Control

Control, the action-adventure title released in 2019, presents a demanding workload for the Intel Core i7-13700K and AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 8 GB pairing. Measured benchmark data shows this combination ranks 849th out of 1,636 tested combos in the game. The CPU sits at the 93rd percentile of all processors with an average benchmark score of 47,282, while the GPU sits at the 50th percentile of all graphics cards. The CPU launched with an MSRP of $409, and the GPU with a launch MSRP of $299 USD. This asymmetry — a high-end processor paired with a mid-range graphics card — shapes every frame rate in the measured results.

FAQ

Q: What is the combo's overall rank in Control?

A: The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 8 GB ranks 849th out of 1,636 tested combinations in Control. That places it just past the midpoint of the database, consistent with a CPU that is far stronger than the GPU.

Q: What frame rates does this combo deliver at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the combo produces 144.1 fps on Low, 101.4 fps on Medium, 88.6 fps on High, and 82.1 fps on Ultra. Every preset clears 60 fps, and Low is fast enough for high-refresh displays.

Q: How does the Core i7-13700K compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The CPU's average benchmark score is 47,282. The Core i7-13700KF scores 47,334 (0.1% higher), the AMD EPYC 4364P scores 47,131 (0.3% lower), the Core i9-12900F scores 47,081 (0.4% lower), and the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 scores 47,527 (0.5% higher). The entire cluster sits within 0.5% of the 13700K.

Q: What memory configuration does the Radeon RX 9060 XT 8 GB use?

A: The GPU uses 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, with memory clocked at 2518 MHz (20.1 Gbps effective) for 322.3 GB/s of bandwidth. The 128-bit interface is a key constraint at higher resolutions.

Q: Does the GPU's VRAM limit performance at 4K?

A: The measured data points that way. At 3840x2160, average frame rates fall from 73.3 fps on Low to 52.7 fps on Medium, 48.4 fps on High, and 40.2 fps on Ultra. The steep drop between Low and Medium suggests the 8 GB frame buffer and 322.3 GB/s bandwidth become bottlenecks as texture and geometry loads increase.

Q: What is the GPU's clock configuration?

A: The Radeon RX 9060 XT 8 GB has a base clock of 1700 MHz, a game clock of 2530 MHz, and a boost clock of 3130 MHz. The memory runs at 2518 MHz, which translates to 20.1 Gbps effective.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 8 GB is built on the Navi 44 chip using RDNA 4.0 architecture, fabricated on TSMC's 4 nm process. The die contains 29,700 million transistors across 199 mm². Clock behavior is defined by three states: a base clock of 1700 MHz, a game clock of 2530 MHz, and a boost clock of 3130 MHz. The memory subsystem pairs 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus with a 2518 MHz memory clock (20.1 Gbps effective), producing 322.3 GB/s of bandwidth.

The compute layout includes 2,048 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, 64 raster output units, and 32 ray tracing cores. Peak throughput is 200.3 GPixel/s for pixels, 400.6 GTexel/s for textures, and 25.64 TFLOPS for FP32 math. The card's 150 W TDP and PCIe 5.0 x16 interface round out the specification.

In Control, the GPU's role is decisive. The measured frame rates show a consistent pattern: at every resolution, the Low preset is dramatically faster than Medium, and Medium is faster than High, with Ultra slowest. At 1080p, Low hits 144.1 fps while Ultra hits 82.1 fps. At 1440p, Low hits 106.9 fps while Ultra hits 62.8 fps. At 4K, Low hits 73.3 fps while Ultra hits 40.2 fps. The scaling from Low to Ultra is steepest at 4K, where the 8 GB frame buffer and 128-bit memory bus are most stressed. The GPU's 50th percentile standing among all graphics cards aligns with these mid-range results.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's 849th place out of 1,636 tested combinations in Control places it in the middle of the field. The ranking reflects a large gap between the two components' capabilities. The Core i7-13700K is a high-end processor: it sits at the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 47,282. Its nearest rivals are tightly grouped. The Core i7-13700KF leads with 47,334 (0.1% higher), followed by the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 at 47,527 (0.5% higher), the AMD EPYC 4364P at 47,131 (0.3% lower), and the Core i9-12900F at 47,081 (0.4% lower). All four rivals sit within 0.5% of the 13700K's score, meaning CPU choice among these parts would not meaningfully change Control's frame rates.

The CPU itself is a 16-core, 24-thread Raptor Lake part with a base clock of 3.40 GHz, a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, a 125 W TDP, and 30 MB of shared L3 cache. These specifications place it firmly in the high-end desktop segment. But in Control, the GPU dictates the outcome. The Radeon RX 9060 XT 8 GB sits at the 50th percentile of all GPUs — exactly the median. With the CPU at the 93rd percentile and the GPU at the 50th, the graphics card is the limiting factor in this pairing. The 849th rank out of 1,636 is consistent with a mid-range GPU holding back a high-end CPU.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data covers three resolutions and four settings presets, for twelve data points total.

At 1920x1080, the combo is at its best. Low settings produce 144.1 fps, which is sufficient for high-refresh monitors. Medium produces 101.4 fps, High produces 88.6 fps, and Ultra produces 82.1 fps. All four presets remain above 60 fps, and the spread between Low and Ultra is the largest of any resolution, indicating the CPU has ample headroom at 1080p.

At 2560x1440, performance steps down across the board. Low delivers 106.9 fps, Medium delivers 79.1 fps, High delivers 67.2 fps, and Ultra delivers 62.8 fps. The Ultra preset barely clears 60 fps, and the overall pattern shows the GPU beginning to strain.

At 3840x2160, the strain becomes a wall. Low delivers 73.3 fps, Medium delivers 52.7 fps, High delivers 48.4 fps, and Ultra delivers 40.2 fps. Only Low maintains a 60 fps average. Medium, High, and Ultra all fall below the 60 fps threshold, and Ultra drops to 40.2 fps — the lowest measured result in the entire set.

Settings Recommendations

The measured rows make the recommendations straightforward.

At 1920x1080, Medium at 101.4 fps is the best balance of visual quality and performance. Low at 144.1 fps is the choice for high-refresh displays, while High at 88.6 fps and Ultra at 82.1 fps remain perfectly playable for users who want maximum image quality.

At 2560x1440, Medium at 79.1 fps is the recommended preset. High at 67.2 fps and Ultra at 62.8 fps are still above 60 fps, so users with 1440p panels can push to High or Ultra if they accept the lower headroom. Low at 106.9 fps is available for those who prioritize frame rate.

At 3840x2160, Low at 73.3 fps is the only preset that clears 60 fps. Medium at 52.7 fps, High at 48.4 fps, and Ultra at 40.2 fps all fall short. For 4K play, Low is the only viable setting; users who want higher quality at 4K would need a stronger GPU.