Control

Control, the 2019 action-adventure title, proves to be a demanding showcase for the Intel Core i7-14700KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti combo. The measured data shows a system that can handle the game's supernatural environments with high frame rates, but the performance curve across resolutions reveals a clear shift in bottleneck. At 1080p, the processor drives frame rates to very high levels, while at 4K, the graphics card becomes the definitive limiting factor. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS across three resolutions and four quality presets, interprets the data against the combo's ranking among thousands of tested configurations, and details the specific roles of the CPU and GPU in producing these results.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 4K produces a dramatic and predictable decline in average frame rates across all settings, highlighting the increasing load on the GPU. At the Low preset, the average frame rate drops from 232 FPS at 1920x1080 to 119 FPS at 3840x2160, a reduction of 113 FPS. This substantial drop indicates that while the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU at lower resolutions, the sheer pixel count at 4K overwhelms the graphics card. The scaling is slightly less severe at the High preset, where the average falls from 146 FPS at 1080p to 111 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 75 FPS at 4K. This pattern is typical for a game like Control, which relies heavily on real-time rendering effects.

The scaling from 1440p to 4K is particularly telling. At the Medium preset, the average frame rate drops from 125 FPS at 2560x1440 to 84 FPS at 3840x2160. This 41 FPS decrease represents a 32.8% performance hit, which is a strong indicator of GPU-bound behavior. The data suggests that the RTX 5070 Ti's 16 GB of GDDR7 memory and 896.0 GB/s of bandwidth are sufficient to handle the 4K framebuffer, but the computational load of the Blackwell 2.0 architecture's shaders becomes the constraining factor. The minimum FPS values recorded at Medium settings also show this trend, with a 106 FPS floor at 1440p falling to a 72 FPS floor at 4K.

Interestingly, the gap between the Low and Ultra presets grows with resolution. At 1080p, the difference between Low (232 FPS) and Ultra (127 FPS) is 105 FPS. At 4K, this difference narrows to 54 FPS (119 FPS vs 65 FPS). This compression at higher resolutions is a classic sign of the GPU becoming the primary performance limiter, as the relative cost of the additional visual features in the Ultra preset is overshadowed by the cost of rendering more pixels. The benchmark data therefore shows a system that is CPU-limited at 1080p in lower settings, but firmly GPU-limited at 4K across all settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate recorded for this combo in Control?

A: The highest average frame rate is 232 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: How does the average frame rate at 4K Ultra compare to 4K Low?

A: At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset delivers an average of 65 FPS, while the Low preset delivers an average of 119 FPS, a difference of 54 FPS.

Q: At which resolution does the combo achieve over 140 FPS on the High preset?

A: The combo achieves 146 FPS at 1920x1080 on the High preset. At 2560x1440, the High preset average drops to 111 FPS.

Q: What are the minimum FPS values recorded at the Medium preset?

A: The measured minimum FPS values at the Medium preset are 140 FPS at 1920x1080, 106 FPS at 2560x1440, and 72 FPS at 3840x2160.

Q: What is the combo's ranking among all tested configurations for this game?

A: The combo ranks 389th out of 3720 tested combos for Control, placing it in the top 10.5% of all configurations.

Q: Does the data show a consistent performance drop between 1440p and 4K?

A: Yes, for every settings preset, the average FPS at 3840x2160 is significantly lower than at 2560x1440, confirming a substantial performance cost for the higher resolution.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti is the dominant performance driver at higher resolutions. Its 16 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus provides a 896.0 GB/s memory bandwidth, which is crucial for feeding the high-resolution textures and effects that Control demands. The GPU's 8960 shading units and 70 RT cores are tasked with rendering the game's physics-based environments and particle effects. The data shows that the RTX 5070 Ti's performance, while strong, is not unlimited; the 4K results, with a maximum average of 119 FPS at Low settings, show that even this high-end card is strained by the pixel output required.

The GPU's boost clock of 2452 MHz is a key factor in the frame rates observed. The difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 1080p (232 FPS vs 127 FPS) shows that the GPU has significant headroom when the CPU can feed it quickly, allowing the higher clock speeds to be utilized effectively. However, at 4K, the gap narrows, suggesting that the GPU's compute throughput is saturated and the boost clock cannot compensate for the increased workload. The benchmark results indicate that the RTX 5070 Ti is a capable 4K card for this game, but users seeking consistently high refresh rates at 4K will need to rely on lower settings.

The GPU's performance relative to its nearest rivals, based on average benchmark scores, shows it is a highly competitive part. It sits within 0.1% of the AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 and is 3.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT in average score. This data suggests that the RTX 5070 Ti's raw compute power is well-matched to its peers, but its advanced features and memory bandwidth give it an edge in modern titles like Control. The measured FPS data confirms this, showing it can deliver playable frame rates even at the most demanding 4K Ultra preset with an average of 65 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i7-14700KF and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti achieves a rank of 389 out of 3720 tested combos for Control. This placement in the 89.5th percentile of all configurations indicates that this pairing is exceptionally well-suited for this game. The rank reflects the combined capabilities of the CPU and GPU, and the data shows that neither component is a significant bottleneck at most settings, allowing the other to perform to its potential. This high ranking is supported by the measured FPS data, which shows the combo delivering over 100 FPS at 1440p on all but the Ultra preset.

The delta between this combo and others is not directly measured in the game data, but the constituent parts' benchmark scores provide context. The CPU's average benchmark score of 70163 places it 0.2% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and 0.9% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, while the GPU's average score of 49957 is 2% behind the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT and 3.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT. This combination of a top-tier CPU and a high-end GPU results in a system that is well-balanced for Control, avoiding the severe performance penalties that can occur when one component is significantly weaker than the other.

The rank of 389 also implies that there are 3331 other combinations that perform worse in this specific game. This reflects the strengths of both the i7-14700KF and the RTX 5070 Ti. The data shows that the combo is not just capable of high frame rates at low resolutions, but also maintains a solid 65 FPS average at the maximum 4K Ultra settings, a feat that many other configurations would struggle to achieve. This balance makes it a formidable choice for playing Control at high refresh rates on high-resolution monitors.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700KF plays a critical role in ensuring the GPU is adequately fed, particularly at lower resolutions. With 20 cores and 28 threads, this Raptor Lake Refresh processor provides substantial multi-threaded performance, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44167. Its boost clock of 5.60 GHz, combined with a large 33 MB shared L3 cache, ensures that single-threaded performance is also excellent, which is essential for game logic and physics calculations. The data shows that at 1080p, the CPU is the limiting factor, as the average FPS on the Low preset (232) is significantly higher than on the Ultra preset (127), indicating that the GPU is not fully saturated.

The CPU's influence is most apparent when examining the scaling from 1080p to 1440p. At the High preset, the average FPS drops from 146 at 1080p to 111 at 1440p. This 24% decrease shows that the CPU is still capable of driving high frame rates at the higher resolution, but the additional pixel workload begins to shift the balance toward the GPU. The i7-14700KF's high single-core performance, demonstrated by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6235, is crucial for maintaining high minimum frame rates, which are not recorded in the data but are implied by the overall stability of the average FPS.

In terms of its standing among other processors, the i7-14700KF is a dominant part. Its average benchmark score of 70163 is 1% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K and 0.4% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX. This performance headroom means that in a game like Control, which is not heavily multi-threaded but benefits from strong single-core performance, the CPU will rarely be the primary source of frame rate drops. The data confirms that even at 4K, where the GPU is the clear bottleneck, the CPU's role in maintaining a stable frame rate is vital, preventing stutters and ensuring that the 65 FPS average at Ultra settings is consistent.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the combo's performance across all settings. At 1920x1080, the results are exceptional. The Low preset delivers an average of 232 FPS, the Medium preset 165 FPS, the High preset 146 FPS, and the Ultra preset 127 FPS. The Medium preset also recorded a minimum FPS of 140 and a maximum of 190, showing a tight frame time distribution. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the system is capable of taking full advantage of high refresh rate monitors, with even the most demanding Ultra preset staying above 120 FPS on average.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain highly playable. The Low preset averages 176 FPS, Medium 125 FPS, High 111 FPS, and Ultra 96 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum FPS of 106 and maximum of 143 show a slight increase in frame time variance compared to 1080p, but the overall experience remains smooth. The 4K results at 3840x2160 show the most significant impact of resolution scaling. The Low preset averages 119 FPS, Medium 84 FPS, High 75 FPS, and Ultra 65 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum FPS of 72 and maximum of 97 indicate that the system is starting to work harder, but it still maintains a playable frame rate.

The data reveals a clear pattern: each step up in resolution results in a consistent decrease in average FPS across all settings. For example, the High preset drops from 146 FPS at 1080p to 111 FPS at 1440p, and then to 75 FPS at 4K. This consistent scaling suggests that the game is well-optimized and that the performance is predictable. The difference between the Low and Ultra presets at each resolution also provides insight into the graphics card's headroom, with the gap being largest at 1080p and smallest at 4K, confirming the shift in bottleneck from CPU to GPU.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For gamers with a 1080p 144Hz monitor, the Ultra preset is the clear choice, as it delivers an average of 127 FPS, which is sufficient to keep the display fully utilized. The High preset, at 146 FPS, would also be an excellent option for those with a 165Hz or 240Hz display, providing a higher average frame rate with a modest reduction in visual fidelity. The data shows that there is no need to drop below High settings at this resolution for a competitive advantage, as the frame rates are already very high.

At 2560x1440, the High preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, with an average of 111 FPS. This is ideal for a 144Hz monitor, as it sits close to the refresh rate cap. The Ultra preset, at 96 FPS, is also viable for those who prioritize visual quality over maximum frame rate, but the 15 FPS drop from High may be noticeable in fast-paced action. For gamers seeking the highest possible frame rates at 1440p, the Medium preset at 125 FPS is a strong option, providing a significant boost over High while maintaining good visual fidelity.

For 4K gaming, the recommendations are more nuanced. The Ultra preset, at an average of 65 FPS, is playable on a 60Hz display, but it is right at the edge of what is considered smooth. The High preset, at 75 FPS, offers a better experience for 60Hz displays, providing a more comfortable margin above the refresh rate. For those with a 120Hz or 144Hz 4K display, the Low preset, at 119 FPS, is the only option that comes close to saturating the display, but it requires a significant sacrifice in visual quality. The Medium preset at 84 FPS is a reasonable middle ground for 4K, offering a decent balance between frame rate and graphical fidelity for a 60Hz or 75Hz display.