Control

Control, the 2019 action-adventure title, responds predictably to the Intel Core i7-13700K and AMD Radeon RX 9070 pairing, with performance scaling that clearly identifies the GPU as the primary constraint at higher resolutions. The measured frames per second (FPS) data shows a consistent pattern: as resolution increases, the average frame rate drops, but the magnitude of that drop is heavily influenced by the graphics preset. This analysis walks through the resolution scaling, the individual roles of the CPU and GPU, the combo’s standing in the database, and provides settings recommendations based on the measured rows.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 180.1 FPS, which drops to 134.4 FPS at 1440p and 94.5 FPS at 4K. This represents a 25.4% decrease from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 29.7% decrease from 1440p to 4K. The steep 4K drop indicates that the Radeon RX 9070 is working near its limits, as the pixel count quadruples from 1080p to 4K, yet the FPS does not halve, suggesting some headroom remains. With High settings, the pattern repeats: 115.9 FPS at 1080p, 84.9 FPS at 1440p, and 61.5 FPS at 4K. The transition from 1440p to 4K here is a 27.6% reduction, which is less severe than the Low preset’s drop, hinting that the CPU is starting to play a more significant role in maintaining frame rates as the GPU load increases.

The most telling data point is the Ultra preset. At 1080p, the combo delivers 98.1 FPS, but this falls to 74.9 FPS at 1440p and 52.5 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is the only measured configuration that dips below the 60 FPS threshold, indicating that this setting is too demanding for the GPU at that resolution. Conversely, the Low preset at 4K still produces 94.5 FPS, which is higher than the Ultra preset at 1080p. This suggests that the limiting component changes based on the preset: at Low settings, the CPU has more influence, while at Ultra, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck. The scaling from Medium to High at 4K (66 FPS to 61.5 FPS) is only a 6.8% difference, showing diminishing returns as the GPU saturates.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a 16-core, 24-thread processor with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. Its benchmark scores are strong, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 39000 and a single-core score of 5505. In the context of Control, the CPU’s role is evident in the 1080p results, where the frame rates are high enough (180.1 FPS on Low) that the processor must keep up with the GPU’s output. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 10717 and the 4-thread score of 4469 indicate that the CPU has ample multi-threaded capability, but Control is not a title that scales perfectly with all 16 cores. The single-thread performance, reflected in the 3DMark single-thread score of 1136 and the Geekbench single-core score of 2850, is more critical for this game’s engine.

The data shows that at 1080p Low, the CPU is likely the limiting factor, as the GPU is not fully stressed. This is supported by the fact that moving from 1080p Low to 1440p Low only reduces FPS from 180.1 to 134.4, a 25.4% drop, which is less than the pixel count increase would suggest if the GPU were the sole bottleneck. The CPU’s 30 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache help with game logic and draw calls, but the benchmark results here do not show a specific Control-optimized test. Compared to its nearest rivals, the i7-13700K is essentially tied with the Intel Core i7-13700KF (deltaPct of -0.1) and slightly ahead of the AMD EPYC 4364P (deltaPct of 0.3) in average benchmark score. This parity suggests that the CPU is not a differentiator in this combo; the GPU dictates the experience.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 is built on the RDNA 4.0 architecture with a Navi 48 chip, featuring 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 644.6 GB/s. Its boost clock is 2520 MHz, with a game clock of 2070 MHz. The GPU’s 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6290 and Passmark G3D score of 25381 place it in the 79th percentile of all GPUs. In Control, the GPU’s role is dominant at higher resolutions. The 4K results show a clear hierarchy: Low (94.5 FPS), Medium (66 FPS), High (61.5 FPS), and Ultra (52.5 FPS). The gap between Low and Medium at 4K is 28.5 FPS, which is substantial, while the gap between Medium and High is only 4.5 FPS, indicating that the GPU’s shading units (3584) and texture mapping units (224) are being saturated by the game’s effects.

The 16 GB VRAM is a significant asset, as Control is known for its complex environments and particle effects. At 4K Ultra, the game likely approaches the VRAM limit, but the measured FPS of 52.5 suggests that the GPU’s compute throughput, not memory capacity, is the primary constraint. The pixel rate of 322.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 564.5 GTexel/s are high, yet the data shows that the GPU cannot maintain 60 FPS at 4K Ultra. When compared to its nearest rivals, the RX 9070 is nearly identical in average benchmark score to the NVIDIA A2 (deltaPct of -0.2) and the NVIDIA Quadro GV100 (deltaPct of 0.3). This is surprising given the RX 9070’s modern architecture, but the benchmark scores are what they are, and in-game performance follows the measured FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the Intel Core i7-13700K and AMD Radeon RX 9070 ranks 533rd out of 1636 tested combinations in Control. This places it in the 67.4th percentile (calculated as 1 - 533/1636), meaning it outperforms roughly two-thirds of all combos in the database. This is a solid mid-to-upper tier ranking, but not a top-tier result. The ranking reflects the GPU’s 79th percentile standing, while the CPU’s 93rd percentile score is somewhat wasted in this title, as Control does not seem to leverage the full multi-threading capability of the i7-13700K. The combo’s rank is likely held back by the GPU’s 4K Ultra performance, which is the weakest measured result. At 1080p, the combo’s FPS is competitive with higher-ranked systems, but the 4K data pulls the overall rank down. The data suggests that this combination is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it delivers well above 60 FPS on most presets.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal experience depends on the target resolution. For 1080p, the High preset at 115.9 FPS provides a smooth experience with good visual quality, while Medium at 132 FPS offers a slight FPS boost with minimal visual compromise. The Ultra preset at 98.1 FPS is still highly playable and is recommended for users prioritizing image quality over raw frame rate. For 1440p, the High preset at 84.9 FPS is the best balance, as it stays well above the 60 FPS threshold while offering detailed visuals. The Medium preset at 100.4 FPS is a strong alternative for those seeking higher refresh rates, but the visual difference between Medium and High is often noticeable in Control’s lighting effects. At 4K, the data shows that only the Low preset (94.5 FPS) and Medium preset (66 FPS) exceed 60 FPS. The High preset at 61.5 FPS is borderline, and the Ultra preset at 52.5 FPS is not recommended for smooth gameplay. For 4K, the Medium preset is the sweet spot, as it provides a 6.8% FPS improvement over High while likely retaining most of the visual fidelity that matters in this game.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows 1440p High at 84.9 FPS is the sweet spot, as it maintains high frame rates while offering better visuals than 1080p. At 4K, only Low and Medium presets exceed 60 FPS.

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

A: Yes, but only on the Low preset (94.5 FPS) and Medium preset (66 FPS). The High preset at 61.5 FPS is just above 60 FPS, while Ultra at 52.5 FPS falls below the threshold.

Q: How does the CPU affect performance in this game?

A: The CPU’s impact is most visible at 1080p Low, where the FPS of 180.1 suggests the processor is the limiting factor. At higher resolutions, the GPU takes over as the bottleneck, as shown by the larger FPS drops.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU the stronger component in this combo?

A: The CPU has a higher percentile (93rd vs. 79th for the GPU), but in Control, the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K. The GPU’s performance dictates the FPS at higher resolutions, while the CPU only shows its influence at lower resolutions.

Q: What is the FPS difference between Low and Ultra at 4K?

A: The measured data shows a difference of 42 FPS, with Low averaging 94.5 FPS and Ultra averaging 52.5 FPS. This 80% increase in FPS from Ultra to Low indicates the GPU is heavily taxed by Ultra settings.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested systems?

A: This combo ranks 533rd out of 1636 combos, placing it in the top 33% of all tested systems. The rank is moderate, reflecting strong 1080p and 1440p performance but weaker 4K Ultra results.