Control

Control, Remedy’s 2019 action-adventure, is a demanding title that stresses both the CPU and GPU, but the balance shifts dramatically depending on your resolution and settings. This analysis examines the measured performance of the Intel Core i7-14700KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070, a combination that sits in the 3083rd percentile of 3720 tested configurations for this game, indicating a system that is heavily held back by its graphics card. The data reveals a clear story: this is a pairing that can deliver a solid 1080p experience but struggles to maintain playable framerates at higher resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a steep and consistent drop as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160, which is the classic signature of a GPU-bound scenario. At High settings, the average framerate falls from 61 FPS at 1080p to 46 FPS at 1440p, a 25% reduction. Pushing further to 4K, the average drops to 31 FPS, which is a 49% decrease from the 1080p figure. This scaling behavior is characteristic of a graphics card that is hitting its memory bandwidth and pixel throughput limits, rather than a CPU that is running out of processing power.

The GTX 1070, with its 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus providing 256.3 GB/s of bandwidth, is the primary constraint here. The 4K Ultra preset, which demands the most from the GPU, yields an average of just 27 FPS, confirming that the Pascal architecture is not suited for 4K gaming in a title as visually complex as Control. The fact that lowering the settings from Ultra to Low at 4K brings the average from 27 FPS up to 49 FPS — a 22 FPS jump — further underscores that the GPU is the bottleneck. A CPU bottleneck would not show such a dramatic improvement from purely graphical settings changes.

The data suggests that the Intel Core i7-14700KF, with its 20 cores and 28 threads, is more than capable of feeding the GTX 1070. The performance drop from 1080p to 1440p is significant but not catastrophic, while the drop to 4K is severe. This indicates that at 1080p, the system might be partially CPU-bound in lighter scenes, but as the resolution increases, the load shifts almost entirely to the GPU. For a practical takeaway, the GTX 1070 is best considered a 1080p card for this game, and attempting to run it at 4K will result in a sub-30 FPS experience on higher presets.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the "sweet spot" for this configuration is clearly the Medium preset at 1920x1080. Here, the system achieves an average of 69 FPS with a minimum of 58 FPS and a maximum of 79 FPS. This is a playable, smooth experience that avoids the dips into the 50s that could be noticeable on a high-refresh-rate monitor. The High preset at 1080p brings the average down to 61 FPS, which is still playable, but the Medium preset provides a more comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold.

For users with a 1440p monitor, the Medium preset is also the recommended starting point, delivering an average of 52 FPS with a minimum of 44 FPS. While this is not a locked 60 FPS, it is a playable experience for a game with atmospheric, slower-paced combat. The High preset at 1440p drops to an average of 46 FPS, which is starting to feel less fluid. At 4K, the data presents a more challenging picture. The Low preset is the only option that approaches playability, with an average of 49 FPS. However, the Medium preset at 4K averages 35 FPS with a minimum of 30 FPS, which is borderline. The High and Ultra presets at 4K average 31 and 27 FPS respectively, which falls below the standard for a smooth experience.

The performance difference between Low and Medium settings is substantial, but the jump from Medium to High and then to Ultra yields diminishing returns in frame rate. At 1080p, the difference between Medium (69 FPS) and Ultra (53 FPS) is a 16 FPS drop for what is often a marginal visual improvement. Given the GTX 1070's age, prioritizing a stable framerate over maximum visual fidelity is the more practical choice. The Medium preset provides the best balance of visual quality and performance across all resolutions, ensuring the game remains responsive.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700KF is a powerhouse, and its specifications suggest it is not the limiting factor in this pairing. With 20 cores, 28 threads, and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, it ranks in the 94th percentile of all CPUs in the database. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44167 and single-core score of 6235 demonstrate immense processing capability. In a game like Control, which is known for its physics simulations and destruction, having a strong CPU is beneficial, but the benchmark results show that the GPU is the clear bottleneck in this specific configuration.

The measured FPS data confirms this. When the resolution increases and the GPU load becomes heavier, the framerate drops, but the CPU is not being relieved of its work. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see similar framerates across different resolutions, as the CPU would be maxed out regardless of the GPU's workload. Instead, the framerate scales inversely with resolution, proving the GTX 1070 cannot keep up with the i7-14700KF's ability to feed it data.

The i7-14700KF's performance is comparable to its nearest rivals in the database. For instance, it is only 0.2% faster than the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and 0.4% faster than the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX. It trails the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K by 1%. These margins are negligible in a real-world gaming scenario, especially when paired with a mid-range GPU from several generations ago. The CPU's 33 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory provide ample bandwidth for game logic and asset streaming, ensuring that the GTX 1070 is always fed with instructions.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Control at 60 FPS?

A: At 1920x1080 with Medium settings, the system achieves an average of 69 FPS, which is above 60. At High settings, the average drops to 61 FPS. For a locked 60 FPS experience, the Medium preset at 1080p is the most reliable option.

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-14700KF a good match for the GTX 1070 in this game?

A: The data shows that the CPU is significantly more powerful than the GPU. The i7-14700KF ranks in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, while the GTX 1070 ranks in the 47th percentile of all GPUs. In practice, the GTX 1070 is the bottleneck, limiting the framerate.

Q: What is the highest resolution I can play at with a playable framerate?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the system averages 52 FPS with a minimum of 44 FPS, which is generally considered playable. At 4K, only the Low preset approaches playability, averaging 49 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K is borderline, with an average of 35 FPS and a minimum of 30 FPS.

Q: How does the GTX 1070's performance compare to its closest rivals?

A: In the database, the GTX 1070's average benchmark score is 9780. This is 0.2% lower than the AMD FirePro W5000 (9803), 0.5% lower than the NVIDIA Quadro M2000M (9832), 0.6% higher than the NVIDIA Tesla M10 (9724), and 0.7% higher than the NVIDIA Tesla C2070 (9716). These are all within a 1% performance band.

Q: Is the GTX 1070's 8 GB of VRAM sufficient for Control?

A: The 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus is a key specification. The benchmark data shows that performance scales consistently with resolution, and the significant frame drops at 4K (average 31 FPS on High) suggest that the memory bandwidth is a limiting factor at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the VRAM appears adequate.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 73 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 40 FPS. This is a 33 FPS difference, showing that the Ultra preset is much more demanding and not recommended for this GPU.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 is the defining component in this system's performance in Control. Its 8 GB of GDDR5 memory, 256-bit bus, and 256.3 GB/s of bandwidth are the hard limits on framerate, particularly at higher resolutions. The GPU's 1920 shading units and 64 ROPs, running at a boost clock of 1683 MHz, provide a solid baseline for 1080p gaming, but the data shows it struggles when the pixel count increases.

The GPU's benchmarks place it in the 47th percentile of all GPUs, with an average score of 9780. This puts it in the middle of the pack, and its nearest rivals are all within a 1% performance delta. For example, it is 0.2% slower than the AMD FirePro W5000 and 0.5% slower than the NVIDIA Quadro M2000M. This indicates that the GTX 1070 is a workhorse, but it is an older design that is outclassed by modern mid-range and high-end cards.

In Control, the GPU's role is critical. The game's use of particle effects and physics requires heavy pixel processing. The measured FPS data shows that the GPU is the primary bottleneck in all tested configurations. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 97 FPS, but this drops to 53 FPS at Ultra. At 4K, the GPU is completely overwhelmed, with the Ultra preset averaging just 27 FPS. This performance profile is consistent with a GPU that is limited by its memory bandwidth and shading power. The GTX 1070's 150 W TDP and 267 mm length make it a manageable card for most systems, but its performance in this game is firmly in the 1080p and entry-level 1440p segment.

Measured FPS Breakdown

This section provides the exact measured framerates for every resolution and settings combination tested.

1920x1080

• Low: 97 FPS average
• Medium: 69 FPS average, 58 FPS minimum, 79 FPS maximum
• High: 61 FPS average
• Ultra: 53 FPS average

2560x1440

• Low: 73 FPS average
• Medium: 52 FPS average, 44 FPS minimum, 60 FPS maximum
• High: 46 FPS average
• Ultra: 40 FPS average

3840x2160

• Low: 49 FPS average
• Medium: 35 FPS average, 30 FPS minimum, 40 FPS maximum
• High: 31 FPS average
• Ultra: 27 FPS average

The data shows a clear trend. At 1080p, the system remains fluid on all settings, with even the Ultra preset maintaining an average above 50 FPS. At 1440p, the Medium preset is the last stop for a comfortable experience, as High and Ultra dip below 50 FPS. At 4K, the system can only achieve playable framerates on the Low preset. The gap between 1080p and 1440p is roughly a 20-25% drop in performance across all settings, while the gap between 1440p and 4K is a further 30-35% drop. This non-linear decline is typical for a GPU that is running out of memory bandwidth and raw compute capacity.