Control

# Control Performance Analysis: Intel Core i7-13700K + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070

The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 delivers strong 1440p and 4K performance in Control, with benchmark results showing the system ranks in the 81st percentile of all tested combinations (311th out of 1636). The data reveals a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions, while the 16-core CPU provides ample headroom at 1080p, where frame rates exceed 200 FPS on Low settings.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows 1440p is the sweet spot. At 1440p High settings, the system achieves 98.7 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold, while 4K Ultra drops to 58.2 FPS. This makes 1440p the highest resolution where all presets remain playable.

Q: How does the RTX 5070 compare to the RTX 3090 in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 5070's average benchmark score is 41687, which is 0.6% higher than the RTX 3090's score of 41441. This places the two cards in the same performance tier despite the generational gap.

Q: Is the Core i7-13700K significantly faster than its nearest rival?

A: No. The i7-13700K has an average benchmark score of 47282, which is only 0.1% behind the Core i7-13700KF (47334) and 0.3% ahead of the AMD EPYC 4364P (47131). These differences are within measurement noise.

Q: What frame rates can be expected at 4K with this setup?

A: At 4K, the system delivers 105.4 FPS on Low, 77.3 FPS on Medium, 67 FPS on High, and 58.2 FPS on Ultra. Only the Ultra preset falls below 60 FPS.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU at any resolution?

A: The data indicates no CPU bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 210.8 FPS, and the scaling from 1080p to 4K shows consistent GPU-bound behavior, with the CPU's 16 cores and 24 threads providing more than enough processing power.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from High to Ultra settings?

A: The performance cost varies by resolution: at 1080p, Ultra is 16.1 FPS slower than High (114.5 vs 130.6); at 1440p, the drop is 12.2 FPS (86.5 vs 98.7); and at 4K, the drop is 8.8 FPS (58.2 vs 67). The absolute loss shrinks as resolution increases.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a 16-core, 24-thread processor based on 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. The CPU's cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3 cache.

In Control, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and physics data. The benchmark results show this processor is more than sufficient for the game, as evidenced by the 1080p Low result of 210.8 FPS. The CPU's single-thread performance, measured at 5505 in Cinebench R23 single-core, ensures that the game's main thread is never a limiting factor. The multi-threaded capability, shown by a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 39000, handles background tasks and game logic without contention.

The CPU's 93rd percentile ranking among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 47282, positions it as a high-end desktop part. The nearest rivals—the Core i7-13700KF (-0.1% delta), AMD EPYC 4364P (+0.3% delta), and Core i9-12900F (+0.4% delta)—all perform nearly identically in synthetic tests. For Control specifically, the CPU's performance headroom means that the measured FPS differences between settings presets are almost entirely attributable to GPU workload, not CPU limitations.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture, fabricated on TSMC's 5 nm process with 31,100 million transistors. It features 6144 shading units, 192 texture mapping units, and 80 raster operation units. The card's memory subsystem includes 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 672.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU operates at a base clock of 2325 MHz and a boost clock of 2512 MHz, with a 250 W TDP.

In Control, the GPU is the dominant factor in determining frame rates, particularly at higher resolutions. The RTX 5070's 83rd percentile ranking among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 41687, indicates it sits in the upper tier of graphics cards. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 (+0.2% delta), NVIDIA Tesla M40 (-0.5% delta), and AMD Radeon Pro 580X (-0.7% delta), though the RTX 3090 (+0.6% delta) is the most relevant consumer comparison.

The GPU's performance in Control scales predictably with settings and resolution. The 12 GB VRAM is sufficient for all tested presets, as the game's maximum VRAM usage at 4K Ultra does not cause stuttering or texture pop-in. The memory bandwidth of 672.0 GB/s supports high-resolution textures, while the 48 RT cores and 192 tensor cores handle the game's physics and visual effects without becoming a bottleneck.

How This Combo Ranks

This combination of Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 ranks 311th out of 1636 tested combos in Control, placing it in the top 19% of all systems. This ranking reflects the balanced nature of the pairing: the CPU's 93rd percentile standing and GPU's 83rd percentile standing combine to produce a system that excels in this game.

The ranking is particularly strong given that Control is known for its demanding physics simulation and particle effects. The system's position in the upper quintile suggests it can handle the game's most intense scenes without compromising playability. The rank also indicates that while there are faster combos available, the majority of tested systems—approximately 81%—deliver lower performance in this title.

The data shows that the combo's rank is more heavily influenced by the GPU than the CPU. At lower resolutions where the CPU could theoretically bottleneck, the system still achieves frame rates above 200 FPS, confirming that the GPU remains the performance limiter even at 1080p Low settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1080p, the system achieves 210.8 FPS on Low, 146.4 FPS on Medium, 130.6 FPS on High, and 114.5 FPS on Ultra. These results show a clear progression: dropping from Low to Medium costs 64.4 FPS, while the Medium-to-High transition costs 15.8 FPS, and High-to-Ultra costs 16.1 FPS. The diminishing returns from Medium upward are evident, with Ultra only providing marginal visual improvements over High at a 12.3% performance cost.

At 1440p, the frame rates are 158.2 FPS on Low, 115.2 FPS on Medium, 98.7 FPS on High, and 86.5 FPS on Ultra. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p results in a 24.9% reduction on Low (210.8 to 158.2), a 21.3% reduction on Medium (146.4 to 115.2), a 24.4% reduction on High (130.6 to 98.7), and a 24.5% reduction on Ultra (114.5 to 86.5). This consistent ~25% drop across presets confirms GPU-bound behavior.

At 4K, the system delivers 105.4 FPS on Low, 77.3 FPS on Medium, 67 FPS on High, and 58.2 FPS on Ultra. The transition from 1440p to 4K costs 33.4% on Low (158.2 to 105.4), 32.9% on Medium (115.2 to 77.3), 32.1% on High (98.7 to 67), and 32.7% on Ultra (86.5 to 58.2). The 4K-to-1080p FPS ratio is approximately 0.5 across all settings, indicating the GPU's pixel throughput is the limiting factor.

Settings Recommendations

The optimal settings preset depends on the target resolution. For 1080p displays, the High preset at 130.6 FPS provides the best balance of visual fidelity and performance. Ultra at 114.5 FPS is still highly playable and offers the maximum visual quality, but the 12.3% FPS reduction over High is difficult to justify unless the user prioritizes image quality above all else.

For 1440p, the High preset at 98.7 FPS is the clear recommendation. It maintains frame rates well above 60 FPS while providing most of the visual benefits of Ultra, which drops to 86.5 FPS. The Medium preset at 115.2 FPS could be considered for competitive play, but the visual sacrifice is significant for only a 16.7% FPS gain.

At 4K, the High preset at 67 FPS is the highest quality option that maintains smooth gameplay. Ultra at 58.2 FPS falls below the 60 FPS threshold and may introduce noticeable stuttering on standard 60 Hz displays. Medium at 77.3 FPS provides a comfortable margin for V-sync, while Low at 105.4 FPS offers the highest frame rates but with substantial visual downgrades. For 4K owners, High is recommended for the best balance of quality and performance.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K shows a consistent pattern across all settings presets. Moving from 1080p to 1440p reduces performance by approximately 25%, and moving from 1440p to 4K reduces performance by an additional 33%. This results in an overall 4K-to-1080p ratio of about 0.50, meaning 4K performance is roughly half of 1080p performance.

This scaling behavior is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the resolution scaling would be much flatter, as the CPU workload remains constant regardless of resolution. The consistent percentage drops across all four settings presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) further confirm that the GPU is the bottleneck at every resolution.

The data also reveals that the performance cost of increasing settings is relatively consistent across resolutions. For example, the difference between Low and Ultra is 96.3 FPS at 1080p, 71.7 FPS at 1440p, and 47.2 FPS at 4K. The absolute difference shrinks at higher resolutions because the GPU is already saturated with pixel workload, leaving less headroom for additional settings overhead.

The system's performance in Control is ultimately defined by the RTX 5070's rasterization capabilities. The CPU's 16 cores and high boost clocks ensure that even at 1080p Low, where the system reaches 210.8 FPS, there is no CPU-induced frame cap. This combo delivers excellent 1440p gaming and respectable 4K performance, with the High preset being the recommended choice for the best overall experience.