Control

The Intel Core i9-14900K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 delivers a high-refresh-rate experience in Control, with the CPU providing ample headroom and the GPU acting as the primary scaling factor across resolutions. The data shows a top-tier ranking among tested combos, placing this configuration in the 94th percentile of all tested pairings, with performance that remains fluid even at 4K Ultra settings.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i9-14900K is a 24-core, 32-thread processor built on the Raptor Lake-R architecture, with a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 6.00 GHz. This core configuration is substantial for a game like Control, which relies on a mix of physics simulation and AI-driven enemy behavior. The high boost clock of 6.00 GHz is particularly relevant for single-threaded game logic, ensuring that the CPU does not bottleneck the GPU in frame generation.

In benchmark terms, the i9-14900K scores 39399.5 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2262.5 in single-core, placing it in the 95th percentile against all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i9-14900KF, scores an average of 79371, a negligible -0.3% delta, meaning the K-series part with integrated graphics performs virtually identically in compute tasks. The data suggests that for Control, the CPU’s 36 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache are more than sufficient to keep the game’s asset streaming and physics calculations fed, as evidenced by the high frame rates achieved at 1080p where CPU overhead is most visible.

At 1080p Low settings, the combo reaches 255 FPS, which is likely a CPU-limited scenario given the lower graphical load. The i9-14900K’s 32 threads and 6.00 GHz boost clock provide enough single-thread performance to push frame rates beyond typical display refresh rates. The PassMark single-thread score of 4697 reinforces this, as Control’s main-thread workload benefits directly from raw clock speed. The CPU’s 125 W TDP and active production status indicate a mature, stable platform, but the benchmark results show that in this pairing, the CPU is rarely the limiting factor; the GPU takes over that role as resolution increases.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with a 5 nm process node, featuring 10752 shading units and 84 RT cores. Its 16 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus provides 960.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is critical for Control’s texture-heavy environments and particle effects. The GPU clocks at a base of 2295 MHz and boosts to 2617 MHz, with memory running at 1875 MHz (30 Gbps effective). This configuration delivers 56.28 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, which explains its strong performance in DirectX 12 workloads.

In the PassMark G3D benchmark, the RTX 5080 scores 36565, placing it in the 87th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon 8060S, scores 55757, a 0.6% delta, showing the RTX 5080 is slightly ahead in average benchmark score (56083). For Control, the GPU’s 16 GB VRAM is more than adequate, even at 4K with Ultra settings, where the game’s high-resolution textures and dynamic lighting can consume significant memory. The benchmark results show the GPU’s dominance: at 4K Ultra, the combo still averages 72 FPS, which is a demanding scenario for most hardware.

The RTX 5080’s 112 ROPs and 879.3 GTexel/s texture rate ensure that fill-rate-limited scenes, such as Control’s destructible environments, remain smooth. The GPU’s DirectX 12 Ultimate support aligns with the game’s modern rendering pipeline, allowing for efficient draw calls and reduced CPU overhead. The data suggests that the RTX 5080 is the performance driver in this combo, with its high memory bandwidth and compute throughput enabling the frame rates seen at 1440p and 4K.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of GPU scaling as resolution increases. At 1080p High settings, the combo averages 161 FPS, which drops to 122 FPS at 1440p High (-24%), and further to 82 FPS at 4K High (-49% from 1080p). This scaling indicates that the RTX 5080 is the primary limiting component at higher resolutions, as the CPU’s performance headroom becomes less relevant when pixel count increases.

At 1080p Low, the combo hits 255 FPS, but this drops to 193 FPS at 1440p Low (-24%) and 130 FPS at 4K Low (-49% from 1080p). The consistent percentage drop across settings suggests a pure GPU-bound scenario, where the RTX 5080’s fill rate and memory bandwidth dictate performance. The fact that the 4K-to-1080p ratio is nearly identical across Low and High settings (both around 49-51% reduction) confirms that the CPU is not a bottleneck; if it were, the drop from 1080p to 4K would be less severe at higher settings where the GPU is more stressed.

At Medium settings, the 4K average is 93 FPS with a minimum of 79 FPS, while at Ultra, the 4K average falls to 72 FPS. The gap between Medium and Ultra at 4K is 21 FPS, showing that the GPU’s compute resources are being taxed by the game’s higher-quality shadows and reflections. The data implies that for users targeting 4K, the RTX 5080 can handle High settings comfortably (82 FPS) but will dip below 60 FPS only if Ultra settings are pushed, which is not the case here. The scaling pattern indicates that the CPU’s 6.00 GHz boost clock provides sufficient headroom to avoid limiting the GPU, making this a well-balanced pairing for Control.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This combination of the Intel Core i9-14900K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 ranks 204th out of 3720 tested combos in Control, placing it in the top 5.5% of all configurations. This is a strong showing, considering the breadth of hardware tested. The rank reflects the synergy between the CPU’s high single-thread performance and the GPU’s raw compute power, allowing the combo to excel in a game that rewards both.

In the context of the CPU’s nearest rivals, the i9-14900K’s performance is effectively tied with the i9-14900KF (delta of -0.3%) and the Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus (delta of -0.6%), meaning the choice of CPU has minimal impact on the overall rank. However, the GPU’s nearest rivals show a more interesting picture: the AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE is 2.2% ahead in average benchmark score, while the AMD Radeon 8060S is 0.6% behind. This suggests that the RTX 5080 is competitive but not dominant against its closest peers, yet the combo rank of 204 indicates that the i9-14900K’s strengths complement the GPU well.

The rank of 204 out of 3720 also implies that there are 203 combos that outperform this setup, likely featuring higher-end GPUs like the RTX 5090 or more specialized CPUs. However, for a mainstream high-end configuration, this rank is exceptional, and the measured FPS data confirms that it delivers playable frame rates even at 4K Ultra. The data indicates that users seeking a top-tier Control experience without sacrificing resolution or settings will find this combo highly capable.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across three resolutions and four settings levels. At 1920x1080, the combo achieves 255 FPS at Low, 181 FPS at Medium (with a minimum of 154 and maximum of 209), 161 FPS at High, and 140 FPS at Ultra. These numbers show that at 1080p, the RTX 5080 is never the bottleneck, as even Ultra settings deliver well above 144 Hz refresh rates.

Moving to 2560x1440, the averages are 193 FPS at Low, 137 FPS at Medium (minimum 117, maximum 158), 122 FPS at High, and 106 FPS at Ultra. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is consistent across settings, averaging around 24%, which is expected for a GPU-bound workload. The 1440p Ultra average of 106 FPS is particularly notable, as it indicates that users with high-refresh-rate 1440p monitors can enable maximum settings and still enjoy smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the performance is still respectable: 130 FPS at Low, 93 FPS at Medium (minimum 79, maximum 107), 82 FPS at High, and 72 FPS at Ultra. The 4K Ultra average of 72 FPS is above the 60 FPS threshold, making this combo viable for 4K gaming with very high settings. The minimum FPS at 4K Medium is 79, which is exactly the same as the 4K High average, suggesting that the game’s frame pacing is consistent. The data shows that the combo is well-suited for 4K, with the GPU’s 16 GB VRAM and 960.0 GB/s bandwidth preventing any memory-related stutters.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Control at 4K Ultra settings?

A: Yes, the measured average FPS at 3840x2160 Ultra is 72 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to maintain 144+ FPS?

A: At 2560x1440 Ultra, the average is 106 FPS, which is below 144. To hit 144+ FPS, users should use 1440p High (122 FPS) or 1080p Ultra (140 FPS).

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival in terms of benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i9-14900K has an average benchmark score of 79097, which is 0.3% lower than the Intel Core i9-14900KF (79371), essentially a negligible difference.

Q: Is the RTX 5080's VRAM sufficient for Control at high resolutions?

A: Yes, the GPU has 16 GB of GDDR7 memory, which is more than enough for Control’s textures and effects, as evidenced by the stable FPS at 4K Ultra.

Q: What is the FPS drop from 1080p to 4K at High settings?

A: At High settings, the average FPS drops from 161 at 1080p to 82 at 4K, a 49% reduction, indicating the GPU is the limiting factor.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to all tested configurations?

A: It ranks 204th out of 3720 combos, placing it in the top 5.5% of all tested hardware pairings for Control.