Control

Control, the 2019 action-adventure from Remedy Entertainment, demands a delicate balance between GPU fill-rate and CPU physics processing, and the pairing of the Intel Core i7-13700K with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 demonstrates a clear hierarchy in this equation. The benchmark data reveals that while the CPU is more than capable of feeding the GPU at lower resolutions, the RTX 4060 becomes the definitive limiting factor as resolution increases, creating a predictable curve of performance degradation. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS data to show exactly where this combo excels and where it leaves performance on the table, concluding that the system is best suited for high-refresh-rate 1080p gaming or high-fidelity 1440p experiences, rather than 4K.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and unambiguous, indicating a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 139.5 FPS at 1920x1080 to 72.3 FPS at 3840x2160, a substantial reduction that highlights the RTX 4060's struggle to maintain fluid motion at 4K. The scaling pattern is consistent across all quality presets: the gap between 1080p and 1440p averages around 29% for most settings, while the jump from 1440p to 4K results in an additional 33-36% performance loss, confirming that pixel throughput is the primary constraint.

The data suggests that the Core i7-13700K is not the bottleneck in this configuration at any resolution. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 139.5 FPS, which is a strong indicator that the CPU can push well beyond the GPU's limits. However, the scaling curve shows diminishing returns as resolution increases; the difference between 1080p and 1440p at Ultra settings is only 17.6 FPS (from 77.6 to 60 FPS), while the difference between 1440p and 4K Ultra is a more significant 19.5 FPS (from 60 to 40.5 FPS). This non-linear behavior points to the GPU's memory bandwidth and shading capacity being exhausted at 4K, rather than any CPU limitation.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process, brings 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is the likely culprit for the 4K performance wall, as the data shows the card dropping to 40.5 FPS at Ultra settings and 44.3 FPS at High settings in 4K. The boost clock of 2460 MHz and the 3072 shading units provide adequate raw compute for 1080p and 1440p, but the 48 ROPs and limited memory bus become apparent when fill-rate demands spike at higher resolutions.

The GPU's benchmark standing is modest, sitting at the 66th percentile among all GPUs with an average score of 23181. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 6600M (scoring 23321, a 0.6% delta) and the Intel Arc B580 (scoring 23021, a 0.7% delta), placing the RTX 4060 in a competitive mid-range bracket. In Control specifically, the measured results show the card performing admirably at 1080p, where it delivers over 90 FPS on High settings, but the 4K Ultra result of 40.5 FPS is below the 60 FPS threshold that many users target, signaling that the card is not designed for native 4K gaming in this title.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a 16-core, 24-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. Its benchmark scores are formidable, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 39000 and a single-core score of 5505, placing it in the 93rd percentile among all CPUs. This processing power ensures that Control's physics-heavy combat sequences and destructible environments do not cause CPU-induced stutters, even when the GPU is saturated.

In this specific game, the CPU's role is to maintain a stable frame delivery pipeline, and the data confirms it does so effectively. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 139.5 FPS, which is likely near the upper limit of what the RTX 4060 can render, not a CPU ceiling. The nearest CPU rivals, such as the Intel Core i7-13700KF (scoring 47334, a -0.1% delta) and the AMD EPYC 4364P (scoring 47131, a 0.3% delta), show that the i7-13700K is statistically tied with the top performers in its class, meaning the CPU is not the limiting factor in any of the measured configurations. The processor's 30 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel memory support for DDR4 and DDR5 provide ample bandwidth for feeding the GPU with draw calls and physics data.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to maintain 60 FPS or higher?

A: The data shows that 1440p High settings yield 66.6 FPS, and 1080p High delivers 91.4 FPS, so either resolution on High or below will comfortably exceed 60 FPS. At 4K, only Low settings (72.3 FPS) manage to stay above 60 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 compare to its nearest GPU rivals in this game?

A: The RTX 4060 has an average benchmark score of 23181, which is 0.6% lower than the AMD Radeon RX 6600M and 0.7% higher than the Intel Arc B580. This indicates near-identical performance class, though the measured FPS in Control shows the RTX 4060 delivering playable results at 1440p.

Q: Is the Core i7-13700K overkill for the RTX 4060?

A: The CPU's percentile ranking (93rd) and high multi-threaded scores (e.g., 39000 in Cinebench R23) suggest it has far more headroom than the GPU. In this game, the CPU is not the bottleneck, as evidenced by the 139.5 FPS result at 1080p Low, so a less powerful CPU could achieve similar frame rates.

Q: What are the FPS differences between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, Low settings average 139.5 FPS, Medium 102 FPS, High 91.4 FPS, and Ultra 77.6 FPS. This represents a 44.4% performance drop from Low to Ultra, showing that the GPU's shading units are heavily taxed by the higher-quality effects.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Control?

A: The measured data indicates that 4K Ultra is not viable at 40.5 FPS, and 4K High is marginal at 44.3 FPS. Only 4K Low (72.3 FPS) or Medium (53.7 FPS) approaches playable territory, but even Medium falls short of 60 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU's single-thread performance impact this game?

A: The i7-13700K scores 5505 in Cinebench R23 single-core and 2850 in Geekbench single-core, which are strong results. Control benefits from this, as the high 1080p Low frame rate of 139.5 FPS suggests the CPU can handle the game's logic without throttling the GPU.

How This Combo Ranks

This combination of the Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 ranks 899th out of 1636 tested combos in Control, placing it in the 45th percentile of all system pairings. This mid-pack ranking is unsurprising given that the GPU is a mainstream 60-class card, while the CPU is a high-end enthusiast part. The rank reflects the system's balanced performance at 1080p and 1440p, but its inability to excel at 4K drags its overall standing down relative to combos with more powerful GPUs.

The ranking data suggests that the i7-13700K is being held back by the RTX 4060, as the CPU alone sits in the 93rd percentile, while the GPU is only in the 66th percentile. This mismatch is evident in the measured results, where the system's 4K Ultra score of 40.5 FPS is below the threshold for a good 4K experience. In contrast, at 1080p Low, the 139.5 FPS result demonstrates that the CPU can drive the GPU to its maximum potential, indicating that the combo's rank is determined more by GPU limitations than CPU performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its best results across all settings. Low settings achieve 139.5 FPS, Medium settings hit 102 FPS, High settings reach 91.4 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 77.6 FPS. These numbers show a smooth progression, with the step from Low to Medium costing 37.5 FPS, and the step from High to Ultra costing 13.8 FPS. The 1080p results are all above 60 FPS, making this resolution the sweet spot for the combo.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong but begins to show GPU strain. Low settings average 107.7 FPS, Medium 74.1 FPS, High 66.6 FPS, and Ultra exactly 60 FPS. The 1440p results are playable, but the Ultra preset is right at the 60 FPS boundary, leaving little headroom for demanding scenes. The difference between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 47.7 FPS, indicating that the GPU's fill-rate is becoming a factor.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 4060's limitations are fully exposed. Low settings produce 72.3 FPS, Medium 53.7 FPS, High 44.3 FPS, and Ultra 40.5 FPS. The 4K results show a steep decline, with only the Low preset maintaining a playable frame rate. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 31.8 FPS, and the card's 8 GB memory buffer and 272.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient to maintain higher quality settings at this resolution.

Settings Recommendations

For players targeting 60 FPS or higher, the 1080p Ultra preset is the optimal choice, as it delivers 77.6 FPS while providing the best visual fidelity. If the user prefers higher refresh rates, the 1080p Low preset at 139.5 FPS offers the smoothest experience, but the visual downgrade may not be worth the extra frames. At 1440p, the High preset at 66.6 FPS is the best balance, as it stays above 60 FPS while retaining most of the graphical features. The 1440p Ultra preset at exactly 60 FPS is acceptable but leaves no margin for performance dips.

At 4K, the data suggests that only the Low preset is viable for consistent gameplay at 72.3 FPS, but this sacrifices most of the game's visual atmosphere. The Medium preset at 53.7 FPS is playable for those who prioritize visuals over smoothness, but it falls short of the standard 60 FPS target. Given the GPU's 8 GB VRAM and the game's demands, the recommendation is to avoid 4K Ultra (40.5 FPS) and instead opt for 1440p High or Ultra, which provides a more consistent experience without the severe frame rate penalties seen at 4K. The measured data clearly indicates that the RTX 4060 is best utilized at 1080p or 1440p, where it can leverage the i7-13700K's processing power to deliver high frame rates.