Control

Control, the 2019 Action Adventure title, is a demanding showcase that stresses both CPU and GPU, and the Intel Core i7-13700K + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination delivers a high-refresh-rate experience across all tested resolutions. The data indicates that this pairing is best utilized at 2560x1440 with High settings, where the 118 FPS average balances visual fidelity and performance, while 1920x1080 users can push to Ultra for a 135 FPS average. At 3840x2160, the combo remains playable but requires a settings trade-off to maintain smooth frame rates.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data for this combo in Control reveals that the most efficient experience is achieved at 2560x1440 with High settings, producing an average of 118 FPS. This represents a sweet spot where the visual upgrade from Medium (132 FPS) is marginal, but the performance gain over Ultra (102 FPS) is significant—a 16 FPS difference. For users prioritizing maximum frame rates, 1920x1080 with Low settings yields 246 FPS, but this comes at the cost of visual quality that the RTX 4080 can clearly handle at higher presets.

At 1920x1080, the scaling from Medium (175 FPS) to High (156 FPS) to Ultra (135 FPS) shows a predictable 19-21 FPS drop per tier, indicating that High is the recommended preset for 1080p gaming, as it retains 156 FPS while offering substantially better visuals than Low. The 2560x1440 results follow a similar pattern: Low (186 FPS) to Medium (132 FPS) is a 54 FPS drop, Medium to High is a 14 FPS drop, and High to Ultra is a 16 FPS drop. The High preset at 1440p is the clear recommendation because it avoids the steep penalty of Ultra while delivering a frame rate that exceeds most high-refresh monitors.

For 3840x2160, the situation changes dramatically. Ultra settings produce an average of 69 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for competitive play, while High settings yield 79 FPS—a 10 FPS improvement that makes it the recommended 4K preset. The Medium preset at 4K offers 89 FPS with a minimum of 76 FPS, providing a more consistent experience than High, but the visual downgrade is noticeable. The data suggests that 4K users should choose High for the best overall balance, as the 79 FPS average is sufficient for most single-player experiences, and the jump to Medium only gains 10 FPS while reducing graphical fidelity.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a 16-core, 24-thread processor from the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. In Control, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and physics calculations, and the benchmark results indicate that this processor is more than capable of keeping up with the RTX 4080 at all tested settings. The 3dmark_16_threads score of 10717 and the 3dmark_max_threads score of 12412 suggest strong multi-threaded performance, which is relevant for a game that can utilize multiple cores for its physics and AI systems.

The CPU’s single-thread performance, measured by the 3dmark_single_thread score of 1136 and the cinebench_r23_singlecore score of 2116, is crucial for Control’s main game logic thread. The data shows that at 1920x1080 Low settings, the combo achieves 246 FPS, which is likely CPU-bound, as the GPU is not fully stressed at such high frame rates. The 3dmark_2_threads score of 2262 and 3dmark_4_threads score of 4469 indicate that the processor can handle the lighter thread counts that many games still rely on, ensuring that the i7-13700K does not become a bottleneck even in the most CPU-intensive scenarios.

Comparing to nearest rivals, the i7-13700K has an average benchmark score of 46881, which is 0.2% lower than the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 (46971) and 0.3% lower than the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 (47022). However, it outperforms the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX by 0.5% (46654) and the Intel Xeon w3-2535 by 0.5% (46653). These differences are negligible in real-world gaming, and the measured FPS data confirms that the CPU is not the limiting factor in Control, as the frame rates scale primarily with GPU settings rather than CPU load.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is a 5 nm Ada Lovelace chip with 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 716.8 GB/s. The GPU’s base clock is 2205 MHz with a boost clock of 2505 MHz, and it features 9728 shading units, 304 TMUs, and 112 ROPs. In Control, the GPU is the primary driver of performance, as evidenced by the frame rate scaling across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the GPU is often underutilized, allowing for 246 FPS at Low settings, but as resolution increases to 2560x1440 and 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the bottleneck, with frame rates dropping to 186 FPS and 126 FPS at Low settings respectively.

The 16 GB VRAM capacity is ample for Control at all tested settings, as the game’s textures and effects do not appear to exceed this allocation. The GPU’s memory bandwidth of 716.8 GB/s is also sufficient for 4K gaming, as evidenced by the 79 FPS average at 3840x2160 High settings. The RTX 4080’s benchmark scores, including a passmark_g3d score of 34457 and a geekbench_vulkan score of 263779, indicate strong raw performance, and the data shows that the GPU is the main differentiator between the various preset levels.

The RTX 4080’s nearest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER, has an average score of 54209, which is 0.1% higher than the RTX 4080’s 54247, while the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X is 1.1% lower (54828) and the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB is 2.6% lower (55698). These differences are minor, and in Control specifically, the measured FPS data shows that the RTX 4080 is well-suited to the game’s requirements, delivering playable frame rates even at 4K Ultra (69 FPS) and excellent performance at lower resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combo of Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 ranks 241 out of 3720 tested combinations in Control, placing it in the top 6.5% of all configurations. This ranking reflects the high level of performance this pairing offers, particularly at higher resolutions where the GPU’s capabilities are more fully utilized. The combo’s percentile ranking for the CPU (89th) and GPU (86th) individually supports this strong overall position, indicating that both components are above-average performers in their respective categories.

The data shows that this combo excels at 2560x1440, where the 118 FPS average at High settings is competitive with other high-end configurations, and at 1920x1080, where the 156 FPS at High settings provides a smooth experience. The 4K performance, while lower, is still respectable, with the 79 FPS average at High settings making it a viable option for 4K gaming. The combo’s rank of 241 suggests that while there are 240 faster combinations, this setup is in the upper echelon of what is available, and the measured FPS data confirms that it can handle Control’s demands without significant compromises.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 2560x1440 with High settings provides the best balance, yielding 118 FPS average. For maximum frame rates, 1920x1080 with Low settings achieves 246 FPS, while 3840x2160 with High settings offers a playable 79 FPS.

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

A: The i7-13700K has an average benchmark score of 46881, which is 0.2% lower than the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 (46971) and 0.3% lower than the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 (47022), but 0.5% higher than both the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX (46654) and Intel Xeon w3-2535 (46653).

Q: Is the RTX 4080 sufficient for 4K gaming in Control?

A: Yes, the RTX 4080 achieves 79 FPS at 3840x2160 with High settings and 69 FPS at Ultra, making it playable for 4K. For a smoother experience, the Medium preset at 4K provides 89 FPS with a minimum of 76 FPS.

Q: What is the minimum FPS for this combo at 2560x1440 Medium settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the combo achieves an average of 132 FPS, with a minimum of 113 FPS and a maximum of 152 FPS.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations?

A: This combo ranks 241 out of 3720 tested combinations, placing it in the top 6.5% of all configurations tested in Control.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU at 1920x1080?

A: The data suggests that at 1920x1080 Low settings, the combo achieves 246 FPS, which is likely CPU-limited, as the GPU has more headroom at lower resolutions. The CPU’s single-thread score of 1136 and multi-thread score of 12412 indicate it can handle this load effectively.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers the highest frame rates, with Low settings achieving 246 FPS average. Medium settings produce 175 FPS average, with a minimum of 149 FPS and a maximum of 201 FPS. High settings yield 156 FPS average, while Ultra settings drop to 135 FPS average. The scaling from Low to Ultra shows a 111 FPS difference, indicating that the GPU is not fully stressed at this resolution until Ultra settings are applied.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains strong, with Low settings at 186 FPS average. Medium settings deliver 132 FPS average, with a minimum of 113 FPS and a maximum of 152 FPS. High settings achieve 118 FPS average, while Ultra settings produce 102 FPS average. The 84 FPS difference between Low and Ultra at 1440p is less pronounced than at 1080p, reflecting the increased GPU load at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the frame rates drop significantly, with Low settings at 126 FPS average. Medium settings achieve 89 FPS average, with a minimum of 76 FPS and a maximum of 103 FPS. High settings produce 79 FPS average, while Ultra settings yield 69 FPS average. The 57 FPS difference between Low and Ultra at 4K shows that the GPU is the primary bottleneck, and users should consider the High preset (79 FPS) for the best balance of visual quality and performance.