Control

# Control with Intel Core i7-14700KF + AMD Radeon RX 7600

The Intel Core i7-14700KF paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7600 delivers a mid-range 1080p experience in Control, with the data showing a clear GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions. The combination ranks 2608th out of 3720 tested combos in this game, placing it in the lower-middle segment of the database. The i7-14700KF, with its 20 cores and 28 threads, is never the limiting factor in any measured configuration; instead, the RX 7600's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory interface define the performance ceiling. Benchmark results indicate that this pairing is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it maintains playable framerates across all settings, while 1440p remains viable with adjustments, and 4K requires low settings to hit 60 FPS.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a steep performance drop as resolution increases, confirming that the AMD Radeon RX 7600 is the primary bottleneck in this configuration. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 118 FPS average; moving to 1440p Low drops this to 89 FPS, a 24.6% reduction; and at 4K Low, the average falls to 60 FPS, exactly half of the 1080p figure. This scaling pattern is consistent with a GPU that has sufficient raw compute for lower resolutions but becomes increasingly strained as pixel count rises.

The High preset shows a similar trajectory: 75 FPS at 1080p, 56 FPS at 1440p, and 38 FPS at 4K. The gap between 1080p and 1440p High is 19 FPS, while the gap between 1440p and 4K High is 18 FPS, indicating a roughly linear decline per resolution step. Medium settings follow the same pattern: 84 FPS at 1080p, 64 FPS at 1440p, and 43 FPS at 4K. Ultra settings produce the lowest numbers across the board: 65 FPS at 1080p, 49 FPS at 1440p, and 33 FPS at 4K.

The data suggests that at 1080p, the CPU still has headroom to spare, as even the most demanding Ultra preset yields 65 FPS. However, at 4K, every preset except Low falls below 60 FPS, with Ultra dropping to 33 FPS. This indicates that the RX 7600's rendering throughput, not the i7-14700KF's processing power, governs performance at higher resolutions. The 4K Low result of 60 FPS is notable — it suggests that reducing graphical load can offset the resolution penalty, but only to a point. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is proportionally larger than from 1080p to 1440p, typical of a GPU nearing its fillrate and bandwidth limits.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700KF brings substantial processing capability to this pairing, with 20 cores, 28 threads, a base clock of 3.40 GHz, and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. Its architecture, Raptor Lake-R on a 10 nm process, delivers strong single-threaded performance, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6235 and Geekbench single-core score of 2578. These figures place the CPU in the 94th percentile among all tested CPUs, indicating it is far more powerful than what Control's engine requires at the settings measured.

The CPU's multi-threaded prowess is equally impressive: Cinebench R23 multi-core scores 44167, Geekbench multi-core scores 21462, and Passmark multithread scores 52425. In the context of Control, a game that primarily stresses the GPU, these numbers mean the i7-14700KF never becomes a constraint. The measured FPS differences between resolutions and settings are almost entirely attributable to GPU load changes, not CPU limitations)Skip.

The nearest rival data for the CPU reinforces its high standing: the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F scores 69996 (deltaPct 0.2%), the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX scores 69875 (deltaPct 0.4%), and the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X scores 69515 (deltaPct 0.9%). The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K scores 70879 (deltaPct -1%). All four rivals are within 1% of the i7-14700KF's average benchmark score of 70163, indicating that this CPU is competitive with the best current options, none of which would change Control's performance profile meaningfully.

The 33 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB L2 cache per core provide ample bandwidth for game data, while the dual-channel DDR4/DDR5 memory support ensures the memory subsystem is not a bottleneck. With a TDP of 125 W and a launch MSRP of $384, the CPU is a high-end part that pairs with a mid-range GPU, and the benchmark data shows this imbalance clearly: the GPU saturates long before the CPU reaches its limits.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i7-14700KF and AMD Radeon RX 7600 ranks 2608th out of 3720 tested combos in Control, placing it in the 30th percentile of all configurations. This rank reflects the GPU's mid-tier positioning rather than the CPU's high-end status. The RX 7600's percentile among all GPUs is 57, meaning it outperforms 57% of tested graphics cards, but the CPU's percentile is 94, so the pairing's overall rank is dragged down by the GPU.

In context, this combo sits below the median of all tested configurations, which is expected given the RX 7600's market position. The GPU's nearest rivals illustrate its performance class: the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM scores 15199 (deltaPct -0.2%), the AMD Radeon Pro 560X scores 15082 (deltaPct 0.6%), the AMD Radeon 680M scores 15270 (deltaPct -0.7%), and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti scores 15063 (deltaPct 0.7%). The RX 7600's average benchmark score of 15171 is within 0.7% of all four rivals, confirming it sits in a tightly contested performance band.

The data shows that this combo's rank in Control is consistent with its synthetic benchmark scores: neither exceptionally good nor poor for its hardware class. The i7-14700KF's computational strength cannot compensate for the RX 7600's limitations in this game, and the measured FPS at 4K Ultra (33 FPS) demonstrates the GPU's inability to handle maximum settings at high pixel counts. At 1080p, however, the combo's rank would likely be higher than the overall figure suggests, since the CPU's headroom allows the GPU to operate at its full potential.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the data shows a full range of playable framerates across all settings. Low settings produce 118 FPS average, which is the highest measured result in the entire dataset. Medium settings yield 84 FPS average, with a minimum of 71 FPS and a maximum of 97 FPS. High settings deliver 75 FPS average, and Ultra settings produce 65 FPS average. The spread from Low to Ultra is 53 FPS, indicating that graphical settings have a significant impact at this resolution, but even the most demanding preset remains above 60 FPS.

At 2560x1440, performance drops noticeably. Low settings average 89 FPS, still comfortably above 60 FPS. Medium settings average 64 FPS, with a minimum of 54 FPS and a maximum of 73 FPS, meaning some scenes may dip below the 60 FPS threshold. High settings average 56 FPS, and Ultra settings average 49 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 40 FPS, smaller than at 1080p, suggesting the GPU is becoming the limiting factor.

At 3840x2160, the RX 7600 struggles. Low settings average exactly 60 FPS, matching the 1080p Ultra result. Medium settings average 43 FPS, with a minimum of 36 FPS and a maximum of 49 FPS. High settings average 38 FPS, and Ultra settings average 33 FPS. The drop from 1440p to 4K is steep across all settings: Low falls from 89 to 60 FPS, Medium from 64 to 43 FPS, High from 56 to 38 FPS, and Ultra from 49 to 33 FPS. These figures indicate that 4K gaming is only feasible at Low settings, and even then, the 60 FPS average offers no headroom for demanding scenes.

The minimum FPS data, available only for Medium settings, shows consistent behavior: 71 FPS at 1080p, 54 FPS at 1440p, and 36 FPS at 4K. These minimums are 13-16% below the averages, suggesting moderate frame time variance in this game, but not severe stuttering.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7600 is the defining component in this combo's Control performance. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus provides 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is the primary constraint at higher resolutions and settings. The memory configuration, combined with 2048 shading units and 64 ROPs, explains why 4K Ultra yields only 33 FPS — the GPU lacks the fillrate and bandwidth for such demanding workloads.

The GPU's clock speeds are competitive for its class: a base clock of 1720 MHz, a game clock of 2250 MHz, and a boost clock of 2655 MHz. These frequencies, built on RDNA 3.0 architecture with a 6 nm process, deliver 21.75 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. The pixel rate of 169.9 GPixel/s and texture rate of 339.8 GTexel/s are modest by modern standards, and the data confirms this in practice: at 4K, even Medium settings (43 FPS) struggle to maintain smooth gameplay.

The RX 7600's 57th percentile among all GPUs and its average benchmark score of 15171 place it in the mid-range segment. Its nearest rivals, all within 0.7% in average score, include the RTX 3050 OEM and the Radeon 680M, which suggests the RX 7600 competes with older and integrated solutions rather than current high-end parts. The 32 RT cores support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), but Control's measured FPS data does not isolate ray tracing performance, so no conclusions can be drawn about RT-specific workloads.

The GPU's 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p at the tested settings, but at 4K, the memory capacity and bandwidth likely contribute to the significant performance degradation. The data shows a 27 FPS difference between 4K Low (60 FPS) and 4K High (38 FPS), which is proportionally larger than the 43 FPS difference at 1080p (118 FPS Low vs 75 FPS High), indicating that memory pressure amplifies the impact of settings changes at higher resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal preset depends on the target resolution and framerate priority. At 1920x1080, all settings are playable, but Ultra at 65 FPS average provides the best visual quality while maintaining a framerate above 60 FPS. For players who prioritize smoothness over visuals, Medium at 84 FPS offers a significant boost over Ultra with a minimum of 71 FPS, ensuring consistent performance. Low at 118 FPS is only recommended for competitive play or when maximizing frame rate is the sole goal.

At 2560x1440, the data suggests Medium settings as the sweet spot. The 64 FPS average is above the 60 FPS threshold, and the minimum of 54 FPS means occasional dips below 60 but no sustained drops. High settings at 56 FPS average are borderline, while Ultra at 49 FPS is too low for smooth gameplay. Low at 89 FPS is viable but sacrifices too much visual quality for the resolution. Medium provides the best balance of image quality and performance at 1440p.

At 3840x2160, only Low settings achieve a 60 FPS average. Medium drops to 43 FPS, and High/Ultra fall to 38/33 FPS respectively. For 4K gaming, Low is the only recommended preset, and even then, the 60 FPS average leaves no margin for demanding scenes. Players who prefer higher settings at 4K would need a more powerful GPU, as the RX 7600 cannot deliver playable framerates above Low at this resolution.

The data's minimum FPS figures for Medium settings provide additional guidance: at 1080p, the 71 FPS minimum ensures no drops below 60 FPS; at 1440p, the 54 FPS minimum means some scenes will dip below 60; at 4K, the 36 FPS minimum makes Medium unplayable for smooth gameplay. These figures reinforce the recommendation of Medium at 1080p and 1440p, and Low at 4K.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows 1080p is the only resolution where all settings maintain average FPS above 60. At 1440p, only Low and Medium exceed 60 FPS average, while at 4K, only Low reaches exactly 60 FPS.

Q: Can this combo run Control at 4K?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, which produce a 60 FPS average. Medium settings drop to 43 FPS, High to 38 FPS, and Ultra to 33 FPS, making them unsuitable for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its rivals?

A: The i7-14700KF has an average benchmark score of 70163, within 1% of the Ryzen 7 9700F (69996), Ryzen 9 7940HX (69875), Ryzen 9 7950X (69515), and Core Ultra 7 265K (70879). It ranks in the 94th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: Is the RX 7600 a bottleneck for the i7-14700KF in this game?

A: Yes. The measured FPS drops significantly with resolution increases while the CPU has ample headroom, indicating the GPU is the limiting component. The CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44167 shows it can handle far more demanding workloads.

Q: What is the framerate difference between Medium and Ultra at 1440p?

A: Medium averages 64 FPS with a minimum of 54 FPS, while Ultra averages 49 FPS. The 15 FPS difference represents a 23.4% performance loss for the highest settings preset.

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

A: It ranks 2608th out of 3720 combos in Control, placing it in the lower-middle segment. The GPU's 57th percentile and the CPU's 94th percentile indicate the pairing is unbalanced, with the GPU limiting overall performance.