Control

Control, Remedy’s 2019 action-adventure, presents a demanding environment for the Intel Core i7-14700K and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER pairing. The measured data reveals a system that is decisively bound by its graphics card at higher resolutions, while the processor’s substantial headroom becomes evident only at 1080p. This analysis examines the performance metrics to understand where the bottleneck lies and how users can best configure the game for their display.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 4K with this hardware combination is stark, revealing a classic GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p with High settings, the system produces an average of 57 FPS. Moving to 1440p High, that figure drops to 43 FPS, a reduction of approximately 24.5%. At 4K High, the average plummets to 29 FPS, which is roughly half the 1080p performance. This scaling pattern indicates that the GTX 1660 SUPER’s rendering capabilities are the limiting factor as pixel count increases.

The data suggests a heavy toll is paid at 4K, where even the Low preset only achieves 46 FPS. For context, the 1080p Low preset reaches 91 FPS, meaning the jump to 4K Low costs nearly half the frame rate. This is a clear indicator that the GPU’s 6 GB of VRAM and 336.0 GB/s bandwidth are being saturated at the higher resolution. The frame time consistency also suffers, as seen in the 4K Medium preset’s range of 28 to 38 FPS, which can lead to perceptible stutter.

Interestingly, the relative performance drop from 1080p to 1440p is less severe than the drop from 1440p to 4K. For instance, on High settings, the 1440p score (43 FPS) is 75% of the 1080p score (57 FPS), but the 4K score (29 FPS) is only 67% of the 1440p score. This nonlinear scaling suggests that the GPU’s memory bandwidth or pixel fill rate hits a wall between 1440p and 4K, making the latter resolution impractical for smooth gameplay outside of the Low preset.

The CPU’s role in this scaling appears minimal. With 20 cores and 28 threads, the i7-14700K has ample processing power to feed the GPU at all tested resolutions. The fact that performance degrades so predictably with resolution increases points directly to the graphics card as the primary constraint. Users targeting 4K would need to accept frame rates in the 25-33 range on Medium or High settings, which is generally below the threshold for a comfortable experience.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to use with this CPU and GPU combo for a balance of quality and performance?

A: The data indicates 1080p is the sweet spot. On High settings, the combo averages 57 FPS, which is playable. The 1440p High setting drops to 43 FPS, which is a significant compromise, while 4K High falls to 29 FPS, which is below smooth-play thresholds.

Q: Does the Intel Core i7-14700K bottleneck the GTX 1660 SUPER in Control?

A: No, the benchmark results suggest the opposite. The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K follows a pattern consistent with GPU limitation, not CPU limitation. The i7-14700K’s high multi-threaded scores, such as 33,440.5 in Cinebench R23, indicate it has vast reserves of processing power that the game does not fully utilize at these settings.

Q: How much of a performance gain is there from using the Low preset over Ultra at 1080p?

A: The measured data shows a substantial gain. At 1080p, the Low preset averages 91 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 50 FPS. This represents an 82% increase in average frame rate when dropping to Low.

Q: Is the GTX 1660 SUPER’s 6 GB of VRAM sufficient for Control at 4K?

A: The results suggest it is barely sufficient, but not ideal. At 4K Medium, the average FPS is 33, with a minimum of 28 FPS. The low minimum frame rate hints at potential stuttering from memory pressure or texture swapping, making 4K a less stable experience.

Q: How does the combo’s performance at 1440p Medium compare to 1080p High?

A: The 1440p Medium preset averages 49 FPS, which is 8 FPS lower than the 1080p High preset’s 57 FPS average. Users seeking higher fidelity at a higher resolution would see a noticeable frame rate cost.

Q: Is there a large difference between the Medium and High presets at 1440p?

A: Yes, the difference is 6 FPS on average. The Medium preset at 1440p averages 49 FPS, while High averages 43 FPS. This suggests that High settings at 1440p may push the GPU beyond its comfortable comfort zone.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER plays the dominant role in this game’s performance profile. This is evident from the frame rate scaling across resolutions, which is a hallmark of a GPU-bound workload. The card’s specifications, including a 1530 MHz base clock and a 1785 MHz boost clock, are the primary drivers of its output. Its 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus provides 336.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which becomes a critical resource as resolution increases.

At 1080p, the card shows its strengths. It achieves 91 FPS on Low, indicating that it can easily handle the game’s geometry and effects when the load is light. The card’s 1408 shading units and 48 ROPs are sufficient to push high frame rates at this resolution. The benchmark scores place the GTX 1660 SUPER in the 53rd percentile of all GPUs, with an average score of 12,986. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile, is only 0.4% faster, indicating that this desktop card is still competitive with more recent mobile offerings.

However, the card’s limitations become apparent at higher resolutions. The 4K results show a dramatic drop in performance, with the Ultra preset averaging only 25 FPS. This is likely due to the combination of increased pixel count and the 6 GB VRAM capacity being tested. The FP32 performance of 5.027 TFLOPS is not enough to handle the computational load of 4K rendering with high-quality effects. The texture rate of 157.1 GTexel/s also appears to be a limiting factor, as the game’s detailed environments require significant texture filtering.

The data suggests that the GTX 1660 SUPER is a capable 1080p card that can also handle 1440p with settings adjustments. It is not a 4K solution for a demanding title like Control. The 4K Medium preset’s minimum FPS of 28 highlights the struggle, as frame times are likely inconsistent. Users should view this card as a solid entry-level option for 1080p high-refresh-rate gaming or 1440p at medium settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the data shows a clear progression. The Low preset delivers an average of 91 FPS, providing a highly fluid experience. Medium follows at 64 FPS, with a minimum of 55 FPS and a maximum of 74 FPS, indicating a smooth experience with some headroom. High drops to 57 FPS, which is still playable but begins to show the GPU’s strain. Ultra averages 50 FPS, which is the lowest at this resolution but remains within a playable range for many users.

At 2560x1440, the performance cost is more pronounced. Low averages 69 FPS, which is still a good result, but a 24% drop from the 1080p Low score. Medium averages 49 FPS, with a minimum of 41 FPS. This is the first sign of potential frame pacing issues, as the minimum is quite low. High averages 43 FPS, which is a more noticeable compromise. Ultra averages 38 FPS, which is on the edge of playability for a game like Control, which requires precision.

At 3840x2160, the GTX 1660 SUPER is clearly out of its depth. Low averages 46 FPS, which is playable but lacks visual fidelity. Medium averages 33 FPS, with a minimum of 28 FPS, which will likely result in noticeable stutters during action sequences. High averages 29 FPS, which is below the threshold for a smooth experience. Ultra averages 25 FPS, making it almost unplayable.

The pattern is consistent: each resolution increase halves the performance at the same settings tier. The 1080p Low to 4K Low transition shows a drop from 91 to 46 FPS, while the 1080p Ultra to 4K Ultra transition shows a drop from 50 to 25 FPS. This indicates a linear relationship between pixel count and rendering time, confirming the GPU as the bottleneck.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured frame rates, the optimal experience for this hardware combination depends heavily on the target resolution. For 1080p, the High preset at 57 FPS offers the best balance of visual quality and performance. It provides a significant improvement over Medium’s 64 FPS in terms of fidelity without a drastic frame rate penalty. The Ultra preset’s 50 FPS is a viable option for those who prioritize image quality, but the 7 FPS drop from High may not be worth it for the marginal visual gains.

For 1440p, the Medium preset at 49 FPS is the recommended choice. It is the only preset that maintains an average above 45 FPS, which is a common target for a playable experience in a third-person action game. The Low preset at 69 FPS is smoother, but it sacrifices too much visual detail, particularly in a game with such a unique art style. The High preset at 43 FPS is borderline, and the Ultra preset at 38 FPS is not recommended for consistent gameplay.

For 4K, the data suggests that this GPU cannot deliver a satisfactory experience. The Low preset at 46 FPS is the only option that approaches playability, but it will look significantly worse than the game’s intended aesthetic. The Medium preset at 33 FPS is likely to cause frustration due to its low minimum frame rate of 28 FPS. Users with 4K monitors should consider lowering the resolution to 1440p or upgrading their graphics card.

In summary, the best experience is achieved by prioritizing 1080p High for a balance of quality and speed, or 1440p Medium for a higher resolution compromise. The High preset at 1080p is the "sweet spot" that most users should target.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700K plays a supporting, yet crucial, role in this configuration. Its 20 cores and 28 threads provide immense processing power, which is evident in its benchmark scores. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 33,440.5 places it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, and it is within 0.9% of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F’s average score. This processing headroom means that Control’s game logic, physics, and AI are never starved for resources.

The game’s performance scaling shows no indication of a CPU bottleneck. As resolution increases, the frame rate drops consistently, which would not happen if the CPU were the limiting factor. At 1080p Low, the CPU is capable of pushing the GPU to 91 FPS, but this is likely the ceiling for the graphics card, not the processor. The i7-14700K’s boost clock of 5.60 GHz ensures high single-threaded performance, which is often critical for game engines.

The data suggests that the CPU is not a concern for this game. Even if the user were to upgrade the GPU in the future, the i7-14700K would likely be able to keep up with a much more powerful graphics card. The processor’s high L3 cache of 33 MB and dual-channel memory support provide a solid foundation for gaming. The PassMark multi-thread score of 52,392 further underscores its ability to handle complex workloads.

In this specific pairing, the CPU’s role is to ensure that the GTX 1660 SUPER is always the active bottleneck. The benchmark results confirm this, as the FPS differences between presets are consistent and predictable, a sign of a healthy system where the GPU is the primary driver of performance. Users should not expect any CPU-related stuttering or frame drops with this processor.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested configurations, this combination of the Intel Core i7-14700K and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER ranks 3176 out of 3720 combos for Control. This places it in the lower 15th percentile of all tested systems, which is expected given the GPU’s mid-range positioning. The rank reflects the GPU’s limitations in a game that is demanding on graphics hardware.

The high rank number is not a commentary on the CPU, which is a top-tier performer, but rather on the overall system balance. The i7-14700K is a processor that would typically be paired with a much more powerful GPU. The GTX 1660 SUPER, while a competent 1080p card, holds the system back from achieving higher rankings. This is a clear case of a CPU being "overpowered" relative to its GPU partner.

The data suggests that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can compete with more balanced systems. However, its rank indicates that for a game like Control, there are many other combinations that will provide a better experience, especially at higher resolutions. The GPU’s 53rd percentile ranking, compared to the CPU’s 94th percentile, highlights the significant performance disparity within this pairing.

For users with this configuration, the rank serves as a benchmark for what to expect. It is a functional system for 1080p, but it is not a high-end performer. The data implies that upgrading the GPU would be the most logical step to improve the system’s ranking and overall gaming experience, as the CPU has substantial untapped potential.