Control

The Intel Core i7-14700F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti delivers a solid 1080p and 1440p experience in Control, but the data shows a significant drop-off at 4K Ultra settings, where the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck. This combination ranks in the 64th percentile of all tested combos for this game, a position driven largely by the CPU’s strong multi-core headroom and the GPU’s mid-range class. The benchmark results indicate that players targeting high refresh rates at 1080p will find ample performance, while those pushing 4K will need to dial back settings to maintain playable frame rates.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo achieves an average of 105 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 High drops that to 79 FPS, a 24.8% reduction. At 3840x2160 High, the average falls to 54 FPS, which is a 48.6% reduction from 1080p High. This steep decline indicates that the rendering load is scaling heavily with pixel count, which is typical for a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions.

The pattern becomes even more telling when examining Low settings. At 1920x1080 Low, the combo reaches 166 FPS average. At 2560x1440 Low, it drops to 126 FPS, and at 3840x2160 Low, it falls to 85 FPS. The drop from 1080p Low to 4K Low is 48.8%, nearly identical to the percentage drop seen at High settings. This consistency suggests that even when the graphical load is reduced, the GPU’s raw throughput limits performance at 4K. The CPU, with its 20 cores and 28 threads, does not appear to be the limiting factor at any resolution, as the frame rate drops are proportional to the increase in pixel workload.

Ultra settings tell a similar story but with lower absolute numbers. At 1920x1080 Ultra, the average is 91 FPS; at 2560x1440 Ultra, it is 69 FPS; and at 3840x2160 Ultra, it drops to 47 FPS. The gap between High and Ultra at each resolution is modest, around 13-14% at 1080p and 4K, which indicates that the extra graphical fidelity from Ultra settings does not disproportionately tax the system. The limiting component at 4K is clearly the GPU, as the RTX 3070 Ti’s 8 GB of GDDR6X memory and 608.3 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient to maintain high frame rates at that pixel density. The data suggests that 1440p is the sweet spot for this combo, offering 79 FPS at High and 89 FPS at Medium, which are both comfortably playable.

How This Combo Ranks

In Control, this combination of the Intel Core i7-14700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti ranks 1339 out of 3720 tested combos, placing it in the 64th percentile. This is a respectable position, but not a top-tier one. The rank reflects a balanced pairing where neither component is severely mismatched, yet the GPU’s mid-range class prevents the combo from climbing higher.

The CPU itself, when benchmarked in isolation, sits in the 91st percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 53620. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon 6505P with an average score of 53701 (a delta of -0.2%), the Intel Xeon Phi 7290 at 53469 (delta of 0.3%), the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X at 53288 (delta of 0.6%), and the AMD EPYC 7313P at 53206 (delta of 0.8%). These deltas are tiny, meaning the i7-14700F is statistically tied with these processors in synthetic benchmarks. This high CPU percentile suggests that in CPU-limited scenarios, this combo should outperform most others.

However, the GPU’s percentile tells a different story. The RTX 3070 Ti ranks in the 75th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 29945. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Mobile at 29928 (delta of 0.1%), the AMD Radeon RX 6800 at 30095 (delta of -0.5%), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti at 29783 (delta of 0.5%), and the AMD Radeon RX 6700 at 30433 (delta of -1.6%). These small deltas again indicate a tight cluster of performance around the RTX 3070 Ti. The GPU’s 75th percentile is lower than the CPU’s 91st, which means the GPU is more likely to be the limiting factor in this game’s measured results.

The combo rank of 1339 out of 3720 suggests that while the CPU is strong, the GPU holds the pairing back from reaching higher percentiles. In a game like Control, which has a mix of GPU-heavy effects and CPU-driven physics, the balance matters. The data shows that this combo is solidly mid-pack, not a chart-topper, but far from a weak performer.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700F is a 20-core, 28-thread processor from the Core 14th Gen series, built on the Raptor Lake architecture with a 10 nm process node. Its base clock is 2.10 GHz, and it boosts to 5.40 GHz. The CPU has a 33 MB shared L3 cache and supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 35122 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 4958 in single-core, which are strong numbers that reflect its high core count and boost capability.

In Control, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and handle game logic. The measured FPS data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo reaches 166 FPS, which is a high frame rate that would stress many CPUs. The fact that it achieves this without a noticeable bottleneck suggests that the i7-14700F’s 20 cores and 28 threads are more than sufficient for this game. The CPU’s 91st percentile ranking among all CPUs reinforces this: it is far more powerful than what Control requires.

The boost clock of 5.40 GHz is particularly relevant for gaming, as it provides high single-thread performance. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4958 places it well above average, which helps in scenarios where the game’s main thread is the limiting factor. However, the data does not show any signs of CPU limitation even at the lowest settings and highest frame rates. At 1080p Low, the 166 FPS average is likely near the GPU’s maximum output rather than a CPU cap. The lack of min FPS data for Low settings makes it harder to assess frame time consistency, but the average numbers suggest the CPU is not holding back performance.

The CPU’s 65 W TDP is modest for a 20-core part, which means it runs efficiently. This efficiency, combined with its high core count, makes it a strong match for a mid-range GPU like the RTX 3070 Ti. In this pairing, the CPU provides enough headroom that the GPU is the clear bottleneck at higher resolutions, but at 1080p, the CPU ensures the GPU is fully utilized.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of how this combo performs across three resolutions and four settings levels. Starting at 1920x1080, the combo delivers an average of 166 FPS at Low settings, 118 FPS at Medium (with a min of 101 and max of 136), 105 FPS at High, and 91 FPS at Ultra. These numbers show that even at the most demanding settings, the combo stays well above 90 FPS at 1080p, making it ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. The difference between Low and Ultra is 75 FPS, or 82.4%, which indicates that the GPU has significant headroom to handle increased graphical loads at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops but remains playable. Low settings yield 126 FPS average, Medium produces 89 FPS (min 76, max 103), High delivers 79 FPS, and Ultra falls to 69 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 57 FPS, or 82.6%, similar to the 1080p scaling. This consistency suggests that the GPU is scaling predictably with resolution and settings. The 1440p Medium result of 89 FPS is a strong option for players who want a balance of visual quality and performance, while High at 79 FPS is also viable for most displays.

At 3840x2160, the combo struggles to maintain high frame rates. Low settings produce 85 FPS average, Medium drops to 60 FPS (min 51, max 69), High falls to 54 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 47 FPS. The 4K Low result of 85 FPS is the only setting that provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. Medium at 60 FPS is borderline, and High and Ultra are below the 60 FPS threshold that most players consider smooth. The min FPS of 51 at 4K Medium indicates that there are occasional dips into the 50s, which could be noticeable in fast-paced action sequences.

The data shows a clear hierarchy: 1080p is the best experience, 1440p is a solid middle ground, and 4K requires significant compromises. The RTX 3070 Ti’s 8 GB of VRAM is likely a limiting factor at 4K, as the higher resolution demands more memory for textures and buffers. The 608.3 GB/s bandwidth is also stretched thin at 4K, contributing to the lower frame rates. Players with 4K displays should consider dropping to Medium or Low settings, or accepting frame rates below 60 FPS at High and Ultra.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti is built on the Ampere architecture with an 8 nm process node from Samsung. It features 6144 shading units, 192 texture mapping units, and 96 raster output units. The GPU has 48 RT cores and 192 tensor cores, which support DirectX 12 Ultimate and ray tracing. Its base clock is 1575 MHz, with a boost clock of 1770 MHz. The memory configuration is 8 GB of GDDR6X on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 608.3 GB/s. The memory clock runs at 1188 MHz, or 19 Gbps effective.

In synthetic benchmarks, the RTX 3070 Ti scores 23356 in Passmark G3D and 139541 in Geekbench Vulkan. Its 75th percentile ranking among all GPUs places it in the upper-middle tier. Its nearest rivals are tightly clustered, with deltas of less than 2% from the RTX 3070 Ti’s average score of 29945. This indicates that the GPU is competitive with the RTX 5070 Mobile and RTX 2080 Ti, but slightly behind the RX 6800 and RX 6700 in raw compute.

In Control, the GPU’s role is dominant at higher resolutions. The measured FPS data shows that at 4K, the GPU is the limiting factor, as evidenced by the sharp drop in frame rates compared to 1440p. The 8 GB VRAM is a concern for 4K gaming, as modern games often require more memory for high-resolution textures. While Control’s system requirements are not in the FACT PACK, the measured data shows that the GPU cannot maintain 60 FPS at 4K High or Ultra, which points to VRAM and bandwidth limitations.

At 1080p and 1440p, the GPU performs admirably. The 166 FPS at 1080p Low and 126 FPS at 1440p Low demonstrate that the GPU has plenty of raw power for lower settings. The boost clock of 1770 MHz helps in maintaining high frame rates, and the 21.75 TFLOPS of FP32 compute provides ample throughput for this game’s effects. The 48 RT cores are relevant if ray tracing is enabled, though the FACT PACK does not specify whether the measured FPS data includes ray tracing. The results are likely without RT, as the frame rates would be lower with it enabled.

The GPU’s 290 W TDP and suggested 600 W PSU indicate that this is a power-hungry card, but that is not a performance metric. The 75th percentile ranking means that in most games, this GPU will be outclassed by higher-end cards, but for Control, it delivers a solid experience at 1080p and 1440p. The 4K performance is underwhelming, but that is expected from a mid-range GPU in the GeForce 30-series.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 2560x1440 is the best balance, with 79 FPS at High and 89 FPS at Medium. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers 105 FPS at High, but 1440p offers higher visual fidelity while still maintaining smooth frame rates. At 3840x2160, only Low settings (85 FPS) provide a comfortable margin above 60 FPS.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU in this game?

A: No. The Intel Core i7-14700F has 20 cores and 28 threads, with a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, and ranks in the 91st percentile of all CPUs. The measured FPS data shows no signs of CPU limitation, as frame rates scale proportionally with resolution, indicating the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

Q: How does the RTX 3070 Ti compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 3070 Ti has an average benchmark score of 29945, with a 75th percentile ranking. Its nearest rival, the RTX 5070 Mobile, scores 29928 (a delta of 0.1%), and the RTX 2080 Ti scores 29783 (a delta of 0.5%). The AMD RX 6800 scores 30095 (a delta of -0.5%), showing the RTX 3070 Ti is statistically tied with these cards.

Q: What are the exact FPS numbers at 4K Medium settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Medium settings, the combo achieves an average of 60 FPS, with a minimum of 51 FPS and a maximum of 69 FPS. This is the only 4K setting that reaches the 60 FPS threshold, and it does so narrowly.

Q: Is 8 GB of VRAM enough for Control at 4K?

A: The data suggests it is not sufficient for high settings. At 4K High, the combo averages 54 FPS, and at Ultra, it drops to 47 FPS. The 8 GB of GDDR6X memory on the RTX 3070 Ti, combined with 608.3 GB/s bandwidth, limits performance at 4K, likely due to memory capacity and bandwidth constraints.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combos in Control?

A: It ranks 1339 out of 3720 combos, placing it in the 64th percentile. This is a mid-pack position, reflecting the GPU’s 75th percentile and the CPU’s 91st percentile. The CPU outranks the GPU, which drags the overall combo rank down slightly.