Control

Control, Remedy’s 2019 action-adventure, remains a demanding showcase for real-time ray tracing and physics-heavy destruction. When paired with the Intel Core i9-14900K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, the benchmark data reveals a system that is decisively limited by its graphics card at higher resolutions, yet surprisingly capable at 1080p. The measured frames per second (FPS) across the resolution spectrum tell a clear story of where this combo’s headroom exists and where it runs out of steam.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent across all settings, indicating that the RTX 4060 is the primary bottleneck as pixel count rises. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 140 FPS at 1920x1080 to 106 FPS at 2560x1440, a 24.3% reduction, before plummeting to 71 FPS at 3840x2160, which is a further 33.0% drop from 1440p. This scaling pattern is typical of a GPU that is being pushed to its limits; the 8 GB frame buffer and 128-bit memory bus come under increasing pressure as the resolution increases.

The data shows a similar trajectory for High settings, where the average goes from 88 FPS at 1080p to 67 FPS at 1440p (a 23.9% decline) and then to 45 FPS at 4K (a 32.8% decline from 1440p). The fact that the relative percentage drops are almost identical between Low and High settings suggests that the limiting factor is not shader complexity but rather the raw fillrate and memory bandwidth. The RTX 4060’s 272.0 GB/s bandwidth is a fixed resource, and as the number of pixels quadruples from 1080p to 4K, the performance degradation is stark.

Interestingly, the gap between Low and Ultra settings widens as resolution decreases. At 4K, the difference between Low (71 FPS) and Ultra (39 FPS) is 32 FPS, while at 1080p, the difference is 63 FPS (140 vs 77). This indicates that at 4K, the GPU is so saturated that even dropping to Low settings cannot fully compensate for the pixel count, whereas at 1080p, the CPU has enough headroom to let the GPU stretch its legs. The core i9-14900K, with its 24 cores and 32 threads, is not the constraint here; the frame rate deltas are almost entirely governed by the RTX 4060’s ability to process geometry and textures. The conclusion is inescapable: for 4K gaming, this combo is strictly for lower presets, while 1080p is where it thrives.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process. Its specifications—8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, 3072 shading units, and a boost clock of 2460 MHz—position it as a mainstream performer. In Control, the GPU’s role is to handle the game’s complex lighting and particle effects, and the measured results show it does so adequately at 1080p but struggles to maintain smooth frame rates at 4K.

The benchmark scores for the RTX 4060 place it in the 61st percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 17639. Its nearest rivals in the database include the AMD Radeon HD 7790 (scoring 17666, a -0.2% delta) and the AMD Radeon 780M (scoring 17588, a +0.3% delta). This tells us that in synthetic tests, the RTX 4060 performs virtually identically to these older or integrated solutions, which is surprising given its modern feature set. However, in Control, the game’s specific demands on VRAM and bandwidth are what matter most. The 8 GB frame buffer is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K Ultra, the game’s textures likely exceed this capacity, causing the frame rate to dip to 39 FPS.

The GPU’s memory clock of 2125 MHz (17 Gbps effective) yields a bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s, which is modest by modern standards. This is a key factor in the resolution scaling observed. The 128-bit bus is a bottleneck at high resolutions, as the GPU must constantly fetch data from memory. The data indicates that at 4K, the RTX 4060 is not compute-bound but rather memory-bound, as evidenced by the small gap between Low (71 FPS) and Medium (51 FPS) settings. The GPU’s 15.11 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is not the issue; the memory subsystem is. For users aiming for 4K, the data suggests that even the Low preset will not provide a consistently smooth experience, as 71 FPS is below the 144 Hz threshold many monitors target.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i9-14900K is a flagship desktop processor with 24 cores (8 performance and 16 efficiency) and 32 threads. Its boost clock reaches 6.00 GHz, and it has a substantial 36 MB of shared L3 cache. In the context of Control, this CPU is vastly overqualified. The game’s engine is not heavily multi-threaded, so the i9-14900K’s 32 threads are largely underutilized. The CPU’s benchmark data shows it in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 79097. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i9-14900KF (scoring 79371, a -0.3% delta) and the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus (scoring 79574, a -0.6% delta), indicating that the i9-14900K is at the very top of the performance stack.

Given this immense processing power, the CPU is never the bottleneck in any of the measured configurations. The proof lies in the FPS scaling: if the CPU were limiting, we would see similar frame rates across different resolutions. Instead, we see a consistent drop as resolution increases, which is a hallmark of GPU limitation. At 1080p Low, the frame rate hits 140 FPS, which is likely near the game’s engine limit or the RTX 4060’s maximum output. The CPU’s high single-thread performance, evidenced by a Geekbench single-core score of 2655, ensures that it can feed the GPU with draw calls without stuttering.

The CPU’s 125 W TDP and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory are secondary factors. The data does not suggest any memory bandwidth constraints from the CPU side, as the frame rates are consistently high at 1080p. The i9-14900K’s role here is to provide a stable platform that does not interfere with the GPU’s work. In scenarios where the RTX 4060 might be underutilized, such as at 1080p Low, the CPU’s 6.00 GHz boost clock ensures that frame times remain consistent. The benchmark results indicate that the CPU is a silent partner, enabling the GPU to perform to its full potential without introducing any frame pacing issues.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i9-14900K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 ranks 2008 out of 3720 tested combos in Control, placing it in the 54th percentile. This ranking is a direct reflection of the GPU’s limitations in this specific game. While the CPU is a top-tier part, the RTX 4060’s performance drags the overall combo down, especially at higher resolutions. The data shows that this pairing is not balanced for 4K gaming, as the GPU cannot keep up with the CPU’s potential.

Compared to other combos, this rank suggests that many systems with less powerful CPUs but stronger GPUs would outperform this setup in Control. The combo’s 54th percentile ranking is a clear indicator that the GPU is the weak link. For context, the RTX 4060’s individual rank is in the 61st percentile, which is slightly higher than the combo’s rank, implying that the CPU is not adding any positive offset. In fact, the CPU’s high performance may be wasted, as the GPU cannot utilize the extra headroom provided by the i9-14900K. The takeaway is that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, where the GPU’s limitations are less pronounced, and the CPU’s power is more relevant for maintaining high frame rates in less demanding scenes.

The ranking also highlights a mismatch in tier. The i9-14900K is a halo product, while the RTX 4060 is an entry-level 40-series card. This asymmetry is reflected in the benchmark data, where the combo’s performance is entirely dictated by the GPU. If a user were to pair this CPU with a higher-tier GPU, the ranking would likely improve significantly, but as it stands, the data shows a system that is CPU-heavy and GPU-light.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a granular view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the RTX 4060 delivers playable frame rates across the board. Low settings yield an average of 140 FPS, Medium drops to 99 FPS, High to 88 FPS, and Ultra to 77 FPS. The Medium preset has a recorded minimum of 84 FPS and a maximum of 114 FPS, indicating a stable frame time distribution. This resolution is where the combo shines, with even Ultra settings providing a smooth 77 FPS average.

Moving to 2560x1440, the impact of the higher pixel count becomes evident. Low settings produce an average of 106 FPS, which is still very smooth. Medium averages 75 FPS (with a minimum of 64 and maximum of 86), High averages 67 FPS, and Ultra averages 58 FPS. The 58 FPS at Ultra is borderline for a 60 Hz display, suggesting that users might need to drop to High for a more consistent experience. The data shows that 1440p is a viable resolution for this combo, but only if the user is willing to compromise on settings.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 4060 struggles. Low settings average 71 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. Medium drops to 51 FPS (with a minimum of 43 and maximum of 58), High to 45 FPS, and Ultra to 39 FPS. None of these averages meet the 60 FPS threshold, and the minimums are even lower. The data clearly shows that 4K is not a target resolution for this combo, even at the lowest settings. The frame rates are too inconsistent to provide a reliable experience, and users would be better served by lowering the resolution to 1440p or 1080p.

FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured data, 1920x1080 is the optimal resolution. It offers the highest frame rates, with even Ultra settings averaging 77 FPS, while 2560x1440 and 3840x2160 show significant performance degradation.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Control?

A: No, the data shows that 4K performance is poor. At 3840x2160, the average frame rate ranges from 39 FPS at Ultra to 71 FPS at Low, with none of the presets consistently reaching 60 FPS. The RTX 4060’s 8 GB memory and bandwidth are insufficient for this resolution.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 compare to its closest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 4060 has an average benchmark score of 17639, which is virtually identical to the AMD Radeon HD 7790 (17666, -0.2% delta) and the AMD Radeon 780M (17588, +0.3% delta). This suggests that in non-gaming workloads, the GPU is not significantly faster than these alternatives.

Q: Is the Intel Core i9-14900K bottlenecking the RTX 4060 in this game?

A: No, the data indicates the opposite. The CPU is not a bottleneck, as frame rates scale with resolution in a way that is characteristic of GPU limitation. The i9-14900K’s high benchmark scores (e.g., 39399.5 in Cinebench R23 multi-core) show it has ample headroom.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, Low settings average 140 FPS, while Ultra settings average 77 FPS. This is a difference of 63 FPS, showing that the Ultra preset places a significant load on the GPU, but the result is still playable.

Q: What is the combo’s overall rank among tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 2008 out of 3720 tested combinations, placing it in the 54th percentile. This rank is primarily due to the GPU’s mid-range performance, which holds back the high-end CPU.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience in Control, the data suggests that users should prioritize 1920x1080 resolution. At this resolution, the High preset (88 FPS average) offers a good balance between visual quality and performance, providing a smooth frame rate without the steep cost of Ultra. The Medium preset (99 FPS average) is also an excellent choice, as it yields a higher frame rate with only a slight reduction in visual fidelity. The Ultra preset, while achieving 77 FPS, may not justify the performance hit for marginal visual gains.

At 2560x1440, the recommendation is to use the High preset, which averages 67 FPS. This is close to the 60 FPS target and offers a solid visual experience. The Medium preset (75 FPS) is a better option for those who prioritize frame rate, but the High preset is the sweet spot for image quality. Users should avoid Ultra at this resolution, as the 58 FPS average is too low for consistent smoothness.

For users who insist on 3840x2160, the Low preset is the only viable option, averaging 71 FPS. However, this comes with significant visual compromises. The Medium preset (51 FPS) is not recommended due to its low average and a minimum of 43 FPS, which can result in noticeable stuttering. The data clearly indicates that 4K is not a suitable target for this combo, and users are better served by lowering the resolution to maintain a higher frame rate. In summary, the optimal configuration is 1080p with High or Medium settings, or 1440p with High settings, to achieve a balance of visual quality and performance.