Control

The Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti combination delivers a robust Control experience, with performance that scales predictably across resolutions and settings. The data shows a system capable of high refresh rate gaming at 1440p and smooth 4K performance on High settings, though Ultra presets demand compromises. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS data and contextualizes the results within the broader benchmark database.

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

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a 16-core, 24-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, with a 125 W TDP. This configuration provides substantial multi-threaded headroom, as evidenced by a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 39000 and a Passmark multithread score of 45887. The processor’s 30 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache help reduce memory latency, which is beneficial for game logic and physics calculations.

In Control, an Action Adventure title, the CPU’s role is primarily to maintain a stable frame pipeline. The benchmark results indicate that at 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves 191.7 FPS, which is the highest measured value in the dataset. This high frame rate suggests that the CPU is not a bottleneck at lower graphical loads, allowing the GPU to operate near its full potential. However, when considering the CPU’s percentile rank of 93 vs all CPUs, it sits comfortably in the top tier, meaning its single-thread performance (Cinebench R23 single-core score of 5505) is more than adequate for this game’s requirements.

The i7-13700K’s 16 cores are more than Control needs, but the high boost clock of 5.40 GHz ensures that the game’s primary thread is serviced quickly. In contrast, the CPU’s nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-13700KF, shows a negligible average score delta of -0.1%, indicating that the integrated GPU on the 13700K (UHD Graphics 770) does not hinder performance. The data shows that the CPU’s capability is not the limiting factor in this combo; even at 4K Ultra, the average FPS of 56 is likely GPU-bound, as the CPU has ample headroom.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is the primary driver of frame rates in this combination. It features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 912.4 GB/s. The GPU’s base clock is 1365 MHz with a boost clock of 1665 MHz, and it is built on Samsung’s 8 nm process with 28,300 million transistors. With 10,240 shading units, 80 RT cores, and 320 tensor cores, the RTX 3080 Ti is designed for high-fidelity rendering, including ray tracing and DLSS support.

In Control, the GPU’s memory capacity and bandwidth are critical for texture streaming and high-resolution rendering. At 4K Ultra, the combo hits 56 FPS, which is a playable average but indicates the GPU is working near its limits. The Passmark G3D score of 26896 and a percentile rank of 83 vs all GPUs place it above average, but its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090, shows a delta of -0.5%, meaning the 3080 Ti is nearly as fast. The GPU’s 34.10 TFLOPS FP32 performance is substantial, yet the measured FPS at 4K Ultra suggests that the game’s demanding effects, such as volumetric lighting and physics, are saturating the GPU’s capabilities.

The 12 GB VRAM is a notable asset; at 1440p Ultra, the combo achieves 78.9 FPS, and at 1080p Ultra, it reaches 108.7 FPS. These results show that the GPU can handle high settings with ample memory headroom, as the VRAM is not exhausted at these resolutions. The GPU’s memory clock of 1188 MHz (19 Gbps effective) supports high data throughput, which is reflected in the 912.4 GB/s bandwidth, ensuring that texture loads do not cause stutters in the measured data.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a clear scaling pattern across resolutions, highlighting the transition from CPU-bound to GPU-bound performance. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 191.7 at 1080p to 143.5 at 1440p, a reduction of 25.1%, and then to 99.2 at 4K, a further 30.9% drop. This scaling is consistent with a GPU that is becoming the primary limiter as pixel count increases.

At High settings, the FPS values are 120.4 at 1080p, 91.7 at 1440p, and 60.5 at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 23.8%, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is 34.0%, which is steeper. This steeper decline at higher resolutions indicates that the GPU’s rendering load is growing superlinearly with pixel count, a classic sign of GPU-bound performance. The CPU’s high single-thread and multi-thread scores (Cinebench R23 single-core 5505, multicore 39000) suggest it is not the constraint, as the FPS does not plateau at lower resolutions due to CPU limits.

Ultra settings show the most dramatic scaling: 108.7 FPS at 1080p, 78.9 FPS at 1440p, and 56 FPS at 4K. The 27.4% drop from 1080p to 1440p, followed by a 29.0% drop to 4K, demonstrates that the RTX 3080 Ti is the limiting component. The 4K Ultra result of 56 FPS is the lowest in the dataset, but it is still above 60 FPS at 1440p Ultra, suggesting that users targeting 4K should consider High settings (60.5 FPS) for a smoother experience. Overall, the scaling data confirms that the CPU has sufficient headroom, and the GPU’s performance dictates the frame rate at all resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the benchmark database, this specific combination of the Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti ranks 447 out of 1636 tested combos for Control. This placement in the 27.3rd percentile of all combos indicates that it outperforms a majority of systems, but there is a significant number of configurations that achieve higher frame rates. The rank is based on the measured FPS across all resolutions and settings, with the combo’s best performance being 191.7 FPS at 1080p Low.

The combo’s rank is influenced by the GPU’s position relative to its peers. The RTX 3080 Ti’s average benchmark score of 41224 is close to the RTX 3090’s 41441 (delta -0.5%), meaning the GPU is nearly as fast as a higher-tier card. However, the CPU’s nearest rivals, such as the AMD EPYC 4364P (delta 0.3%) and Intel Core i9-12900F (delta 0.4%), show that the i7-13700K is not the absolute fastest, but its performance is comparable. This balance results in a combo that is strong for 1440p gaming, as evidenced by the 143.5 FPS at 1080p Low and 101.4 FPS at 1440p Medium.

The rank of 447 suggests that while this combo is capable, it is not at the very top of the leaderboard. For context, the RTX 3080 Ti’s percentile rank of 83 vs all GPUs means it is better than 83% of GPUs, but the combo rank is lower due to the inclusion of CPUs that may be more powerful. The data shows that this pairing is well-matched, as the CPU does not bottleneck the GPU, but the overall rank is determined by the GPU’s performance ceiling, particularly at 4K Ultra where it hits 56 FPS.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS achieved by this combo in Control?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 191.7, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the RTX 3080 Ti compare to its nearest rival, the RTX 3090?

A: The RTX 3090 has an average benchmark score of 41441, while the RTX 3080 Ti scores 41224, resulting in a delta of -0.5%, meaning the 3080 Ti is marginally slower.

Q: What is the combo’s rank in the database for Control?

A: The Intel Core i7-13700K and RTX 3080 Ti combination ranks 447 out of 1636 tested combos for Control.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 4K Ultra settings?

A: At 4K Ultra, the combo achieves 56 FPS, and the steep FPS drop from 1080p to 4K indicates the GPU is the limiting factor, as the CPU has ample headroom.

Q: What is the average FPS at 1440p High settings?

A: At 2560x1440 resolution with High settings, the combo delivers an average FPS of 91.7.

Q: Does the CPU’s integrated graphics affect gaming performance?

A: No, the UHD Graphics 770 is not used during discrete GPU gaming, and the CPU’s nearest rival, the i7-13700KF, shows a delta of -0.1%, indicating no performance impact.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the user’s target resolution and refresh rate. For 4K gaming, the High preset is the best choice, as it delivers 60.5 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset at 4K drops to 56 FPS, which may introduce noticeable stutter on 60 Hz displays, so High is recommended for a consistent experience. Medium at 4K offers 73.1 FPS, which provides a buffer, but the visual fidelity loss may not be worth the 12.6 FPS gain over High.

At 1440p, the Ultra preset is viable, with 78.9 FPS, which is suitable for 60 Hz monitors and acceptable for 144 Hz displays. For higher refresh rate monitors, the High preset at 91.7 FPS or Medium at 101.4 FPS are better options, as they provide smoother motion. The Low preset at 143.5 FPS is only recommended for competitive play, as it sacrifices visual quality for maximum frame rate.

At 1080p, all presets are playable, with Ultra at 108.7 FPS and High at 120.4 FPS. The Medium preset at 135.7 FPS offers a good balance for 144 Hz displays, while Low at 191.7 FPS is ideal for 240 Hz monitors. The data suggests that the High preset is the sweet spot across all resolutions, as it maintains above 60 FPS at 4K and above 120 FPS at 1080p, providing a consistently smooth experience without the performance hit of Ultra.