Control

Intel Core i9-14900K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT produces a distinctive performance profile in Control, one that shifts dramatically depending on resolution and preset. The benchmark data reveals a system capable of high refresh rates at 1080p but one that begins to strain under the load of 4K Ultra settings, suggesting a complex interplay between the GPU's raw throughput and the game's demanding rendering features. The measured results position this combination within the broader database, offering a clear picture of its capabilities and limitations for this specific title.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 4K causes a predictable yet significant drop in frame rates across all settings, but the magnitude of that drop tells a clear story about which component is the limiting factor. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 162 FPS at 1920x1080 to 123 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of roughly 24%, and then further down to 83 FPS at 3840x2160, a 32% drop from 1440p and a substantial 49% decline from the 1080p baseline. This steep curve is a classic indicator of a GPU-bound scenario, where the Radeon RX 7700 XT's rendering workload at higher pixel counts becomes the primary constraint.

Moving to High settings, the scaling pattern remains similar but starts from a lower base. The average FPS at 1080p High is 102, which drops to 77 at 1440p (a 25% decrease) and then to 52 at 4K (a 32% decrease from 1440p, and 49% from 1080p). The consistency of these percentage drops — hovering around 25% and 32% respectively — strongly suggests that the scaling is driven by pixel count rather than any specific setting's complexity. The GPU is doing proportionally more work at each higher resolution, and the frame rate reflects that linear increase in workload.

The data implies the Intel Core i9-14900K is never the bottleneck in this title at these resolutions. The CPU's massive 24 cores and 32 threads, with a boost clock of 6.00 GHz, are more than capable of feeding the GPU. Even at 1080p Low, where the CPU would theoretically have the most headroom to become a limiting factor, the GPU still manages to produce 162 FPS, indicating the processor is keeping pace without issue. If the CPU were the constraint, we would expect to see frame rates plateau or flatten out as resolution decreases, but instead, they continue to climb, confirming that the Radeon RX 7700 XT is the performance ceiling.

At 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 45, a figure that would be challenging for smooth gameplay. This represents a 55% reduction from the 1080p High score of 102 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is also telling: 83 FPS versus 45 FPS, a difference of 38 FPS. This shows that while resolution is the primary driver of performance loss, the preset's graphical demands still have a significant secondary impact. The game is clearly scaling both with pixel count and with the increased visual fidelity of higher presets, but the resolution is the dominant factor in this pairing.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of tested hardware combinations for Control, this specific pairing of the Core i9-14900K and Radeon RX 7700 XT achieves a rank of 1422 out of 3720 total combos. This places it in the upper half of all tested configurations, roughly in the 62nd percentile. The data suggests that while this is not an extreme top-tier setup for this game, it is a solidly performing combination that beats a majority of other systems.

The combo rank is a holistic measure, likely reflecting the aggregate performance across all tested resolutions and settings. Given that the GPU's percentile rank is 67 out of 100, it's clear the graphics card is the driving force behind this positioning. The CPU, ranking in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, is a high-end part that is unlikely to be dragging the combo down. This suggests that the combo's rank is essentially a reflection of the GPU's standing, with the CPU providing ample support.

This rank implies that in Control, this system will outperform many others, but it will also be beaten by configurations with more powerful GPUs. The nearest rivals to the RX 7700 XT in the GPU database include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile and the RTX 4060 Mobile, which have average scores within 1% of the AMD card. In a real-world scenario, systems with those GPUs are likely to land in a similar performance bracket for this game. The data indicates that the combination is well-balanced, with no single component severely hampering the other, resulting in a competitive, mid-to-upper-tier standing for this title.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT, built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture, is the central figure in this game's performance story. With a chip transistor count of 28,100 million and a die size of 346 mm², it is a substantial piece of silicon. Its 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus provides a memory bandwidth of 432.0 GB/s, which is a critical resource for a game like Control that features complex textures and physics-based environments. The data shows that this bandwidth is sufficient for most situations, but the 4K Ultra results suggest it may be a limiting factor at the highest settings.

The GPU's clock speeds, with a base of 1435 MHz and a boost of 2544 MHz, are high for the Radeon RX 7000 series. The game clock of 2171 MHz is a more realistic figure for sustained load, and it's likely that the card hovers near this speed in Control. The performance figures, such as 35.17 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and a pixel rate of 244.2 GPixel/s, provide the theoretical foundation, but the measured FPS shows how these specs translate into reality. The 67th percentile ranking for the GPU against all others indicates it's a solidly mid-range performer, not a flagship, which aligns with the 4K results.

The GPU's VRAM capacity of 12 GB does not appear to be a problem in this game at 1080p or 1440p, as frame times remain consistent. However, at 4K, the combination of higher resolution textures and effects could be pushing closer to that limit, potentially contributing to the lower performance. The data does not explicitly show a VRAM cap, but the steep drop from 83 FPS at 4K Low to 45 FPS at 4K Ultra suggests that the additional memory pressure and compute load of the Ultra preset are taking a heavy toll on the card. The GPU is clearly the determining factor in this combo's performance, and its mid-range positioning is the reason the system falls into the 1422nd spot overall.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best average frame rate this combo can achieve in Control?*

A: The highest measured average FPS is 162, which occurs at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This demonstrates the system's peak capability when the GPU is under the least stress.

*Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Control?*

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 4K with High settings, it averages 52 FPS. Lowering to Medium settings yields 59 FPS, and Low settings produce 83 FPS. However, 4K Ultra results in an average of 45 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target for very smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the Core i9-14900K affect performance compared to the GPU?

A: The data suggests the CPU is not a bottleneck. The Core i9-14900K has 24 cores and 32 threads with a boost clock of 6.00 GHz, which is more than sufficient for this game. The frame rates scale consistently with resolution, indicating the Radeon RX 7700 XT is the limiting component.

*Q: How does this combo rank against all other tested systems in Control?*

A: The combo ranks 1422 out of 3720 total combinations, placing it in the upper half of all tested systems. This position is largely driven by the GPU's performance, which ranks in the 67th percentile overall.

Q: What is the impact of the GPU's memory bandwidth on performance?

A: The RX 7700 XT has a memory bandwidth of 432.0 GB/s from its 12 GB GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus. This is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but the significant performance drop at 4K Ultra suggests that the memory subsystem, along with compute load, is a major factor at the highest resolution and settings.

Q: Is there a significant difference between High and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: Yes, the difference is 10 FPS. At 2560x1440, High settings average 77 FPS, while Ultra settings average 67 FPS. Both are playable, but the 13% performance hit for Ultra may not be worth the visual improvement for some users.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear guide for the optimal settings experience. For players targeting the standard 60 FPS benchmark, the sweet spot appears to be at 2560x1440 resolution with High settings, which yields an average of 77 FPS. This provides a comfortable margin above the target and presumably offers a good balance of visual fidelity and performance. Dropping to Medium at 1440p only increases the average to 87 FPS, a modest gain that might not justify the visual downgrade.

At 1920x1080, the system is powerful enough to run High settings at an average of 102 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors. Even Ultra settings at 1080p remain playable with an average of 89 FPS. For those seeking the absolute highest frame rates, turning the settings down to Low at 1080p unlocks an average of 162 FPS, though this comes at a significant cost to visual quality.

For 4K displays, the situation is more nuanced. To maintain a playable frame rate, Medium settings are the highest recommended, producing an average of 59 FPS, which is just shy of 60 FPS. High settings at 4K average 52 FPS, which is still playable for many, but the data shows that Medium offers a better balance. Ultra at 4K should be avoided, as the 45 FPS average will be noticeably less smooth. The ideal experience, according to the data, is either 1440p High for a high-quality 60+ FPS experience or 1080p High for a high-refresh-rate experience.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i9-14900K is a powerhouse, and in Control, its role is to provide a stable, high-performance foundation for the GPU. With 24 cores and 32 threads, it has an overwhelming amount of parallelism for a game that, while demanding, does not typically scale perfectly across such a high core count. Its base clock of 3.20 GHz and boost clock of 6.00 GHz ensure that single-threaded performance is also exceptional, which is often more critical for game logic and draw calls. The CPU's 36 MB of shared L3 cache is another asset, helping to keep data flowing efficiently to the cores.

Looking at the benchmark scores, the CPU's performance is exceptional. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 39399.5 and single-core score of 2262.5 place it among the top consumer processors. Its percentile ranking of 95 versus all CPUs confirms its high-end status. However, in this game's specific benchmark, the CPU's influence is only indirect. The frame rate data shows a steady decrease as resolution increases, which is the signature of a GPU bottleneck. If the CPU were struggling, we would see frame rates at 1080p and 1440p be more similar, as the CPU's workload would be the limiting factor.

The nearest CPU rivals, such as the Intel Core i9-14900KF and Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus, have average benchmark scores within 1% of the 14900K, indicating that swapping in one of these would not meaningfully change the Control results. The data strongly implies that the i9-14900K is overkill for this game in a good way; it provides a massive amount of headroom, ensuring that the Radeon RX 7700 XT is always the component that dictates the final frame rate. This is a healthy pairing, as the CPU will not be a source of stutter or frame drops.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides the definitive performance picture. At 1920x1080, the system excels. Low settings produce an average of 162 FPS. Medium settings average 115 FPS, with a minimum of 98 FPS and a maximum of 133 FPS, showing good frame consistency. High settings bring the average down to 102 FPS, and Ultra settings average 89 FPS. All presets at this resolution are highly playable, with even the most demanding setting exceeding the 60 FPS threshold comfortably.

At 2560x1440, the performance is still strong. Low settings average 123 FPS. Medium settings produce an average of 87 FPS, with a minimum of 74 FPS and a maximum of 100 FPS. High settings average 77 FPS, and Ultra settings average 67 FPS. This resolution remains very viable for a high-refresh-rate experience on High settings, and even Ultra maintains a playable frame rate.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's limits become apparent. Low settings average 83 FPS. Medium settings average 59 FPS, with a minimum of 50 FPS and a maximum of 68 FPS. High settings drop to an average of 52 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to an average of 45 FPS. The data shows that 4K is only truly comfortable at Low or Medium settings, and that the step from Medium to High incurs a 7 FPS penalty, while the step from High to Ultra incurs another 7 FPS penalty, indicating that the cost of the Ultra preset is substantial at this resolution.