Control

Control pairs a 20-core Intel Core i7-14700KF with a 12 GB AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT, a combination that lands at rank 849 out of 1636 tested combos for this title. The CPU, running at a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost of 5.60 GHz, sits in the 96th percentile of all processors, while the GPU’s 77th percentile standing suggests the pairing leans heavily on the processor to drive frame rates in this action-adventure title. Benchmark results show the combo delivers playable 4K performance at medium settings, but the real story is how the CPU’s headroom keeps frame rates high at lower resolutions where the GPU becomes the limiting factor.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i7-14700KF brings 20 cores and 28 threads to the table, with a 33 MB shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache. Its boost clock of 5.60 GHz is the headline feature for a game like Control, which benefits from strong single-thread performance; the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6290 and Geekbench single-core score of 2972 reflect that capability. In multi-threaded workloads, the chip posts a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44557, placing it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs — a figure that matters less for this game’s frame pacing but shows the processor is not the bottleneck in any resolution tested here.

The data indicates the CPU’s role shifts with resolution. At 1920x1080, where the GPU is less stressed, the i7-14700KF’s high boost clock helps maintain average FPS of 143.4 on Low settings — a figure that nearly doubles the 4K Low result of 73.3 FPS. This suggests the CPU can feed the RX 6700 XT ample data at lower resolutions, and the processor’s Passmark single-thread score of 4480 supports its ability to handle Control’s physics and AI calculations without stutter. The 125 W TDP and DDR4/DDR5 memory support give builders flexibility, though the benchmark data does not isolate memory speed effects.

Relative to its nearest rivals, the i7-14700KF scores an average benchmark of 70104, essentially tied with the Intel Core i7-14700K at 70074 (0% delta) and slightly behind the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X at 70420 (-0.4% delta). This near-parity means the CPU choice is unlikely to produce measurable FPS differences in Control; the 0.3% advantage over the AMD EPYC 9115 is negligible for gaming. The processor’s 33 MB L3 cache and 28 threads are overkill for this title, but the high boost clock is what translates into the strong 1080p results seen in the measured FPS data.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT relies on 12 GB of GDDR6 memory across a 192-bit bus, delivering 384.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock of 2321 MHz and boost clock of 2581 MHz, with a game clock of 2424 MHz, are the specs that directly influence Control’s rendering throughput. The GPU’s 2560 shading units and 40 ray tracing cores support DirectX 12 Ultimate, but the measured FPS data shows the card’s raw rasterization performance is the primary driver — the Passmark G3D score of 19786 places it in the 77th percentile of GPUs.

The 12 GB VRAM capacity proves adequate across all tested settings; even at 3840x2160 Ultra, the combo averages 41.1 FPS, indicating no memory-related frame drops. The GPU’s texture rate of 413.0 GTexel/s and pixel rate of 165.2 GPixel/s handle Control’s particle effects and destructible environments, but the 13.21 TFLOPS FP32 performance caps high-resolution frame rates. At 4K High, the average FPS of 46.1 falls below the 60 FPS threshold, while dropping to Low at the same resolution yields 73.3 FPS — a 59% increase that highlights how settings impact GPU load more than CPU.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the RX 6700 XT scores an average benchmark of 33721, sitting 0.7% behind the AMD Radeon RX 6800 (33493) and 1.3% ahead of the NVIDIA RTX A5000 (33294). The 1% delta against the RX 480 and HD 7950 (both at 34059 and 34050, respectively) is within noise, meaning the GPU’s performance tier is well-established. The 230 W TDP and dual-slot design are practical for most cases, though the end-of-life production status suggests builders should focus on the measured FPS rather than future driver optimizations.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

Out of 1636 tested combinations for Control, this pairing ranks 849th — squarely in the middle of the pack. This rank reflects a balance where the CPU’s 96th percentile standing is offset by the GPU’s 77th percentile, creating a system that is neither top-tier nor entry-level. The data shows the combo outperforms roughly 48% of tested configurations, which is consistent with the GPU being the limiting factor at higher resolutions while the CPU provides ample headroom at 1080p.

The rank implies that many other combinations with higher-end GPUs will produce better 4K results, but the i7-14700KF’s strength means the combo does not suffer from CPU bottlenecks. For builders, this rank suggests the pairing is a sensible mid-range option: the CPU can be upgraded later without changing the platform, and the GPU’s 12 GB VRAM handles current textures. The delta between the CPU’s and GPU’s percentiles (96 vs 77) indicates a 19-point imbalance, which in practice means the GPU is the primary constraint in all measured scenarios — a fact reflected in the FPS scaling across resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its strongest results: Low settings average 143.4 FPS, Medium 103.9 FPS, High 92.1 FPS, and Ultra 80 FPS. The jump from Low to Medium costs 39.5 FPS, while the step from High to Ultra costs 12.1 FPS — indicating diminishing returns beyond Medium. These numbers show the GPU can push well above 144 Hz at Low, but Ultra settings drop below the 100 FPS mark.

Moving to 2560x1440, the averages fall to 105.9 FPS on Low, 77.3 FPS on Medium, 67.8 FPS on High, and 62 FPS on Ultra. The gap between Low and Medium narrows to 28.6 FPS, and the High-to-Ultra delta shrinks to 5.8 FPS. This resolution is where the GPU’s 384.0 GB/s bandwidth starts to matter; the 12 GB VRAM is sufficient, but the pixel rate of 165.2 GPixel/s limits the fill rate at 1440p Ultra.

At 3840x2160, the results drop significantly: Low averages 73.3 FPS, Medium 53.9 FPS, High 46.1 FPS, and Ultra 41.1 FPS. The Low-to-Medium delta is 19.4 FPS, and the High-to-Ultra delta is just 5 FPS. These figures show 4K Ultra is barely playable, while 4K Low approaches the 60 FPS threshold. The scaling from 1080p Low (143.4 FPS) to 4K Low (73.3 FPS) represents a 49% reduction, highlighting the GPU’s rasterization limits at higher pixel counts.

FAQ

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

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 3840x2160, Low settings average 73.3 FPS, Medium 53.9 FPS, High 46.1 FPS, and Ultra 41.1 FPS. The 60 FPS target is only achievable on Low settings.

Q: What is the best resolution for this pairing?

A: 2560x1440 offers the best balance, with High settings averaging 67.8 FPS and Ultra at 62 FPS. This resolution keeps frame rates above 60 FPS on most presets while providing better visual fidelity than 1080p.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its direct rival?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700KF scores an average benchmark of 70104, matching the Intel Core i7-14700K at 70074 (0% delta) and trailing the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X by 0.4%. This near-parity means CPU choice will not affect Control’s frame rates.

Q: Is the GPU’s 12 GB VRAM sufficient for Ultra settings?

A: Yes, the data shows no memory-related performance drops. At 4K Ultra, the combo still averages 41.1 FPS, indicating the 12 GB VRAM and 384.0 GB/s bandwidth handle Control’s textures without stutter.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1080p with High settings?

A: The measured average is 92.1 FPS at 1920x1080 High. For higher refresh rates, dropping to Medium yields 103.9 FPS, and Low reaches 143.4 FPS.

Q: How does the GPU rank against its nearest competitors?

A: The RX 6700 XT scores 33721 on average, trailing the RX 6800 by 0.7% and leading the RTX A5000 by 1.3%. The deltas against the RX 480 and HD 7950 are 1%, indicating performance parity within that tier.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience, the data points to 2560x1440 with High settings, which averages 67.8 FPS — a 5.8 FPS improvement over Ultra (62 FPS) with only a minor visual downgrade. At this resolution, Medium settings push to 77.3 FPS, but the High preset delivers the best visual-to-performance tradeoff for a 60 Hz display. If targeting 144 Hz, 1920x1080 with Medium settings (103.9 FPS) is the sweet spot, as High drops to 92.1 FPS and Ultra to 80 FPS.

For 4K gaming, Low settings at 3840x2160 (73.3 FPS) are the only viable option for smooth play, though Medium (53.9 FPS) is acceptable for those who prefer visual fidelity over frame rate. The Ultra preset at any resolution below 1080p is not recommended — at 4K it averages 41.1 FPS, which falls below the playable threshold for most action games. The data consistently shows diminishing returns between High and Ultra (a 12.1 FPS drop at 1080p, 5.8 FPS at 1440p, and 5 FPS at 4K), making High the default choice unless a stable 60 FPS is already exceeded.