

Q: How does the i5-14600KF's multicore performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The i5-14600KF scores 49367 on average. The Intel Core i5-14600K is 0.4% ahead, the AMD EPYC 4345P is 0.5% behind, and the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X is 0.6% ahead. The differences are within 1.4% of all listed rivals.

Q: What API features does the RTX 2060 support that are relevant to Control?

A: The GPU supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. These modern APIs allow the game to use advanced rendering features, though the RTX 2060's raw performance limits how much headroom is available.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals how the combo scales across resolutions. At 1080p Low, the average frame rate is 106.4 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops this to 82.5 FPS, and at 4K Low, the average falls to 55.2 FPS. This represents a 48% drop from 1080p to 4K at Low settings. The scaling pattern is consistent across all settings presets.

At High settings, the frame rates are 69.5 FPS at 1080p, 52.6 FPS at 1440p, and 35.8 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 24%, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is 32%. This accelerating decline indicates the GPU is becoming more stressed as resolution increases. At Ultra settings, the pattern holds: 57.6 FPS at 1080p, 44.3 FPS at 1440p, and 28.1 FPS at 4K. The 1440p to 4K drop of 37% is the steepest in the dataset.

This scaling behavior points to the GPU as the limiting component. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rates would not drop as dramatically with resolution increases. The i5-14600KF's 14 cores and 20 threads can handle the game's logic at any resolution, but the RTX 2060's 6 GB VRAM and 336.0 GB/s bandwidth struggle as pixel count rises. The data suggests that 1080p is the intended resolution for this combo, with 1440p being playable but requiring settings compromises, and 4K being a stretch goal that only works at Low settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings preset depends on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1080p, the High preset delivers an average of 69.5 FPS, which is smooth for most players. The Ultra preset drops to 57.6 FPS, which is still playable but offers diminishing visual returns for the performance cost. The Medium preset at 77.8 FPS provides a good balance, but High offers better visuals with only a 10% performance penalty compared to Medium.

At 1440p, the High preset averages 52.6 FPS, which is near the edge of smooth gameplay. The Medium preset at 55.9 FPS is only marginally better, while the Low preset at 82.5 FPS provides a significant frame rate boost. For 1440p gaming, the data suggests Low settings are the most practical choice to maintain high frame rates, though Medium is viable for players who prioritize visuals over performance.

At 4K, the situation is more constrained. The Low preset averages 55.2 FPS, which is the only 4K setting that approaches smooth gameplay. The Medium preset drops to 38 FPS, High falls to 35.8 FPS, and Ultra is at 28.1 FPS. These lower frame rates are below the threshold for fluid action gameplay. The recommendation from the data is clear: use Low settings at 4K, or drop to 1440p to unlock higher quality presets. The measured results indicate that High settings at 1080p is the best overall experience for this combo, balancing visual fidelity and performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo achieves its highest frame rates. Low settings produce an average of 106.4 FPS, Medium settings reach 77.8 FPS, High settings deliver 69.5 FPS, and Ultra settings manage 57.6 FPS. The gap from Low to Ultra is 48.8 FPS, showing the performance cost of higher quality presets.

At 2560x1440, the averages are 82.5 FPS on Low, 55.9 FPS on Medium, 52.6 FPS on High, and 44.3 FPS on Ultra. The drop from Low to Ultra is 38.2 FPS. The Medium and High presets are very close, differing by only 3.3 FPS, suggesting the visual quality difference between them is not worth the negligible performance trade-off.

At 3840x2160, the averages are 55.2 FPS on Low, 38 FPS on Medium, 35.8 FPS on High, and 28.1 FPS on Ultra. The Low preset is the only one that breaks the 50 FPS barrier, and the Ultra preset falls below 30 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 4K is severe: at Low settings, the frame rate drops 51.2 FPS, and at Ultra, it drops 29.5 FPS. These numbers quantify the GPU's limitations and confirm that the RTX 2060 is the decisive factor in this combo's performance profile.