Control

Control, the 2019 action-adventure title from Remedy Entertainment, presents an interesting case study for the Intel Core i7-14700KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070. The measured data reveals a configuration that is decidedly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, but whose performance ceiling at 1080p is dictated by the processor's capabilities. This analysis breaks down the measured frame rates across three resolutions and four settings presets, examining what the numbers indicate about the balance between the CPU and GPU, and how this specific combo ranks against the 1,635 other tested configurations in our database.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 clearly demonstrates the shifting bottleneck between the CPU and GPU. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 208.1 FPS, a figure that drops by 49.3% to 106.7 FPS at 4K. This significant reduction indicates that at the lower resolution, the system is not being fully utilized by the GPU, leaving performance headroom that is constrained by the CPU's processing capabilities. The data suggests that the Intel Core i7-14700KF, with its 20 cores and 28 threads, is the limiting factor at 1080p Low, as the RTX 5070 is capable of rendering frames faster than the CPU can feed it.

Moving to 2560x1440, the scaling pattern shifts. At Low settings, the 157.7 FPS average represents a 24.3% drop from the 1080p result, which is a more moderate decline than the 4K drop. This intermediate step shows the GPU beginning to take on more responsibility, but the CPU still exerts influence. At 4K with Low settings, the 106.7 FPS figure is still well above playable thresholds, but the 49.3% total reduction from 1080p to 4K illustrates that the RTX 5070's rendering workload is scaling directly with pixel count, a hallmark of GPU-bound scenarios at this resolution.

The scaling behavior at higher settings presets tells a more GPU-centric story. At Ultra settings, the frame rate goes from 115 FPS at 1080p to 87.9 FPS at 1440p, then to 57.5 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 23.6%, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is 34.6%. This non-linear scaling is characteristic of a GPU that is increasingly saturated with pixel shading and texture work. The data indicates that at Ultra settings, the RTX 5070 is the primary limiting component across all resolutions, since the CPU has ample headroom to process the game logic and draw calls even at 1080p where the GPU is already heavily loaded.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700KF's specifications are central to understanding its role in this benchmark. With a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, this processor offers substantial single-thread performance, which is critical for Control's game logic and physics calculations. The 20 cores and 28 threads provide massive multi-threading capabilities, but the data suggests that Control does not fully utilize this parallel headroom. In the 1080p Low preset, the 208.1 FPS result shows the CPU is the bottleneck, but this is not due to a lack of core count—rather, it is the per-core throughput that limits the frame rate.

The CPU's benchmark scores place it in the 96th percentile among all tested processors, with an average benchmark score of 70104. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-14700K, scores 70074, a deltaPct of 0%, indicating they are functionally identical in synthetic workloads. This parity is expected since the 14700KF is the same silicon without integrated graphics. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X scores 70420, a deltaPct of -0.4%, meaning the 14700KF is 0.4% behind in average benchmark score. These marginal differences in synthetic tests do not translate to meaningful frame rate differences in Control, as the game's engine is more sensitive to clock speed than core scaling.

In the context of this game, the CPU's single-core performance, as evidenced by the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6290, is what allows the system to reach 208.1 FPS at 1080p Low. The multi-core score of 44557 in the same test is less relevant here, as Control's engine typically relies on a few heavily loaded threads. The data shows that at 1080p, the CPU's 5.60 GHz boost clock is the primary driver of the high frame rates, while at 4K, the GPU's 30.87 TFLOPS FP32 performance becomes the deciding factor. The benchmark results indicate that for this game, the CPU is rarely the limiting component at resolutions above 1080p, except in the lowest settings preset where the GPU's workload is minimal.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achieved by this combo in Control?

A: The highest measured average frame rate is 208.1 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

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

A: The Intel Core i7-14700KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 ranks 312 out of 1,636 tested combos, placing it in the top 19% of all configurations.

Q: What is the performance difference between the 14700KF and its closest rival, the 14700K?

A: In synthetic benchmarks, the 14700KF has an average score of 70104, while the 14700K scores 70074, a deltaPct of 0%, meaning they perform identically.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 4K resolution with High settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with High settings, the average frame rate is 66.5 FPS. This relatively low figure, compared to the 208.1 FPS at 1080p Low, indicates the GPU is the primary limiting component, as the rendering workload scales with pixel count.

Q: How does the RTX 5070 compare to the RTX 3090 in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 5070 has an average benchmark score of 41687, while the RTX 3090 scores 41441, a deltaPct of 0.6%, meaning the RTX 5070 is 0.6% faster in these tests.

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

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset achieves 157.7 FPS, while the Ultra preset achieves 87.9 FPS, a difference of 69.8 FPS or 44.3% lower performance at Ultra settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo demonstrates its peak performance. The Low preset delivers an average of 208.1 FPS, which is the highest measured result in the entire dataset. Medium settings reduce this to 148.7 FPS, a drop of 28.5% from Low. High settings yield 130.3 FPS, and Ultra settings produce 115 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 93.1 FPS, indicating that the GPU has significant headroom at this resolution, but the CPU's ability to feed frames becomes the constraint at lower settings.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates decrease across all presets. Low settings average 157.7 FPS, which is 24.3% lower than the 1080p result. Medium settings achieve 111.8 FPS, High settings reach 99.5 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 87.9 FPS. The relative scaling from Low to Ultra at 1440p is 44.3%, which is slightly less than the 44.7% reduction seen at 1080p. This suggests that at 1440p, the GPU is starting to become the bottleneck, but the CPU still contributes to the performance ceiling at lower settings.

At 3840x2160, the frame rates reflect a clear GPU-bound scenario. Low settings average 106.7 FPS, which is still smooth for most displays. Medium settings produce 78.7 FPS, High settings yield 66.5 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 57.5 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 4K is 46.1%, showing that the GPU's workload is the dominant factor. The difference between 1080p Low and 4K Low is 101.4 FPS, a 48.7% reduction, which aligns with the 4x increase in pixel count, confirming that the RTX 5070's rendering throughput is the primary limiter at this resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

Among the 1,636 tested combos for Control, this configuration ranks 312th. This places it in the 81st percentile, meaning it outperforms 81% of all tested systems. The rank is impressive considering the game's age, but it reflects the high-end nature of both components. The Intel Core i7-14700KF's 96th percentile ranking among all CPUs and the RTX 5070's 83rd percentile among all GPUs indicate that this combo is well-balanced, though not at the absolute top tier.

The CPU's nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks—the 14700K, EPYC 9115, and Ryzen 9 9950X—all have average scores within 0.4% of the 14700KF. This suggests that the CPU choice has minimal impact on the final combo ranking, as the GPU is the primary differentiator in Control's performance. Similarly, the RTX 5070's nearest rivals, including the RTX 3090, have average scores within 0.7% of the 5070, indicating that the GPU's performance class is well-established. The combo's rank of 312 is consistent with a system that pairs a high-end 2023 CPU with a mid-to-high-end 2025 GPU, delivering strong 1440p and capable 4K performance.

Settings Recommendations

For 1920x1080 displays, the Low preset at 208.1 FPS is ideal for competitive play or high refresh rate monitors, but the Ultra preset at 115 FPS still provides a smooth experience for most users. The data shows that at 1080p, the CPU is the bottleneck at Low settings, so increasing to Medium or High reduces the frame rate but shifts the load to the GPU, which has ample headroom. For a balanced visual-to-performance ratio at 1080p, High settings at 130.3 FPS offer a strong compromise.

At 2560x1440, the High preset at 99.5 FPS is the recommended choice for most users, as it provides near-ultra visuals while maintaining a frame rate that is close to 100 FPS. The Ultra preset at 87.9 FPS is also viable for those prioritizing image quality, but the 11.6 FPS difference between High and Ultra may not justify the visual gains. For users with 144Hz monitors, the Medium preset at 111.8 FPS is the best option to stay above the refresh rate threshold, while Low at 157.7 FPS is overkill for most displays.

For 3840x2160, the Medium preset at 78.7 FPS offers the best experience, balancing visual fidelity with a frame rate that is above 60 FPS. The High preset at 66.5 FPS is also playable, but the Ultra preset at 57.5 FPS drops below the 60 FPS threshold, which may cause noticeable stuttering on some displays. The Low preset at 106.7 FPS is unnecessary for 4K, as it sacrifices too much visual quality for frame rates that exceed most 4K display refresh rates. The data indicates that Medium settings at 4K provide the optimal balance for this combo, delivering a smooth, visually rich experience without overburdening the GPU.